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Egypt
Explore Egypt’s historical and cultural riches with exclusive tours of its temples, tombs, mystifying pyramids and great cities, including sites not open to the public.
Overview
A totally immersive experience
A cruise up the Nile is the journey of a lifetime, and this one is filled with adventure for both the mind and body! We’ll explore not only the great pyramids at Giza and the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, but also wander the gigantic temples of Karnak and Abu Simbel.
Our travels will include monuments, museums, souks, and much more; and we’ll be traveling by chartered aircraft and luxurious riverboat. This is a great opportunity to immerse yourself in the history and mystery of Egypt. We’ll learn about this beautiful country’s historical and cultural milestones from our faculty leader in partnership with local Egyptologists, leaders, and historians.
The operation of this trip is pending security conditions in the region. Learn more
Dates
February 9–22, 2024Duration
14 daysPrice
From $12,995 per person
Trip size
45 participantsMinimum age
18 yearsFaculty leader
A different kind of classroom
With renowned Stanford faculty and scholars leading the way, every Travel/Study trip is a one-of-a-kind educational experience.
Hesham Sallam
Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law
Associate-director of the Program on Arab Reform and Democracy, Dr. Sallam’s research focuses on Middle East politics, including religious movements, class politics, and economic liberalization.
Itinerary
Ancient and modern Egypt
Explore the Great Pyramids of Giza, then fly to Luxor for our seven-night cruise on the Nile, exploring magnificent tombs and temples along the way. Take a chartered flight to Abu Simbel to see the colossal statues there before returning to Cairo.
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Cairo, Egypt / Giza
Arrive in Cairo and transfer to our hotel in Giza.
Accommodations:Marriott Mena House
Saqqara / Dahshur
Journey to Saqqara, the necropolis of Memphis renowned for its roughly 5,000-year-old step pyramid and mastabas (tombs), which reveal the architectural origins of the pyramid. After lunch, travel to nearby Dahshur with its early-era Red and Bent Pyramids that provide insight into the trial-and-error process of pyramid building. Enjoy a welcome reception and dinner this evening.
Accommodations:Marriott Mena House
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerGiza
Visit the awe-inspiring monuments of Giza—the quintessential symbols of ancient Egypt. Explore the massive pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Menkaure, and be treated to special access to the area at the foot of the enigmatic Sphinx. After a camel ride and lunch, take some time to rest at the Mena House before gathering together again for dinner.
Accommodations:Marriott Mena House
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerCairo
This morning, pending its opening to the public, which is expected to take place in late 2023, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Over 20 years in the making, this impressive postmodern project will be the world’s largest archeological museum. Travel into the heart of Cairo for lunch, then take a tour of Cairo’s Islamic landmarks, including Ibn Tulun, the oldest surviving mosque in Egypt. Return to our hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.
Accommodations:Marriott Mena House
Included meals: Breakfast and lunchCairo / Luxor / Embarkation
Hop on a chartered flight from Cairo to Luxor, where we begin our exploration of the Nile Valley with a guided tour of the East Bank of Luxor. Board our luxurious riverboat and enjoy lunch on board, followed by an afternoon of leisure. Depart for a special sunset excursion to the Temple of Luxor. Its graceful cluster columns, designed to look like papyrus, were built by Amenhotep III and later embellished by Ramesses II, Tutankhamun and Alexander the Great.
Accommodations:Nile Adventurer
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerLuxor
Today we explore the West Bank of the Nile, starting with Deir el-Bahri, whose highlight is the magnificent mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, the queen who declared herself king and whose mummy was discovered in 2007. Wander through the Valley of the Kings, with its stunningly painted royal tombs—including those of Tutankhamun, Ramesses III, Ramesses V & VI, and Seti I. Meet with a local archaeologist before departing to admire the Colossi of Memnon, two massive sandstone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Return to our boat for a late lunch, then enjoy some free time or make an optional visit to a local souk in the afternoon. Dinner is served onboard.
Accommodations:Nile Adventurer
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerLuxor
Return to the West Bank of Luxor to visit its most beautiful tombs—those of the nobles—set in the limestone cliffs that stretch far into the valleys of the western desert. Proceed to the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III at Medinet Habu, with its impressive wall reliefs, before taking a trip to the Valley of the Queens, including a special visit to the tomb of Queen Nefertari. Begin our sail to Esna while lunch is served onboard. Enjoy dinner followed by a movie night featuring the 1978 film, Death on the Nile.
