Scenic River Cruises

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   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.

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

   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.

4. Day 3

   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 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.

6. Day 5

   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.

7. Day 5

   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.

8. Day 6

   At Sea

   

9. Day 7

   At Sea

   

10. Day 8

    At Sea

    

11. Day 9

    At Sea

    

12. Day 9

    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.

13. Day 10

    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.

14. Day 11

    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.

15. Day 11

    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.

16. Day 12

    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.

17. Day 13

    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.

18. Day 13

    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.

19. Day 14

    Dead Sea

    Jordan

    

    The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth, a mineral-rich body of water on the Jordan Rift Valley floor where the extreme salinity makes floating effortless and the therapeutic muds have been prized since antiquity. Must-dos include floating in the buoyant waters, bathing in the Ma'in hot springs' thermal waterfalls, and visiting the UNESCO-listed Baptism Site. October through April offers comfortable temperatures, with spring and autumn ideal for combining the Dead Sea with Petra and Amman.

20. Day 15

    Dead Sea

    Jordan

    

    The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth, a mineral-rich body of water on the Jordan Rift Valley floor where the extreme salinity makes floating effortless and the therapeutic muds have been prized since antiquity. Must-dos include floating in the buoyant waters, bathing in the Ma'in hot springs' thermal waterfalls, and visiting the UNESCO-listed Baptism Site. October through April offers comfortable temperatures, with spring and autumn ideal for combining the Dead Sea with Petra and Amman.

21. Day 15

    Dead Sea

    Jordan

    

    The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth, a mineral-rich body of water on the Jordan Rift Valley floor where the extreme salinity makes floating effortless and the therapeutic muds have been prized since antiquity. Must-dos include floating in the buoyant waters, bathing in the Ma'in hot springs' thermal waterfalls, and visiting the UNESCO-listed Baptism Site. October through April offers comfortable temperatures, with spring and autumn ideal for combining the Dead Sea with Petra and Amman.

22. Day 16

    Petra

    Spain

    

    Petra is a historic village in the interior of Mallorca, Spain, celebrated as the birthplace of Junípero Serra and treasured for its medieval sandstone architecture, baroque convent, and the panoramic Santuari de Bonany. Visitors should explore the Serra museum and taste authentic sobrassada and ensaïmada at a village bakery, pairing them with wines from the local Pla i Llevant vineyards. The ideal months to visit are April through June and September through October, when the almond groves are lush, the light is golden, and the village belongs entirely to those who seek it.

23. Day 17

    Petra

    Spain

    

    Petra is a historic village in the interior of Mallorca, Spain, celebrated as the birthplace of Junípero Serra and treasured for its medieval sandstone architecture, baroque convent, and the panoramic Santuari de Bonany. Visitors should explore the Serra museum and taste authentic sobrassada and ensaïmada at a village bakery, pairing them with wines from the local Pla i Llevant vineyards. The ideal months to visit are April through June and September through October, when the almond groves are lush, the light is golden, and the village belongs entirely to those who seek it.

24. Day 17

    Wadi Rum Desert & Protected Area

    Jordan

    

    Wadi Rum is a UNESCO-listed desert valley in southern Jordan where colossal sandstone mountains rise from red sands in a landscape that inspired T.E. Lawrence and has sheltered Bedouin communities for millennia. Must-do experiences include feasting on zarb slow-cooked in underground pits, 4x4 excursions to natural rock bridges and ancient inscriptions, and stargazing under some of the world's darkest skies. Spring and autumn (March-May, September-November) offer the most comfortable temperatures, with access from the cruise port of Aqaba.

25. Day 18

    Wadi Rum Desert & Protected Area

    Jordan

    

    Wadi Rum is a UNESCO-listed desert valley in southern Jordan where colossal sandstone mountains rise from red sands in a landscape that inspired T.E. Lawrence and has sheltered Bedouin communities for millennia. Must-do experiences include feasting on zarb slow-cooked in underground pits, 4x4 excursions to natural rock bridges and ancient inscriptions, and stargazing under some of the world's darkest skies. Spring and autumn (March-May, September-November) offer the most comfortable temperatures, with access from the cruise port of Aqaba.

26. Day 18

    Wadi Rum Desert & Protected Area

    Jordan

    

    Wadi Rum is a UNESCO-listed desert valley in southern Jordan where colossal sandstone mountains rise from red sands in a landscape that inspired T.E. Lawrence and has sheltered Bedouin communities for millennia. Must-do experiences include feasting on zarb slow-cooked in underground pits, 4x4 excursions to natural rock bridges and ancient inscriptions, and stargazing under some of the world's darkest skies. Spring and autumn (March-May, September-November) offer the most comfortable temperatures, with access from the cruise port of Aqaba.

27. Day 19

    Amman

    Jordan

    

    Amman is Jordan's ancient-modern capital, where a ten-thousand-year history unfolds across hilltop citadels, Roman theatres, and Umayyad palaces, all fuelled by one of the Middle East's finest street food cultures. Must-do experiences include exploring the Citadel, eating mansaf communally, and using the city as a base for Petra and the Dead Sea. Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable temperatures for exploring.

28. Day 20

    Amman

    Jordan

    

    Amman is Jordan's ancient-modern capital, where a ten-thousand-year history unfolds across hilltop citadels, Roman theatres, and Umayyad palaces, all fuelled by one of the Middle East's finest street food cultures. Must-do experiences include exploring the Citadel, eating mansaf communally, and using the city as a base for Petra and the Dead Sea. Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable temperatures for exploring.

29. Day 21

    Amman

    Jordan

    

    Amman is Jordan's ancient-modern capital, where a ten-thousand-year history unfolds across hilltop citadels, Roman theatres, and Umayyad palaces, all fuelled by one of the Middle East's finest street food cultures. Must-do experiences include exploring the Citadel, eating mansaf communally, and using the city as a base for Petra and the Dead Sea. Spring and autumn offer the most comfortable temperatures for exploring.

Cabin Categories