Upgrade to a single room for the duration of your Egypt trip and enjoy more privacy and comfort in the hotel and on the cruise ship. This add-on price is per person.
Hola! My name is Aylin and I am an avid traveler and foodie. I got bit by the travel bug during my early 20s and have made traveling my passion ever since. I love to experience new cities and truly get to know the culture, the food, and the people. Through travel we get to immerse ourselves in a new world in every place we visit. As I make my way around the world trying to achieve 30 countries before I turn 30, you can find me laying on a beach in the Caribbean or exploring some fine art in Europe. Join me on this trip and let’s experience all that travel has to offer us.
An incredible journey awaits you in Egypt, home to one of the world’s earliest civilizations and the most spectacular collection of pyramids, tombs, temples, and ancient treasures. This is a trip that spans seven days, taking you from bustling Cairo to the tranquil shores of Aswan, where you’ll embark on a multi-day cruise down the Nile toward Luxor. Over the course of your journey, you will encounter the most unforgettable sights scattered across this corner of the world, including the Great Pyramids of Giza, the mysterious Sphinx, the majestic Philae Temple, the Temple of Kom Ombo, the superbly-preserved Temple of Edfu, the masterpiece Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, and even the Karnak Temple Complex, the largest place of worship ever built! Prepare yourself for a grand adventure you’ll never forget.
We are incredibly excited to have you with us in beautiful Egypt, where remnants of an incredible ancient world still stand as a reminder of the civilizations that came before us. Upon your arrival, we’ll meet you directly at the airport. Should you need help getting through passport control, the luggage area, or customs formalities, we will be happy to assist! Then, our private air-conditioned vehicle will transfer you to the doorstep of your comfortable 5-star hotel, located in view of the Great Pyramids of Giza. After checking in, let the magic of Egypt come to life! Kick off your first night by catching the spectacular Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show (optional add-on). This stunning audio-visual night show will take you on a journey through time as it narrates a grand story about the pyramids through synchronized laser imagery, spotlights, and music!
After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be taken on an incredible guided excursion to see the Giza Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinus. This tour also includes a visit to the famous Valley Temple belonging to the Pyramids of Chephren. For a more immersive experience, you will also have free time to enter the burial chambers of the pyramids (optional, at an extra cost). After visiting the ancient pyramids, we’ll continue across the plateau for must-see vistas of the three pyramids rising from the sands, with the Cairo skyline in the background. Get your cameras out! This makes a great photo op! Here, you’ll also have the option of a camel ride to get the full desert experience! Continuing our tour, a short drive to the city side of the plateau brings us right to the feet of the Sphinx! Marvel at this enigmatic symbol of Egypt, said to have been built approximately 4,500 years ago!
After your tour of the Giza Pyramids, it’s time to visit the incredible Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. This is one of the top attractions in Cairo for a reason! This impressive museum houses a vast collection of over 250,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts and masterpieces, from the Pharaonic era to the Greco-roman period. It even includes many treasures that were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun, the child pharoah, including his beautiful and iconic death mask inlaid with over 20 pounds of gold. You will have a chance to visit the Royal Mummies Room (optional, at extra cost). Once evening approaches, it’s time to say goodbye to Cairo (for now) as we make our way to the railway station where you’ll be boarding your first-class sleeper train to Aswan.
Rise and shine, travelers! After having breakfast on board the sleeper train, you will finally arrive at the train station in Aswan. There, you’ll be met (and assisted) by one of our guides who will take you directly to the embarkation point of your fabulous Nile cruise! For the next four days and three nights, you’ll enjoy a terrific journey on the longest river in Africa, seeing various places of interest and important sites along the way. Today’s leg of the journey includes an exciting tour of the world-famous Aswan High Dam, a jaw-dropping engineering marvel built in the 1960s. Thereafter, you will head to Agilkia Island on a motorboat to visit the majestic Philae Temple dedicated to the Goddesses Isis. Once you’re back on the cruise, enjoy your first night in luxury on the Nile. All your meals will be included on board, so indulge!
