Classic Turkey & Egypt with Nile River Cruise 18 Days / 17 Nights

Arrival in Madrid; travelers must go through immigration and wait for their connecting flight to Istanbul.

Arrival in Istanbul.

Welcome to Istanbul.

Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel according to the chosen category.

Accommodation.

If your arrival is at Istanbul Airport (IST), our representative will be waiting for you at the international exit, at Gate number 8.

Night in Istanbul.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure to visit the Suleymaniye Mosque (Suleiman the Magnificent), located on the third hill of Istanbul, offering one of the most famous panoramic views of the city.

It was built by the renowned imperial architect Sinan by order of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent.

After the visit, enjoy free time to discover the city at your own pace or, optionally, join a full-day tour of Istanbul’s historical district.

This tour includes the Hagia Sophia (exterior), the pinnacle of Byzantine art.

Additionally, visit Istanbul’s “pearl,” the famous Topkapi Palace, the residence of Ottoman Sultans for four centuries.

Enjoy a typical lunch at a local restaurant in the Sultanahmet district and contemplate the Blue Mosque, a masterpiece of harmony, proportion, and elegance.

Visit the Hippodrome, which preserves the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column, the German Fountain of Emperor Wilhelm II, and the Egyptian Obelisk.

In the late afternoon, visit the world-famous Grand Bazaar, where we will enjoy free time to explore its 4,000 shops.

Night in Istanbul.

Breakfast at the Hotel.

Departure for one of Istanbul’s most famous activities: a boat trip along the Bosphorus, the strait that separates Europe from Asia.

During this journey, you can appreciate the Sultans’ palaces and traditional old wooden houses, enjoying history from a different perspective.

Next, we will visit one of the highlights: the Spice Bazaar, established by the Ottomans five centuries ago and in use ever since. Our included visit ends at the bazaar, where you can enjoy the atmosphere and the variety of shops.

In the afternoon, you may take an optional tour (including lunch) to the Asian side of the city, visiting the Beylerbeyi Palace, located on the Asian shore of the Bosphorus.

A former summer residence of the Ottoman Sultans, here we can also contemplate the famous Bosphorus Suspension Bridge, which connects the European and Asian parts of the city.

After lunch, we will visit the underrated district of Üsküdar, located on the Asian side, before heading to Çamlıca Hill, one of the city’s seven hills and the highest point in Istanbul.

At 268 meters above sea level, Çamlıca Hill offers panoramic views of both sides of the city.

At the end of the day, return to the hotel.

Night in Istanbul.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure toward Ankara, passing through the Bolu Mountains.

Upon arrival, we will take a panoramic bus tour of the capital of the Turkish Republic and Turkey’s second-most populous city Ankara a modern and cosmopolitan city steeped in ancient history and culture.

Visit to the Anitkabir Mausoleum, the symbol of Ankara, as it is the final resting place of the founder of the Turkish Republic.

In the late afternoon, arrival at our hotel and dinner.

Night in Ankara.

Breakfast.

Departure toward Cappadocia.

On the way, we will see the second-largest lake in Turkey, the Salt Lake (Tuz Gölü), and a 13th-century caravanserai (a medieval inn).

Arrival in Cappadocia.

Optionally, you may book a Jeep Safari excursion through Cappadocia, one of the region’s most exciting adventures.

This allows you to explore the area in a 4×4 vehicle, reaching unique landscapes, rock formations, and valleys.

Dinner.

Night in Cappadocia.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Visit to this fascinating region of unique landscapes, formed by lava erupted from the Erciyes and Hasan volcanoes 3 million years ago.

We will visit the Göreme Valley, an incredible Byzantine monastic complex composed of rock-cut churches featuring beautiful frescoes.

(Next, we will visit the Avcilar and Güvercinlik Valleys, where you can admire the best views of the volcanic formations known as “fairy chimneys.”)

We will visit traditional workshops specializing in carpets and semi-precious stones such as Onyx and Turquoise.

Dinner.

Night in Cappadocia.

Café da manhã no hotel.

Saída cedo em direção a Pamukkale.

