Treasures of Egypt & Oman

Today, depart from Australia (or New Zealand) for Cairo, Egypt.

Please note: Due to flight scheduling and availability, some customers may be required to depart on Day 2 and arrive on Day 2. Flight times will be indicated on your final documentation, which you will receive 4-6 weeks prior to departure.

Meals included: In-Flight

Upon arrival in Cairo, you will be met by a representative at the airport and transferred to the hotel.

Overnight: Baron Hotel or similar, Cairo

Meals included: None

After breakfast, join the Egyptologist guide for a visit to the enigmatic Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza. At 140 metres high and 220 metres wide at its base, the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) is the only survivor of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. It is a breathtaking structure built from enormous stone blocks with a white limestone covering. Along with the smaller pyramids, the sight of these huge structures is unforgettable.

Next, visit the Valley Temple, pyramid of Chephren. The best preserved of the three main Giza Pyramids, the top part still retains the original facing of smoothly-finished stone, giving an idea of how the pyramids would originally have appeared. Beside the pyramid of Chephren, you will see the Great Sphinx, carved out of a natural rocky outcrop. The lion's body stretches 45 metres. Also see the pyramid of Mykerinus the smallest one of the three pyramids, this pyramid is partly dressed with pink granite slabs.

Optional Activity: Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
Visit the new Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest archaeological museum complex in the world that hosts more than 100,000 artefacts. For the first time ever, King Tutankhamun's entire treasure collection is on display alongside artefacts from pre-historic times through Egypt’s many thousands of years. Return transfers, entry ticket and guide included. Please see current pricing in Important Information.

Overnight: Baron Hotel or similar, Cairo

Meals included: Breakfast

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of the famous Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It's the richest museum of Egyptian antiquities in the whole world, it contains pharaonic treasures from over 5,000 years ago. The building is rectangular with a large rotunda on the ground floor containing massive exhibitions.

Afterwards, drive to Old Cairo via the famous Tahrir Square, also known as "Martyr Square", is a major public town square in downtown Cairo. Arrive in Old Cairo and visit the Coptic Cairo, a part of Old Cairo which encompasses the Babylon Fortress, the Hanging Church, The Greek Church of St. George and many other Coptic churches and historical sites. It is believed in the Christian tradition that the Holy Family visited this area and stayed at the site of Saints Sergius Church (Abu Serga).

Enjoy the evening free at leisure.

Overnight: Baron Hotel or similar, Cairo

Meals included: Breakfast

This morning, check out and be transferred to Cairo Airport for your domestic flight to Luxor. Upon arrival visit the Luxor Temple and the biggest temple in the world Karnak Temple, dedicated to the worship of Almighty God of the New Empire "God Amun".

Continue to Luxor temple. The Luxor temple is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship; it may have been where many of the pharaohs of Egypt were crowned in reality or conceptually (as in the case of Alexander the Great, who claimed he was crowned at Luxor but may never have travelled south of Memphis, near modern Cairo).

Afterwards, transfer to the ship to begin the four night premium cruise along the beautiful Nile River. Enjoy lunch onboard and spend the rest of the day at leisure. This evening enjoy the Cruise swimming pool and the sunset or have a walk in Luxor City.

Optional Upgrade: 5-Star Dahabiya Sailboat Upgrade
Upgrade to a 5-star Dahabiya Sailboat with only 17 cabins for a classic and traditional cruising experience on the Nile River. Enjoy the chance to walk around riverside villages, visit local markets and explore ancient monuments along the Nile. Explore smaller sites and islands that others don’t see with an Egyptologist guide. Onboard you'll also delight in chef-prepared meals with Egyptian and Mediterranean-inspired flavours. Please see current pricing in Important Information.

Please note: If you have chosen to upgrade your cruising experience, you'll board the Iris Dahabiya Sailboat.

Overnight: MS Nile Crown or similar

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

After breakfast, be transferred to the West Bank of Luxor to tour the Valley of the Kings, known as the ‘Gateway to the Afterlife’. The ancient Egyptians built impressive tombs for their pharaohs, of which the most famous can be found in the Valley of the Kings.

Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, you will also visit the Temple of Hatshepsut - often referred to as the Pharaoh Queen. On the way back to the river Nile, the road passes by the famed Colossi of Memnon, two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III.

Afterwards return to the ship and sail to Edfu, sailing past the Esna Lock. Enjoy the life onboard today while cruising the Nile admiring the beautiful landscapes.