Accommodations:Nile Adventurer
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerEsna / Edfu
Disembark this morning at Esna to admire the Greco-Roman Temple of Khnum, with its great hypostyle hall. Following lunch on board, tour the Temple of Horus at Edfu. Built during the Ptolemaic Kingdom between 237 and 57 BCE, it is one of the best-preserved shrines in Egypt. Tonight, join the ship crew for a festive galabeya party including a meal of local Egyptian specialties, music and dancing.
Accommodations:Nile Adventurer
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerAswan
Devote the entire day to exploring Aswan, beginning with the High Dam. Continue to the Temple of Isis, which was carefully moved to higher ground before the rising waters of Lake Nasser submerged its original location on Philae Island. Take a motorboat to Agilkia Island, where we attempt to decipher the well-preserved hieroglyphics at this temple. Then visit a granite quarry to learn how obelisks were carved. Later today, board a felucca, a traditional Nile sailing vessel, to navigate around Kitchener’s and Elephantine Islands and view the stately Mausoleum of Aga Khan. Enjoy a belly dancing and whirling dervish performance before dinner.
Accommodations:Nile Adventurer
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerKom Ombo
Begin our cruise back downriver to Luxor this morning, stopping first in Kom Ombo for a visit to the Temple of Sobek and Horus. Built by the Ptolemaic rulers who governed Egypt after its conquest by Alexander the Great, the temple is unique as it honors two gods. After touring, enjoy an Egyptian cooking demonstration onboard and an afternoon at leisure while we sail back to Esna, where we dock this evening.
Accommodations:Nile Adventurer
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerLuxor
Watch the Nile Adventurer go through the locks near Esna, then, indulge in a relaxing morning on board, delighting in scenic views of life along the banks of the Nile. Back in Luxor, stroll around the temple precincts of Karnak, admiring Ramesses II’s magnificent hypostyle hall with its 134 columns, soaring obelisks and the enormous temple dedicated to Amun, the god of the air. Take a break with a cocktail at the historic and luxurious Winter Palace Hotel, then head to Luxor Museum to deepen our understanding of the temple complexes and burial sites of Upper Egypt. This evening we toast the conclusion of our Nile cruise during the captain’s farewell dinner.
Accommodations:Nile Adventurer
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerLuxor / Abu Simbel / Cairo
Board an early morning charter flight to Abu Simbel, one of the greatest temple precincts in ancient Egypt. Built by Ramesses II, the temples are famous for the colossal statues of the pharaoh and his favorite wife, Nefertari. As waters from the dam in Aswan rose toward the temples in the 1960s, an international team, in an extraordinary feat of engineering, raised the site 200 feet and relocated the statues about 600 feet from the water’s edge. After lunch at a local restaurant, fly to Cairo and settle into our hotel. Dinner this evening is on our own.
Accommodations:Four Seasons Nile Plaza
Included meals: Breakfast and lunchCairo
Enjoy a special early-morning entry to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, considered “home” to our Egyptologists, with its more than 100,000 relics and artifacts, including the extraordinary gold treasures of Tutankhamun retrieved from his tomb by English archaeologist Howard Carter in 1923. After an early lunch, experience the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, designed to reflect the various cultural aspects of Egypt’s rich history. Visit the Royal Mummies’ Hall, considered the crown jewel of the museum. Toast our experience at a farewell reception and dinner this evening.
Accommodations:Four Seasons Nile Plaza
Included meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinnerCairo / Home
Transfer to the airport for flights home.
Trip details
Start preparing for the trip of a lifetime
From top to bottom, we’ve taken care of all the details, so you can enjoy a no-stress, worry-free travel experience.
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Pricing
Secure your spot today
The price of your trip covers a comprehensive educational program in addition to meals, accommodations, tours and excursions. Continue reading for a full list of what’s included.
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Category A
Standard cabin with half window on Nile Deck
Square feet: 178
Cabins: 106–111
Double: $12,995 per person
Single: $15,995 per person
Category B
Standard cabin with panoramic window on Main Deck
Square feet: 178
Cabins: 201–208
Double: $13,995 per person
Single: $16,995 per person
Category C
Standard cabin with panoramic window on Bridge Deck
Square feet: 183
Cabins: 301–310
Double: $14,995 per person
Single: $17,995 per person
Category D
Standard cabin with panoramic window on Promenade Deck
Square feet: 183
Cabins: 402–404
Double: $15,995 per person
Category E
Deluxe cabin with wraparound window on Main Deck
Square feet: 229
Cabins: 209, 210
Double: $17,795 per person
Category F
Presidential suite with wraparound window and private balcony on Promenade Deck
Square feet: 456
Cabins: 405, 406
Double: $19,895 per person
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