ANCIENT EGYPT9 DAYS ■ NOVEMBER 16, 2022

AAA EXCLUSIVE INCLUSIONS

■ 8 nights’ luxury accommodations

■ AAA Exclusive private field presentation “Betweenthe Paws of the Sphinx”

■ The Great Pyramids

■ Egyptian Museum of Antiquities

■ Inter-Egypt flights

■ Karnak Temple

■ Valley of the Kings

■ Special guided tour of Nefertari’s tomb

■ Edfu and Kom Ombo

■ The Temples of Abu Simbel

■ Special AAA Member-only activities

■ 23 meals: 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 8 dinners

■ Services of an expert Egyptologist and aAAA Tour Manager

Discover Ancient Egypt on an exclusive AAA journey featuring all-inclusive sightseeing and

private Member-only activities. Join expert Egyptologists who will help you discover the

mysteries of the Pharaohs, from Cairo all the way to Abu Simbel and along the Nile. Engage

in a private field talk with an experienced archaeologist between the Paws of the Sphinx.

Gaze upon the fascinating Great Pyramids and ride camels in the desert. A special guided

walking tour of Old Cairo is on the agenda and a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum. Visit

the Valley of the Kings and cruise the Nile on the luxurious Oberoi Philae. This is such an

extraordinary adventure and one not to miss!

AAA Member Rates

From $8,894 per person, double occupancy

(pay in full at time of booking & save an additional $500 per person)

ANCIENT EGYPT ITINERARY

Day 1 Welcome to CairoUpon arrival, you’ll be met by our Cairo-based

staff who will assist you with immigration

formalities and provide the transfers to the

banks of the Nile River and the 5-star Kempinski

Nile Hotel. Settle in to your Nile-view guestroom

and enjoy the rest of this day at leisure, before

gathering this evening for a cocktail reception

in the hotel’s Jazz Bar, a perfect opportunity to

meet your fellow travelers. (D)

Day 2 Extraordinary Sites of AntiquityThis morning, we’ve made special

arrangements for you to enjoy a private field

talk in an area that is usually off limits to

visitors. Directly under the watchful gaze of

the Sphinx between his massive paws, we’ll

be joined by Dr. Ashraf Mohie El-Din. Drawing

upon his professional experience mapping

excavations on the Giza Plateau, he is a

wonderful speaker that will enrich your first

day of exploration. Then gaze upon the Great

Pyramids, ride camels in the desert and have

lunch at Andrea, a landmark restaurant since

1958. Continue to Memphis, site of Egypt’s

ancient capital, to see the Colossus of

Ramses II and the beautiful Alabaster Sphinx.

At nearby Sakkara, you’ll gaze in wonder

upon the remarkable Step Pyramid of King

Zoser. You’ll also behold the vibrant drawings

and inscriptions in the 4,000-year-old Tomb

of Mehu, a wealthy merchant – recently

opened to select visitors for the first time in

80 years. This evening, you’ll dine along the

Nile. (B, L, D)

Day 3The Egyptian Museum + Old CairoAfter a sumptuous breakfast, you’ll begin

your exploration of Cairo. From the Citadel,

a medieval fortification set on a hill near the

heart of the capital, you’ll have fine views of

the city. Here you‘ll also admire the impressive

Muhammad Ali Mosque, built in the mid 1800’s.

Then continue with a guided walk through the

evocative streets of Old Cairo including a tour

of one of the city’s oldest churches. If you wish,

there will be time to browse in the colorful

Khan El Khalili Bazaar where gold, jewelry,

spices, rugs, textiles, and lanterns have been

sold for centuries.

Our late-day tour of the highly regarded

Egyptian Museum of Antiquities is timed

to avoid the crowds for a more relaxing

and enriching experience; it’s the perfect

introduction to the sites you’ll explore in the

days to come along the Nile River. (When the

new Grand Egyptian Museum opens near the

pyramids, we’ll rearrange this visit.) Back at

our luxury hotel, the balance of the evening is

yours to dine and enjoy as you wish. (B, L)

Day 4 Fly to Abu Simbel + Embark the Oberoi PhilaeThis morning, you’ll be taken to the airport for

your flight to Abu Simbel, one of the world’s

most impressive sights of antiquity. Thrill to

these 67-foot high figures of the King, carved

from solid rock, and hear the dramatic story

of how they were moved 200 feet above their

original site to protect them from the rising

waters of Lake Nasser and the Aswan Dam.

This engineering feet to relocate and protect

this architectural wonder was so successful

and precise that twice a year, on February

22 and October 22, the rays of the rising sun

pierce the temple entrance and reach deep

into the heart of the temple – just 24 hours

later than the original plan! In addition to its

oft-photographed statues, the interior hall is

decorated with amazing relief carvings that

depict a great battle with more than 1,000

stone figures. We’ll fly on to Aswan where you’ll

board the luxurious and intimate, 44-guest

Oberoi Philae. Settle in to your ultra-spacious

light-filled stateroom and then join your fellow

passengers for lunch onboard – either in the

inviting restaurant, in the lounge, or al fresco at

the poolside dining area.

