Extend your stay

Luxor

Luxor is home to many of Egypt’s antiquities, some of which you will have already visited on your Nile Cruise. However, there is so much more to see and do. On the West Bank there is the Tombs of the Nobles, Queen Hatshepsut’s Mortuary Temple, the Mortuary Temple of Ramses lll at Medinet Habu and Deir el Medina, the village of the craftsmen who worked in the Valley of the Kings. Or relax as you sail on the Nile to Dendera and visit the Temple which was dedicated to Hathor, the cow-headed goddess of love.

A visit to the Luxor Museum is a must and the Mummification Museum is also worth a visit. Perhaps take a camel safari and step back in time as you witness the daily life of the people on the West Bank or experience an amazing sunset on the Nile whilst sailing on a felucca. Also, don't forget to see the Sound and Light show at the Karnak Temple. You can explore the town by taxi, take a leisurely ride in a calèche (horse-drawn carriage), or just simply wander around the town and enjoy bartering in the shops for those holiday souvenirs.

Hurghada & Makadi Bay

Both resorts are surrounded by a mountainous backdrop and desert landscape. Hurghada has developed over the last 20 years into one of the largest Red Sea resorts. This bustling resort has a wide variety of shops, bars and restaurants yet still manages to retain an informal and relaxed atmosphere. In downtown Hurghada, you can find souvenir shops, local restaurants serving delicious freshly-caught fish and duty-free shopping arcades in the Sekalla area. In the evening, a visit to the new Marina should not be missed - it is a pedestrianised area with many shops, bars and restaurants.

Makadi Bay is situated some 30km south of Hurghada. This is a popular, purpose-built resort with hotels built around the bays along this coastline. Daytime activities and evening entertainment tend to be hotel based. The resort is ideal for those wanting a relaxing holiday but with the choice of watersports activities, if you prefer. Lively Hurghada is an appropriate 20 minute shuttle bus or taxi drive away.

Note: Makadi Bay is an approximate 4 hour coach journey from Luxor; Hurghada is an approximate 4½ hour coach journey from Luxor. These times include a comfort stop of approximately 20 minutes. On the day of departure, you leave your hotel early in the morning with time spent on one of the cruise boats, before being transferred to Luxor airport. Day cabins will be provided (subject to availability). Meals/drinks are not included whilst on board.

Cairo

Just an hour’s flight from Luxor, you arrive at the bustling metropolis of Cairo, Africa’s largest city. Modern high rise buildings, which includes the 187m Cairo Tower with its panoramic views over the city, vie with the narrow alleyways of Old Cairo. There is, of course, the world-famous Pyramids and Sphinx, Cairo’s mighty fortress, with its alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali, the Egyptian Museum and the famous Khan-el-Khalili bazaar where bartering for souvenirs is a must. Outside the city, you can visit Memphis, the capital of Ancient Egypt and admire mankind’s oldest stone building - the step pyramid of Pharaoh Djoser at Sakkara. Not to be missed is the Sound and Light show at the Pyramids. You will certainly not be bored in this amazing city.

Just a 3½ hour coach journey from Cairo, Alexandria, known as the 'Pearl of the Mediterranean' is Egypt’s second largest city. Founded by Alexander the Great in 332BC, it became the capital of Greco-Roman Egypt and you can still see remnants of the Greek empire that ruled here over 2,000 years ago. Ptolemy, Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra have all lived here. Perhaps take a full day optional excursion from Cairo and visit the Greco-Roman Museum, the catacombs and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Built close to the site of the original Library, this modern building, with its striking architecture, can hold up to eight million books, has three museums, four art galleries and a planetarium.