Riviera Travel

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Cairo

   Egypt

   

   Cairo, where five thousand years of civilization press upon the present with relentless intensity, is anchored by the Great Pyramid of Giza — the sole survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, already ancient when Cleopatra walked in its shadow. The Egyptian Museum's overwhelming treasure trove of pharaonic antiquities, including the golden mask of Tutankhamun, and the medieval labyrinth of Islamic Cairo, a UNESCO-listed district of a thousand mosques and medieval caravanserais, offer a lifetime of discovery in a city of twenty million souls. October through April brings the most tolerable temperatures. Luxor, with its Valley of the Kings, is a short domestic flight or overnight train journey south.

2. Day 2

   Giza, Cairo

   Egypt

   

   Giza's Great Pyramid, the sole surviving Ancient Wonder, rises at the edge of the Sahara beside Cairo's twenty-million-strong metropolis of Islamic architecture, pharaonic treasures, and vibrant street food culture. The Grand Egyptian Museum, Saqqara's Step Pyramid, and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar extend the immersion into five thousand years of civilization. Scenic River Cruises navigates the Nile to this ultimate encounter with human history's most enduring monuments.

3. Day 3

   Chavenage House

   United Kingdom

   

   Chavenage House is a magnificently preserved Elizabethan manor in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds, famous as the filming location for BBC's Poldark and steeped in English Civil War history. Visitors can explore oak-panelled rooms with original tapestries and fireplaces, then discover the charming market town of Tetbury and nearby Westonbirt Arboretum. Best visited from May through October when the Cotswold countryside is at its most enchanting.

4. Day 4

   Luxor

   Egypt

   

   Luxor is the greatest open-air museum on earth — the modern city occupying the site of ancient Thebes, capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom's golden age when pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun, and Ramesses II built temples of a scale and beauty that still stagger the imagination. The East Bank holds the incomparable complexes of Karnak and Luxor Temple; across the Nile, the West Bank conceals the Valley of the Kings, where sixty-three royal tombs were cut into the limestone beneath the pyramid-shaped peak of Al-Qurn. A felucca sunset sail on the Nile, with the cliffs of Thebes glowing amber, is among travel's most transcendent moments. October through April offers the ideal climate.

5. Day 5

   Dendera

   Egypt

   

   Dendera is an ancient temple town on the Nile's west bank in Upper Egypt, home to the remarkably preserved Ptolemaic Temple of Hathor with its celebrated zodiac ceiling and rooftop sanctuaries. Visitors should explore the temple's subterranean crypts at leisure and taste Upper Egyptian specialties like feteer meshaltet and Sa'idi-style molokhia in nearby Qena. The ideal season to visit is October through April, when temperatures are mild and the Nile's light is at its most luminous — perfectly timed for Lindblad Expeditions and Uniworld River Cruises' winter sailing schedules.

6. Day 6

   Kom Ombo

   Egypt

   

   Kom Ombo, a historical port town in Egypt, is renowned for its unique dual-temple dedicated to Sobek and Horus, reflecting its rich Greco-Roman heritage. Must-do experiences include exploring the Temple of Kom Ombo and sampling local dishes like koshari and basbousa in the vibrant souk. The best time to visit is during the cooler months from October to April, when the weather enhances the exploration of its ancient sites and the surrounding Nile landscapes.

7. Day 7

   Aswan

   Egypt

   

   Aswan, Egypt's sunniest city and its ancient southern frontier, offers the Nile at its most scenic — wide, blue, and studded with felucca-dotted islands where temples emerge from the water's edge like visions from another age. The Temple of Philae, rescued from the rising waters of Lake Nasser and reassembled on a new island, is a jewel of Egyptian antiquity; Elephantine Island harbors ruins spanning predynastic times to the Roman era. For the full pharaonic experience, a sunset felucca ride to the Aga Khan Mausoleum rivals any luxury on the Nile. October through April offers the most comfortable temperatures; Abu Simbel is a short flight south.

8. Day 8

   Abu Simbel

   Egypt

   

   Abu Simbel comprises twin temples carved from sandstone cliffs by Ramesses II in the thirteenth century BCE, featuring four colossal twenty-meter statues and an interior aligned to catch the sunrise twice yearly. Must-do experiences include witnessing the temple interiors with their battle reliefs, visiting the Temple of Hathor dedicated to Queen Nefertari, and — if timing permits — observing the solar alignment phenomenon. October through March offers the most comfortable visiting temperatures.

9. Day 9

   Edfu

   Egypt

   

   The Temple of Horus at Edfu is the most completely preserved pharaonic temple in Egypt — a colossus of golden sandstone rising above the Nile's western bank, its towering pylons, hypostyle halls, and sacred inner sanctum surviving almost intact after two millennia beneath the desert. Built between 237 and 57 BC under Ptolemaic rulers, it offers the clearest window into ancient Egyptian temple ritual that archaeology has preserved. The colossal granite statues of Horus at the entrance remain among the most striking sculptures of the ancient world. October through April brings ideal conditions: warm days, cool evenings, and the gentle rhythms of a Nile cruise.

10. Day 10

    Temple of Karnak

    Egypt

    

    The Temple of Karnak at Luxor is the largest religious complex ever built, spanning over one hundred hectares of pharaonic construction accumulated over two millennia. The Great Hypostyle Hall's 134 towering columns represent ancient Egyptian architecture at its most overwhelming scale. Must-dos include sunrise visits for golden light on carved stone, walking the restored Avenue of Sphinxes to Luxor Temple, and exploring the Sacred Lake. October through April offers manageable temperatures for this extraordinary Upper Egyptian site.

