The ideal way to learn about Egypt’s intriguing ancient past is with this 7-day tour.
The Great Pyramid, the Sphinx, and the Egyptian Museum are just a few of the major historical landmarks in Cairo and the Giza Plateau that are seen first on this journey.
Next, go southward into Upper Egypt to Luxor, which is aptly regarded as the largest outdoor museum in the world.
You will see a variety of temples and tombs here, such as the Colossi of Memnon, the Queen Hatchepsut and Medinat temples, the Valley of the Kings tombs, the massive Karnak temple complex, and the Luxor temple.
During your stay in Luxor, you can choose to go on optional hot air balloon rides and felucca tours on the Nile.
After some free time in Cairo, when you may either take an optional tour or continue your exploration on your own, the tour culminates with an exploring walk through the alleyways of Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Cairo, transfer to hotel:
When you arrive, one of our representatives will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.
He will assist you with getting settled in, give you a tour of the neighborhood, and go over the plans for tomorrow.
Day 2 Cairo, Pyramids, Sphinx & Museum tour:
We start our journey of Egypt with a visit to the well-known Egyptian Museum, which has an enormous collection of artifacts from the Pharaohs.
Numerous additional ancient Egyptian artifacts can be found in the museum, which is home to the amazing Tutankhamun display.
On this and all of your other sightseeing trips, you will be accompanied by one of our knowledgeable and passionate native Egyptologist guides.
They are extremely knowledgeable about Egyptian history and the country as a whole, following on from the museum we then head to Giza on the outskirts of Cairo to visit the Sphinx and the three great pyramids of Egypt.
At 500 feet high and 750 feet wide at its base the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) is an awesome man-made structure constructed of giant stone blocks with a hard limestone casing.
The casing has, over the years, been stripped away to leave exposed the inner block structure.
Together with the smaller pyramids of Khafre (Chephern) and Menkaure (Mycerinus), the majestic sight of these enormous structures rising out of the desert is a breathtaking spectacle.
You will have the opportunity to climb down right inside the pyramids if you wish.
This evening, we make our way to the station in preparation for the 9-hour sleeper train to Luxor.
After supper in your own twin-berth compartments, the steward will make your beds for the evening.
Day 3 Luxor, west bank tour:
We travel across the Nile early this morning to start our tour of Luxor’s West Bank.
One of the most significant archaeological sites in the world, the Valley of the Kings is located here. The ancient burial site’s dusty tombs are still disclosing their secrets today. A number of these Pharaonic tombs are included of our tour, along with Queen Hatchepsut’s temple, Deir el-Medina (the Valley of the Craftsmen), and the enormous Colossi of Memnon.
After that, you have the afternoon to unwind and take use of your five-star hotel’s amenities on the banks of the Nile. This nightfall, we go to the magnificently illuminated Luxor Temple, which is situated in the center of the town.
Day 4 Luxor, Karnak Temple:
After waking up early yesterday, you can finally have a relaxing lie-in today as you have a free morning.
After lunch, we’ll take a tour of the expansive Karnak temple complex, which was formerly the center of Thebes and Upper Egypt’s religion.
The entire complex was connected to the Nile by a canal that carried the deity Amun’s holy boats, and it was connected to Luxor by a long road flanked with sphinxes.
You reach the massive pylon gate by passing through a smaller avenue lined with sphinxes that was constructed by Ramesses II.
The gods Amun, Khous, and Mut are honored in three chapels located inside the expansive courtyard.
The magnificent Hypostyle Hall features 134 soaring columns that are adorned with images of gods and pharaohs, and the walls are decorated with ancient writing.
This morning, you can take a breathtaking hot air balloon ride over the west bank of the Nile (ask ahead of time so you can see the balloon rise and catch the sunrise).
Day 5 Luxor. Free day:
Your day is free today to relax in the hotel or take an additional optional tour if you’d like an even more in depth exploration of Egyptian history.
For example, the Rammesseum, Medinat Habu and Valley of the Queens on the west bank of the Nile are all worth a visit, as is the Luxor Museum. You can also explore Luxor further, do some shopping or browsing in the market, visit the mummification museum or enjoy a felucca trip to nearby Banana Island.
Your tour guide will be happy to arrange any extra visits for you or you can book the sightseeing tours in advance.
In the evening we head back to the station to catch the overnight sleeper train back to Cairo. Flight upgrades are available on request.
Day 6 Cairo optional tours, Old Cairo & Khan el-Khalili bazzar:
This morning, we return to Cairo and make our way to our hotel. After that, you have the rest of the day to explore Cairo at your leisure or sign up for an extra trip.
These include a half-day excursion to Saqqara, Dashour, and Memphis to learn more about the origins and development of pyramid building, or a city tour of Cairo that includes stops at the Citadel, Mohamed Ali Mosque, and Coptic Cairo.
Other full-day choices outside of Cairo include traveling to the Mediterranean colonial city of Alexandria or seeing the Wadi Rayan World Heritage Site in the desert.
If you choose these full-day options, you won’t be able to enjoy the market walk.
We go on a guided walk through Old Cairo’s back streets and bazaars in the late afternoon. As we gradually make our way into the busier Khan-el-Khalili bazaar, we’ll pass through the enormous Bab al-Futuh doorway and stroll through streets devoted to metalwork, spices, ceramics, cloth, jewelry, and just about anything else you can think of.
We’ll take a stop to sample some mint tea and smoke a shisha pipe.
This is a terrific way to end your trip to Egypt by picking up some mementos from your stay.
Day 7 Cairo, departure transfer to the airport:
Today is your free day until we take you to the airport for your departure flight.
Note. Extensions to the tour are available to spend time by the Red Sea, visit Alexandria, or visit the World Heritage Sites of Wadi Rayan and the Valley of the Whales.
Included
4 night’s accommodation 5-star hotels with breakfast.
2 night’s on board sleeper train in private twin-berth cabins with breakfast.
All transport and transfers with air-conditioned vehicle.
A professional Egyptologist guide for sightseeing tours.
Meals indicated in the itinerary.
Rates are subject to change according to hotel policies and government taxes, and2time of confirming the reservation.
Excluded
International flight ticket.
Visa fees.
Tips.
Any service not mentioned.
