Essential Egypt
Egypt
Loading...
Ancient history, golden sands and crowded souqs – Egypt is the ultimate destination for any adventurous traveller. This nine-day trip is the perfect mix of blockbuster wonders and intimate moments, with loads of planned activities and plenty of time to wander at your own pace. Your local leader will take you to bucket list icons like the Pyramids of Giza (one of the Seven Wonders of the World) in Cairo and the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, then guide you off the beaten path to eat koshari in a local downtown joint, or into a bazaar to meet a perfume merchant. Kayak along the Nile, spend a night on a traditional felucca under starry skies and drink your body weight in mint tea. The best part? You’ll do it all with like-minded travellers your own age.
Availability
From 13/11/2024 to 31/12/2026
Departure dates & prices
Dates
Availability
Price
What's included
Spend a night cruising the Nile in a traditional felucca boat (a bit like a floating living room) stopping at colourful villages and temples by day and stargazing by night.
Witness some epic sights in Cairo, like the mysterious Sphinx and one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the Great Pyramids of Giza.
Maybe even learn how to spell your name in hieroglyphics!.
Kayak along the Nile, paddling through ancient landscapes and getting a glimpse into local life along the shores.
Discover the Valley of the Kings with a tour through three burial sites of ancient Pharaohs and the option to check out the fascinating lost tomb of Tutankhamun.
Squeeze between stalls at an Aswan bazaar and discover the open-air museum of Luxor with loads of free time to see the sights at your own pace and a local leader with all the hot tips.
Breakfasts Included: 8.
Lunches Included: 1.
Dinners Included: 4.
Hotel (5 nights),Overnight train (2 nights),Felucca (1 night).
Private vehicle,Felucca,Overnight sleeper train.
Age: min 18, max 35.
Group Size: 1 - 16.
Cairo - Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.
Aswan - Kayaking.
Aswan - Orientation walk & bazaar visit.
Nile - Felucca overnight sailing trip.
Nile - Dinner and Music Felucca.
Luxor - Valley of the Kings (entrance to 3 tombs).
Luxor - Animal Care in Egypt (The Intrepid Foundation Partner) visit.
Cairo - Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar.
.
Itinerary
-
1 - Cairo Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to Egypt. If you arrive in Cairo with time to spare, maybe immerse yourself in the madness of the bazaars, embrace the kitsch world of Dr Ragab's Pharaonic Village or wash down the dust with a sahlab (sweet, hot custard drink with nuts). Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. After, put your tastebuds into overdrive as you head out with your new travel buddies for some koshari (vegetarian Egyptian chilli often with fresh lemon juice). Later tonight, maybe explore Cairo's nightlife - your trip leader will know all the best spots!
-
2 - Cairo After breakfast this morning, it's time to tick something huge off your bucket list. Drive out to the edge of the desert and explore the Great Pyramids of Giza - one of the famed ancient Wonders of the World - and the nearby Sphinx (nobody's quite sure how it lost its nose). A guy called Khufu was responsible for building the Great Pyramid - it's 4500 years old, 146 m tall, and made from 2.3 million blocks weighing around 2.5 tonnes each. He even got a 9 cm statue to commemorate him - lucky him! You can marvel at their size up close or take an epic pic from a distance, with Cairo in the background. Later, you'll have free time to continue exploring how you'd like - maybe visit the Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world's greatest collections of ancient artefacts, or head to the Valley Temple of King Khafre (Chephren). In the evening, it's time for your sleeper train to Aswan where you'll spend the night.
-
3 - Aswan Hit the bazaar this morning on a tour with your leader. Among the friendly shouts of 'welcome' and 'where are you from' coming from the vendors, maybe visit an oil and perfume merchant to learn how aromatic botanicals have been used in Egypt throughout the ages. Later, choose whether to join an optional tour to the Philae Temple Complex, where you can see the Temple of Isis (the goddess of health, marriage and wisdom) that was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated in the 1960s. In the afternoon, grab a paddle for a kayaking adventure as you navigate the Nile. Float along the historic waters as you see the sights from a new perspective. For dinner, you can head to a Nubian village for an optional dinner with a local family.
-
4 - Aswan This morning is yours to spend as you please in Aswan. If you can manage a (very) early start, the optional drive to the epic Abu Simbel is well worth the sleepy eyes - cut out of a solid rock cliff, this temple is a historic site built as a place of worship to Pharaoh Ramses II after his death. Renting a minivan with your fellow travellers is the cheapest option and it takes about 3 hours to drive there. You'll want at least 2 hours to explore, before heading back to Aswan for a free evening to hit the best dinner and drink spots. Maybe try some ful wa ta'ameya (Egyptian falafel) with a warm pita and salad, followed by another cup of mint tea.
