Egypt and Turkey Itinerary: 18-Day Nile Cruise, Istanbul & Cappadocia

After a delicious breakfast at your hotel, your personal guide takes you to the Giza Plateau to marvel at one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramids of Giza, along with the iconic Sphinx and Valley Temple. Following lunch at an authentic Egyptian restaurant, continue to the Grand Egyptian Museum, located about 2 kilometers from the Giza pyramid complex. The GEM Complex is currently offering limited access to test site readiness ahead of its official opening, with admission covering the Main Galleries, Grand Hall, Grand Staircase, commercial area, and exterior gardens. Return to your hotel. Overnight in Cairo.

Today you leave Cairo behind for the shining city of Luxor. Your tour manager meets you early at your hotel and accompanies you to Cairo International Airport for your flight south. On landing, you're assisted and transferred by air-conditioned vehicle to board your luxury Nile cruise ship, Salacia, offering high-quality service, dining, and accommodation for your journey along the river. Enjoy lunch on board before heading to your first stop in Upper Egypt: Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on the East Bank. Return to the ship for a warm, home-style dinner. Overnight aboard your cruise in Luxor.

Enjoy your first breakfast on board, surrounded by the calm waters of the Nile. Head out to explore Luxor's West Bank, visiting the royal burial ground of 62 pharaohs, the Valley of the Kings, followed by the mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, built by New Kingdom architects in the 15th century BCE at Deir El-Bahari. Finish at the towering Colossi of Memnon. Return to the ship, enjoy lunch as you begin sailing to Edfu, then relax with the cruise's amenities — afternoon tea, a massage, or time in the Jacuzzi — before an appetizing dinner on board. Overnight aboard your cruise in Edfu.

Enjoy breakfast on board as you sail to Edfu. On arrival, visit Edfu Temple, one of the best-preserved temples of the Greco-Roman era, dedicated to Horus, taking a horse-drawn carriage ride to and from the temple through the slow-paced rural life of local farmers and fishermen amid lush banana and date palm groves. Back on board, sail on to Kom Ombo, where you'll walk through the town to the unusual Kom Ombo Temple, known for its two identical entrances, hypostyle halls, and sanctuaries. Return to the ship for lunch while sailing to Aswan, followed by dinner on the calm waters of the Nile. Overnight aboard your cruise in Aswan.

Enjoy breakfast on board as you sail into the colorful city of Aswan. Spend the day sightseeing, starting with the massive Unfinished Obelisk, still resting in the ancient stone quarries, followed by the beautiful Temple of Philae, devoted to the goddesses Isis and Hathor. Return to the ship for dinner amid the peaceful waters of the Nile. Overnight aboard your cruise in Aswan.

Enjoy one last breakfast on board, surrounded by the calm Nile waters, before disembarking and transferring to Aswan Airport for your flight back to Cairo, where you'll be met and transferred to your hotel for your final night in Egypt. An optional group coach tour to the Abu Simbel Temples is available for an extra USD $89. Overnight in Cairo.

After breakfast, transfer through Cairo's busy streets to the airport for your flight to Istanbul. On arrival, meet our representative and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, begin your full day in the city with the Hagia Sophia, originally built by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century and later converted into a mosque by the Ottomans in the 15th century. Visit Topkapi Palace, home to the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to 19th centuries, with its impressive treasury, harem, courtyards, and vast antiquities collections. Continue to the Blue Mosque, famous for its six minarets and blue Iznik-tiled interior, followed by lunch at a local restaurant. Visit the Hippodrome, once the scene of ancient chariot races, and finish at the Grand Bazaar. Overnight in Istanbul.

Start the morning at the Egyptian Bazaar, also known as the Spice Bazaar, built in the 17th century in the historic Eminönü district. Board a public boat for a scenic Bosphorus cruise, taking in views of palaces and fortresses on both shores, including Dolmabahçe Palace, Çırağan Palace, and Rumeli Fortress. Continue to the historic Fener and Balat neighborhoods, known for their cobblestone streets, colorful houses, and charming cafés, often used as filming locations for Turkish TV series. Visit the cast-iron Bulgarian Orthodox Church of St. Stephen and the Church of the Orthodox Patriarchate in Balat. End the day at the legendary Pierre Loti Café, with sweeping views over the Golden Horn. Overnight in Istanbul.

Depart early by bus for the 450 km journey to Ankara, the capital of the Turkish Republic, passing through the Bolu Mountains. On arrival, transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, named Best Museum in Europe in 1997 for its rich collection of Hittite and Asia Minor artifacts, then the Mausoleum of Ataturk, founder of the Republic. Continue to Cappadocia, a region famous for its unique geological formations, passing the Salt Lake along the way. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

After breakfast, spend a full day exploring the region, starting with the Göreme Open-Air Museum and its rock-hewn churches with frescoed interiors. Continue to the troglodyte village of Uçhisar and Pigeon Valley, then admire the mushroom-shaped fairy chimneys of Love Valley. Visit the pottery town of Avanos, then in the afternoon explore the underground city of Serhatlı (or Özkonak), used by early Christians as a refuge in the 6th and 7th centuries across multiple levels. Finish with visits to a carpet workshop and an onyx and jewelry workshop. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.

After breakfast, depart for Aksaray, following the historic Silk Road and visiting the Sultanhan Caravanserai, once a resting place for camel caravans. Arrive in Pamukkale, transfer to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, visit Pamukkale, meaning "Cotton Castle," known for its brilliant white travertine pools formed by thermal springs. Continue to the ancient city of Hierapolis, once a Byzantine episcopal center, then head toward Kusadasi, stopping at the House of the Virgin Mary, where she is said to have spent her final years, and enjoying a fashion show featuring Turkish leather goods along the way. Visit Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient cities in Asia Minor, home to 250,000 people during the 1st and 2nd centuries, including the Temple of Hadrian, the Roman Baths, the Library of Celsus, the Odeon, and a 24,500-seat theater. Dinner and overnight in Kusadasi (or Izmir).

After breakfast, travel to Pergamon to visit the Asclepion, an ancient therapeutic center dedicated to Asclepius, the god of medicine, where the physician Galen once practiced. Continue to Troy, the legendary city immortalized in Homer's Iliad and the Trojan War, before transferring to your hotel in Çanakkale for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, depart for Istanbul via Bursa, the first capital of the Ottoman Empire, known for its mosques, fountains, Turkish baths, and silk production. Visit the 14th-century Great Mosque, the Green Mosque, the Green Mausoleum, and the local silk bazaar before continuing to Istanbul and transferring to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

After breakfast, transfer to Istanbul Airport for your departure flight, bringing this 18-day Egypt and Turkey itinerary to a close.