Itinerary
- Day 1
Luxor
You'll arrive at Luxor airport after traveling through Cairo, where your tour guide meets you. The drive to your hotel takes about 30 km across to the west bank of the Nile, positioning you near the Valley of the Kings. Check in at the Embrace Hotel and settle into your room with its cooling system, garden areas, and pool for the evening.
- Day 2
Valley of the Kings - Hatshepsut Temple
Head west across the Nile this morning to reach the Valley of the Kings, where 65 pharaonic tombs sit carved into the desert rock. You'll enter three of the open tombs, then walk through Howard Carter's house and see a burial chamber replica of Tutankhamun. Stop at a ceramics workshop to watch traditional Egyptian pottery techniques, and by afternoon you're looking at the terraced temple of Hatshepsut, which rises dramatically from the surrounding landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Visit Howard Carter's house
- View replica of Tutankhamun's burial chamber
- Observe traditional pottery techniques at ceramics workshop
- Visit Hatshepsut Temple
Landmarks Valley of the Kings Tomb of Tutankhamun Temple of Hatshepsut 
- Day 3
Karnak Temple - Embark on Nile
Begin with Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in Egypt and dedicated to the sun god Amun-Re with structures going back around 4,000 years. Later you'll transfer to Esna to board your traditional dahabiya sailing ship. Settle onto the sun deck as your vessel starts its leisurely sail upstream toward Aswan, stopping at different points along the way to explore the riverbanks.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Karnak Temple complex
- Board traditional dahabiya sailship at Esna
Optional Activities
- Hot air balloon ride over west bank of Nile at sunrise (€95 per person, tip not included, approximately one hour duration, weather dependent)
Landmarks Karnak Temple 
- Day 4
El-Kab - Edfu
Spend your morning relaxing on deck while the dahabiya sails upriver. The ship stops at el-Kab, an ancient city once dedicated to goddess Nechbet, where you can walk through mud-brick wall sections and a necropolis containing 31 rock tombs with detailed reliefs. Continue sailing to the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the sky god Horus and considered one of Egypt's best-preserved temples, with impressive falcon statues marking its entrance.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit ancient city of el-Kab and necropolis
- Visit Temple of Edfu
Landmarks El-Kab Temple of Edfu - Day 5
Bisaw Island - Gebel es-Silsileh
Start early with breakfast in a small village on Bisaw Island featuring falafel, foul, and home-baked bread. Walk around the village and join a local fisherman on his boat to learn traditional fishing methods and perhaps catch your own meal. After that you'll sail on, observing the narrow Nile Valley and visiting the Gebel es-Silsileh quarry where sandstone was once extracted for temple construction.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Traditional Egyptian breakfast with falafel, foul, and home-baked bread), Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit village on Bisaw Island
- Experience traditional Egyptian breakfast
- Meet with local fisherman and learn traditional fishing
- Observe Gebel es-Silsileh quarry
Landmarks Bisaw Island Gebel es-Silsileh Quarry - Day 6
Kom Ombo - Daraw
Cruise upstream to Kom Ombo where a striking double temple sits above the river on a bend. This complex serves two deities with separate gates and parallel layouts: the falcon god Horus and the crocodile god Sobek. Later you'll visit the town of Daraw where local farmers sell fresh produce at the market including tomatoes, beans, onions, pomegranates, dates, and citrus. Chat with vendors and take in the market's lively energy.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Temple of Kom Ombo
- Visit Daraw market
Landmarks Temple of Kom Ombo Daraw Market - Day 7
Aswan - Nubian Culture
You'll dock in Aswan and say goodbye to your dahabiya crew. A motorboat takes you through the Nile cataracts, a 5-km stretch with boulders, rapids, and narrow passages where bird species and desert landscape come into view. After that comes the Temple of Philae dedicated to goddess Isis, then the Aswan Dam, a modern engineering achievement. You'll have lunch with a Nubian family, and later visit the Elephantine Island museum to learn about Nubian culture.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch with Nubian family), Dinner
Included Activities
- Motorboat trip through Nile cataracts
- Visit Temple of Philae
- Visit Aswan Dam
- Lunch with Nubian family
- Visit Elephantine Island museum
Optional Activities
- Visit unfinished obelisk (price varies by number of participants, payment on site)
Landmarks Temple of Philae Aswan Dam Elephantine Island Unfinished Obelisk 
- Day 8
Abu Simbel
You'll start very early for the journey to Abu Simbel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Egypt's most significant archaeological sites after the pyramids and Sphinx. Explore the rock temples built in the 13th century BC by Pharaoh Ramses II, featuring detailed carvings that depict his life and marriage to Nefertari. These temples were relocated to a plateau during the 1960s to prevent flooding. The afternoon is free to rest or explore further with your guide.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Abu Simbel rock temples
Landmarks Abu Simbel Temples 
- Day 9
Aswan to Cairo
Fly from Aswan to Cairo and jump into the city's history at the Citadel, a fortress-palace-mosque complex topped by the Muhammad Ali Mosque. Grab some Egyptian koshari for lunch, then tour the Egyptian Museum to see its huge collection of antiquities including Tutankhamun's golden mask. Later you'll walk through the Bab al-Futuh gate to reach the UNESCO-listed Sharia al-Muizz street and browse Khan-el-Khalili bazaar for spices, jewelry, leather goods, and souvenirs.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Koshari (Egyptian favorite dish combining lentils, noodles, chickpeas, onions and tomatoes))
Included Activities
- Visit the Citadel and Muhammad Ali Mosque
- Taste koshari at local restaurant
- Visit the Egyptian Museum
- Explore Sharia al-Muizz street and Khan-el-Khalili bazaar
Landmarks Citadel of Cairo Muhammad Ali Mosque Egyptian Museum Bab al-Futuh (Northern City Gate) Sharia al-Muizz Khan-el-Khalili Bazaar - Day 10
Giza - Cairo
After breakfast, start touring Egypt's most iconic pyramids. Begin at the Step Pyramid of Sakkara from around 2650 BC, Egypt's first monumental stone building. Visit the Bent Pyramid of Dahshur, which shows evidence of a design change during construction. Then spend time on the Giza plateau with the three great pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinos, along with the Sphinx. You'll also explore the necropolis of priest Qar. This evening ends with a farewell dinner reflecting on your journey.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (Farewell dinner)
Included Activities
- Visit Step Pyramid of Sakkara
- Visit Bent Pyramid of Dahshur
- Visit Giza pyramid plateau with three great pyramids
- Visit the Sphinx
- Explore necropolis of priest Qar
Landmarks Step Pyramid of Sakkara Bent Pyramid of Dahshur Great Pyramid of Cheops Pyramid of Chephren Pyramid of Mykerinos Great Sphinx of Giza 
- Day 11
Departure
Pack your belongings and head to the airport for your flight home, carrying memories from your time moving through ancient Egypt and the land of the pharaohs.
- Meals
- Breakfast
