Your first stop is the Sphinx and the 4,500-year-old Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus. Lunch at the Panorama Restaurant with its amazing views over the pyramids and then visit the Citadel, the nerve center of Egypt for almost 700 years, with the impressive Mosque of Sultan Hassan. Next comes Coptic Cairo, and the 4th Century Suspended Church of the Virgin Mary; see Ben Ezra, Egypt’s oldest synagogue purported site of Moses’ rescue from the bulls, Coptic monasteries and the Coptic Museum. End your day at the Khan El Khalili Bazaar and wander through the labyrinthine streets to shop for some fantastic bargains. MENA HOUSE.

Fly this morning to Luxor and enjoy lunch on board your luxury ship. This afternoon, explore the Luxor Temple, and the extraordinary Karnak Temple, a complex of obelisks, pylons, courts, colonnades, halls, reliefs and sanctuaries once connected to Luxor Temple by a two-mile path lined with sphinxes. M/S MOVENPICK ROYAL LILY or similar.

Visit Luxor’s West Bank and explore the ancient city of Thebes. Stand in awe at the necropolis of pharaohs and nobility as you are greeted by the Colossi of Memnon: two giant seated statues of Amenophis III. Visit three very unique tombs on your tour of the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs of the New Kingdom were interred. At the Valley of the Queens and Nobles, see the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, called Set Neferu, meaning “seat of beauty” by the ancients. As the ship sails to Edfu, enjoy an afternoon relaxing on the sundeck while watching local life unfold before you. M/S MOVENPICK ROYAL LILY or similar.

Take a horse and carriage ride to visit one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, the Horus Temple in Edfu, which honors the falcon-headed godReturn to the ship and sail to the unique third-century Kom Ombo double temple, dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and to Horus, which features beautiful stone reliefs, murals, and a dramatic view of the Nile. This evening, navigate to Aswan. M/S MOVENPICK ROYAL LILY or similar.

Board a motorized boat to visit the island of Agilkia to see the complex at Philae with its third century B.C. Temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. Then sail to a Nubian Village, located on Soheil Island near the Aswan Dam passing by the First Cataract of Aswan. Walk through the village and see its traditional colorful houses built from mud brick, then meet and interact with a Nubian family to learn about their simple lifestyle, culture and traditions. Partake in a henna session, plate your hair into braids, and enjoy lunch inside one of the Nubian houses with Egyptian/Nubian specialties like tajin, mahshi, etc. M/S MOVENPICK ROYAL LILY or similar.

Fly to Abu Simbel to discover two of the most tremendous monuments of the ancient world at over 100 feet high and guarded by colossal stone figures of Ramses II. Then, fly back to Cairo and drive to Alexandria, named after Alexander the Great, the city of Cleopatra. An important center of learning in the ancient world, it was home to the Biblioteca Alexandria, the largest and most significant library in antiquity. The modern interpretation of the ancient library recalls the golden age of Alexandria. Next day, visit the National Museum, see Pompey’s Pillar, erected in honor of the Emperor Diocletian, the Catacombs of Kom E-Shouqafa, tunneled into bedrock at the time of the Antonine emperors in the 2nd century AD, and the lovely El Montazah Gardens, a 114-acre complex which belonged to the family of Mohamed Ali, ruler of Egypt from the mid-19th century until 1952. FOUR SEASONS SAN STEFANO.

Cross the desert to the isolated Siwa Oasis, closest to Libya. The first leg of your long drive will have you stopping at El Alamein, the place where the Allied forces of WWII gained a decisive victory of the Axis forces. An army guide will take you around the Museum and you’ll also stop by the cemetery at Tell el-Eisa Hill. Continue your drive to your seaside resort at Marsa Matrouh. JAZ ALMAZA BEACH RESORT.

Resume your drive through the desert to Siwa Oasis, where your Bedouin guide will introduce you to the salt lakes, the Oracle Temple of Amun Ra visited by Alexander the Great, and the Mountain of the Dead. Swim in therapeutic natural springs or in salt lakes, visit Oum el Saghear village deep in the desert whose inhabitants rarely see westerners, shop in the Siwa souq, and indulge in an exhilarating jeep safari with sunset tea on the dunes, and a sumptuous traditional meal in a Bedouin camp in the desert. You will also meet with Dr. Zeinab, a nuclear physicist from Libya who has settled in Siwa, who produces holistic body lotions and oils from natural material such as dates and olives. This is an amazing adventure to a fascinating and seldom-visited part of Egypt. TAZIRY ECOVILLAGES.

Begin your long drive back to Cairo, stopping en route at Marsa Matrouh for an overnight at the JAZ ALMAZA BEACH RESORT. Next day, drive back to Cairo and enjoy the comfort of your luxury centrally-located hotel. CAIRO MARRIOTT.

Begin your long drive back to Cairo, stopping en route at Marsa Matrouh for an overnight at the JAZ ALMAZA BEACH RESORT. Next day, drive back to Cairo and enjoy the comfort of your luxury centrally-located hotel. CAIRO MARRIOTT.

Start your day at the Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest archaeological museum complex in the world and host to more than 100,000 artifacts. For the first time ever, King Tut’s entire treasure collection of 5,000 items is on display. Then learn how to cook authentic Egyptian and Middle Eastern dishes during a cooking class and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Tonight, enjoy a farewell dinner in style, as you learn how to belly dance like an Egyptian. The following day you board your flight home with new memories and photos to share with friends and family. CAIRO MARRIOTT.