This afternoon, we’ll visit the Nubian Museum,

designed by the award-winning Egyptian

architect Mahmoud al-Hakim. The building

reflects traditional elements of Nubian

architecture and impressive exhibits of temples,

tombs and dwelling artifacts from the ancient

civilization that thrived here along the Nile River

as far back as 2000 BCE. We’ll return to ship

to relax and refresh before a fine dinner this

evening. (B, L, D)

Day 5The High Dam + Philae Temple + Kom OmboUnlike the ancient wonders of Cairo and Abu

Simbel, the remarkable High Dam at Aswan is

an achievement of modern Egypt. Following

breakfast, we’ll explore this engineering marvel;

completed in 1970 at a cost of about $1 billion,

it spans more than 2 miles and towers 300

feet. This morning’s excursion also includes

Rates are per person, land + inter Egypt air only, based on double occupancy. A Non-Refundable Deposit of $800 due at time of booking. Rates, itinerary, boat, hotels, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. AAA Member Benefits are valid for passengers who book through AAA Travel only. Benefits listed may be substituted/eliminated and have no cash value. This tour includes moderate physical activity, walking slightly longer distances, upstairs or on uneven walking surfaces should be expected. Passport and Visa are required for US citizens (Passport must be valid 8 months beyond return date.) Passport and Visa fees are required and not included. Please check with your AAA Travel Advisor for details. Other restrictions may apply. The Auto Club Group is not responsible for any errors or omissions in the printing of this document. 19-TR-0295

the Temple of Philae, rescued from the rising

waters of Lake Nasser after the completion

of the High Dam. Now situated on a lovely

island, the earliest elements of this impressive

complex include a small temple built around

370 BCE and dedicated to the Goddess Isis.

Return to ship and enjoy lunch onboard as we

chart a course for Kom Ombo. Enjoy a pleasant

afternoon of cruising the Nile. Following

Afternoon Tea, you’ll step off at our ship’s

private pier to explore the Temple of Kom

Ombo. Built on a picturesque bend in the Nile,

where crocodiles used to sun themselves, this

unusual dual-deity temple of the Ptolemaic

Period is dedicated to both Haroeris (one of

the oldest forms of the falcon-headed God

Horus) and, appropriately enough, the fearsome

Crocodile God Sobek. Return to ship with time

to refresh before dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 6The Temple of HorusAfter breakfast and a leisurely morning

onboard, you’ll join our engaging

Egyptologists ashore in Edfu to explore

the Temple of Horus, considered by many

scholars to be the best-preserved cult

temple in all of Egypt. Built in the Ptolemaic

era between 237 and 57 BCE, later than many

of the other sites along the Nile, it is still a

stunning example of traditional Pharaonic

architecture and ranks as the second largest

temple in Egypt – after the great Karnak

Temple. Rich in design, intricate in detail and

ingenious in its massive construction, the

extraordinary quality of every element here

attests to the paramount importance of the

falcon-headed Horus. Back onboard, we’ll

enjoy lunch, passage through the Esna Locks

and a delightful dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 7 The Valley of Kings + Nefertari’s TombWith the Philae’s privileged private docking

facilities along the Nile, we’ll be off ship

efficiently and easily this morning - going

ashore apart from the cluster of other ships

and their passengers. Our exploration begins in

the fabled Valley of Kings, where the pharaohs

of the 18th Dynasty abandoned the pyramid

tradition in favor of tombs built deep in the

mountainside. Each pharaoh also constructed

a mortuary temple at the edge of the valley,

some distance away from the actual tombs.

Sixty-four ancient Egyptian rulers are buried

here, but only a handful of the temples remain,

including Madinat Habu - the tomb of Ramses

III with its impressive exterior walls. The fabled

final resting place of King Tutankhamun and the

fabulously decorated tomb of Ramses VI are also

among the highlights awaiting our exploration

here in the Valley. Equally as fascinating as the

pharaohs’ tombs is the ancient Egyptian village

of Deir el- Medina. More than 3,000 years ago

during the New Kingdom period, this community

was home to the thousands of artisans and

laborers who constructed the tombs and

temples in the Valley of Kings. Exclusively for

AAA Members, today’s specially guided tour of

Nefertari’s tomb will reveal one of the most

lavishly decorated and beautiful tombs in the

Valley of the Queens. (B, L, D)

Day 8Karnak + Luxor + CairoAfter breakfast, we’ll disembark and bid

farewell to The Philae as we go ashore to

visit two of Egypt’s most celebrated sites of

antiquity, beginning with the great Karnak

Temple. With our skilled Egyptologist leading

the way, you’ll stand before its massive

pillars and admire the grand Hypostyle Hall;

encompassing more than 50,000 square

feet, this is the largest hall of any temple in

the world. Your sightseeing continues at the

nearby Luxor Temple, built in the 14th century

BC and connected to the Karnak complex

by the newly restored Avenue of Sphinxes.

The temple walls of Luxor are embellished

with skillful carvings of the Gods of Karnak

accompanied by a festival procession of

priests, musicians, dancers and sacred cows.

With keen insight from our Egyptologist,

today’s sightseeing provides depth on the

culture and beliefs of ancient Egypt. This

afternoon, we’ll fly back to the capital and

be escorted to the new Le Meridien Hotel,

conveniently located at the airport and

ideal for departure flights the next morning.

Check-in to your Club Floor accommodations

and then gather with your fellow travelers

for a Farewell Dinner. (B, L, D)

Day 9A Fond Farewell to CairoAfter breakfast, you’ll be escorted to the

airport for your onward flight, taking with you

unforgettable memories! (B)

WHY AAA TRAVEL?Only when you book with us, you get:

■ Extra savings, perks & special experiences

■ Tips & advice you’d never find on your own

Do more & worry less! Stretch your vacation dollars further with AAA Travel.