Afternoon: You'll arrive in Cairo this afternoon or evening. Meet your fellow travelers at the hotel, including those who took our Jordan: Amman, Petra & the Dead Sea pre-trip extension and those who arrived early in Cairo before the main adventure.

Dinner: On your own. Your Trip Experience Leader can recommend local dining options. Or you can venture to downtown Cairo on your own, perhaps to try a local favorite like koshari (a mix of rice, pasta, lentils, and tomato sauce).

Evening: Your evening is on your own.

Early Morning: As the sun rises over Luxor, so can you—aboard an optional hot-air balloon ride (weather permitting). The sights, sounds, and sheer spectacle of seeing these antiquities from the sky will surely make for a memorable morning.

Breakfast: Aboard our ship.

Morning: Today, we’ll enjoy our A Day in the Life experience with a local family on the west bank of the Nile River. The east bank, where our ship is currently docked, is Luxor like you’ve always imagined: home to bustling markets, the elegant Old Winter Palace Hotel, and the grand Luxor Temple. The other side of the Nile, however, seems like a different world entirely. Rural, reedy, and less developed, the west bank is home to villagers who are far removed from the Hollywood-ready attractions just across the water. Most of the houses here are modest, made from mud bricks or concrete and surrounded by date-palm and henna trees.

We’ll board a motorboat bound for El Ramla or one of the other villages on the west bank. Upon arrival, we’ll set off on a walking tour of the village, while learning about everyday life in this close-knit community from a villager and local leader whose family has lived on the west bank since the 1960s. Then, we’ll venture deeper into the village for the opportunity to participate in some hands-on activities. The weather and soil here are favorable for growing a large variety of crops—from potatoes and eggplants to mangoes and tomatoes. Depending on the season, we may have to opportunity to harvest some of the produce or spread seeds for a new crop.

Then, we'll sit down with members of the family and spend some time discussing their lives, struggles, taboos, and traditions. If your host is female, you might want to ask her about women’s role in a typical Egyptian family, comparing her experience with what we learned about women's rights earlier in our adventure. If children are home, perhaps you’ll ask them what school is like. Arranged marriage is common in Egypt; if a married couple is present, you might ask their opinions of the practice.

We might also help feed the animals or use the old millstone to grind wheat into flour. Sun bread (flatbread similar to pita) is a staple of the local diet, and every family in the community either has a stone oven of their own, or has access to a shared oven. We’ll help prepare a batch of this whole wheat treat, which will accompany our lunch.

Lunch: We’ll gather around the table to enjoy a meal with the family. In addition to the bread, we’ll enjoy an assortment of seasonal, homemade dishes typical of this region. Our lunch concludes—as most Egyptian meals do—with a cup of either black or hibiscus tea. While it may seem counter-intuitive to drink a warm beverage in a hot climate, Egyptians know that it actually tricks the body into cooling off.

Afternoon: We’ll bid farewell to the family and walk to the Nile’s bank, where we’ll encounter a local icon: a felucca. These traditional wooden-hulled boats with lateen (triangular) sails ply the water in profusion here. They’re the ideal vessel to take us back to our ship on the east bank. Our leisurely crossing will allow us to take in the views of both sides of the Nile and reflect on the power of this ancient, life-giving river.

We’ll re-board our river ship and set sail to Qena. Following a safety briefing aboard ship, our groups will engage in an enlightening conversation on hieroglyphics with your Trip Experience Leader before dinner.

Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish. Perhaps you’ll enjoy a nightcap at the bar or relax in the lounge.

Breakfast: Onboard our ship.

Morning: This morning, we'll visit the west bank of the Nile, the hilly area that was once the Necropolis of Thebes. It's here that we'll visit the Valley of the Kings, with its many tombs chiseled deep into the cliff sides. Several great leaders, as well as many less important rulers, are buried here, and more tombs are being discovered even today. This is where Howard Carter discovered the treasures of Tutankhamun in 1922, which we will have the opportunity to discover for ourselves. Each tomb is long and narrow, has the king's formal name and title inscribed in it, and each is decorated with his images and statues. Because these tombs were long sealed from the elements, their walls have retained the vibrant colors and deeply chiseled details that were added by the original builders thousands of years ago.

