Egypt & the Nile Family Adventure on Sanctuary Nile Adventurer

Depart on an overnight flight to Cairo. 

Arrive in Cairo this afternoon and transfer to the Marriott Mena House, your five-star hotel near the Great Pyramids. This evening, join your study leader at a welcome reception and an introduction to the exciting days ahead.

Overnight: Marriott Mena House

Meals: R

Attend a morning lecture, then visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, where an expert will guide you through its incredible collection of local treasures spanning millennia, including the famous Royal Mummies. For younger participants, a special tour of the museum will focus on items related to animals, games, and sports in the museum’s collection. By exclusive arrangement, visit the museum’s restoration lab to observe how ancient remains are preserved. After lunch, enjoy a guided look at the new, eagerly awaited Grand Egyptian Museum—the world’s largest museum devoted to a single civilization, housing over 100,000 artifacts that span 7,000 years of Egyptian history. Marvel at GEM’s complete collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures, including his famous golden mask and intricate chariots, shown together for the first time in one place. Gather for dinner this evening.

Overnight: Marriott Mena House

Meals: B, L, D

Head to Sakkara for an exclusive look at the opulent, recently discovered tomb of Wahtye, a high-ranking priest from the Fifth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom around 2450 B.C. This complex features a beautifully decorated above-ground chapel with vivid reliefs, inscriptions, and statues Then take an inside look at Egypt’s oldest pyramid, the awe-inspiring Step Pyramid of King Djoser, built in the 27th century B.C. as the world’s first monumental structure made entirely of stone. Rising to nearly 200 feet with six stacked mastabas, this groundbreaking design by the pioneering architect Imhotep revolutionized Egyptian architecture and paved the way for the pyramids of Giza. After lunch, witness the legendary Great Pyramids of Giza, the oldest of the ancient Seven Wonders, showcasing precision and ambition that remained unmatched for nearly four millennia. With an expert, stand before the Great Pyramid, whose construction around 2580–2560 B.C. required more than two million stone blocks. Nearby, gain rare up-close private access to the Great Sphinx, one of the world’s largest monolithic statues, crafted around the 26th century B.C. and stretching 240 feet in length. Return to the hotel for an evening and dinner at leisure.

Overnight: Marriott Mena House

Meals: B, L, D

Take a privately chartered morning flight to Abu Simbel for a guided look at the awe-inspiring temples of Ramesses II and his beloved wife, Queen Nefertari. These massive temples were built in the 13th century B.C. to deter enemies from the south. In an amazing feat of engineering, the temples were moved to their current location in the 1960s to prevent them from being submerged after the construction of the High Dam. From there, fly by private plane to Aswan and board Sanctuary Nile Adventurer. Prepare to count down to 2026 during a special New Year’s Eve dinner celebration.

Overnight: Sanctuary Nile Adventurer

Meals: B, L, D

While in Aswan, take local boats to an island for a visit to the exquisite Temple of Philae, which was relocated due to the rising flood waters of the Nile. Then you may visit the Nubian Museum, which features landscaped gardens, artificial lakes, and more than 3,000 objects going as far back as 3500 B.C. Alternatively, visit the unfinished obelisk in Aswan’s ancient stone quarries. This massive granite monument was abandoned during construction more than 3,500 years ago and provides valuable insights into ancient Egyptian stone-working techniques. Delve deeper into the history of Egypt’s tombs and temples during an afternoon lecture as the ship sails to Edfu. Younger participants attend a hieroglyphics lesson followed by a rehearsal for a retelling of an ancient Egyptian myth.

Overnight: Sanctuary Nile Adventurer

Meals: B, L, D

Step ashore this morning in Edfu to visit the well-preserved Temple of Horus. Admire its intact walls covered in hieroglyphs and scenes depicting Horus, the revered falcon god. Return to Sanctuary Nile Adventurer for lunch with Nile River views and learn to make regional specialties during an afternoon cooking class. In the late afternoon, arrive at the one-ofa-kind double Temple of Kom Ombo. Gaze upon its perfectly symmetrical Greco-Roman design and beautifully carved reliefs fusing Egyptian, Greek, and Roman styles. This evening, savor a buffet of Egyptian specialties and dress in traditional clothing for a festive night of music and dancing.

Overnight: Sanctuary Nile Adventurer

Meals: B, L, D

Arrive in Luxor, known as the “World’s Largest Outdoor Museum.” Originally known as Thebes, Luxor has been continuously inhabited since around 3200 B.C. and served as Egypt’s capital during the New Kingdom. Stop to see the famed twin Colossi of Memnon, 70-foot-tall statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III dating back to 1350 B.C. Head to the West Bank to visit the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings and the temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el–Bahari. An extraordinary highlight awaits: Take an exclusive guided look at Nefertari’s magnificent tomb in the Valley of the Queens. Access is limited to protect its vividly colorful wall paintings depicting Queen Nefertari’s journey into the afterlife. This evening, discover the sprawling, exceptionally well-preserved Luxor Temple, built around 1400 B.C. and featuring enormous pylons, tall obelisks, intricate hieroglyphic carvings, and grand colonnades. Then gather for a festive farewell dinner aboard Sanctuary Nile Adventurer.

Overnight: Sanctuary Nile Adventurer

Meals: B, L, D

This morning, discover the Luxor Museum’s outstanding collection of antiquities, including treasures from the Thebes necropolis. Then walk along the Avenue of Sphinxes to the great Karnak Temple, the largest religious building ever constructed, covering over 200 acres. See the massive columns of the temple’s Hypostyle Hall. After lunch, board a privately chartered flight to Cairo and transfer to the Hilton Cairo Heliopolis for an overnight stay. This evening, gather for dinner at the hotel.

Overnight: Hilton Cairo Heliopolis

Meals: B, L, D

Depart the hotel early this morning and transfer to the airport for the flight home.

Meals: B