13th October 2003
London - Luxor Arrive Heathrow terminal 3 at 12 noon depart on Egyptair flight at 14.00hrs flight approx 5 hours.
Visa's will need to be purchased on arrival (approx £15), we can arrange for this to be done to avoid queues upon arrival.
We will be met on arrival and transferred by air-conditioned vehicle to the cruise ship at Luxor. The ship is Ninfeadue Club www.veneziatravel.com it has been specially chartered exclusively for Lardie Tours group
Sail from Luxor to Esna.

14th October
We start the morning with a wake up call at 6.30am breakfast will be ready from 6.30 to 7.30am.
7.30am prepare the cycles for the days ahead.
It is an easy first day cycle, flat and approx 58 km from Esna to Edfu.
Esna is a small village to the south of Luxor the majority of the people are farmers and the main crops are banana and lentil. The main archaeological site here is the temple of the God Khonom which is dated back to the Roman period.
Arrive Edfu to join the boat and stay overnight.

15th October
6am wake up call, breakfast from 6 to 7 am.
7 - 7.15 organise cycles.
7.15 Start cycling to Aswan, 114 km. Along the Nile valley going through different villages of Upper Egypt where most people are farmers, most important crops are sugar cane, sesame and bananas. On this journey we will go through Kom Ombo. The main archaeological sites we will pass through 1. The temple of God Horus in Edfu Greaco/Roman period approx 2000 years old 2. The tombs of Elkab the pre dynastic capital of Upper Egypt which was founded about 3400bc. 3. The Temple of Kom Umbo which is Greaco / Roman temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus.
Arrive Aswan and overnight. You may have the opportunity to visit Aswan market.

16th October
Wake up call 7am breakfast 7 - 8am
8 - 8.15 organise cycles
8.15 Depart. All cycling will be around Aswan visiting the high dam and old dam, then to Philae where we will leave the cycles and take a boat to visit Philae Temple. This Temple is called by, Egyptologists, 'the Pearl of the Egyptian monuments' as it is in a beautiful dramatic setting on one of the islands of the cataracts. This temple was dismantled into 40000 blocks of stone and moved to a higher island to be rescued from the waters of the Nile after the building of the high dam at Aswan. Today's cycling is challenging but short 47 km.
Sail to Kom Ombo

17th October
6am wake up call, breakfast 6 -7am depart 7.15
Kom Ombo to Esna. This is the longest day along the east bank, mainly flat with a few small hills. Stay overnight at Esna

18th October
6.30 wake up call, breakfast 6.30-7.30 depart 7.45
Cycle Esna to Luxor. Approx 80km up to the Valley of The Kings and then onto to the Colossi of Memnon where the challenge will finish.

19th October
Luxor - A free day for sightseeing in and around Luxor

20th October
Depart Luxor.
Egyptair flights leaves at 9.25 am.