Egypt Highlights & Hidden Gems - 11 days
Egypt Highlights & Hidden Gems - 11 days
Egypt Highlights & Hidden Gems - 11 days
11 Days Starting and ending in Cairo
Visiting: Cairo, Pyramids of Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum, Luxor, Nile Cruising, Aswan, Aswan at leisure
Tour operator:
Age range:
Not recommended for < 10yrs. Can allow from 5 yrs on short itineraries and if not mid-summer due to the heat.
Trip Styles:
Interests:
Tour Overview
PRIVATE TOUR: Discover the ancient wonders of Egypt and cruise the River Nile in style on this 11 day tour which takes in the highlights of Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. Marvel at the Pyramids of Giza, explore pharaoh's tombs at the Valley of the Kings, the mighty temple of Karnak and more.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Cairo
Location: Cairo
Welcome to Egypt. Upon arrival at Cairo Airport you'll be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or if arriving early, you can opt to pre book our optional private Backstreets of Cairo tour, which introduces you to the highlights of Egypt's bustling capital.
Day 2: Pyramids Of Giza
Location: Pyramids of Giza
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today see the incredible pyramids and the iconic Sphinx at The Giza Plateau. Perhaps opt to ride a camel. Later, travel to Saqqara, to explore the myriad of tombs and temples at the site and see Zhoser's step pyramid - constructed by Imhotep, the pharaoh's chief architect in 2700 BC.
Day 3: Grand Egyptian Museum
Location: Grand Egyptian Museum
Accommodation Name: Overnight: Sleeper Train
Meals Included: Breakfast
Cairo - Luxor. Take a guided tour of the vast new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza this morning. In this incredible 490,000 sq.m complex you'll discover a mind-boggling array of relics and antiquities from almost every period of ancient Egyptian history. Get up close and personal with ancient mummies Thuya and Yuya, King Tutankhamun's great grandparents. Marvel at the most famous exhibit, the spectacular funerary mask of King Tutankhamun. Made of solid gold and weighing 11kg, the mask was found covering the head of the mummy, where it lay inside a series of 3 sarcophagi.
Then there's time to relax back at the hotel before your guide assists you in boarding the overnight sleeper train to Luxor this evening. Your new guide will welcome you on your arrival to Luxor tomorrow morning.
Please Note: the Grand Egyptian Museum is scheduled to open in late 2024, though an official opening date has yet to be released. If travelling prior to the opening of the new facility, you'll visit the Egyptian Museum instead.
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Day 4: Luxor
Location: Luxor
Meals Included: Breakfast
You'll arrive nto Luxor this morning, where your new guide will welcome you. From there, drive to Dendera which is one of Egypt's best preserved temple complexes, located 60km north of Luxor. This vast complex covers 40,000 square meters and its temples, chapels and shrines were gradually built over thousands of years. Dendera's crowning glory is the 2000 year old Temple of Hathor with its exquisitely decorated ceiling. After your guided tour of this incredible site, you'll return to Luxor where the afternoon is free to spend at leisure. Take a stroll around town or enjoy a refreshing swim in the pool and soak up the sunshine.
This evening there is an optional visit to view the beautiful Temple of Luxor at night. Book and pay locally.
Day 5: Luxor
Location: Luxor
Accommodation Name: Overnight: Nile cruiser
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
4000 year-old Luxor is ancient Egypt at its very best and this morning you'll visit Luxor’s famous West Bank. The first stop is the famous Valley of the Kings, which is studded with beautifully decorated pharaoh's tombs, some of which you can enter. After exploring this incredible site you will travel on to visit the striking limestone, colonnaded Temple of Hatshepsut, who was one of only three Egyptian ruling queens. On the West Bank you'll also see the imposing 18m-high Colossi of Memnon, which are all that remains of the temple of the hedonistic Amenophis III.
