A delicious breakfast on board starts the day. Then comes the West Bank of the Nile, starting with the Valley of the Kings. In ancient times, it was known as the "Great Place of the Truth." This lovely valley was designed for the tombs of the Pharaohs, with big stone sarcophagi standing guard to take them onward into immortality. The surrounding mountains loom above this valley, their peaks pyramid-shaped. Next will come the Colossi of Memnon, two gigantic statues, each about 18 meters high; these monumental shapes are what remains of the Tag's largest temple complex on the West Bank, built by Amenhotep III. Visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, elevated in a series of terraces from the desert plain-an amazing building that, if seen at sunset with its sheer limestone face looming as the backdrop of the Theban Mountains, is surely one of the most startling sights. At 13:00, start sailing to Esna Lock, having lunch on board while sailing. Arrive at Esna Lock at 18:00, then sail to Edfu to have dinner. The overnight stay will be aboard the cruise in Edfu.

Buffet breakfast will be enjoyed on board. At 07:00, an excursion to the Temple of Edfu-one of the best-preserved Upper Egyptian sites dedicated to the great hawk god Horus; this Ptolemaic temple was initiated during the reign of Ptolemy III (246 B.C.) and completed in later periods, built upon the site of an earlier temple. The temple walls are inscribed with the mythological battle between Horus and his uncle Seth, which probably was enacted annually as a religious drama. Sail to Kom Ombo at 09:30; lunch on board. At 15:30, arrive at Kom Ombo and visit the Temple of Kom Ombo. This unique temple, 40 km north of Aswan, is dedicated to the gods Sobek and Horus and dates to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods (332 B.C.-395 A.D.). Sail for Aswan at 5:30 PM; dinner aboard while sailing. Arrive at Aswan at 9:00 PM and overnight aboard.

Start your day with an 08:00 breakfast on board the cruise. Continue your tour in Aswan, visiting its major sights, starting with the Temple of Philae, the last of the classical Egyptian temples, whose building started about 690 B.C., and the Temple of Isis, one of the last places where the goddess was worshipped. Next, enjoy a pan Else take a scenic tour by felucca around Elephantine Island; visit the impressive Aswan High Dam, completed in 1968, which forms Lake Nasser and is vital in controlling the flow of the Nile River. Continue this day in the Unfinished Obelisk, which lies in the Northern Quarries. This enormous obelisk, still in its quarry, if completed would have attained 42 meters in length and furnishes interesting information about the technique of ancient stoneworking. Weighing 1168 tonnes, it would have become the largest stone monument ever carved by the Egyptians if completed Back to the cruise for lunch at noon; dinner and overnight on board.

Enjoy breakfast on board the cruise before taking an optional tour of the incomparable Abu Simbel temples. The two temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, carved out of the mountain on the west bank of the Nile between 1274 and 1244 B.C., are a feat of ancient engineering. A colossal statue guards the entrance to the Great Temple dedicated to Ramses II and the gods Ra-Harakhty, Amun Ra, and Ptah. The smaller temple, no less spectacular, was dedicated to Queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. To save them from the inundation, both temples were dismantled and moved to higher ground; this is one of UNESCO's greatest successes in preservation. After having seen these magnificent ruins, return to your boat for the end of the tour. You will be disembarked after this unforgettable journey on the 5-day MS. Renaissance Nile Cruise will remain indelibly with you for an entire lifetime.