Board the 5-star deluxe Nile cruise boat, the Sanctuary Sun Boat III, moored in a private dock in Aswan. On board, be welcomed by the reception staff, who offer chilled fruit juice and assist with the noon time check-in.

After lunch on board, take a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. Next proceed to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk.

During the evening cocktail reception, be greeted by the Boat Manager, who introduces the boat staff and reviews on-board facilities and the cruise program for the next few days. Complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer are served prior to a gourmet dinner.

Sail to 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.

En route to Edfu, attend a lecture held by an Egyptologist guide. Explore the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic – albeit Greek-built – temple in Egypt, the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu. Returning to the ship, savor afternoon tea while cruising to Esna. Enjoy an Egyptian cooking lesson or simply relax on board.

Dinner on board is an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyas”. Dinner is a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by oriental music and dancing for everyone.

Sail to Luxor and be guided by the Egyptologist around the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor dedicated to the god Amun. Proceed to the Temple of Karnak, built over more than a thousand years by generations of Pharaohs. The great “Hypostyle Hall” is an incredible forest of giant pillars, covering an area larger than the whole of Notre Dame Cathedral.

Next visit the Valley of the Kings, a vast City of the Dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly, and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. Have the opportunity to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens.

Proceed to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Ancient Egypt’s only female Pharaoh) merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it, as if nature herself had built this extraordinary monument. On the way back to the river Nile, pass by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn.

Enjoy a farewell gala dinner (jacket required), with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine followed by a belly dancer, accompanied by a whirling dervish show.

Enjoy a final breakfast buffet on board before disembarking in Luxor.