Good morning! After breakfast on the cruise ship, you’ll visit the impressive Temples of Ramses II in Abu Simbel. Part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the Nubian Monuments, this complex spans from Abu Simbel to Philae (near Aswan). In the 13th century BC, during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II, these twin temples were carved out of the mountainside as a lasting monument to himself and his queen Nefertari to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh. The complex was relocated in its entirety in 1968 high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. With your qualified Egyptologist as your guide, enjoy a personalized visit to the temples and learn the history behind this magnificent site, including how the temples were discovered by accident in 1813. Due to the large number of visitors to Abu Simbel, guides are not permitted inside either of the two temples you will visit.
After the tour, you’ll board your cruise once more and your sailing journey will commence. Today, you’ll stop at Kom Ombo, where you’ll be escorted by your expert Egyptologist guide to check out the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-headed God of fertility and creator of the world. After, have lunch on the cruise ship and enjoy free time at leisure while sailing to Edfu. At Edfu, we’ll see the incredibly well-preserved Temple of Horus. As the day continues, we journey to Luxor. Enjoy afternoon tea served on the sun deck, and dinner in the evening, followed by another overnight stay on the cruise.
This morning, enjoy another delicious breakfast on the cruise ship. Then, you’ll be taken down to the West Bank of the Nile to see the Colossi of Memnon, two giant statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, originally designed to protect his mortuary temple. We will also pay a visit to the Valley of the Kings, where the magnificent pharaonic tombs were discovered. Here, you will have a chance to visit the tomb of King Tutankhamun (optional, at an extra cost). Continue the tour to visit the Temple of Hatshepsut at El Deir El Bahary. This temple is dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut, the second historically-confirmed female pharaoh, who came to the throne of Egypt in 1478 BC. After your tour on land, you will head back to your cruise ship for lunch. Enjoy the rest of your day at leisure — tonight is your final overnight stay on board your cruise. If you’re looking to add a little spice to your night, you might want to catch the Karnak Sound and Light show (optional add-on), which highlights the dramatic history behind the ancient city Luxor.
Following a hearty breakfast, your guide will take you to visit the incredible Karnak Temples. This sprawling complex of temples is the largest place of worship ever built! Its ancient name “Ipet-isut” translates to “the most sacred of places”. Constructed over more than 2,000 years by generation after generation of pharaohs, this is your chance to explore this ancient masterpiece, including the great “Hypostyle Hall”, an incredible forest of giant pillars. After this, you will be transferred to the Luxor Temple, which was built by Amenhotep III and Ramses II for rituals and festivals dedicated to the god Amun. After a tour of the temple, you will be transferred to the Luxor train station to board your sleeper train back to Cairo.
Upon arriving at Giza station, you’ll have two options. Either it’s time to take your transfer to the airport and catch your flight home, or you can extend your stay in Cairo one more night. (See add-ons below.) If you choose to stay, we’ll drive you to your hotel in Cairo from the train station. After checking in, you’ll have the afternoon to look beyond the pyramids and pharaohs to discover the Citadel of Salah el Din, site of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, also known as the Alabaster Mosque. Then, immerse yourselves in Christian heritage in Coptic Cairo, a unique area that has a concentration of Christian churches, including the Hanging Church named for its location above the south gate of the Fortress of Babylon. Continue to the famous Khan el-Khalili bazaar and enjoy free time strolling through the maze of streets — try your luck bargaining with the shop owners for a souvenir or two! Once evening arrives, enjoy your night at leisure, or perhaps have an Egyptian cultural dinner on a Nile cruise-and-show combo tour (optional add-on) to wrap up your incredible adventure in Egypt!
How time flies — we have come to your departure day! Enjoy one final breakfast in Cairo and then check out of your hotel. We’ll be waiting to transfer you to the airport in time for your flight back home. We hope this has been an unforgettable experience and we hope to see you again. Until next time, safe travels!