Returning to the East Bank, you will check-in on board a 5 star Nile cruiser which will be your home for the next four nights. Enjoy lunch and some rest and relaxation on board before visiting the colossal Temple of Karnak later this afternoon. More than a temple, Karnak is a spectacular complex of sanctuaries, pylons, chapels, halls and obelisks, all dedicated to the Theban gods and to the greater glory of Egypt’s Middle and New Kingdom rulers.
Day 6: Nile Cruising
Location: Nile Cruising
Accommodation Name: Overnight: Nile cruiser
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Nile cruising. Today you'll set sail downstream. Relax on deck and go for a swim, soak up the sunshine and enjoy the views as you cruise the River Nile.
Day 7: Nile Cruising
Location: Nile Cruising
Accommodation Name: Overnight: Nile cruiser
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Nile cruising. Enjoy another day relaxing on board the cruiser as you sail the Nile to the Temple of Kom Ombo today, which is dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god, and Horus the falcon-headed god. This temple is unusual because everything is architecturally is doubled and perfectly symmetrical along the main axis of the temple including twin halls, courts, colonnades, sanctuaries and entrances. After a guided tour of the temple, continue your journey, arriving into Aswan this evening.
Day 8: Aswan
Location: Aswan
Accommodation Name: Overnight: Nile Cruising - Aswan
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Nile Cruising - Abu Simbel (optional) - Aswan. Today there is an optional early morning flight excursion to Abu Simbel offered. Choose to either join a guided journey to Abu Simbel or opt for a [[self-guided exploration|131928]] by exploring the temples at your own pace. Abu Simbel is home to the famous the rock-cut temple of King Ramses II. Alternatively, you can spend the morning at leisure.
This afternoon you will take a short motorboat trip to Philae Temple - dedicated to the goddess Isis. The temple dates from 4th century BC but the Ptolomies and the Romans up to 3rd century AD built most of the existing structures. In danger of being completely submerged by the rising water of Lake Nasser, in 1972 UNESCO stepped in and an 8-year rescue effort was undertaken to relocate the entire temple 20m higher on nearby Agilika Island.
Day 9: Aswan At Leisure
Location: Aswan at leisure
Meals Included: Breakfast
Aswan. Today offers free time for you to discover Aswan - your way. Consider a visit to the Old Cataract Hotel, where Agatha Christie wrote the novel Death on the Nile or opt for a visit to the well-curated Nubian Museum.
Day 10: Cairo
Location: Cairo
Meals Included: Breakfast
Aswan - Cairo. Today you will be transferred to Aswan Airport, where you catch a fkight onwards to Cairo. Arriving into Cairo, transfer to the hotel and check in. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy the hotel facilities or you can join an optional tour visiting Old Cairo, Coptic Cairo and the Citadel of Saladin (book locally).
Day 11: Cairo
Location: Cairo
Meals Included: Breakfast
The tour comes to an end today with a transfer to the airport for your onward flight.
What's Included
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Accommodation
4 - 5 star -
Breakfast daily, 4 lunches and 4 dinners
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4 nights 4-5 star hotels, 4 nights aboard a 5 star Nile Cruiser (en suite cabin)
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1 overnight train from Cairo to Luxor (private 2 berth sleeper cabin)
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An airport arrival transfer on day 1 and a departure transfer on day 11
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Touring - Cairo, Giza, Saqqara, Luxor, Dendera and Aswan
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Escorted by an Egyptian tour guide degree qualified in Egyptology
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All relevant transfers and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles
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Economy class flight from Aswan to Cairo
What's Not Included
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International flights and visa
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Tipping. We recommend you allow USD$20 per traveller per day of guiding for your guide, and an additional USD$10 per traveller per day for general tipping such as drivers, and bellmen, though ultimately tipping is an entirely personal gesture.
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Entrance Fees: USD$110-120pp, paid in local currency
Age Policy
Not recommended for < 10yrs. Can allow from 5 yrs on short itineraries and if not mid-summer due to the heat.
Check out our Q&As
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 1998
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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Low Deposit
On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 600 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.