TOUR 5 - Ancient Wonders of Egypt & the Nile and Athens

DEPART FROM THE U.S.

• Our journey begins today as we depart LAX International Airport on our way to Cairo Egypt, home of the Great Sphinx of Giza and Pyramids. Sit back relax and enjoy your flight. Get some rest…tomorrow you will be walking through Bible history!

• Meals: On Board
•    Accommodation: On Board

“AHLAN WA SAHLAN” – WELCOME TO EGYPT, LAND OF PHARAOHS”

• Today we arrive in Cairo Egypt. We will meet our tour escort and transfer to our hotel.  We check in and have dinner at the hotel.

• Meals:  Full Buffet Dinner at Hotel
• Accommodation: Cairo, Steigenberger Pyramids
•   Arrival Transfer:  Complimentary

MEMPHIS AND SAKKARA 

• After breakfast, we will meet your Egyptologist tour guide and start our Ancient Egypt exploration. We will depart in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle toward ancient Memphis, located south of Cairo.
• Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt’s Old Kingdom was founded around 3100 B.C. Visit the open-air museum featuring the colossal statue of Ramesses II, lying on its back in impressive preservation and the Alabaster Sphinx, smaller but beautifully crafted.
• A short drive through the countryside will bring us to the vast necropolis of Sakkara. Here we will explore the Step Pyramid of Zoser. This pyramid was built around 2686 B.C for Pharaoh Djoser and it is the oldest pyramid in the world. It is also considered the earliest large-scale stone structure in history.
  
• We will return to our hotel for dinner.
   

• After breakfast transfer to the Cairo airport and fly to Luxor. You can store your luggage at the Cairo hotel storage rooms before departing to Luxor for your 3 nights Nile Cruise.
• You will be met at the Luxor Airport and transfer to the cruise:
• Embarkation before lunch 12:30
• Lunch on board 12:30
• Felucca Ride 15:00
• Captain’s Welcome Cocktail 19:30
• Dinner on board 20:00
• Nubian Folkloric Show 21:30

• Wake-up call 06:30
• Breakfast on board 06:30
• Visit the High Dam, the Granite Quarries and the Temple of Philae 07:30
• Lunch on board 13:00
• Sail to Kom Ombo 13:30
• Afternoon Tea 17:00
• Visit Temple shared by two gods Sobek and Haeroris in Komombo 17:30
• Sail to Edfu 19:00
• Dinner on board 20:00
• Galabeya party 21:30

• Wake-up call 06:00
• Visit Horus Temple in Edfu 06:30
• Sail to Luxor 08:15
• Breakfast on board 08:30
• Lunch on board 13:30
• Whirling Dervish & Belly Dance Show 20:00
• Dinner on board 20:30
• Enjoy music in the lounge 22:00

• Wake-up Call 06:00
• Breakfast on board 07:00
• Disembarkation 08:00
• Visit the West Bank (Valley of kings & Queens, Hatshepsut) 08:00
• Visit Karnak & Luxor Temples 14:30
• Flight back to Cairo and transfer to the hotel for dinner.

PYRAMIDS / SPHINX / ENTER INSIDE THE GREAT PYRAMID / CAMEL RIDE / NEW GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM 

• After breakfast, we begin our journey at the iconic Giza Plateau to see the legendary Pyramids of Giza. We’ll explore the Great Pyramid of Khufu—the oldest and largest of the three, and the only remaining Wonder of the Ancient World. Inside, we’ll walk through ancient passageways leading to the Grand Gallery, Queen’s Chamber, and King’s Chamber, experiencing the ingenuity of ancient Egyptian engineering.
• Next, we visit the Great Sphinx, a colossal limestone statue with a lion’s body and Pharaoh’s face, believed to represent Khafre. Standing for over 4,500 years, it remains one of Egypt’s most mysterious and enduring symbols.
• Discover the greatest collection of Pharaonic treasures in the world at the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum. Visit the world’s only Hanging Obelisk, a dramatic introduction to Egypt’s grandeur. Explore the Grand Hall and ascend the Grand Staircase Gallery, lined with over 60 significant artifacts.
• In the Main Galleries, spanning twelve halls, trace Egypt’s history from prehistoric times to the Roman era. Discover highlights like Tutankhamun’s gold mask, a colossal statue of Amenhotep III and Queen Tiye, the grave mask of Amenemope, and a figurine of Pharaoh Khufu—an unforgettable journey through one of the world’s greatest civilizations.
• Dinner and Overnight at Cairo hotel.

SPEND YOUR FREE DAY IN CAIRO OR DEPART FOR ATHENS

• After breakfast you can either take one of our Optional Egypt day tours or head for  Athens and spend your free day in Athens

• Meals:  Breakfast and Dinner (or on Board)
• Accommodation:  Cairo, Steigenberger Pyramids or  Athens, Royal Olympic Hotel *
• *$100 per passenger supplement to stay in an Athens, Greece hotel this night instead of Cairo – based on availability

ANCIENT CORINTH

• After early breakfast we will start our journey and drive to Ancient Corinth (Acts 18:1-18). The Bible mentions Corinth, Greece in several verses, including Acts 18, 1 Corinthians, and 2 Corinthians. We will take the coastal road along the Saronic Gulf to the Corinth Canal, which connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea.
• Afterward, travel to Corinth, a city where Paul spent a significant portion of his ministry. Walk through the ruins of ancient Corinth, including the Bema (judgment seat) where Paul stood before Gallio and preached to the people. Visit the museum, which houses artifacts from this pivotal location in early Christian history. View the ruins of the 5th century basilica at the ancient port Cenchrea (Acts 18:18), this is the port from which Paul sailed. We head back to Athens and arrive at our hotel for dinner and an overnight stay.

• Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
• Accommodation:  Athens, Royal Olympic Hotel *

ATHENS CITY TOUR / PARTHENON / MODERN ATHENS / ACROPOLIS MUSEUM

• After breakfast, we will start our touring at one of the most famous sites in Athens, the magnificent temple of the Acropolis of Athens, known as the Parthenon. Built between 447 and 432BCE, this is the picture-perfect spot in Athens. Paul preached in Athens, and at Mars Hill, you’ll reflect on his famous speech to the Athenians, where he spoke of the “Unknown God” and introduced the message of Christianity. We will have an overview of modern day Athens and we will visit the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Parliament House, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Panathenaic Stadium, Presidential Palace, the Academy, the University and the National Library. We will end the day at the Acropolis Museum before returning to the hotel for dinner and overnight stay (B,D).

  From the scriptures –  “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription ‘to an unknown God’.  What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you…” Acts 17:22-23

• Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
• Accommodation:  Athens, Royal Olympic Hotel *

• Transfer to Athens airport per your departure time. End of our services.