Arrive in Cairo / Transfer to Alexandria

Arrange for your international flights to arrive in Cairo, Egypt by mid-day today. Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, a Tour Coordinator will be waiting to escort you by air-conditioned vehicle from Cairo to Alexandria. Our hotel is located on the waterfront, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, providing a great base of operations to explore ancient Alexandria. Once you have checked into your room, the rest of the day is free to relax, unwind, and enjoy the amenities of our hotel. Dinner is included tonight at our luxury hotel on the Mediterranean Sea. (Lunch and Dinner included)

Alexandria Sightseeing

Known as "The Pearl of the Mediterranean", Alexandria has been a destination for travelers since its foundation by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. After declining into little more than a sleepy fishing village, Alexandria was revived in the 19th century as an important port, and immigrants from Europe and the Middle East came to settle here, bringing a cosmopolitan flair and a heyday captured in Lawrence Durrell's Alexandria Quartet. We begin our full-day sightseeing tour with a visit to the modern, disk-shaped Alexandria Library and Museum, which comprises more than 1,800 archaeological pieces that narrate the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic and modern history of Egypt.

We see Qait Bay Fort, set on the site of the famous Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria and one of the most important defensive strongholds on the Mediterranean coast in its day. Next, visit Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque, one of Alexandria's largest and most famous religious monuments. After feasting for lunch at a popular fish market restaurant overlooking the Mediterranean, we continue to the Roman Amphitheater, the only one of its kind in Egypt. Finally, we visit the Catacombs of Kom El Shugafa, the largest Roman burial site in Egypt and the final resting place for 300 individuals, whose tombs are cut into the bedrock in massive tiers, descending 35 meters (115 feet) into the ground. (Breakfast / Lunch)

Return to Cairo

Enjoy a free morning to sleep in late, take a late breakfast, relax at the hotel or do some brief last-minute exploration close to our hotel. Lunch is on your own today. We depart our hotel in early afternoon and make the 2½-hour drive from Alexandria to Cairo. Once you have settled into our hotel for the start of the Main Tour, the remainder of the evening is at your leisure. Overnight in Cairo. (Breakfast)

Arrive in Cairo / Welcome Dinner

If not participating in the optional pre-tour extension to Alexandria, plan to arrive in Cairo by mid-day today. We can arrange an additional night in Cairo if you wish to come early – simply let us know on your reservation form. Upon arrival at the airport, a local host will meet you and transfer you to our hotel in downtown Cairo. The afternoon is free to rest up from jet lag and enjoy the amenities of our luxury hotel. This evening our entire group will meet for the first time as Toto Tours hosts a Welcome Dinner at our hotel. Overnight in Cairo. (Dinner included)

Grand Egyptian Museum

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) Complex is brand new – opening in 2020! It is described as the largest archeological museum in the world displaying the heritage of a single civilization, exhibiting the full Tutankhamun collection with many pieces to be displayed for the first time. The museum is sited on 120 acres of land approximately two kilometers from the Giza pyramids and is part of a new master plan for the plateau. The Museum contains over 100,000 artifacts, reflecting Egypt's past from prehistory until the Greek and Roman Periods. As you enter the museum, you can't miss the colossal statue of King Ramses II, nor the 87 huge royal artefacts exhibited at the grand stairs. These stairs lead up to an impressive 28-meter-high glass façade overlooking the pyramids of Giza. The GEM also hosts over 5,000 artefacts from the tomb of the golden Pharaoh Tutankhamun. We will have lunch today at a restaurant inside the Marriott Mena Hotel, with views of the Pyramids. Returning to our hotel, the remainder of the day is at leisure. (Breakfast / Lunch)

Memphis / Sakkara / Pyramids of Giza

Today features some of the most extraordinary highlights of your tour! Our day begins with the legendary city of Memphis, which was founded in 3100 BC by Menes, the Pharaoh who united Upper and Lower Egypt. It became the capital of the Old Kingdom. Next, we move on to Sakkara, the former necropolis (cemetery) for the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis and the place where the very first pyramids were built as tombs for kings. The pyramids here feature six steps on the outside, representing the pharaoh's stepladder to heaven. Discover the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the first pyramid ever built and the world's oldest freestanding stone structure. Lunch today is at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the Great Pyramids of Giza.

The Great Pyramids of Giza are the only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, built over 4,500 years ago as giant tombs for the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, who were a father, son and grandson. The pyramids are truly monumental in scale, with the largest, Khufu's, constructed from over two million enormous stone blocks. We visit the Solar Boat Museum as well as the enigmatic Sphinx with the body of a lion and the face of a man wearing a royal head cloth, which workers may have based on King Khafre to guard his enormous funerary monument. We return to the hotel after a thrilling day, and the evening is at your leisure. (Breakfast / Lunch)

Cairo Sightseeing

Visit the newly refurbished Coptic Museum, displaying a wonderful collection of sculptures dating from Pre-Christian times up until the fifth Century, as well as bone carvings, frescoes, icons, relics and colorful textiles. Our next stop is the Church of St. Sergius, located inside the Roman fortress in Old Cairo, followed by the Hanging Church, so named because it sits "suspended" on top of the Fortress of Babylon that the Romans built when they came to Egypt.