We'll explore a few of these tombs together with our Trip Experience Leader, and also have time to visit others independently before heading over to the nearby Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the monument of one of Egypt’s greatest rulers, and one of its only female pharaohs. As we leave the fabled valley, we'll stop at the pair of massive statues of Amenhophis, known as the Colossi of Memnon. These statues are the only remnant of a temple dedicated to Amenhotep III—later, the Greeks determined that the statues represented their hero, Memnon.

Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Afternoon: After lunch, the afternoon is at your leisure. Our vessel will pass south through the locks of Esna early this evening.

Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Evening: Enjoy onboard entertainment tonight before you settle in for the evening.

Breakfast: Onboard our ship.

Morning: We set sail for Edfu early this morning, arriving shortly after breakfast. Then, we'll disembark and drive to Edfu's Temple of Horus. Dedicated to Horus, the god of the sun and planets, the falcon (Horus's symbol) is prominent in the vivid hieroglyphs and bas-reliefs of the temple. Thirty-eight columns surround the court, and a fine statue of Horus stands guard over the entry. Every available surface is carved with hieroglyphs describing offerings to the god.

We'll head back to our ship and then sail to our next destination—Kom Ombo.

Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Afternoon: This afternoon, we'll visit the Temple of Kom Ombo. Set on a hill overlooking a bend in the river, the Greco-Roman style temple of Kom Ombo (actually two temples) is unique, as it is Egypt's only double temple dedicated to two deities instead of one—Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the great, winged falcon god. Everything here is doubled and perfectly symmetrical along a central axis—twin entrances, twin courts, and twin colonnades.

Dinner: Enjoy an Egyptian dinner buffet onboard ship featuring traditional Egyptian fare—perhaps including koshari, a lentil, rice, and pasta dish; shawarma, thinly sliced meat roasted on a spit; or umm ali, bread pudding with pistachios.

Evening: After dinner, take part in a galabeya dress party, where you'll have the opportunity to try on one of the traditional embellished robes.

Breakfast: Onboard our ship.

Morning: Upon arrival in Aswan, we'll set off to visit Philae Temple, which is dedicated to Isis, an enchantress known as the giver of life, the protector of kings, and the mother of god.

Originally located along the Upper Nile, Philae Temple was relocated downstream to Agilika Island in 1970 to protect it from the flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan Low Dam. The temple complex dates from the 26th Dynasty, with additions through the Roman period. It was one of the last temples built in the classical Egyptian style, as well as one of the last tributes to a goddess. Pilgrims would come from all over the Mediterranean to worship Isis here. This temple's towering silhouette has left a lasting impression on visitors for centuries, and its unique architecture makes for a fascinating journey through its jigsaw-like halls.

Lunch: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Afternoon: The remainder of the afternoon is yours to relax onboard.

Dinner: Onboard in the ship’s dining room.

Evening: Enjoy the evening as you wish.

Breakfast: Onboard our ship.

Morning: Enjoy a full-day excursion to Abu Simbel. Along the way, our Trip Experience Leader will shed light on Egypt's Nubian people. An indigenous group of African descent, Nubians have long maintained a language and culture distinct from those of their Arab neighbors. With the construction of the Aswan High and Low Dams, thousands of Nubian people and monuments—including Abu Simbel—were displaced by flooding. Upon arrival, we'll explore the two temples built by Egypt's great Pharaoh Ramses II (Egypt's longest-ruling king) as a tribute to the deities and his favorite wife Nefertari. Originally carved into a mountainside, the temples feature richly detailed stone monuments—including four 65-foot tall statues that flank the entrance to the Great Temple. Unlike other Egyptian temples, which typically feature a linear structure, Abu Simbel's design includes myriad side chambers. The whole interior is packed with bas-reliefs depicting battle scenes, as well as pillars and monuments to the gods.

In an epic feat of modern engineering, the massive temples of Abu Simbel were moved to their present location when construction of the Aswan High Dam in 1960 created Lake Nasser and flooded their original location. This extraordinary operation to save one of the world's greatest treasures took years, and the efforts of an international team of engineers and archaeologists. The temple is now backed by an artificial mountain built to resemble its original setting.

Lunch: At a restaurant in Abu Simbel.

Afternoon: After lunch, we'll return to Aswan, where you'll have time to refresh before dinner.

Dinner: Join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Cocktail followed by a Farewell Dinner as we prepare to say goodbye to our ship and crew.