Chegada e visita a Hierápolis, antiga cidade helenística que hoje se encontra em ruínas.

Visita ao famoso Castelo de Algodão, uma maravilha natural de gigantescas cascatas brancas e estalactites.

Piscinas naturais formadas ao longo dos séculos pela passagem das águas carregadas de sais calcários provenientes de fontes termais.

Chegada ao hotel.

Jantar e noite em Pamukkale.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure in the morning toward Ephesus, a Greco-Roman city and the former capital of Asia Minor.

It is one of the best-preserved cities of antiquity, home to the Temple of Hadrian, the Temple of Trajan, the Theater, and the Library of Celsus.

Visit to the House of the Virgin Mary, the place where she spent the final years of her life.

Next, we will visit a leather goods gallery to learn about the region’s famous production of lambskin garments.

In the late afternoon, we will continue to Kusadasi or Izmir.

(During the summer months, from May to October, accommodation may be provided in Izmir and its surroundings instead of Kusadasi).

Dinner at the hotel and night in Izmir or Kusadasi.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure toward Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire.

Visit to the Grand Mosque (Ulucamii), the Kozahan Silk Bazaar, and the Green Mausoleum.

Continuation of the journey toward Istanbul.

(On some departures, for operational reasons, the Izmir–Istanbul segment may be conducted via a domestic flight, by passing Bursa).

Night in Istanbul.

Breakfast at the hotel.

At the scheduled time, transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo.

(Pickup will be 4 hours before the international flight departure time; the exact time will be confirmed by your local assistant).

Arrival at Cairo International Airport.

Assistance in Spanish at the airport by our representative before passport control.

Transfer to the hotel.

Night in Cairo.

Breakfast at the Hotel.

Half-day visit to the Three Pyramids of Giza: Cheops, Khafre, and Menkaure; the Eternal Sphinx, and the Valley Temple of Khafre

(entry into the interior of the pyramids is not included).

In the afternoon, we will visit the Saqqara Necropolis and the City of Memphis, the capital of the Old Kingdom.

In the evening, there is an optional opportunity to attend the Sound and Light Show at the Giza Pyramids.

Return to the Hotel.

Night in Cairo.

Half board.

In the morning, we will take a full-day tour of Cairo, visiting the Egyptian Museum of Pharaonic Art, the Citadel of Saladin with its Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali, the Coptic Quarter, and the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar.

In the afternoon, transfer to Cairo International Airport for a domestic flight to Luxor.

Arrival in Luxor.

Transfer to the cruise ship.

Night on board.

Full Board.

In the morning, visit the East Bank in Luxor: the Temples of Luxor and Karnak.

In the afternoon, visit the West Bank in Luxor: the Theban Necropolis, the Valley of the Kings, the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (known as Deir el-Bahari), and the Colossi of Memnon.

At the scheduled time, we will set sail toward Esna.

We will cross the Esna Lock and continue sailing toward Edfu.

Night on board.

Full Board.

Arrival in Edfu and visit to the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the god Horus.

Sailing toward Kom Ombo.

Arrival in Kom Ombo and visit to the Temple of Kom Ombo, the only temple dedicated to two deities: the crocodile-headed god Sobek and the falcon-headed god Haroeris.

Sailing toward Aswan.

Night on board.

Full Board.

In the morning, there is an optional excursion to the famous Temples of Abu Simbel.

A Felucca ride on the Nile River (traditional Egyptian sailboats) will also be included, offering a panoramic view of the Aga Khan Mausoleum, Elephantine Island, and the Botanical Garden.

Next, a visit to the Aswan High Dam and the Philae Temple.

Night on board.

Breakfast and disembarkation.

At the scheduled time, transfer to Aswan International Airport for your domestic flight back to Cairo.

Arrival in Cairo.

Transfer to the hotel.

In the evening, an optional tour is available: Buffet dinner and show on a Nile River cruise boat.

Return to the hotel.

Night in Cairo.

Breakfast at the hotel.

At the scheduled time, transfer to Cairo Airport for your departure flight.

Our representative will provide assistance in Spanish at the airport.

End of our services.