Welcome to the mystical land of Egypt, where the ancient Egyptians lived and ruled for thousands of years. Upon your arrival at Cairo International Airport, our representative will meet you and escort you through the bustling streets of Cairo in an exclusive air-conditioned vehicle. Once you reach your chosen hotel according to your accommodation plan, your tour manager will assist you with your check-in and confirm your itinerary with you to establish and confirm all the pick-up times for your activities during your trip.
Dinner and overnight at your hotel.
Pyramids of Giza: After breakfast, your Egyptologist will escort you on an unforgettable tour of the Great Pyramids of Giza, the only present-day survivors of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. They are among the world’s greatest tourist attractions and never lose their ability to inspire visitors.
Sphinx: Enter the temple of the mysterious Sphinx, an ancient figure shrouded in legend and mystery. Your Egyptologist will enthrall you with the tales told of this fascinating figure.
Egyptian Museum: It's time to visit the Egyptian Museum, which contains more than 140,000 artifacts, featuring the most important masterpieces and royal statues from all over Egyptian history.
After you enjoy lunch, you’ll return to your hotel.
Overnight in Cairo.
Breakfast in the hotel, then time to visit the Coptic area in Old Cairo, the Citadel of Salah El-Din, Khan El-Khalili, and Bab Zuweila.
The Coptic area in Old Cairo, which includes the Hanging Church, dates back to the seventh century. The Hanging Church is also referred to as the Suspended Church or Al-Moallaqa. It is called the Hanging Church because it was built on the southern gate of the Roman Fortress.
Abu Sarga:
Abu Sarga is the oldest church in Egypt, dating back to the 5th century A.D. The church owes its fame to having been constructed upon the crypt of the Holy Family, where they stayed for three weeks during their sojourn in Egypt.
The Church of St. Barbara:
The Church of St. Barbara is among the churches of Old Cairo of historic importance. It was originally dedicated to St. Cyrus and St. John, who were worshipped for their healing powers. A small church at the northeastern corner of the building commemorates these two martyrs. Documents from the 13th century mention that the relics of St. Barbara were kept in this church.
The Citadel of Salah El-Din:
The Citadel is one of Cairo's main attractions and probably the most popular Islamic monument in Cairo. Salah El-Din built it in 1176 A.D., the place of most of Egypt’s rulers for 700 years. Mohammed Ali was the last ruler in the citadel. Salah El-Din built the citadel to connect Cairo and Fustat to defend the city against the Crusaders. Still, the citadel’s construction was not finished during his lifetime, but it was completed during the era of Sultan Kamel.
Lunch is at an authentic restaurant in Khan El-Khalili.
Khan El-Khalili (this market dates back to the 14th century), enjoy a walking tour from Khan El-Khalili to Bab Zuweila.
By the time of the powerful Fatimid vizier Badr al-Jamali, who ruled Egypt from 1074 to 1094, Cairo had outgrown the sun-dried brick wall of Jawhar. This, coupled with the attempts of the Turkoman Atsiz to take Cairo, among other threats from the East, spurred al-Jamali to rebuild the walls of the city. The Gate of Zuwayla, or Bab Zuwayla, was the third gate built under al-Jamali. The Bab al-Futuh and Bab al-Nasr were built in 1087, and the Bab Zuwayla in 1092. The Bab al-Futuh and Bab Zuwayla mark the northern and southern limits, respectively, of the Fatimid city and function as termini for al-Mu'izz Street, the major Fatimid north-south spine of the city.
Overnight in Cairo.
Early in the morning, you will check out of your Cairo hotel and be escorted by our representative to Cairo airport, where you will take your flight to Aswan. Breakfast will be to go.
Upon arrival at Aswan airport, your Egyptologist will meet you. Then, you will have a day tour of the highlights of Aswan City, including the Temple of Philae, the Unfinished Obelisk, and the Nubian Museum.
