Itinerary
- Day 1
Cairo
Your English-speaking representative meets you at Cairo International Airport and handles your luggage for the VIP transfer to your hotel. After checking in, your tour manager will walk you through the orientation and hand over a welcome package that includes your itinerary and cultural tips. If you arrive before 5:00 PM, there's an optional Cairo by Night Tour where you can wander Khan el-Khalili bazaar, try street food, and catch a Sufi dance performance.
Optional Activities
- Cairo by Night Tour - Explore Khan el-Khalili bazaar at twilight, sample authentic Egyptian street food, enjoy traditional Sufi dance performance at Wekalet El Ghoury, view illuminated Islamic-era landmarks (includes private transfers, English-speaking guides, and all entrance fees)
Landmarks/POIs Cairo International Airport Khan el-Khalili Wekalet El Ghoury - Day 2
Cairo
Breakfast comes first, then you'll head out at 8:00 AM for the Giza Plateau to see the Great Pyramids and the Great Sphinx. You have the option to visit a papyrus institute if you want to learn about hieroglyphics and how papyrus gets made traditionally. Lunch at a local restaurant comes next, followed by the Grand Egyptian Museum where you'll find ancient treasures and the Khufu Solar Boat exhibit. Back at your hotel by around 3:30 PM, leaving the rest of your day open.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at a carefully selected local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Great Pyramids (Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinos) at Giza Plateau
- Explore Great Sphinx and Valley Temple
- Visit Grand Egyptian Museum - view unparalleled collection of ancient treasures and Khufu Solar Boat exhibit with interactive displays
Optional Activities
- Papyrus Institute visit - Learn about hieroglyphics and ancient storytelling techniques, observe traditional papyrus-making process, opportunity to acquire custom artwork with your name in hieroglyphs
- Giza Sound and Light show for $65 USD per person
Landmarks/POIs Great Pyramid of Cheops Great Sphinx Valley Temple Grand Egyptian Museum - Day 3
Cairo to Luxor
Start with breakfast at your hotel or grab a breakfast box depending on your flight schedule. Your transfer takes you to Cairo Airport for your flight to Luxor. Once you arrive, your guide helps with hotel check-in or takes you directly to Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple based on what time you get there. The evening is yours to relax or do whatever optional activities interest you.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Flight from Cairo to Luxor
Optional Activities
- Karnak Temple visit
- Luxor Temple visit
- Karnak Sound and Light show for $60 USD per person
- Felucca Sunset Nile tour for $35 USD per person
- City Tour by horse carriage for $35 USD per person (choose only one optional activity)
Landmarks/POIs Karnak Temple Luxor Temple - Day 4
Luxor
You're heading out early at 7:30 AM to Luxor's West Bank for the Valley of the Kings, where you'll get into 3 pharaonic tombs and see the Hatshepsut Temple with its terraced design. Back to your cruise for lunch, then you'll sail toward Edfu and pass through the Esna Lock. Spend the evening on deck watching the landscape change as you sail overnight to Edfu. An optional hot air balloon ride at sunrise is available if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Valley of the Kings - Descend into pharaohs' tombs adorned with hieroglyphs and ancient artistry (includes entry to 3 tombs)
- Hatshepsut Temple - Admire terraced mortuary temple of Egypt's legendary female ruler
- Nile sailing - Pass through Esna Lock and sail toward Edfu
Optional Activities
- Hot Air Balloon Ride for $90 USD per person - Drift above Luxor at dawn for views of temples and the Nile (departs pre-sunrise; advance booking required; sunrise trip and children under 6 years old not allowed)
Landmarks/POIs Valley of the Kings Hatshepsut Temple Esna Lock - Day 5
Edfu to Aswan
This morning takes you to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of Egypt's best-preserved ancient temples with its tall pylons and detailed reliefs. From there, you relax on deck cruising toward Kom Ombo while taking in the river scenery. You'll visit the Temple of Sobek with its unusual dual design and check out the crocodile mummy museum next to it. The cruise continues to Aswan, arriving by dusk where the boat stays overnight.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Temple of Horus (Edfu) - Explore Egypt's best-preserved ancient temple with towering pylons and intricate reliefs depicting Horus' legendary battles
- Nile sailing - Relax on deck cruising toward Kom Ombo
- Temple of Sobek (Kom Ombo) - Discover unique dual-design temple honoring Sobek (crocodile god) and Haroeris (falcon-headed healer) with adjacent crocodile mummy museum
- Transportation to Horus temple by mini-van
Landmarks/POIs Temple of Horus Temple of Sobek - Day 6
Aswan
At 9:00 AM, a motorboat takes you to Philae Temple, an island sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Isis with beautiful Ptolemaic architecture. You'll learn how UNESCO relocated it to save it from flooding Nile waters. After returning to your cruise for lunch, you have leisure time on the sun deck. In the afternoon, there's an optional trip to a Nubian Village where you can see colorful painted homes, learn about ancient traditions, have hibiscus tea, and browse handmade crafts.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Gourmet lunch on cruise), Dinner
Included Activities
- Philae Temple - Embark on scenic motorboat ride to island sanctuary dedicated to goddess Isis with exquisite Ptolemaic architecture and UNESCO relocation history
Optional Activities
- Nubian Village Experience for $45 USD per person - Visit vibrant colorfully painted homes, learn about ancient traditions and language, savor hibiscus tea with local family, browse handmade crafts
Landmarks/POIs Philae Temple - Day 7
Aswan to Cairo
A private transfer picks you up at 5:30 AM for a 3-hour drive to Abu Simbel. You'll stand in front of Ramses II's rock-cut temple and Queen Nefertari's smaller temple, both moved to escape Lake Nasser's flooding. Your guide explains the UNESCO-recognized engineering project from the 1960s that made the relocation possible. Back in Aswan by midday for lunch, collect your luggage from the cruise, then transfer to Aswan Airport for your flight to Cairo.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Local lunch in Aswan)
Included Activities
- Flight from Aswan to Cairo
- Transfer to Aswan Airport
Optional Activities
- Abu Simbel Temples for $90 USD per person - Stand before Ramses II's monumental rock-cut temple and Queen Nefertari's temple with UNESCO insight on 1960s relocation engineering feat
Landmarks/POIs Abu Simbel Temples