Next, visit the Synagogue of Ben Ezra, built during the time of the once-thriving Jewish community in Egypt. Inside, the so-called "Geniza Documents" were found, a treasure hailed as an unparalleled source of information about the life of the Jews in Egypt's past. We continue our tour to the Citadel, a medieval fortress built in 1176 to protect the city from Crusaders which sits high above Cairo on a limestone hill. Today, the Citadel complex houses mosques and museums, including the National Military Museum.

Lunch today is at a famous restaurant in the heart of the Khan El-Khalili Bazaar. After a wonderful meal, we enjoy wandering through the labyrinth of narrow streets in the Bazaar to marvel at the dazzling array of handicrafts for sale. Perhaps you will find some treasured souvenirs? We enjoy one more night in Cairo, and celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday with a festive dinner at our hotel. (Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner)

Fly to Luxor / Valley of the Kings and Queens

After breakfast, we depart our hotel and drive to the Cairo International Airport for our flight to Luxor. There a local tour coordinator will meet us and take us to our 5-Star Deluxe Nile cruise boat. The reception staff greets us and helps us check into our cabins. Right away we visit the beautiful Temple of Luxor before returning to our boat for lunch in the main restaurant. After lunch, we visit the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings. We continue to the Valley of the Queens for a memorable visit to the Tomb of Queen Nefertari, Ramses II’s beloved wife. It is said to be the finest tomb in Egypt, with vividly colored artwork giving an idea of how other, now faded tombs, would have looked in their time. Marvel at the grandeur of the Funerary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. On the way back to our Nile cruise boat we stop to see the famed Colossi of Memnon. The Boat Manager will host our group at a welcome reception, reviewing our upcoming cruise itinerary. Enjoy dinner and cocktails on board, followed by a Whirling Dervish show. (All Meals)

Temple of Karnak

After breakfast, we visit the Temple of Karnak. Lunch is served in the lounge while we cruise to Esna. After lunch, your Egyptologist guides you round the Greco-Roman Temple of Khnum at Esna. The beautifully preserved Great Hypostle Hall was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius; it was excavated from the silt that had accumulated through centuries of annual Nile floods and is about nine meters lower than present-day street level. Afternoon tea is served as you cruise to Edfu. Later, enjoy a gourmet dinner. (All Meals)

Edfu / Kom Ombo

Breakfast will be served on board, after which you will tour the Temple of Edfu. Lunch is served as we cruise to Kom Ombo. At Kom Ombo we visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. The temple stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank.

Later, afternoon tea is served in the lounge and you have the chance to take part in an Egyptian cooking lesson as you sail to Aswan. Tonight's dinner on board is an Egyptian Night costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian galabeyya. Dinner is a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties. (All Meals)

Philae Temple / Granite Quarries / Felucca Ride

A breakfast buffet is served on board and the morning is yours to enjoy at leisure. The southern Egyptian city of Aswan is a place to simply relax and enjoy an atmosphere that is as much African as it is Middle Eastern. The Nile is at its most beautiful here, flowing around huge granite rocks and palm tree-studded islands, so take a stroll along the riverfront to watch sailboats etch the sky. Walk to the souq in town to buy spices, scarves and baskets.

After lunch we board a small motorboat to visit the majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilika. Next, we proceed to the Granite Quarries which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in building the pyramids and temples. You will be astonished by the size of a huge unfinished obelisk. Afternoon tea will be served in the lounge. Close to sunset we sail on a felucca (a typical Egyptian boat) around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens, and the Agha Khan Mausoleum (weather permitting). Tonight’s farewell dinner will be a gala dinner (jacket suggested), with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine. After dinner, enjoy a folkloric performance and a whirling dervish show as part of the evening’s festivities.(All Meals)

Abu Simbel / Return to Cairo

A buffet breakfast is served on board before check out at 8 am. Transfer by air-conditioned vehicle to the Aswan Airport to board a 40-minute flight to Abu Simbel. (Snack lunch provided). At Abu Simbel the two temples of Ramses II are each fronted by colossal statues up to 66 feet high and are famed as some the most impressive monuments remaining of Ancient Egypt. As the Aswan Dam was being finished, the temples would have been covered by the rising waters of Lake Nasser. With the urgent help of a UNESCO campaign they were cut into blocks, raised piece by piece and reassembled in a new position higher up the hillside. After this memorable visit we board our return flight to Cairo via Aswan. Checking in to our hotel near the Cairo Airport, the remainder of the evening is free to prepare for your journey home. (Breakfast / Lunch)

