You board the five-star Oberoi Philae Nile cruiser to begin your journey down the Nile. This new super-deluxe cruiser is driven by a paddle wheel and appointed with luxurious turn-of-the-century interiors. Up to 116 passengers are pampered with such facilities as a lounge, gourmet restaurant, beauty salon, barber shop, gift shop, swimming pool and sun deck. Your luxurious stateroom has a private balcony from which you can watch the intriguing landscape of the Nile between Aswan and Luxor.

After lunch on board, you travel by felucca (an indigenous boat with a graceful sailing rig) for a visit to the botanical garden on Kitchener Island, where you see exotic plants from all over the world. Later, relax on your balcony before attending the cocktail reception and dinner onboard. (B,L,D)

This morning, after a buffet breakfast, you visit the first ("Old") Aswan Dam built in 1902. It created a 140-mile long reservoir and, at the time, it was considered a great engineering feat. Ten years in the making, the new High Dam created a barrier 2 ½ miles by 300 feet. When it was completed in 1972, Egypt at last had reliable water supply.

You go to the granite quarries to see where skilled Egyptians created obelisks that were ultimately sent to Rome, Istanbul, London, and Paris. The Unfinished Obelisk is still attached to the bedrock; had it not developed a crack while work was being done, it would have weighed 1,100 tons.

You enjoy lunch onboard as you sail on to Kom Ombo. You visit the ruins of a temple with two sanctuaries, dedicated jointly to Horus, the sparrow-hawk god and to Sobek, the crocodile god. Crocodiles used to sun themselves on the broad bend of the river here.

You continue down the Nile this evening as a special Oriental dinner is prepared for you in the gourmet dining room onboard. (B,L,D)

On your visit to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, you see exterior walls, courts, halls and a sanctuary all in place. Pictures of various legends and festivals are depicted on the walls.

You stop to go to the town of Esna, which is built over the ruins of the Temple of Khnum. The hypostyle hall has been excavated 27 feet below the street. There are very significant reliefs and inscriptions here; French archaeologists have been able to decipher numerous details of rituals in the worship of Khnum.

You sit back on your private balcony or beside the pool as the Philae cruises down the Nile to Luxor this afternoon. (B,L,D)

After your buffet breakfast, you visit the Valley of the Queens, where royal wives were buried. (Until the 19^th Dynasty, the queens were buried with their husbands in the Valley of the Kings.) Only a few are open to the public; the Tomb of Nefertari was discovered in 1904, but it was only restored in 1995.

After the pharaohs were embalmed and mummified, their bodies were brought to the Valley of the Kings, hidden in the Theban hills. The Tomb of Tutankhamun is here. Although care was taken to prevent robbers from entering the tombs, such activity was prevalent. Many treasures were taken, but priests reburied the mummies for protection in the surrounding mountains. Some of these secret caches have only recently been discovered, and it is thought more will undoubtedly be found.

Returning to the ship, relax with afternoon tea. Your gourmet dinner is followed by an evening of dancing. (B,L,D)

Today you go to the vast temple complex of Amun-Ra at Karnak. Walk along the ceremonial Avenue of the Sphinxes as you enter one of the most significant religious centers in the ancient world. Construction on this site continued for more than 13 centuries. The Great Hypostyle Hall has 137 huge columns carved with reliefs; the upper capitals were painted in bright shades of red, green, yellow and blue.

At the other end of the Avenue of the Sphinxes, you visit Luxor Temple. Of a different form, and having a different function, this temple was the residence of Amun-Ra’s consort, Mut and her son. Here also, substantial additions were made over a considerable period of time.

This afternoon, you check into your hotel overlooking the Nile - the St. George, the newest and most luxurious property here. There are regional, ancient, and Continental accents in the lobby and public rooms. The emerald green and cream-colored marble lobby, with its efficient staff, creates a warm welcome. The hallway leading to most of the common rooms is lined with smart shops. The elaborate pool area provides an inviting and relaxing haven. Guestrooms are elegant and spacious with ornate molding, burnished paneling, sitting room areas and balconies. Dinner this evening is in one of the hotel restaurants; each offers a superb menu. (B,L,D)

This morning, your journey continues by air to the Sinai Peninsula. You arrive in Sharm El Sheikh, a small town at the south of the peninsula on the Red Sea. A sun-dappled resort, it is renowned for its coral reefs, pristine beaches, and underwater life.

You drive inland, toward the mountains of the Sinai range. The dry landscape gives way briefly to an oasis with date palms. A short distance beyond is the medieval Church and Monastery of St. Catherine. You visit the Chapel of the Burning Bush where God spoke to Moses disguised as a flaming shrub. A well-worn path behind the monastery leads to the summit of Gabal Musa, the location generally accepted as where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

Returning to the coast, you relax at your hotel, the Conrad International, before dinner. (B,L,D)

Today you have a restful day at your hotel; enjoy the setting overlooking a wonderfully secluded stretch of the Red Sea. This new, elegant resort has superb accommodations; the spacious guestrooms are decorated with contemporary Arabic motifs and have adjoining terraces or balconies. Whether you sit back by the pool, or sun on the beach, you may also feel like looking at the bevy of shops along the long, glossy marble corridor adjacent to the lobby.

You take a cruise on a glass-bottomed boat this afternoon and have a closer look at the colorful world beneath the surface of the sea. (B,L,D)