Up the Nile & Into History: Sailing Through the Stories of Egypt

Depart on international flights to Cairo, Egypt.

Check in to your hotel and take some time to relax and settle into your rooms. Later in the afternoon, we will meet our Study Leader and your fellow Road Scholars. You will enjoy your first dinner together.

At the hotel.

At the hotel.

We will meet for an orientation at a hotel meeting room, where our Study Leader lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Indicated times are approximate. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. We will enjoy a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum, which houses the largest collection of pharaonic antiquities in the world. The museum displays an extensive collection spanning from the Predynastic Period to the Greco-Roman era. The museum also houses the splendid statues of the great kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, whose tombs lie in the pyramids of the Giza plateau. An extensive collection of papyri, sarcophagi and jewelry, among other objects, completes this uniquely expansive museum.

At a local restaurant.

After our visit we will return to the hotel where we will enjoy a presentation titled “Egypt and the Nile” by a local professor from Cairo University.

Explore local fares on your own

At leisure.

At the hotel.

Led by our Egyptologist, we will explore the most renowned sites of Egypt: the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. Start with an exploration of the Valley of Giza, a marvel of architectural prowess. The three largest pyramids in the valley consists of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Kafhre, and the Pyramid of Menkaura – all tombs dedicated to different Egyptian kings. We will then head to visit the Sphinx of the Giza Plateau, the most famous sphinx in the world. This iconic statue has been guarding the necropolis for centuries and is believed to depict the face of pharaoh Khafre. Enjoy a wonderful opportunity to see the sites from a panoramic viewpoint and experience a unique short camel ride.

At a local restaurant.

After lunch we will set out to explore Saqqara, the necropolis for the ancient Egyptian capital of Memphis. Here we will see the Step Pyramid Complex of King Djoser, built more than 4700 years ago and considered the oldest stone structure on Earth. This pyramid was built for the burial of Pharaoh Djoser and was designed and commissioned by his vizier and high priest of the god Ra, Imhotep. Next, we will visit the Pyramid of Teti. Although the original height of this pyramid is believed to have been 172 feet, the preservation above ground is poor and now mostly resembles a small hill. Inside however, we will see some marvelous pyramid texts inscribed around the walls of the burial chamber and inner corridors. These are some of the oldest texts found belonging to the Old Kingdom, around 2300 BC. Although Saqqara is home to many royal burials, this was not a royal necropolis exclusively. Among many of the tombs found in this valley we will find the tomb of Kagemni, chief justice and vizier who served under the reign of Pharaoh Teti. While kings began to be buried in pyramids during the Old Kingdom, Kagemni’s tomb is still in the old “stone bench” shape tomb known as a mastaba. After our visit, we will return to the hotel.

At the local restaurant.

At leisure.

At the hotel.

After breakfast we will head towards the oldest part of the city, known locally as Masr al-Qadima or “Old Cairo”. Part of this area has been a stronghold of Christianity since the Roman period and is known colloquially as “Coptic Cairo”. During our visit here we will enjoy a field trip to Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (also known as Abu Serga) and the Hanging Church, two of the most famous and oldest Coptic churches in all of Egypt. The former is believed to have been built in the spot where the Holy Family rested at the end of their journey to Egypt and is where many patriarchs of the Coptic Church have been elected and consecrated. We will then continue onto Ben Ezra Synagogue, established in Coptic Cairo in 1115 in what a Coptic church was previously built in the 8th century. The building was sold to the Jewish community of Egypt in 882 and is named after prominent Jewish religious scholar Abraham Ibn Ezra. Ben Ezra Synagogue is the oldest synagogue in all of Egypt and is the place where the Cairo Geniza – the largest and most important single collection of medieval Jewish manuscripts – was discovered in 1896.

At a local restaurant.