Overnight: MS Nile Crown or similar

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

Today, join the tour guide for a visit to the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu, travelling by horse carriage. The Temple of Horus was the 'home' and cultural centre of the falcon god Horus of Behdet (the ancient name for Edfu).

Once back onboard, the ship sails to Kom Ombo. After lunch, visit the Temples of the Gods Sobek or Kom Ombo temple and Haroeris dedicated to both the crocodile god Sobek, and the falcon-headed god Horus.

Back onboard, set sail for Aswan.

Overnight: MS Nile Crown or similar

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

After breakfast, relax onboard or join a must-see optional tour to Abu Simbel (2.5-3 hours each way).

Enjoy lunch and in the afternoon enjoy a guided tour of the Aswan High Dam, an embankment dam built across the Nile in Aswan, between 1960 and 1970.

Back on board, enjoy a traditional dinner with the Nubian party. Alternatively, you may like to walk to the market and enjoy shopping at Aswan famous market.

Optional activity: Abu Simbel
Depart early in the morning to visit these two famous massive rock temples on the western bank of Lake Nasser. Here, travellers may recognise the four colossus statues of Ramses guarding the Great Temple. This outstanding archaeological area contains monuments such as the Temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel and the Sanctuary of Isis at Philae, which were saved from the rising waters of the Nile thanks to an international campaign launched by UNESCO. See important information for pricing.

Overnight: MS Nile Crown or similar

Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner

This morning, disembark and be transferred to Aswan Airport for your internal flight to Cairo.

Upon arrival be transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure in the Egyptian capital city. This mega city's constant buzz and noise is a product of its 22 or so million inhabitants. Tap into the energy of the place Egyptians call Umm Ad Dunya, the Mother of the World.

Overnight: Baron Hotel or similar, Cairo

Meals included: Breakfast

Today, according with your flight, you'll be transferred to the airport for your flight to Oman.

Upon arrival, you'll be met and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure in this beautiful port city known for its mountains, forts, mosques and traditional souks.

Overnight: Muscat Golden Tulip or similar, Muscat

Meals included: Breakfast

Today join a full-day guided tour. Boasting a diverse range of sights and places, Muscat offers a unique opportunity to witness a modern commercial centre existing in harmony with traditional culture. Begin your tour with a visit to The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque (entrance included), built of Indian sandstone and boasting one of the world’s largest handmade Persian rugs. This splendid structure is the second-largest mosque in the world, with a gigantic chandelier hung high over the men’s prayer hall. It’s a triumph of Islamic design that must be seen to be believed.

Visit the Royal Opera House (entrance included) a stunning white-brick building and a perfect example of contemporary Omani architecture, the leading arts and culture organisation in the Sultanate, see the Opera Galleria, a must-see luxury shopping district in Muscat.

Admire The Qasr Al Alam Palace Al Alam (Arabic for "the flag") is one of the many royal residences of His Majesty the Sultan Qaboos bin Said. Nowadays it is a popular stop for tourists, residents, and nationals alike.

Visit the National Museum (entrance included) famous for the archaeology, ethnography as well as fine art. And finally the Muttrah Souq, It is the Muscat’s oldest market, filled with the scents of frankincense and spices, traditional Omani handicrafts, silver jewellery, and vibrant textiles in its maze-like alleys.

In the late afternoon, return to your hotel.

Overnight: Muscat Golden Tulip or similar, Muscat

Meals included: Breakfast

Today travel south via the coast.

Your first stop is Bimmah Sinkhole village. The sinkhole is called in Arabic “Hawiyat Najm” which means the falling star, as the local theory says that the sinkhole came into being when the star fell there. At the same time, it is naturally a huge collapsed crater, filled with seawater, located between Oman Gulf and Hajjar Mountains.

Continue to Wadi Shab, a picturesque dry river gorge and one of Oman's most famous outdoor attractions. The journey starts with a short boat ride, followed by 45 minutes of walking till reaching the keyhole which is the entrance of the cave. Keep going up until reaching the natural pools of clear water lined with gardens of date palms. Swimming is the best part here.

Afterwards drive to Sur, a port city on the coast of the Gulf of Oman, a placid sea coast town with its striking traditional dwellings, is a pleasant getaway and one of the most important towns in the eastern region.

In the late afternoon, arrive at your hotel in Ras Al Hadd after travelling approximately 250 kilometres.

After dinner you will go to Ras al-Jinz, the easternmost point of the Arabian Peninsula, an important nesting site for green sea turtles, an endangered species. At Ras Al Jinz Reserve, you'll you have a chance to watch turtles laying eggs on the beach protected by sandstone cliffs.

