Day 1, Cairo
You will be met upon arrival at Cairo Airport and transferred to our start hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or those arriving early can opt to join our optional Backstreets of Cairo tour which departs the hotel at 10am.
If you'd like to extend your stay in Egypt we also offer a pre or post tour [[Day Trip to Alexandria. |122837]]
No meals included.
Day 2, Pyramids of Giza
Cairo - Aswan. Our tour begins with a visit to one of the world's most famous sights this morning - the legendary Pyramids of Giza and the iconic Sphinx. Built over 4500 years ago, the three great pyramids are sole survivors of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.
This afternoon we take a guided tour of Egyptian Museum, which contains an incredible array of relics and antiquities including the well-preserved mummies, such as those of Yuya and Thuyu - the great-grandparents of King Tutankhamun. These mummies offer a rare glimpse into the past, with some so remarkably preserved that they still have hair on their heads, allowing us to see the incredible skill and techniques used by the ancient Egyptians in their embalming process. We will also visit a government supervised Papyrus Museum. This evening, we board the overnight train to Aswan.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 3, Aswan
Our train pulls into Aswan early this morning and we check into our hotel. Then we take a scenic boat ride out to Agilika Island for a guided tour of the beautiful Philae Temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Isis. Travelling back to Aswan we visit a perfume oil emporium before spending the rest of the day at leisure. Relax by the hotel pool, explore Aswan's colourful souks and watch a beautiful sunset over the Nile.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 4, Abu Simbel
Aswan - Nile felucca cruise. Very early this morning there's an optional excursion by road to the spectacular Temple of Abu Simbel, arguably Egypt's most awe-inspiring temple. This gigantic rock-cut temple was created to revere King Ramses II, with four colossal statues of the pharaoh guarding the entrance. In the afternoon we board a felucca for a relaxing two night journey along the River Nile, stopping at villages and islands along the way.
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner included.
Day 5, Felucca Cruise
Spend the day relaxing onboard a felucca and enjoying the views as we sail down the River Nile. Soak up the sunshine on deck and perhaps go for a swim. In the afternoon we reach Kom Ombo and take a motorboat to visit this ancient temple, which is dedicated to the crocodile headed god - Sobek. Then we return to the felucca for our second night sleeping under the stars.
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner included.
Day 6, Luxor
Kom Ombo - Luxor. This morning we disembark and drive to Luxor. Home of the legendary Valley of the Kings and Temple of Karnak, 4000 year-old Luxor is ancient Egypt at its best. This afternoon we enjoy a guided tour of the Temple of Karnak, a magnificent religious complex, dedicated to the Theban gods and built on a gigantic scale. In evening there's an optional tour of the beautiful Temple of Luxor with dinner included (book and pay locally). This remarkable temple and the Avenue of Sphinxes which leads to it, are most spectacular at night when they're illuminated by hundreds of atmospheric lights.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 7, Hurghada
Luxor - Hurghada. We travel to Luxor's West Bank this morning for a guided tour of the legendary Valley of the Kings, which is home to an array of beautifully decorated pharaohs' tombs, three of which you can enter. Arriving at the West Bank we will be greeted by the towering 18m-high Colossi of Memnon and after the Valley of the Kings we enjoy a tour of the beautiful Temple of Queen Hatshepsut.
We bid farewell to Luxor this afternoon and drive east to Hurghada, for three nights at Egypt's beautiful Red Sea Riviera.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 8-9, Hurghada
Spend the next two days at leisure. Soak up the sunshine on the beach and swim in the sea, enjoy the hotel facilities and stroll around Hurghada. There's also an optional day trip to Giftun Island for swimming and snorkelling, which can be booked locally.
Hurghada is one of the Red Sea's most popular resorts and it offers a wonderful range of aquatic activities, from sail boarding and deep-sea fishing to SCUBA diving and snorkelling around the incredible offshore reefs, which are some of the finest in the world.
2 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 10, Cairo
Hurghada - Cairo. This morning we drive back to Cairo. The rest of the day is free to relax or explore Egypt’s capital at leisure. If you'd like to do some last minute souvenir shopping we offer an optional visit to Cairo's bustling Khan el Khalili bazaar.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.
Day 11, Cairo
Cairo. After breakfast, tour ends. Make your own way to the airport for your onward flight or contact us to book a departure transfer.
1 breakfast, no lunch, no dinner included.