This afternoon activities will begin with a visit to the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, built in 879 and one of the oldest mosques in all of Africa. This mosque is the only surviving structure of the city of al-Qata’i, which served as the capital of the short-lived Tulunid dynasty from 868-905. We will then head towards El-Moez Street, the most important street of Islamic Cairo. Dating to the 10th century, El-Moez was the main street where markets and shops flourished. Today this area is still populated by multiple shops and has rich evidence of ancient Islamic architecture. Among one of the most popular places located on El-Moez is Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, originally founded as a center of trade during the Mamluk era. Today, this bazaar is home to many Egyptian artisans and workshops and is one of the most popular shopping districts of Cairo. After a short visit, our Study Leader will give us some time to explore this area on our own and interact with locals. After some time to explore the area of your own, we will return by coach to the hotel where we will enjoy a lecture on Egyptian social life by a guest professor.

At the hotel.

At leisure.

Breakfast Boxed breakfast from the hotel.

We will transfer early by coach to the Cairo Airport for our flight to Luxor. Upon arrival, we will depart to explore the temple complex of Karnak also known as “ipet-isut” or “the most sacred of places”, is the largest temple complex ever built by man and represents the combined achievements of thirteen centuries of builders. Among the gods venerated at this site were Amun-Re, his wife Mut, and their son Montu. After our field trip, we will depart by coach to board the ship for lunch and check-in.

On board

The rest of the afternoon is reserved for scenic sail to Qena in the Upper Egyp. Time to relax and settle into your cabin.

On board.

At leisure.

On board

After breakfast we will visit one of major archaeological sites in Egypt, Temple of Dendera, dates to the Ptolemaic Period, it is dedicated to the one of the most popular goddesses in ancient Egypt, Hathor, who was related to music, dance, joy, motherhood. The Temple is decorated with six massive columns ornate with the head of Hathor at the entrance. The ceilings were decorated with different astrological and astronomy scenes, which is major evidence of the astronomy knowledge of Egyptians

On board

The rest of the afternoon is reserved for scenic sail back to Luxor. Evening visit to Luxor temple. Luxor Temple, also known as “ipet-resyt” or “the southern sanctuary”, was the center of one of the most important religious festivals in ancient Egypt – the Opet Festival – during which the statues of Amun-Re, Mut and Khonsu were carried from Karnak to Luxor. Some scholars have also proposed that Luxor Temple differs from other temples in the region, as they argue it was centered not on the cult of a deity or deceased pharaoh, but on the cult of the current king on Earth. Academics even argue that Luxor Temple may have been the site where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned kings

On board

At leisure.

On board

Led by our Study Leader we will discover the Valley of the Kings, including the world-famous tomb of King Tut. This area of the west bank had been home to royal burials since 2100 BC, but it was the pharaohs of the New Kingdom period (1550-1069 BC) who began to construct elaborate tombs to reflect their newfound power and prosperity after the reunification of Egypt under Theban rule. The Valley of the Kings is home to 63 magnificent royal tombs, each unique in their own way. Before we depart the Valley of the Kings, we will enjoy a short visit to the famous Colossi of Memnon. These massive twin statues depict Pharaoh Amenhotep III and stand in what was once the entrance to the Mortuary Temple of Amenhotep III. Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed by an earthquake shortly after its construction in 1200 BC, leaving only the famous statues behind. Stories claim that another earthquake in 27 BC damaged the foundation of the northern colossus, causing it to “sing” on various occasions – usually heard by travelers around dawn. Greek scholars and travelers quickly took to calling the statue the “colossus of Memnon” since the mythological hero of Memnon was a king in the region and said to be the son of Eos, the goddess of dawn. After our visit to the valley, we will venture nearby to the iconic Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. A marvel of ancient architecture, this mortuary temple was built by Pharaoh Hatshepsut and dedicated to herself and the god Amun.

On board.

Enjoy some free time onboard as we sail to Esna. This afternoon your Study Leader will gather you while sailing to learn more about current life in Egypt and will be more than happy to share information and answer your questions.

On board.

At leisure.

On board.

