Turkey & Egypt in 15 Days • 13 Nights in Destination

Arrive in the bustling melting-pot of Istanbul, once the capital of Turkey and a city of immense history, wonderful culture and delicious cuisine. Transfer to your hotel, get settled and, if time allows, enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure exploring this historic, lively city. Overnight stay in Istanbul.

Breakfast at the hotel. Take a day to explore Istanbul at your own pace. Discover its labyrinthine bazaars, colourful city life and eclectic architecture. To make sure you see all the top sights, we recommend an optional full-day city tour!* Overnight stay in Istanbul.

* Optional Full-Day Istanbul City Tour: See the most emblematic sights in Istanbul, beginning with the incredible Hagia Sophia Basilica and the Topkapi Palace, once the residence of the Ottoman Sultans. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant in Sultanahmet before continuing with a tour of the outside of the iconic Blue Mosque and the historic Hippodrome. End the afternoon at the bustling Grand Bazaar, home to more than 4000 shops!

Breakfast at the hotel. Begin the day with a boat trip on the Bosphorus Channel, which runs through the heart of the city, marking the border between Europe and Asia. Appreciate captivating views of the old palaces of the Sultans and traditional riverside houses as you view the city from a different perspective. Disembark and head to the famous Spice Bazaar, established by the Ottomans and filled with exotic aromas. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy the delights of Istanbul at your own pace. We recommend an optional excursion to the Anatolian side of the city to see its more important sights and discover more of Istanbul!* Overnight stay in Istanbul. 

* Optional Half-Day Anatolian Istanbul Excursion with lunch: Explore the Anatolian part of the city! This stunning region is home to some of the country's most beautiful architecture and waterfront attractions. From the iconic Beylerbeyi Palace to the murals adorning the winding streets, you'll be awestruck by the variety and beauty of the sights. Wander the city streets up Camlica Hill, located in the underrated Üsküdar district. Take in the stunning panoramic views from the highest point and soak up the bustling atmosphere from the city below. With its rich history and vibrant culture, the Anatolian part of Istanbul is an unforgettable destination. Enjoy lunch included.

Breakfast at the hotel. You're flying to Cappadocia today. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport to catch a flight to the city. Arrive in Cappadocia, transfer to the hotel and spend the remainder of the day exploring at your leisure. Dinner and overnight stay in Cappadocia.

Breakfast at the hotel. Why not start the day with an unforgettable optional hot air balloon flight over Cappadocia*. Mid-morning, discover the fascinating region of Cappadocia, whose landscape was formed by the erosion of soft layers of lava and ash from ancient volcanic eruptions over 3 million years ago! Visit the Goreme Valley Open Air Museum, an incredible Byzantine monastic complex with beautiful frescoes. Next, explore the Valleys of Avcilar, Pasabagi and Güvercinlik, where the so-called "Fairy Chimneys" are located. End the day with a visit to local carpet workshops. Return to the hotel for dinner. Overnight stay in Cappadocia.

* Optional Hot Air Balloon Flight: Float over Cappadocia's fairy chimneys, tuff valleys and rock-cut churches and experience the sunrise from a unique viewpoint on a 1-hour hot air balloon flight. Enjoy panoramic sunrise views and celebrate with a non-alcoholic sparkling wine and a personalized flight certificate. Minimum age limit for children: 6 years old.

Note: The optional hot air balloon flight depends on weather conditions at the destination and will be confirmed the day before. If the activity cannot take place, it will be refunded upon return. 

Breakfast at the hotel. You're returning to Istanbul today. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport to catch a flight back to the city. Arrive in Istanbul, transfer to the hotel and spend the remainder of the day exploring at your leisure. Dive into Turkish cuisine, go shopping in the bazaars or enjoy some last-minute sightseeing! Overnight stay in Istanbul. 

Breakfast at the hotel. Continue your adventure today as you head to Egypt! At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo. Touch down in Cairo and transfer to the hotel. Once you've settled in the remainder of the day is free at your leisure to get to know the sights and sounds of Cairo, in the shadow of the Great Pyramids! Go shopping at the local souk or sample the national cuisine. Overnight stay in Cairo.

Breakfast at the hotel. Get to know the Egyptian capital today with a tour of Cairo's most emblematic sights. Begin at the Giza plateau, home of the three Great Pyramids, built over 4,500 years ago and one of the Seven Wonders of the World! Explore the pyramids and learn about their fascinating history as you walk in the footsteps of the pharaohs. Continue to the Great Sphinx to unearth more secrets of Ancient Egypt. The remainder of the day is free to explore Cairo at your leisure. Overnight stay in Cairo.

Alternatively, for a full experience of Egypt, you can choose one of our optional excursion packages to add 3/4 optional excursions to your trip!

Important: The order of the optional excursions may vary depending on your departure day. Optional excursions can only be reserved at the time of booking or up to four days after booking.

