Start the day with pickup at your hotel or cruise ship: you have the option to choose a start time at 7am or 8am. Travel to the West Bank of the Nile in an air-conditioned vehicle, where the first stop of the day is the Valley of the Kings. Explore the sprawling, desert site, with time to visit a small selection of tombs with your guide.
Continue to the Temple of Hatshepsut, a grand complex built by Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled the kingdom in the 15th century BC, and stand at the feet of the Colossi of Memnon, who guard the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.
Cross the Nile River to the East Bank, where you’ll refuel for an afternoon of sightseeing with a buffet lunch at a local restaurant. After the meal, spend the afternoon at the Temple of Karnak, a maze-like complex of temples, columns, and chapels guarded by an imposing double row of sphinxes that once stretched 1.5 miles (2.4 km.) to the Temple of Luxor. The final stop of the day is the Luxor Temple, where recent restoration has revealed bright colored paintings that bring the ancient world to vivid life.
This 9-hour tour concludes with drop-off at your hotel or cruise ship at 4pm or 5pm, depending on start time.