Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Cairo
Your airport team handles visa assistance and luggage, then transports you to your hotel. Once you're settled in, the afternoon and evening are open for rest. If your flight lands early, you can book optional activities like a Nile dinner cruise or the sound and light show at the pyramids through your hotel.
Optional Activities
- Evening dinner cruise on the Nile
- Sound and light show at the pyramids
- Day 2
Cairo
This morning, an Egyptologist leads you through the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, focusing on the Tutankhamun collection and other ancient pieces. Afterward, you head to Giza to see the Great Pyramid of Khufu, along with the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure (interior access available but tickets are limited). Lunch brings traditional Koshary before transferring to the train station. You'll board an overnight sleeper train to Aswan, traveling approximately 12 hours in a twin cabin with dinner and breakfast included.
- Meals
- Lunch (Traditional Egyptian Koshary - rice, lentils, macaroni, chickpeas, tangy tomato sauce, topped with crispy fried onions), Dinner (Airline style dinner onboard sleeper train), Breakfast (Breakfast onboard sleeper train)
Included Activities
- Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square - Tutankhamun exhibit
- Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops)
- Pyramids of Khafre (Chephren) and Menkaure (Mycerinus)
- Interior pyramid access (limited tickets available)
- Guided tour with Egyptologist
Optional Activities
- Cairo to Aswan flight upgrade
Landmarks/POIs Egyptian Museum Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren) Pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus) - Day 3
Nubian Village
After arriving in Aswan, a boat takes you to Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis and a significant site in Nubian culture. Then you visit a traditional Nubian village where you walk through the streets, spend time in family homes, and learn about local customs and traditions. Dinner comes as a home-cooked meal shared with a Nubian family. You'll stay overnight in a Nubian-style hotel within the village itself.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Home-cooked traditional dinner with a Nubian family)
Included Activities
- Boat trip to Philae Temple
- Visit to traditional Nubian village
- Exploration of local Nubian family homes
- Home-cooked dinner with a Nubian family
Landmarks/POIs Philae Temple - Day 4
Felucca Sailboat
Those interested in an early morning trip can visit Abu Simbel, a UNESCO site featuring two temples carved by Ramses II (optional). Around midday, you board a traditional wooden felucca sailboat crewed by Nubians, with a support boat carrying facilities. Throughout the day you watch rural Egyptian life along the Nile while the crew prepares meals. As evening falls, you anchor along the riverbank and sleep on deck under the stars, with mattresses, blankets, and mosquito nets supplied. Hotel upgrade is available if preferred.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Meal prepared onboard by Nubian crew), Dinner (Meal prepared by crew, moored along riverbank)
Included Activities
- Felucca sailing trip on the Nile
- Overnight on felucca sailboat with support boat facilities
Optional Activities
- Abu Simbel overland excursion
- Upgrade from felucca to hotel in Aswan
Landmarks/POIs Abu Simbel - Day 5
Aswan to Luxor
After breakfast on the felucca, you say goodbye to your crew and travel north by road. At Edfu, you explore the Temple of Horus, one of Egypt's largest and most well-preserved temples honoring the falcon-headed god. Then you drive to Luxor, built atop the ancient city of Thebes. That evening, a guided tour takes you through Luxor Temple, beautifully lit up in the city center, where your guide explains its role as a major worship site.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast onboard felucca)
Included Activities
- Temple of Horus in Edfu
- Guided evening tour of Luxor Temple (illuminated)
Landmarks/POIs Temple of Horus Luxor Temple - Day 6
Luxor
You cross to Luxor's West Bank to explore the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs lie in decorated tombs filled with hieroglyphs. Next, Deir el-Medina shows you where ancient tomb artisans once lived and worked. The elegant Temple of Queen Hatshepsut rises from the cliffs, and the Colossi of Memnon statues stand nearby as guardians of the Theban necropolis. Back on the East Bank, Karnak Temple sprawls across the landscape with its vast courtyards, towering columns, and detailed carvings. A sunrise hot air balloon flight is optional this morning for elevated views.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Valley of the Kings - tomb exploration
- Deir el-Medina village
- Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
- Colossi of Memnon
- Karnak Temple complex
Optional Activities
- Hot air balloon flight over West Bank at sunrise
Landmarks/POIs Valley of the Kings Deir el-Medina Temple of Queen Hatshepsut Colossi of Memnon Karnak Temple - Day 7
Luxor to Hurghada
You head eastward toward the Red Sea and arrive in Hurghada, a resort town known for its beaches and water activities. At your 5-star resort, all meals, soft drinks, and snacks fall under soft all-inclusive coverage (alcoholic drinks aren't included). The afternoon is yours to swim in the pool, lounge on the terrace, walk along the beach, try water sports, or relax at the spa.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Soft all-inclusive basis - buffet dinner)
Included Activities
- 5-star resort amenities access
- Day 8
Hurghada
Spend today enjoying the Red Sea however you prefer. Relax on the beaches, swim in clear water, and soak up the sun. Hurghada offers excellent diving and snorkeling with coral reefs and marine life. For more adventure, activities include windsurfing, kitesurfing, glass-bottomed submarines, quad biking, camel rides, and sea fishing. If you prefer a quieter pace, the marina and old town have shops and local restaurants. Your local representative can arrange any excursions, and extra nights can be added if you want more time here.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Soft all-inclusive basis), Lunch (Soft all-inclusive basis), Dinner (Soft all-inclusive basis)
Optional Activities
- Windsurfing
- Kitesurfing
- Glass-bottomed submarine exploration
- Quad biking in the desert
- Camel rides along the shore
- Sea fishing
- Marina exploration
- Old town exploration
- Day 9
Hurghada to Cairo
This morning you drive back to Cairo, a journey of about 5 hours, and check into your hotel. In the afternoon, you have the option to take a guided walk through Cairo's back streets and bazaars. You'll pass through the Bab al-Futuh gateway and explore streets dedicated to metalwork, spices, pottery, fabric, and jewelry before reaching the more touristy Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. Stop for tea, shisha, and possibly an early dinner of Kushari, Egypt's informal national dish.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Guided walk through Cairo back streets and bazaars - Bab al-Futuh gateway and Khan-el-Khalili bazaar
- Tea and shisha pipe experience
- Early dinner of Kushari
Landmarks/POIs Bab al-Futuh Gateway Khan-el-Khalili Bazaar - Day 10
Departure from Cairo
Your morning and early afternoon are free until your airport transfer. If your flight departs later, half-day tours are available, including Coptic Cairo with the Citadel and Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali, or Saqqara, Dashour, and Memphis to see pyramid construction evolution. Alternatively, add extra nights for a day trip to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast or to Wadi Rayan desert to visit the World Heritage Site of the Valley of the Whales.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Half-day Coptic Cairo and Citadel tour
- Half-day Saqqara, Dashour, and Memphis tour
- Alexandria day trip
- Valley of the Whales at Wadi Rayan day trip
Landmarks/POIs Citadel of Saladin Alabaster Mosque of Mohammed Ali Hanging Church Church of St. Sergius Saqqara Zoser's Step Pyramid Imhotep Museum Dashour Bent Pyramid Memphis Alexandria Roman Amphitheatre of Alexandria Catacombs of Kom al-Shoqafa Pompey's Pillar Fort Qaitbey Bibliotheca Alexandrina Montazah Palace Gardens Valley of the Whales at Wadi Rayan