Departure

The tour officially ends after breakfast this morning. We provide your transfer to the international airport for your return flight home. If you wish to extend your stay in Cairo (or take the optional extension to Jordan), please let us know on your reservation form. (Breakfast)

If you have come this far to see some of the most amazing sights in the world, why not extend your journey for a few more days to include the wonders of Jordan? The highlights of this extension include a float in the Dead Sea, ascending Mount Nebo, historic Madaba, incredible Petra by candlelight and daylight, the moon-like landscape of Wadi Rum, and a final night in Amman. A perfect enhancement to your Egypt adventure!

Fly to Amman, Jordan

After breakfast at our Cairo hotel, we check out and drive to the airport for our morning flight to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan (flight included in Jordan Extension price). A representative will meet our group, gather luggage to be put in one vehicle and taken ahead to our hotel, while we board another vehicle to the Kan Zaman Restaurant for our lunch. This afternoon we drive to our hotel at the Dead Sea. It is believed to be the site of five biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim and Zoar (Bela).

At 1,200 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea has drawn people to its shores in search of curative secrets. Due to high daily temperatures, low humidity and high atmospheric pressure, the air is extremely rich and the high content of oxygen and magnesium make breathing a lot easier. With the highest content of minerals and salts in the world, the Dead Sea water possesses anti-inflammatory properties, and the dark mud found on the shores have been used for over 2000 years for therapeutic purposes. Enjoy free time this afternoon to float in the water and take a mud bath on the shore. Dinner tonight is at an Italian restaurant located beside the infinity pool at our luxury seaside hotel. (All Meals)

Dead Sea

Enjoy a morning at leisure until it is time to meet your guide and driver for the transfer to Mount Nebo, where legend has it that Moses was able to see the Holy Land but not allowed to enter it. Nowadays the mountain is a memorial and pilgrimage site. We will enjoy a great view over Jordan, the Dead Sea and into Israel. When the weather is clear, you might even be able to see Jerusalem, 37 miles away. Afterward continue to Madaba, the "City of Mosaics” where we will see fascinating examples of this fine art at St. George’s Church and the Church of the Apostles.

After a lunch stop, we arrive in Petra late afternoon and check-in to our hotel. We enjoy dinner tonight at a restaurant voted best in Jordan by the Grumpy Gourmet Magazine. After dinner you have the option to join our guide for the “Petra By Night” walk (not included). Experience the magical atmosphere of a candlelight visit to the rose-red city. The special aura of the ancient Nabatean trading empire comes to life as you enjoy a stroll through the mysterious Siq of Petra. At Al- Khazneh (The Treasury), listen to music and stories and experience Petra just as the travel-weary traders of old must have known it. This optional excursion departs from the Petra Visitors Center at 8:30pm, returning at around 10:30pm. Overnight in Petra. (All Meals)

Petra

This morning, we meet our guide at the hotel’s lobby and walk with him to the Petra Visitors’ Center to begin our visit to the archaeological site. Take a short horse ride from the main gate of Petra to the entrance of the old city, and then continue on foot through the winding canyon to the dramatic entrance. The ancient city of Petra was built between 800 BC to AD 100 by Nabatean Arabs. During this era Petra was a fortress, carved out of the jagged rocks in an area which was virtually inaccessible. When shipping slowly displaced caravan routes, the city's importance gradually dwindled and fell into decline. Nowadays Petra has become a popular tourist attraction, since being featured prominently in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1984). During our tour we stop for lunch at the Basin Restaurant inside the Petra site. Enjoy free time to explore on your own and take amazing photographs before returning to our hotel. The afternoon is free. This evening we have dinner at Nabatean Cave Bar, located inside a Nabataean tomb in the hillside. (All Meals)

Wadi Rum / Return to Amman

After breakfast and hotel check-out, we meet our guide and driver for the trip to Wadi Rum, known as the Valley of the Moon. The largest and most magnificent of Jordan's desert landscapes, it has been virtually untouched by humans. A maze of monolithic rock formations rises from the desert floor to heights of 5,740 feet. It may be best known for its connection with British officer T. E. Lawrence, who passed through several times during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18. The area was featured in the film Lawrence of Arabia (1962). Explore the desert on a two-hour tour in 4x4 Bedouin vehicles. We end the tour near a Bedouin tent where lunch will be served. After lunch we drive to our hotel in Amman for check-in and an overnight stay. (All Meals)

Farewell to Jordan

The tour extension ends officially after breakfast. We check out from our hotel, and board a vehicle for the transfer to Queen Alia International Airport and your flight home. Please let us know if you would like to extend your stay in Amman. (Breakfast)