-
5 - Nile Felucca This morning is yours to relax and recharge. Then you'll board an overnight felucca - a bit like a floating tent, this traditional Egyptian vessel is the perfect way to explore the Nile. Spend the late afternoon amid tranquil scenery, either tucking into a good book or playing cards with your group. Depending on your group's vibe tonight, you might like to have a little beach party under the starry night sky. Tonight, fall asleep to the gentle rocking of the boat, the warm breeze on your cheeks and the blanket of constellations above (there are no walls on a felucca, so your view will be totally undisturbed!).
-
6 - Luxor Disembark your felucca this morning and head for the sweet release of a hotel shower. If you like, you can check out the Temple of Edfu along the way, where inscriptions give insight into life during the Hellenistic period when the temple was built. Continue to Luxor, where you're free to explore this open-air museum at your own pace. Karnak Temple is a good first stop - wandering through this ancient village is a cool way to get a sense of what life was like here more than 3000 years ago. Legend has it that if you walk around the granite scarab west of the Sacred Lake seven times, you'll meet your soulmate. Tonight, maybe kick back with some fiteer baladi (Egyptian pizza) or shawarma.
-
7 - Luxor This morning, travel the short distance to the West Bank. Check out three burial tombs in the Valley of the Kings, with the option to explore the formerly lost tomb of Tutankhamun. Continue to the Colossi of Memnon, where two huge statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III will have you pondering whether posting selfies twice a day is really the height of narcissism. You'll also head over to our Intrepid Foundation partner, Animal Care in Egypt (ACE), a local NGO dedicated to providing free veterinary care for wounded working animals in the region. If your fellow travellers are up for it, you can choose to finish your West Bank adventure with an optional visit to the tomb of Hatshepsut - she became pharaoh when she married her half-brother (not all that uncommon at the time). If you've got any energy left, there will also be time to squeeze in a visit to Luxor Temple before your overnight train to Cairo.
-
8 - Cairo When you arrive in Cairo, you'll head to your hotel to freshen up and drop your bags. Then, jump on the Metro with your leader to Bab al-Futuh - one of three remaining gates from the Old City. Walking past the old Islamic monuments that stand watch over the bazaars, you can join in on some good-natured haggling at the Kahan-el Khalili bazaar, then head to El Fishawy. This ramshackle 240-year-old cafe is perfect for a cup of tea or a glass of cold water with lemon and mint. Tonight, you're free to find the perfect spot for a farewell dinner with your group or to hit the nightlife and celebrate a trip well-travelled.
-
9 - Cairo After breakfast this morning, your trip comes to an end. If you'd like to explore Egypt further, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.
- The following product terms and conditions apply in addition to our Booking Terms and Conditions (available on our website) and terms and conditions of the relevant travel service provider.
- Prices quoted valid for sale until 14 November 2024 for travel during the period specified (if applicable) unless otherwise stated or sold out prior.
- All prices are per person (unless otherwise stated), subject to availability and may be withdrawn or varied without notice. Accommodation (if included) is based on twin share unless otherwise stated.
- Advertised price includes bonus nights and/or stated saving (if applicable).
- Additional supplier conditions and travel restrictions may apply. Please enquire for further details.
- Airfare (including internal flights) is not included unless otherwise stated and, if included, is economy class unless otherwise stated.
- Components of the total price including local payments, "resort fees", "national park fees", "trip kitties" and food funds (if applicable) may be payable direct to the supplier on arrival or to your travel consultant prior to your departure. Where applicable, these payments are included in the total price quoted.
- Gratuities are not included unless otherwise stated.
- Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes, levies and government charges current at the time of publication.
- Additional levies, government charges & other applicable fees, including additional taxes, surcharges and visa fees specific to your departure date or flight routing, may apply and are beyond our control.
- Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply depending on date of travel.
- Prices shown are for payments made by cash in store or by BPAY.
- Payments made in store by credit card will incur a surcharge (see Booking Terms and Conditions for further details).
- These prices are a guide to the best price and are subject to change without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases. Please enquire for further details..
- We receive payment from third party travel service providers when you use us to book travel and travel-related products and services with them on your behalf.
- Our liability to you is limited in certain situations, and we may charge you a cancellation fee(s) in certain circumstances. See our booking terms and conditions for further details.
- We may provide your personal information to third parties, including travel service providers with whom you make a booking. See our privacy policy for further details.
Tell us about your travel plans
Loading...
Why choose Flight Centre?
Not only do we have an incredible, worldwide team with decades of experience and a genuine passion for travel, we also have the widest choice of travel options covering tours, cruises, holiday packages and more. Flight Centre gives you free holiday planning and personalised service, Interest Free* Holiday Finance so you can book now, pay later, and 24/7 worldwide customer care on 133 133.