Oberoi Zahra: From Luxor to Aswan in 6 days II

At noon, guests are invited to board the Oberoi Zahra ship in Luxor, from where a luxurious cruise on the Nile begins. After lunch, travelers will set off to visit the temple complex in Karnak. This complex is dedicated to the triad of gods - the largest temple built in the 18th and 19th dynasties is dedicated to Amun Re. The next ones were dedicated to Mut, his wife, and Montu - the god of war. It is the second largest temple complex in the world. The complex also includes: the temple of Ptah from the 18th dynasty, the temple of Ramesses III and the temple of Khonsu from the 20th dynasty. Later, guests will visit the Luxor Archaeological Museum. Its collection includes a rich collection of works of art from temples and necropolises in ancient Thebes. After returning to the ship, guests will be treated to dinner.

That day, after an early breakfast served on board a luxury ship, guests will visit the West Bank of ancient Thebes - the Valley of the Kings - the resting place of the rulers of Egypt in the period from the 64th to the 20th dynasty. The first pharaoh who ordered the construction of his tomb in the valley was Thutmose I, the last - Ramesses XI. In total, XNUMX tombs and XNUMX unfinished buildings have been discovered to date, and research and searches are still ongoing.

After visiting the Valley of the Kings, guests will visit the temple and funerary complex in Medinet Habu, the place where the ruins of the temple complex of Thutmose III, the mortuary temple of Ramesses III and the palace of this pharaoh are located. The complex also includes several chapels related to the cult of Amun. The South Gate, located between two towers, is one of the most beautiful monuments in Egypt.

At 11.00, guests return to the ship for a cruise to Kino. Back on board, lunch is served while the ship sails to the Cinema. In the afternoon, after eating a delicious lunch on board, guests will visit the temple complex in Dendera - one of the best-preserved such complexes in Egypt. Once back on board, dinner is served.

At 4 a.m. the luxury ship sets sail for Luxor. When the sun rises, we serve breakfast on deck. Afterwards, guests will set off to further explore Western Thebes. Here, guests will visit the Valley of Officials - a necropolis where the most important officials serving at the court of the pharaohs during the New Kingdom were buried. Then, guests will go to Deir el Medina, a settlement of craftsmen, builders-artists, and geniuses who carved underground royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and then decorated their walls. From there, travelers will go to the temple of Pharaoh's queen Hatshepsut. Under the direction of the builder Senemut, it was carved in the 15th century BC at the foot of a gigantic rock wall in Deir el-Bahari. The reconstruction of the temple is carried out by the Polish archaeological mission. After lunch aboard the luxurious Oberoi Zahra ship, guests will visit the Temple of the Birth in Luxor. Its construction was started by Amenhotep III, and it received its final shape during the times of Ramesses II. After returning to the ship, guests will be treated to a reception with live music in the Club Lounge. In the evening we will serve dinner.

In the morning, the luxury ship Oberoi Zahra departs Luxor bound for Edfu. We will serve breakfast to guests during the cruise. After lunch aboard the luxury ship, the guide will take guests on a tour of the Temple of Horus in Edfu. Its construction on the site of an earlier sanctuary from the New Kingdom was started in 237 BC by Ptolemy III, and was completed around 60 BC during the reign of Ptolemy XII. It is currently one of the best-preserved Egyptian religious buildings. In the evening, dinner will be served on board.

At 5:00 a.m. the luxury ship departs Edfu towards Aswan. During the cruise, guests will eat breakfast and then lunch, after which they will set off to visit the Aswan High Dam and the temple complex on Philae Island. The High Dam was built between 1960 and 1970, is 3,6 km long and 111 m high. It was built to control the flooding of the Nile and provide electricity to Egypt. From the dam, guests will go by boat to Agilika Island, where the temple complex was moved from the island of Philae, which was flooded during the construction of the dam. The construction of the oldest temple in the complex - the temple of Isis - was started by Nectanebo I, pharaoh of the XXX dynasty. In Ptolemaic times, the complex was expanded by enlarging the great temple of Isis, building chapels of Osiris and Horus, and temples of Hathor and Imhotep. The temple at Philae was one of the longest-standing places of worship of Egyptian beliefs. When the waters of Lake Nasser threatened its existence, in 1970, in cooperation with UNESCO, work began that led to the relocation and reconstruction of the complex to a higher island. The work was completed in 1980.

In the evening, guests return to the Oberoi Zahra ship, where dinner is served.

In the morning, guests say goodbye to the luxurious Oberoi Zahra ship as they disembark in Aswan.