Travelling on an afternoon, non-stop EgyptAir flight from London Heathrow (4 hours 50 minutes), you will be met on arrival in Cairo and transferred to the Four Seasons First Residence Hotel for a 3 nights stay. Cairo, the ‘Mother of the World’, is a city that since the dawn of antiquity has attracted and absorbed a myriad of cultural influences, from the might of the Pharaohs and the Islamic armies of Amr Ibn el-As, to the colonial expansionism of Napoleon and the British Empire. Today the modern city is the largest in Africa, littered with the reminders of a cultural heritage that can trace its history back some 5000 years.

Egypt’s vibrant and bustling capital hides a wealth of hidden treasures amongst its labyrinthine streets and alleys and the next two days afford ample opportunity to discover for yourselves some of its staggering array of cultural and historic gems. A number of optional excursions can be arranged locally, including visits to the incomparable Pyramids and the matchless wonders of Cairo’s exceptional Museum, a rich repository of antiquities that include the priceless treasures of Tutankhamun, discovered by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings in 1922.

The Pyramids themselves, the last remaining of the seven wonders of the ancient world, occupy the Giza Plateau to the southwest of the city and even today their dominating presence, along with that of the enigmatic Sphinx, can instil something of the grandeur and power of the Pharaohs of ages past. Other options include visits to the remarkable monuments at Memphis and Saqqara, whose expansive necropolis contains some of the richest archaeological sites on earth, including the remarkable Stepped Pyramid of Zoser, the oldest stone structure on the planet. The city itself also provides a wealth of wonders to discover, including the sumptuous grandeur of Islamic and Coptic Cairo, as well as a myriad of bazaars that evoke something of the colour and energy of the Arab markets of old.

Transferring to the city’s airport this morning you will take an early flight south (1 hour), towards Luxor and a rendezvous with the sumptuous opulence of the Sonesta Star Goddess, your home on the Nile for the next 4 nights. After embarking the ship you will then journey to the nearby temple complex of Amon-Ra at Karnak, a monumental undertaking that presents us with one of the largest sites of its kind anywhere in the world. Spanning some 1500 years of construction, this magnificent construction was the work of several Pharaohs, its pylons, halls and obelisks affording us a rare insight into several centuries of dynastic power. The centrepiece of the temple is its immense Hypostyle Hall, a vast forest of 137 gigantic pillars that tower some 21 metres above like an enormous stand of papyrus. This afternoon you will then cross the Nile itself, to explore the mortuary temples of the great Pharaohs on the West Bank. It was amongst the tombs of the Valley of the Kings that Howard Carter made his famous discovery in 1922, a discovery that still ranks as one of the greatest archaeological finds of any age. Continuing through the nearby Valley of the Queens, you will then take in the stunningly preserved complex of Medinat Habu, before passing the silent sentinels of the Colossi of Memnon, the last remaining trace of the once great temple of Amenhotep III. Returning to Luxor our day finishes with a visit to the captivating Luxor Temple, one of the modern town’s most enchanting sites, and one that once lay at the heart of ancient Thebes. Wonderfully preserved and set besides the flowing waters of the Nile, the temple represents the crowning glory of Amenhotep III and the 18th Dynasty, the avenue of sphinxes once linking it to Karnak some 3 km away. Overnight in Luxor.

With a morning at leisure there is the option of rising at dawn to take an exhilarating balloon flight across Luxor and the Nile Valley (see box below). Please advise at the time of booking if you would like to take this excursion (£85 per person). Alternatively you may wish to pay a visit to Luxor’s excellent museum, or perhaps just soak up the engaging ambience of the town with a stroll through its markets before setting sail for Edfu later this afternoon. Overnight at Edfu where there will be a welcome dinner and reception on board this evening.

Another leisurely morning and lunch is then followed by a visit to the wonderfully preserved setting of Edfu’s Temple of Horus, a Ptolemaic structure that, whilst it postdates the era of the true pharaohs by a number of centuries, does nonetheless conform to the inherent principles of ancient Egyptian architecture. Buried for generations under the sands of the encroaching desert, its spectacular state of preservation affords us a unique opportunity to truly appreciate the artistry and grandeur of these incredible buildings, with its immense pylon entrance presenting a spectacular gateway of the most elaborate and intricate carvings. Reputedly built on the site of the final battle between Horus and his evil uncle Seth, the inner sanctum to the temple is guarded by a beautifully regal representation of the sacred falcon-headed god, the divine protector of the Pharaonic lines, whilst the walls inside present a fascinating historical record that spans millennia, with not only the original 3rd century BC carvings, but also 19th century graffiti left behind by Napoleon’s troops when they discovered this incredible site during the 1860s. Returning to the boat our journey then continues along the Nile Valley, heading on towards Kom Ombo and an opportunity to enjoy an excellent Egyptian buffet dinner and a Galabiya costume party beneath the backdrop of its Greco-Roman temple.

After breakfast this morning you will pay a visit to Kom Ombo Temple, unique amongst the Nile Valley sites in that it is dedicated to not one, but two gods, affording it the singularly remarkable feature of a double sanctuary. Built over a period that spanned the reigns of the Ptolemies and the Romans, the northern end of the site is dedicated to Horus the Elder, whilst its southern section owes its allegiance to Sobek, the crocodile god. Following the visit, the boat sets sail once more, this time heading deep into the landscapes of Upper Egypt, to the very limits of ancient Egypt’s territorial boundaries and the lively city of Aswan. Lying close to the first of the Nile cataracts, this was always Egypt’s gateway into the lands of Africa and the rich picking of Nubia. Today it presents us with an opportunity to view some of the country’s most remarkable feats of engineering – both ancient and modern, beginning with a visit after lunch to the old Aswan Dam and its immense modern counterpart. Our visit then continues to the ancient granite quarries to view the Unfinished Obelisk, an incredible structure that had it been completed would have been the largest and heaviest of its kind, weighing in at an impressive 1,320 tons. The final visit of the day is to the beautiful island temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis and rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser when the dam was constructed. This evening overnight in Aswan.

Disembarking the Sonesta Star Goddess after breakfast this morning, there is an opportunity to pay a visit to the spectacular rock cut temples of Abu Simbel by air, before the EgyptAir flight back to Cairo (1 hour 25 minutes). Built by Ramses II, the ‘Great Builder’, this most dazzling of settings sits besides the expansive waters of Lake Nasser, overlooking territory that once lay at the southern extremes of the Pharaohs extensive empire. In a land of exceptional treasures, this is without doubt one of Egypt’s most stunning sites, the colossal statues of Ramses II providing undoubtedly one of the most iconic and powerful symbols of ancient grandeur anywhere on earth. Built to convey the sheer majesty of Ramses to his southern neighbours, even today it creates an unforgettable impression on all who see it, whilst no less incredible is the Herculean effort undertaken to save the temple from the waters of Lake Nasser, a task that saw the entire complex moved stone by stone to a site some 65m higher than its original setting. Please advise at the time of booking if you would like to take this excursion (please see ‘Pre Bookable Option Excursions’ below). On arrival in Cairo you will transfer to Le Passage Heliopolis Hotel (formerly the Mövenpick Heliopolis) at Cairo Airport.

A morning flight on EgyptAir takes us back to London today, arriving at Heathrow early this afternoon.