Philae, in the ancient Egyptian language, means "the Limit" or "the End," referring to its marking the boundaries between Egypt and Nubian land. The Philae Temple dates to the Ptolemaic period (332–30 B.C.). The last Demotic (a writing style of the ancient Egyptian language) was inscribed in this temple. The temple was also used as a church during the early days of Christianity. UNESCO transported the temple due to the building of the High Dam in 1960 to Agilkia Island.
The Unfinished Obelisk is located in the northern region of the stone quarries of ancient Egypt in Aswan. The obelisk could have been the highest and heaviest at 137 feet tall and 1,168 tons if it had been finished, but the work was never completed due to a crack occurring during the extraction. The obelisk dates back to the time of Queen Hatshepsut (1458–1473 B.C.).
The Nubian Museum was founded in response to the international salvage campaign of the ancient Nubian monuments initiated by UNESCO upon the Egyptian government's request in 1960. Work on establishing the Nubian Museum began in the early 1980s when a committee comprised of specialists from the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Egyptian universities, and UNESCO was formed.
After your day tour, you will check in on your Nile cruise and have lunch onboard.
The Nubian village is another adventure. The tour will be completed by a mix of a motorboat and camels in the late afternoon. On your way to the Nubian Village, you’ll pass by Salouga and Ghazal Nature Reserve, which is home to Threskiornithinae, Vulpes vulpes, Egyptian Goose, Epops upupa, Moorhen, and many other birds. The reserve is also home to 90 plant species, some of which grow only on the Nile banks.
While browsing the village, visit a Nubian family member where you’ll have a chance to purchase a henna tattoo. You’ll also have the opportunity to walk around the village market, which has many handmade products from the people there.
Dinner on board your cruise and overnight in Aswan.
If you purchase the Abu Simbel visit, breakfast will be in to-go boxes since the drive from Aswan to the site will start at 3 a.m. and take about two and a half hours. If you decide to stay, you’ll enjoy your breakfast onboard and have a free morning.
The Great Temple of Abu Simbel is famous for its four colossal seated statues of King Ramses II. The temple itself is clear evidence that Ancient Egyptians were masters of astronomy. The sun's rays enter the Sanctuary of the great temple twice a year to illuminate three out of four statues. The three statues are Ra Hour Akhty, Ramses II as a god, and Amun Ra. These statues are on the right-hand side. However, the fourth statue on the left is of the god Ptah, the god of darkness, which is why the sun's rays don’t fall on it. The temple's inner walls are decorated with many beautiful scenes representing King Ramses II and the first peace treaty humanity has ever known between Ramses II and the Hittites.
Both temples were transported to a new location due to the construction of the High Dam in 1960. They were moved almost 265 feet higher than their original location.
The small temple contains one of the most beautiful texts, in which King Ramses II dedicates the small temple to his beautiful wife Nefertari, stating, “The One That The Sun Rises For.”
You will be back in Aswan around 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be onboard your cruise, followed by sailing to Kom Ombo to visit the dual temple of the god Horus, the falcon-headed god, and the god Sobek, the crocodile-headed god.
Kom Ombo
The town of Kom Ombo is located 37 miles north of Aswan city and is known from prehistory, which is about 15,000 years old. The city became the center of elephant training during the Greek-Roman era. The city's name means "The Pile of Gold"; according to legend, when the god Horus left the town with his followers, the god Sobek tried to plant the fields. Since he had no followers, he raised the dead to help him plant, and they ended up planting gold instead of seeds.
After visiting the dual temple, you’ll return to your cruise, which will then start sailing toward the town of Edfu.
Dinner and an entertainment party will be onboard. Overnight.
The town of Edfu is about 84 miles north of Aswan. After breakfast, you’ll visit the Edfu Temple of the god Horus. The temple is the second largest after the Karnak temples and one of the most complete, with its intact decoration. It is considered a full record of most religious festivals in ancient Egypt. Its entrance features a fantastic scene of Ptolemy XII, the father of Queen Cleopatra.