11. Day 11

    Luxor

    Egypt

    

    Luxor is the greatest open-air museum on earth — the modern city occupying the site of ancient Thebes, capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom's golden age when pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun, and Ramesses II built temples of a scale and beauty that still stagger the imagination. The East Bank holds the incomparable complexes of Karnak and Luxor Temple; across the Nile, the West Bank conceals the Valley of the Kings, where sixty-three royal tombs were cut into the limestone beneath the pyramid-shaped peak of Al-Qurn. A felucca sunset sail on the Nile, with the cliffs of Thebes glowing amber, is among travel's most transcendent moments. October through April offers the ideal climate.

12. Day 12

    Luxor

    Egypt

    

    Luxor is the greatest open-air museum on earth — the modern city occupying the site of ancient Thebes, capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom's golden age when pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun, and Ramesses II built temples of a scale and beauty that still stagger the imagination. The East Bank holds the incomparable complexes of Karnak and Luxor Temple; across the Nile, the West Bank conceals the Valley of the Kings, where sixty-three royal tombs were cut into the limestone beneath the pyramid-shaped peak of Al-Qurn. A felucca sunset sail on the Nile, with the cliffs of Thebes glowing amber, is among travel's most transcendent moments. October through April offers the ideal climate.

13. Day 13

    Luxor

    Egypt

    

    Luxor is the greatest open-air museum on earth — the modern city occupying the site of ancient Thebes, capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom's golden age when pharaohs such as Hatshepsut, Tutankhamun, and Ramesses II built temples of a scale and beauty that still stagger the imagination. The East Bank holds the incomparable complexes of Karnak and Luxor Temple; across the Nile, the West Bank conceals the Valley of the Kings, where sixty-three royal tombs were cut into the limestone beneath the pyramid-shaped peak of Al-Qurn. A felucca sunset sail on the Nile, with the cliffs of Thebes glowing amber, is among travel's most transcendent moments. October through April offers the ideal climate.

Cabin Categories

Standard cabin - Middle Deck

Outside

210 sq ftMax 2SMD

The Middle deck standard cabins are 19.5sqm with a large panoramic window which opens onto the Nile. Decorated with neutral colours and soft furnishings, your cabin is your private oasis. Cabins come with double or twin beds, air-conditioning, mini-bar, safe, satellite television and en-suite bathrooms with shower and hairdryer.

Double or Twin ConfigurationShowerTVHair DryerTelephoneDesk+3

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Standard Cabin - Upper Deck

Outside

210 sq ftMax 2SUD

Views from the Upper deck are mesmerising, and you'll be able to take it all in from the large panoramic windows of your cabin. Decorated with neutral colours and soft furnishings, your cabin is your private oasis. Cabins are 19.5sqm and come with double or twin beds, air-conditioning, mini-bar, safe, satellite television and en-suite bathrooms with shower and hairdryer.

Double or Twin ConfigurationShowerTVSafeHair DryerTelephone+3

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Standard Cabin (Upper Deck)

Outside

210 sq ftMax 2SU

Located on the Middle deck, suites are an opulent 35sqm and tastefully decorated with earthy, neutral tones. But the real draw is the view. While sailing, you can enjoy views of the Nile from your picture window seat or open the floor-to-ceiling windows of your French balcony to enjoy even more of its sights and sounds. Your suite also features a comfortable lounge/seating area, air-conditioning, mini-bar, safe, satellite television and en-suite bathroom with shower and hairdryer.

Double or Twin ConfigurationShowerTVSafeHair DryerTelephone+3

View Details ›

Standard Cabin (Middle Deck)

Outside

210 sq ftMax 2SM

The Middle deck standard cabins are 19.5sqm with a large panoramic window which opens onto the Nile. Decorated with neutral colours and soft furnishings, your cabin is your private oasis. Cabins come with double or twin beds, air-conditioning, mini-bar, safe, satellite television and en-suite bathrooms with shower and hairdryer.<br><br><p><b>Features</b></p><ul><li>Floor-to-ceiling windows with French Balcony</li><li>Fixed double or twin beds</li><li>Satellite television</li><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Comfortable chairs</li><li>Safe</li><li>Minibar</li><li>Hairdryer</li></ul>

Double or Twin ConfigurationShowerTVHair DryerTelephoneDesk+3

View Details ›

Suite (Middle Deck)

Suite

377 sq ftMax 2SSM

Located on the Middle deck, suites are an opulent 35sqm and tastefully decorated with earthy, neutral tones. But the real draw is the view. While sailing, you can enjoy views of the Nile from your picture window seat or open the floor-to-ceiling windows of your French balcony to enjoy even more of its sights and sounds. Your suite also features a comfortable lounge/seating area, air-conditioning, mini-bar, safe, satellite television and en-suite bathroom with shower and hairdryer.<br><br><p><b>Features</b></p><p></p><ul><li><p>Floor-to-ceiling windows with French Balcony</p></li><li>Fixed double bed</li><li>Satellite television</li><li>Individual climate control</li><li>Ensuite bathroom with walk-in shower</li><li>Comfortable chairs and seating area</li><li>Safe</li><li>Minibar</li><li>Hairdryer</li></ul><p></p>

DoubleLounge AreaShowerTVSafeHair Dryer+3

View Details ›