Please note: The sighting of turtles is not guaranteed and depends entirely on nature, although the best season is from April to November).

Overnight: Turtle Beach Resort or similar, Ras Al Hadd

Meals included: Breakfast; Dinner

Today, head to Wadi Bani Khalid, a stunning natural attraction that exemplifies the region's beauty. The entrance to the valley is situated just 500 metres from the oasis, where abundant water flows year-round through the meandering mountain paths.

This picturesque setting offers numerous camping grounds, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the region's serene environment.

The plentiful water supply creates a natural swimming pool amidst a lush agricultural oasis.

Your adventure continues as you board a 4x4 vehicle and depart to Wahiba Sands desert. Drive through spectacular rugged landscapes, with glimpses of the blue waters of the Gulf of Oman offset by pristine white beaches, towards the fishing village of Quriyat. It’s a land of flamingos and eagles – if you’re lucky, you might spot one of the birds along the way – and titanic craters, such as the limestone Bimah sinkhole you’ll stop by shortly after.

This vast desert is a perfect destination for travellers seeking an authentic Arabian experience.

Live the experience of the dune bashing before heading to the desert camp to have your dinner under the stars.

Today's travel is approximately 200 kilometres.

Overnight: Arabian Oryx Camp (Desert experience with private facilities) or similar, Wahiba Sands

Meals included: Breakfast; Dinner

This morning, after breakfast, leave the Wahiba desert towards Nizwa and pass by Al Mudayrib a charming traditional village known for its well-preserved watchtowers, historic mud-brick houses, and rich Bedouin heritage. Explore its old alleys and enjoy stunning desert landscapes.

Continue to Ibra, one of the oldest cities in Oman, that was once a centre of trade, religion, education and art.

Arrive in the ancient city of Nizwa, the former capital of the sultanate, an intellectual and religious hub. Nizwa is known as the city of poets and the citadel is nestled in the heart of the mountains.

Today's travel is approximately 200 kilometres.

Overnight: Hotel Golden Tulip or similar, Nizwa

Meals included: Breakfast

Today, take a guided tour of the historic Nizwa Fort and souq where stalls offer fabrics, dresses, jewellery, pottery, ceremonial knives and more.

Visit the popular Nizwa Souq, a vibrant marketplace where skilled silver and coppersmiths create exquisite ornaments. Souvenir hunters will delight in finding traditional coffee pots and beautifully-crafted copper vessels.

Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure in the beautiful town of Nizwa surrounded by mountain scenery, fantastic forts, world-class museums, ancient ruins and spectacular drives, or relax at a rooftop cafe with a cool drink.

Overnight: Hotel Golden Tulip or similar, Nizwa

Meals included: Breakfast

This morning, start your journey travelling back to Muscat. On the way, stop at the Jabreen Castle, considered one of the finest and most picturesque in the country. Built in 1675, this cleverly designed residence was home to Imam Bil-Arab Bin Sultan and many subsequent generations. It is a fine example of Islamic architecture, with beautiful wooden inscriptions and paintings on the ceilings.

Your next stop is Bahla, it is a town home of myths and legends that have been carried through the centuries. This little town is famous for its pottery. The old Bahla fort, with its 12-kilometre wall, is the oldest fort in Oman. It is believed to have been built in pre-Islamic times and is included on UNESCO's list of World Heritage monuments.

Continue to Al Hamra a 400-year-old town, one of Oman’s oldest and most traditional villages and is a great place to see the traditional architecture of old Oman – mud construction houses, some are hundreds of years old but still standing and all have intricately carved wooden doors, the signature of the region.

Carry on your journey higher into the mountains to Jebel Shams, which translates as 'Mountain of the Sun' at over 3000 metres, and continue to the Grand Canyon of Oman where only a few small traditional villages remain and reach the village of Nakhar, where artisans exhibit their traditional weaving.

Your last stop of the day is Misfah, a charming village near Al Hamra that serves as a convenient base for many exceptional hiking trails in the area. Visit Beit Al Safah museum, housed in a 400-year-old house.

In the late afternoon, arrive in Muscat after travelling approximately 330 kilometres.

Overnight: Muscat Golden Tulip or similar, Muscat

Meals included: Breakfast

Today, according with your flight schedule, you'll be transferred to the airport for the return flight home.

Meals included: Breakfast; In-Flight

Please note: Some flights may arrive +1 day later.

Meals included: None