Then, you'll return to the cruise to continue sailing to Luxor City. Lunch will be served, and you’ll arrive in Luxor in the late afternoon.
"Luxor" is an Arabic word, and it’s the plural of "places," referring to the temples spread around the city. The ancient Egyptian name is "Waset," which means "the scepter," referring to the curve that the Nile shaped 40 miles north of Luxor.
UNESCO classifies Luxor City as the largest open-air museum humanity has ever known. Luxor also contains one-third of the world’s monuments.
After breakfast, you’ll check out of your Nile cruise and enjoy a full-day tour to the West Bank of Luxor to see the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, an alabaster workshop, Memnon's colossal statues, and Karnak Temple.
The Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings is known in ancient texts as "The Gates of the Kings." Although it’s called the Valley of the Kings, only 24 out of 64 tombs belong to kings and queens who ruled Egypt during the New Kingdom. Your tour will include visiting the most famous tomb in the valley, the tomb of the golden king, Tutankhamun.
The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
After visiting the Valley of the Kings, you’ll visit the famous Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which is designed in a terrace style where she recorded her famous commercial expedition to the land of Punt.
You’ll also make a quick stop at an alabaster factory, where you can purchase some of the handmade products made using techniques similar to those of the ancient Egyptians.
The Colossal Statues of Memnon
The two statues are remnants of the temple built by King Amenhotep III.
Lunch is on the West Bank, and afterward, you’ll cross to the East Bank by motorboat.
Check in at your hotel. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride to Karnak Temple, followed by a city tour.
Karnak Temple is known as the largest complex on earth. It was built mainly to honor the triad of Luxor, with the head of the triad being the god Amun Ra. You’ll enjoy the fantastic inscriptions, such as the Zoo and Garden of Thutmose III, representing his commercial expeditions, and the scenes of Philip Arrhidaeus, Alexander the Great's brother. The Great Hypostyle Hall, known as the "jungle of columns," features western outer walls decorated with scenes of Seti I’s wars.
Overnight at your hotel in Luxor.
After breakfast, you’ll check out from your hotel and enjoy a day trip to the West Bank to discover the highlights located there.
The Magnificent Temple of Medinet Habu
This is the temple where King Ramses III was assassinated due to a conspiracy to place one of his young sons, Bentaoor, on the throne of Egypt instead of Ramses IV. The temple is also unique as it records several festivals in ancient Egypt, such as those dedicated to the god Amun, the god Ptah, and the Festival of the Beautiful Valley. The architecture of the temple is distinct, featuring elements from ancient Syrian architects.
The Valley of the Nobles
The tombs in this valley are dedicated to viziers, scribes, and high officials of the kings and queens during the New Kingdom. The tombs are decorated with beautiful scenes representing the high officials while practicing their duties and depicting historical events.
The Village of Workers
The Village of Workers is an entire settlement that housed the artisans and workers who excavated and decorated the tombs of the kings and queens of Egypt during the New Kingdom (1570-1070 BC). It also features the largest dumpster in ancient history, where the artists discarded the tomb plans after completing their work. This has provided a great source of information about many aspects of their lives.
You’ll have the opportunity to visit a pottery workshop for a quick pottery-making tutorial.
After lunch, you’ll start your drive to the Red Sea town of Hurghada (approximately 3 hours) to check into your hotel.
Dinner and overnight in Hurghada.
On these two days, enjoy the lovely moderate weather and soak in the vibe of the Red Sea with its beautiful nature. We will arrange two adventure trips for you.
Optional Tours are available as follows:
You can enjoy the daytime by lying on the beach. After lunch, you will return to Cairo by air-conditioned car. Upon arrival in Cairo, check in at your hotel and spend the night there.
After breakfast, enjoy your free time before your international flight. Our representative will pick you up and escort you to Cairo International Airport for your departure.
Optional tour prices are as follows:
Abu Simbel 195USD
Hot Air Balloon 185USD
Group size 2 to 12 travelers
Price includes:
Price does not include:
