Journey of the Crescent & the Pharaohs: A Dual-Country Odyssey | Turkey + Egypt, Pure Experience & Deep Cultural Exploration, 18 Days & 17 Nights Private Tour

Arrive at Istanbul Airport, where your private driver-guide will greet you.

Cruise the Bosphorus Strait, witnessing the unique blend and boundary of Europe and Asia.

Stroll through Taksim Square, experiencing the dynamic clash of modernity and tradition.

Take a cable car up Pierre Loti Hill for a panoramic view of the city.

Explore the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, a testament to a millennium of Byzantine and Ottoman heritage.

Visit the Blue Mosque, admiring its six minarets and exquisite Iznik tiles.

Descend into the Basilica Cistern, a mysterious underground chamber of ancient columns.

Drive to Bursa, check into your hotel, and enjoy free time to explore.

View the exterior of the Grand Mosque of Bursa.

Explore the Koza Han silk market, feeling the bustling energy of historic trade.

Visit the Green Mosque and Green Tomb, admiring their exquisite tile work.

Explore the UNESCO World Heritage village of Cumalıkızık, with its Ottoman-style wooden houses and cobblestone streets.

Arrive in Izmir and check into your hotel.

Walk through the ruins of Ephesus, visiting the library, theatre, and temple remains.

Travel to Pamukkale, explore the ruins of Hierapolis, and admire the white travertine terraces and thermal springs.

Stop at the Sultanhanı Caravanserai, a well-preserved Seljuk-era trading post.

Arrive in Cappadocia and check into your cave hotel, surrounded by the unique landscape.

Take an optional hot air balloon ride at dawn for a panoramic view of fairy chimneys and valleys.

Visit the Göreme Open Air Museum to experience the faith and art of early Christians.

Stroll through Göreme town and explore the fairy chimneys of Paşabağ.

Explore Pigeon Valley, feeling the serenity and life embedded in the rock faces.

Drive past Lake Tuz, a vast salt lake known as Turkey's "Sky Mirror."

Arrive in Ankara and visit Anıtkabir, the mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, to learn about the history of the Turkish Republic.

Return to Istanbul and explore Topkapi Palace, including the Treasury and Harem courtyards.

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo.

Arrive in Cairo. An assistant will help you with your visa on arrival and escort you to your hotel.

Drive to Alexandria and visit Pompey's Pillar.

Visit Qaitbay Citadel, built on the site of the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria.

View the exterior of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Explore the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, a fascinating fusion of cultures.

Return to Cairo in the evening.

Visit the Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, as well as the Great Sphinx.

Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum to admire its priceless artifacts and artworks.

Take an early morning flight to Aswan and check into your cruise ship.

Visit the Aswan High Dam, a marvel of modern engineering.

Take a boat to Philae Temple and listen to the story of the goddess Isis.

Enjoy a complimentary felucca sailboat ride on the Nile at sunset.

Take an optional excursion to the Abu Simbel temples, a pinnacle of ancient Egyptian architecture.

Return to the cruise and continue sailing, enjoying the pastoral scenery along the Nile.

Arrive in Kom Ombo by evening.

Visit the Kom Ombo Temple, a unique double temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus.

Continue sailing to Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes.

Explore the Valley of the Kings, delving into the ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife and their artistic achievements.

Visit the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut and hear the legend of the female pharaoh.

Visit the Karnak and Luxor Temples, marveling at their monumental architecture.

Drive to the Red Sea, passing through alternating landscapes of desert and oasis.

Check into a 5-star Red Sea beach resort and enjoy the sun and sand.

Drive back to Cairo. En route, optionally visit the Egyptian Museum to see Tutankhamun's golden mask.

Visit Khan el-Khalili bazaar to shop for handicrafts and spice souvenirs.

Transfer to the airport for departure, concluding your 18-day private discovery tour.