Breakfast at the hotel. At the indicated time, transfer to the airport for a flight to Luxor. On arrival, transfer to the port to board your Full-Board Nile Cruise Boat*, your home for the next four nights. Get settled in your cabin and enjoy lunch and the views of the river Nile. In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Karnak, a huge complex of decayed temples, columns and other buildings. On the way back to the ship, stop at the impressive Temple of Luxor, dedicated to Amun-Ra, Mut and Khonu and built by Amenophis III and Ramses II. Back on the ship, enjoy the remainder of the evening at your leisure. We recommend an optional Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show.** Dinner and overnight on board.

* The order of the excursions and visits may vary, depending on the schedule of the internal flights, traffic and other logistical reasons. The planned visits will be carried out in any case.

** Optional Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show: Visit the largest open-air museum in Egypt, the Karnak Temple in Luxor. Discover the secrets behind the temple's ancient name, Thebes, and explore its significant monuments.  As you wander through the ruins of this once great complex, you will be guided by the voices of the pharaohs who built this site to honor their god Amon. Watch as the temples and statues come to life with the clever use of special effects , relive the times of the ancient pharaohs with their customs and rituals as they recount the dramatic history of ancient Thebes.

Breakfast on board. Continue your discovery of the ancient city of Thebes today as you head to the world-famous Valley of the Kings, where the tomb of Tutankhamon was discovered, revealing the riches of the ancient pharaohs. It is here that the most powerful and influential kings of Ancient Egypt were buried. After exploring the site, continue to the Temple of Hatshepsut, an imposing terraced structure, located below towering cliffs. Bid farewell to this world of ancient kings and queens as you cross the river into modern-day Luxor. Transfer to the hotel and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon at your leisure. Overnight stay in Luxor.

Please note: The excursion to the Valley of the Kings includes visits to three tombs. Entrance to the tomb of Tutankhamun is not included but, if you are interested in visiting, you can buy a ticket to see this tomb at the site during your visit.

Full-board on board. Disembark the ship in Edfu and take a buggy ride to the magnificent Temple of Horus, the famous, falcon-headed Egyptian god. Explore the atmospheric temple ruins as you trace the footsteps of the pharaohs. Return to the ship and continue sailing south to Kom Ombo. Upon arrival explore the twin Temples of Haroeris and Sobek and see the amazing Nilometer, used to measure the rising and falling levels of the Nile, an important life source in Egypt. Return to the ship and relax onboard as you continue towards Aswan. Overnight on board.

Full-board on board. This morning, we recommend an optional visit to the amazing temples of Abu Simbel.* Today, enjoy a tour of Aswan to uncover the sights of this fascinating city. Explore the famous granite quarry, where the building blocks of many of ancient Egypt's monuments were produced and visit both the old and new Aswan Dams, monumental engineering works built in the 19th and 20th centuries respectively to control the flooding on the banks of the Nile. End the day with a peaceful ride in a felucca, a typical fishing boat, on the river Nile. Overnight on board.

* Optional Excursion to Abu Simbel: Visit these amazing temples, carved on the western cliff of the desert by Ramses II in the Xl century BC. See the iconic 20-metre high statues, dedicated to the god Amon Ra, and the Temple of Nefertari, dedicated to the goddess Hathor.

* Optional Island of Philae Excursion: Discover the historic island of Philae, in the reservoir of the Old Aswan Dam. It is home to the ancient ruins of the Temple of Isis and offers a fascinating insight into life and beliefs in Ancient Egypt. 

Please note: If you take the optional excursion to Abu Simbel, you will depart from the ship at approximately 3 a.m. to make the most of the coolest and quietest part of the day. This way, you can fully experience Abu Simbel without the crowds and avoid sightseeing in high temperatures.

Alternatively, for a full experience of Egypt, you can choose one of our optional excursion packages to add 3/4 optional excursions to your trip!

Important: The order of the optional excursions may vary depending on your departure day. Optional excursions can only be reserved at the time of booking or up to four days after booking.

Breakfast on board. At the indicated time, disembark the ship and transfer to the airport for a short flight to Cairo*. Arrive in the capital and transfer to the hotel. Enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure to get to know Cairo. While away the day visiting the amazing Egyptian Museum, where it's worth spending some time to really get the most out of its unbeatable exhibitions, or go shopping in the busy city souks to bag a bargain. We recommend an optional excursion to the Saladin Citadel.** Overnight stay in Cairo.

* The order of the excursions and visits may vary, depending on the schedule of the internal flights, traffic and other logistical reasons. The planned visits will be carried out in any case.

** Optional Excursion to Saladin Citadel: Visit the Alabaster Mosque and medieval fortification of Saladin Citadel, perched atop a hill in central Cairo and dating back to the 12th-century. Learn about the importance of the site to Egypt's Islamic heritage before walking through the Coptic Neighborhood, home to various churches. 

Alternatively, for a full experience of Egypt, you can choose one of our optional excursion packages to add 3/4 optional excursions to your trip!

Important: The order of the optional excursions may vary depending on your departure day. Optional excursions can only be reserved at the time of booking or up to four days after booking.