Passage Through Egypt Aboard Oberoi Philae

Today, after a morning welcome briefing, start by exploring the premier treasure of Egypt—the Pyramids and Sphinx complex in Giza. Learn how the magnificent Pyramid of Cheops was built from over two million blocks of stone and took tens of thousands of workers over twenty years to build. The infamous Sphinx was carved out of a single massive piece of stone and displays the Pharaoh Chefren’s head on the body of a lion. Privileged access takes you inside the barrier for an up-close experience with the Sphinx.Go inside the Great Pyramid, following the Grand Gallery’s narrow passageway to the burial chamber of Cheops. Your Egyptologist will narrate with stories and details, bringing the experience to life, while your National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Certified Photography Instructor will be on hand to ensure that perfect photos happen.After lunch, explore the galleries of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) with expert Egyptologists. Witness the 3,200-year-old statue of Ramses II in the Grand Hall, the Solar Boat and select treasures from the prehistoric to the Greco-Roman period. Enjoy a festive welcome reception at the hotel tonight. Dinner is at your leisure.

Egyptian treasures are legendary, and expertly guided visits to the finest collections are essential for a complete experience. This morning, travel to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid of the pharaoh Zoser, a revolutionary design that initiated the art of pyramid-building. You will also see some of Egypt’s most charming wall paintings and reliefs, showing scenes of harvesting, fishing, music-making and dancing, as well as the elaborate and exquisite mastaba of Mereruka, the largest in Saqqara. While not a royal, Mereruka (or Meri) was, among other things, “Chief Justice and Vizier” to Pharaoh Teti of the Sixth Dynasty, wealthy enough to build such a large and colorful tomb for his afterlife.   Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, and then return to the hotel where you can enjoy the hotel amenities, chat with the Egyptologist, visit the National Museum of Egyptian Culture or explore on your own. Before dinner, you will have special after-hours access to the legendary Antiquities Museum with ample time to marvel at the King Tut collection without the crowds. Enjoy dinner at the hotel this evening.

With the guidance of your Egyptologist, who will share narratives and personal experiences, today welcomes exploration of some of Cairo’s most outstanding architecture and monuments to Islam. Atop the Citadel overlooking Cairo sits the commanding Ottoman-era Muhammad Ali Mosque, completed in 1848. Its five domes can be seen throughout the city.After lunch at a local restaurant, explore the Khan el Khalili bazaar, Egypt’s most famous and largest market dating back to the 14th century, for the best taste of Cairo’s vibrant and sometimes frantic pace. You can find anything from filigreed silverwork to semiprecious stones, and other souvenirs.   Next, stroll the exquisite El Moez Street, which dates back to the 10th century, making it one of the oldest in Cairo. Marvel at the Islamic architecture as you arrive to the Qalawun Complex, comprised of a mausoleum, a madrasa and a hospital—and considered to be among the finest examples of Islamic architecture in Egypt.

From the ship, walk to the nearby Temple of Khnum in the town of Esna. This temple has not been fully excavated, and your Egyptologist explains how silt from centuries of the Nile's annual floods buried the temple, which sits about nine meters below river level.  As you walk back to the ship through Esna, take a moment to talk to locals and learn about Egyptian small-town life. Relax on board, dive into the ship's library of Egyptian history, or take a cool swim in the ship's pool. Overnight in Kom Ombo, just under the riverside temple.