Evening: Enjoy a live Nubian show, which will acquaint us with the traditions of this indigenous group. The highlight is the tanura dancer, whose brightly colored, multi-tiered skirts rise higher and higher as she spins to the increasingly intense beat of drums.

Breakfast: Onboard our ship.

Morning: Disembark the ship this morning and fly to Cairo. On our way to the airport, we'll stop at the Aswan High Dam, which was built in 1960. The dam forever changed the agricultural rhythms of Egypt. Once subject to devastating Nile floods, Egyptian farmers looked to the Aswan High Dam as a way of improving their ability to control their crops. However the large reservoir it created displaced nearly 10,000 of the indigenous Nubian people who lived in the region and created Egypt's own lost city of Atlantis, as the waters swallowed up both homes and priceless archaeological ruins.

Lunch: On your own shortly after arriving at our Cairo hotel—ask your Trip Experience Leader for local restaurant recommendations.

Afternoon: The balance of the afternoon is yours to delve even deeper into the city’s treasures. Perhaps after exploring the various ancient sites from your Nile cruise, you'll feel inspired to return to the Egyptian Museum for a fresh perspective of the artifacts you've seen and discover ones you may have missed the first time.

Dinner: On your own. Ask your Trip Experience Leader for local restaurant recommendations.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Trip Experience Leader for recommendations.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Today features the Giza Plateau, home of Egypt’s signature attractions: the Pyramids of Giza. The largest of these three structures is the Great Pyramid of Khufu, probably built more than 2,600 years before the time of Christ. Standing 480 feet tall, this pyramid is the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that still stands. Of course, we'll also see the inscrutable and mysterious Sphinx, carved almost entirely from one piece of limestone. When Napoleon first set eyes on the monument, it was still covered in sand up to its neck. Today it has been excavated, revealing the paws of a resting lion and chambers at its base. Take some time to revel in the history embedded in every block of stone and in the incomprehensible size of each structure standing tall in the desert sand.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: The rest of the day is at your leisure. You may choose to relax at our hotel or walk around Cairo. Perhaps you'll opt for a stroll along the Kasr el Nil Bridge to Gezira Island. The bridge offers fines views of the Nile, and is a popular local hangout as the day winds down.

Dinner: On your own—ask your Trip Experience Leader for local restaurant recommendations. You may want to sample some of Cairo's famous street food. Ful is one of the country's most popular dishes and, while traditionally served at breakfast, can be found nearly everywhere. Comprised of slow-cooked fava beans with oil and salt, it is quintessential Egyptian comfort food.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish. Perhaps you'll choose to ascend to the top of Cairo Tower for a glimpse of the Pyramids as the sun sets.

Breakfast: At the hotel.

Morning: Today's discoveries feature Old Cairo (also referred to as “Historic Cairo” and “Islamic Cairo”). Officially founded in AD 969, this section of the city characterized by its far-reaching history; no matter which direction you glance in, you’ll be met by preserved remnants of cities long gone including Fustat, al-Askar, and al-Qatta’i. Observe the bustling locals, winding roads, and shops and houses mixed together creating a colorful scene.

We'll start off at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Your Trip Experience leader will guide you through the halls of cultural artifacts, ancient treasures, and even though the Mummies Hall, where Egyptian kings and queens of old can be viewed, preserved for all time in elaborate rituals. You can see artifacts here from the predynastic age, more than 5,000 years ago, to the Ottoman rule of Egypt into the 19th century, showing you the true scope of Egypt's past.

Then, we'll visit Coptic Old Cairo, which served as the Christian bastion of Egypt prior to Islamic rule. Here we’ll discover some of the oldest Christian churches in Egypt, including the Hanging Church, so named because it was built above a Roman fortress, and its nave is suspended over a passageway. We'll also explore the Church of St. Sergius where, according to the Holy Bible, Joseph, Mary, and baby Jesus stayed after their escape to Egypt from King Herod's wrath. These buildings date back to the third and fourth centuries.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: Your afternoon is free to do last-minute shopping or pursue individual interests.

Dinner: We'll reconvene with our group and enjoy a Farewell Dinner at our hotel.

Evening: You have the freedom to spend the rest of your evening as you wish—ask your Trip Experience Leader for recommendations.