Treasures of the Ancient World - OLD Itinerary

Day 1 Depart Australia
Depart Australia for Istanbul.

Day 2 Arrive Istanbul
Welcome to Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city, sitting on the cusp of Europe and Asia and combining a great blend of culture and history. On our arrival we will be met by our friendly Turkish guide and transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure before tonight’s welcome dinner. [D]

Day 3 Istanbul
Today we explore this fascinating city including the opulent Topkapi Palace, the unique Blue Mosque, the famous Hippodrome and the domed Basilica of St Sophia which was built in 326 AD by Constantine the Great. [B]

Day 4 Istanbul - Canakkale
This morning we depart early for Gallipoli, where we pay tribute to the sacrifices of the Anzacs. Our touring includes Anzac Cove, Lone Pine and Johnston’s Jolly. [B,D]

Day 5 Canakkale - Kusadasi
On our way to Kusadasi we visit Troy with its symbolic wooden horse commemorating the legendary Trojan War. We then continue on to Pergamum, which was once ruled by Alexander the Great and is famous for its library which once housed more than 200,000 books. [B,D]

Day 6 Ephesus
A wonderful day of antiquity as we visit Ephesus, the largest ancient city ever uncovered and once home to more than 300,000 people. It’s a great place to get a feel for what life was like at the time of the Romans. [B]

Day 7 Kusadasi - Pamukkale
We continue east to Pamukkale, visiting the town of Aphrodisias, dedicated to Aphrodite and home to a major Roman sculpture school. [B,D]

Day 8 Pamukkale - Konya
Today we explore Hierapolis, an ancient city on top of the famous Pamukkale hot springs. As Pamukkale's calcium-rich hot springs have cascaded down the hillside, the waters have created a unique, snow-white landscape of terraced pools and petrified waterfalls. We then continue on to Konya. [B,D]

Day 9 Konya - Cappadocia
This morning we visit Mevlana to learn about the mystical religious sect known as the Whirling Dervishes, before continuing on to Cappadocia. [B,D]

Day 10 Cappadocia
An incredible day, as we explore the eerie lunar landscape of the Goreme Valley, followed by an afternoon visit to the underground city of Kaymakli. [B,D]

Day 11 Cappadocia - Istanbul
Today we visit the monastic valley of Pasabagi and the colourful village of Aranos, before flying back to Istanbul. [B]

Day 12 Istanbul - Cairo
We fly today to the Egyptian capital, Cairo, where we are met and transferred to our hotel located near the pyramids. [B,D]

Day 13 Cairo
This is it! This morning you will be standing directly in front of the Great Pyramids of Giza! The Great Pyramids are the oldest structures in existence; work constructing them began more than four and a half thousand years ago, and today they are the sole remnant of the Seven Wonders of the World. Here we take the time to soak up the mystical power of these awe-inspiring structures before visiting the nearby Sphinx and the incredible step pyramid of Sakkara. The rest of the day is at leisure. [B]

Day 14 Cairo
Today we venture into the bustling heart of Cairo to visit the world-famous Egyptian Museum, home to Tutankhamen’s priceless treasures and many other historic artefacts. There will be time for an optional visit (entrance ticket not included) to the "Mummy Room", it has nine mummies on display including the newly discovered mummy of Queen Hatshepsut. This afternoon we visit the Citadel of Cairo and the Mohammed Ali Mosque, before trying out our bargaining skills at the 625-year-old Khan El Khalili bazaar. [B]

Day 15 Cairo - Nile Cruise* (see notes on Nile Cruise below)
This morning we fly to Luxor. In the afternoon we visit the Karnak Temple which is the largest and most impressive of all Egypt’s temples and the site of the most important of ancient Egypt’s many religious festivals and ceremonies. We also visit Luxor Temple which was once linked to Karnak by a 3km-long avenue of sphinxes and contains evidence of early Christian occupation. After our sightseeing we board our Nile cruise ship. Tonight we stay docked in Luxor. [B,L,D]

Day 16 Nile Cruise
After breakfast we set off to explore the West Bank of the Nile, the world’s largest open-air museum. We also explore the Valley of the Kings where we have the opportunity to go underground and experience the tombs first-hand. We then continue on to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut: it was built of limestone, not sandstone like most of the other funerary temples of the New Kingdom period, making it one of the most distinctive temples in the whole of Egypt. We end our day at the Colossi of Memnon. [B,L,D]

Day 17 Nile Cruise
Our day starts with a horse-drawn carriage ride to Edfu's beautifully preserved Temple of Horus. We then sail to Kom Ombo to visit its beautiful temples. [B,L,D]

Day 18 Nile Cruise
A very early start as we cross the desert to the stunning temples of Abu Simbel, a must-see while in Egypt! This afternoon we enjoy a relaxing felucca ride on the calm waters of the Nile. [B,L,D]

Day 19 Aswan - Cairo
This morning we enjoy a tour of Aswan before flying back to Cairo. [B]

Day 20 Cairo
Enjoy a full day at leisure in Cairo before our farewell dinner tonight. [B,D]

Day 21 Depart Cairo
Transfer to the airport to begin our journey home. [B]

Day 22 Arrive Australia

*Note on Nile Cruises: The Nile cruises featured on all itineraries to Egypt operate between the cities of Luxor and Aswan. These cities lie only 240km apart which means this distance could easily be covered in only 1 or 2 days without stops. Due to logistical and scheduling reasons the cruises are offered only as 3, 4 and 7 night packages. This allows for extensive sightseeing along the way and, as such, much of the time is spent in port in Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo or Aswan. Each cruise itinerary will, however, have an element of day-time cruising - allowing you to relax and see life along the river.

Note on Esna Lock and Itinerary Schedule: Please note that due to the high volume of river traffic all cruise itineraries are subject to change without notice. The order and timing of sightseeing may therefore change, however all inclusions will remain the same. Similarly, travel through the Esna Lock is subject to river traffic and local conditions, which means you may pass through the lock during the night or have an extended wait prior to entering the lock.

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