YALLA EGYPT: NILE CRUISE + CAIRO

After breakfast at the hotel and check-out, we will meet our Egyptologist to begin a day among the wonders of eastern Thebes. The first stop will be the grandiose Temple of Karnak, one of the largest religious complexes of the ancient world.
We will walk along the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, cross the monumental gates and lose ourselves in the suggestive forest of columns, one of the most iconic places of Pharaonic Egypt. We will also visit the sacred lake and the famous stone scarab, around which it is said that walking seven times brings good luck, just like in the times of the ancient pilgrims.
We will then move on to the Temple of Luxor, overlooking the banks of the Nile, where the colossi of Ramses II and the imposing obelisk that marks the entrance to the site await us. We will walk along the avenue of sphinxes that once connected the two temples, admiring the traces left by Alexander the Great and the Roman emperors in this place of worship used for over a millennium.
At the end of the visit, transfer to board our elegant and welcoming motorboat, which will accompany us in the navigation on the most mythical river in history. 
Lunch on board and free afternoon to relax on the deck or take part in optional excursions. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

The day begins with breakfast on board, followed by departure for the western bank of Luxor, where the legendary Theban necropolis stands. Our first stop will be the Colossi of Memnon, two gigantic statues of Amenhotep III that have dominated the desert plain for over 3,400 years as guardians of the kingdom of the dead.
We will then enter the legendary Valley of the Kings, one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, where we will visit three of the best preserved tombs of the New Kingdom. Among these, the tomb of Tutankhamun cannot be missed, discovered intact in 1922 by Howard Carter, with its still vivid colors and the emotion it gives every time you cross the threshold.
The visit will continue with the magnificent funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, the only female pharaoh who ruled Egypt with authority and wisdom. The temple, built in terraces in the rock of the mountain, is one of the masterpieces of Egyptian architecture, perfectly integrated into the surrounding desert landscape.
After returning on board, lunch and sailing back to Esna, where we will pass through the lock, and then continue to Edfu. Dinner on board and overnight stay.
In the afternoon, we will begin sailing to Esna, pass through the lock and continue our journey along the Nile to Edfu.
The day will end with dinner on board and overnight stay.

After breakfast, we will go ashore to visit one of the best preserved temples of ancient Egypt: the Temple of Horus in Edfu, dedicated to the falcon god protector of the kingdom. This extraordinary sacred building, built in the Ptolemaic era, will welcome us with its monumental pylon and columns decorated with perfectly preserved hieroglyphics. We will discover the rituals and ceremonies that took place there, from votive offerings to the preparation of sacred perfumes, to the artisans' workshops.
Return to the ship and sail to Kom Ombo, during which lunch will be served. In the afternoon, we will visit the Double Temple of Kom Ombo, a truly unique site, shared by two very different deities: Sobek, the crocodile god, symbol of strength and fertility, and Horus the Elder, the falcon god of wisdom and healing. We will admire bas-reliefs depicting surgical instruments, an ancient agricultural calendar and the Nilometer, with which the Egyptians measured the height of the river's floods.
Return on board, dinner and night navigation to Aswan.

Early in the morning, with a packed breakfast, we will set off on a memorable excursion to one of the most iconic places in the ancient world: the Abu Simbel Temples, masterpieces carved into the rock in the 13th century BC by Ramses II. We will admire the Greater Temple, with its four colossal 20-meter-high statues, and the Lesser Temple dedicated to Nefertari, the Pharaoh's favorite wife. In addition to the architectural grandeur, we will discover the astronomical phenomenon of the sun that, on two specific days of the year, illuminates the sovereign's face inside the sanctuary.
We will also learn the extraordinary story of the rescue of the temples, dismantled and rebuilt in a new position to prevent them from being submerged by the waters of Lake Nasser: one of the greatest archaeological feats of the 20th century.
Return on board for lunch. In the afternoon, the possibility of participating in an optional excursion by motorboat to a Nubian village. We will cross the calm waters of the Nile Cataract, the only one still visible, and visit a traditional village where we can learn about the hospitality, music and colors of the Nubian culture, ancient and alive more than ever.
On the way back, we will pass by the Old Cataract Hotel, a legendary hotel overlooking the Nile, where Agatha Christie wrote her famous novel Death on the Nile.
Dinner on board and overnight stay.

After breakfast and check-out from the motorboat, we will set off on a motorboat ride to Philae Island, one of the most evocative places in Upper Egypt.

Here we will visit the Temple of Isis, goddess of love, magic and motherhood, whose cult was one of the last to survive the advent of Christianity.

The temple, harmoniously nestled among the waters, is a place full of charm and spirituality.

Philae, like Abu Simbel, was also saved from the waters in the 1970s thanks to an intervention by UNESCO that allowed it to be dismantled and relocated on a nearby island.

Lunch and transfer to Aswan Airport for the internal flight to Cairo (about 1 hour 20 minutes).

Upon arrival, welcome and transfer to the hotel. Check-in, dinner and overnight stay in the capital.

After breakfast at the hotel, our Egyptologist will accompany you for a day dedicated to the wonders of Giza, Sakkara and Dahshur.
The day will begin with a visit to the Giza plateau, where the iconic pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Menkaure stand, masterpieces of the architecture of the IV dynasty. You will be able to explore the Valley Temple and admire the famous Sphinx, an imposing guardian of this extraordinary complex.
Afterwards, lunch in a restaurant near Giza and transfer to Sakkara, located 19 km away, to visit the Step Pyramid of Zoser, the oldest in Egypt (2750 BC). The visit will continue with the suggestive Serapeum, an underground complex characterized by imposing granite and diorite sarcophagi made for the sacred bulls.
Finally, you will reach Dahshur, where the pyramids of Pharaoh Snefru, father of Cheops, are located. Here you can admire the Bent Pyramid, unique for its original covering, and the Red Pyramid, considered the first “complete” pyramid in Egypt.
After an intense day of discoveries, return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast at the hotel, departure for an immersion in the vibrant atmosphere of Cairo, a metropolis of 23 million inhabitants where history and modernity intertwine.
Along the way, a panoramic stop at the Citadel of Saladin, built during the Crusades and a royal residence for centuries. Continue towards the Qarafa, the "City of the Dead", a unique place where Islamic necropolises and daily life merge.
In the heart of the ancient city, you will visit the famous souk of Khan el-Khalili, the most famous market in Cairo.
After lunch in the city, visit the GEM - Grand Egyptian Museum, the most modern museum in Egypt, which houses over 100,000 artefacts. At the entrance you can admire the obelisk and the colossus of Ramses II, and during the visit the most exciting moment will be dedicated to the treasure of Tutankhamun, the most complete ever found in Egypt.
Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay.

After breakfast and check-out, transfer to Cairo International Airport for your flight back to your home country, with a bag full of unforgettable moments and places.