Afternoon non-stop flight by EgyptAir from London Heathrow to Cairo (4 hours 40 minutes). On arrival transfer to the Sofitel El Gezirah hotel for a 3 nights stay.

At leisure in Cairo. The bustling vibrancy of Cairo hides a wealth of hidden treasures amongst its labyrinthine streets and alleys. You have ample opportunity to find for yourselves the truly staggering array of historical and cultural gems that wait to be discovered.

From the magnificent splendours of the Pyramids and Sphinx, to the majestic testaments to the city’s Coptic and Islamic past, Cairo’s colourful streets and bazaars are overflowing with wonders.

In the morning fly to Aswan on EgyptAir (1 hour 25 minutes). Embark on the MS Kasr Ibrim in time for lunch. Your Lake Nasser cruise begins amongst the fabulous ruins of Kalabsha Temple and the rock cut remains of Beit el Wali, before continuing to the exquisite Kiosk of Kertassi, built by Ramses II to honour the goddess Isis. Overnight in Aswan. You may wish to request a cabin on the Upper Deck (from £28 per person) or the Executive Deck (from £36 per person) for the duration of your stay on the Kasr Ibrim, 4 nights (based on twin sharing).

A cruise on Lake Nasser differs from a Nile river cruise in several ways. Bereft of towns and villages, the tranquillity and serenity of its remarkable desert setting is simply breathtaking, the ever-changing colours of the landscape a constant delight. Many of the sites can only be visited from the lake and transferring ashore in tender boats our excursions are accessed by way of small gangplanks, making the cruise potentially unsuitable for passengers who require assistance or have difficulties with mobility. Today, journey across the Tropic of Cancer, towards Ramses II’s stunning temple at Wadi El Seboua where we will moor overnight.

Visiting the three reconstructed temples lying in the ‘Valley of the Lions’, we enjoy the beautiful lakeside setting of Wadi El Seboua Temple, as well as the temples of Meharraka and the 18th dynasty Dakka, before continuing towards Amada, the oldest site on the lake, also dating from the 18th dynasty. A visit to the nearby Temple of Derr reveals some of the best-preserved painted inscriptions in all Egypt. Overnight at Amada.

This morning we set sail for Kasr Ibrim, and moor up before the imposing walls of its citadel, the only one of Lake Nasser’s splendid sites to still occupy its original position. As entrance is not permitted to this site your guide will give a talk from the sundeck. Surely the highlight of any journey across this majestic lake are the rock-cut temples of Abu Simbel, probably one of Egypt’s most fabulous sites and certainly one of its most spectacular. Built by Ramses II to convey the might of the pharaohs, their halls and statuary must rate as some of the finest in all antiquity. We visit the site after lunch, wandering amongst the halls and statues of what must surely be one of antiquity’s most spectacular settings. This evening we enjoy a Sound and Light performance at the temple.

This morning disembark the Eugenie after breakfast. Fly on EgyptAir from Abu Simbel to Aswan (45 minutes) and continue by EgyptAir to Cairo (1 hour 25 minutes). On arrival in Cairo transfer to Le Passage Heliopolis Hotel for 1 night.

Transfer to the airport for the morning non-stop EgyptAir flight back to London Heathrow.