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

Start your day at 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. By exclusive arrangement, visit the museum’s restoration lab to observe how ancient remains are preserved. After lunch, return to the hotel, where you can learn about Egyptian history and ask questions during an afternoon lecture. 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. Continue to the impressive Step Pyramid of King Djoser, the oldest pyramid in Egypt, dating back to the 27th century B.C.

In Giza, discover what the world has been awaiting. Join an expert guide to be among the first to tour the new Grand Egyptian Museum, exploring the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts and a complete gathering of Tutankhamun treasures. After lunch, visit the Great Pyramids, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Nearby, go beyond the crowd barriers of the Great Sphinx for up-close private access to this colossal statue. 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.

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. Later, learn how to bake Egyptian-style bread during a cooking class. In the late afternoon, arrive at the one-of-a-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 (pending schedule). 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 the ship.

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, the largest room of any religious building in the world. After lunch, board a privately chartered flight to Cairo and transfer to the Hilton Cairo Heliopolis for check-in. 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