Led by our Group Leader we will explore temple of Esna, one of the most recent, because it dates back to second century BC, first erected under Pharaoh Ptolemy VI. Phorones from this dynasty are known for representing the great mixture of Greek and Egyptian cultures. It is attributed with a dedication to Khnum, god of fertility and the source of the Nile and then later the vestibule was built during the reign of the Roman emperor Claudius. The temple recently undergone the major restauration, which reveal the beauty of this ancient artwork. Field trip of Esna village, following with the sail towards El Kab.

On board.

Enjoy some free time onboard as we approaching to El Kab, once called Nekheb, a major town of Upper Egypt. It was important seat of the royals form the 18th dynasty. It was a fundamental to sovereign to preserve city of Nekhen, to keep the legitimacy of their power. It is though the symbolic city for royalty of the South, represented with its tutelary goddess Nekhbet. At this site many of the tombs and accompanying art was to be discover. After the visit the sail towards Edfu is continuing.

On board.

At leisure.

On board.

We will begin our day with a visit to Edfu, a prominent Ptolemaic period temple. Dedicated to falcon god Horus, the Temple of Edfu is one of the largest and best-preserved temples in all of Egypt. The inscriptions on the walls of the temple have provided meaningful insight to the language and religion of the Hellenistic period of Egypt, as well as some of the construction techniques used by architects at the time. This day may include rides on horse-drawn carriages, but could be substituted by a bus ride depending on availability. Later, we will return to the ship where we will set sail for Gabal EL Selsela.

On board.

We will visit Gabal EL Selsela, this long used query site, from at least 18th dynasty to Roman times, was called Khenu, means The Place of rowing as it is the site where cliffs of both sides of Nile are narrowing. Our sail continues to Kombo Ombo.

On board.

At leisure.

On board.

When we arrive, we will depart for Kom Ombo Temple. Built during the Ptolemaic dynasty in the 2nd century BC, this temple is highly unusual because of its symmetrical ‘double’ design. All the rooms of the temple are duplicated, mirrored among the building’s main axis. The southern half of the building was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, while the northern part of the building was dedicated to falcon god Horus. During initial excavations, over three hundred crocodile mummies were discovered at this site. Returning to the ship we will set sail once again, this time towards Aswan

On board

We will continue our afternoon, with a visit to Philae Temple. “Philae” is a Greek approximation of what is described in hieroglyphic texts as “Pilak” and refers to the “island of the time of Re”, i.e. the time of creation. However, what we refer to today as Philae is the main temple complex relocated from that ancient island to the island of Agilika in the 1960s as a conservationist move to avoid the site’s loss due to flooding by the High Dam. This temple was the center of the cult of goddess Isis and her connection with Osiris, Horus, and the Kingship, during the Ptolemaic period of Egyptian history. This day’s activities we will finish with the visit of Nubian Museum, were the local traditions, crafts and folklore will be introduced to us, as well many of precious artefacts witnessing historical development of Egyptian and Nubian civilizations.

On board.

At leisure.

Onboard.

After the check out and disembarkation we will transfer via motorcoach to the Aswan airport. Here, we will board a short flight towards Abu Simbel. We will depart by coach for our ride through the desert to Abu Simbel. Led you your Study Leader, spend the afternoon exploring this iconic piece of ancient architecture many argue should be the “Eighth Wonder of the World”. Abu Simbel was built in the thirteenth century BC and comprises two massive rock temples, one of Pharaoh Ramesses II primarily dedicated to Re-Harakhte, and another of his wife Nefertari dedicated to Hathor. The site was forgotten until 1813, when Swiss researcher J.L. Burckhardt accidentally found the frieze of the main temple buried in the sand. The temples were a sensation across Europe, and became a must-see for all Victorians visiting Egypt at the time even although it required a long trip up the the Nile. After visit we will take the flight back to Aswan

A box lunch will be provided before the flight.

When landing Aswan airport for the flight to Cairo. Upon arrival, we will transfer to the hotel for check-in.

Farewell dinner at the hotel

At leisure.

Early morning transfer to the Cairo International Airport for return flights. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!