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Wonders of Ancient Egypt

12 Day Ancient Egypt Tour with Nile Cruise | Operated by Trafalgar

  • 12 Days

  • 1 Country

    Egypt
  • 8 Cities

    Cairo, Giza, Luxor, Dendera, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Philae Island, Abu Simbel Temples
  • 25 Meals

    11 Breakfasts, 7 Lunchs, 7 Dinners
  • Pace: Leisurely

    3 or more nights in 1 destination. Requires 1-2 miles of walking per day to participate in top sites primarily flat surfaces and with some stairs.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Cairo

Delve into the antiquities of Egypt on this epic journey which begins in the effervescent Egyptian capital. As you transfer to your hotel for a day at leisure, you’ll feel the intoxicating buzz of this lively city – the perfect introduction to an unforgettable opportunity to learn about Egypt’s ancient past and exciting present. You may choose to relax after your trip, or experience the energy of Cairo for yourself at the Khan El-Khalili souk where the sounds and smells are almost overwhelming.

Hotel: Ramses Hilton Cairo
Notes
Day 2: Admire the Wonders of Giza

Immerse yourself during a full-day excursion to the old kingdom of Egypt. See the Colossus of Ramses II and the Alabaster Sphinx at Memphis. Visit the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, then marvel at the Great Pyramid of Giza and the mighty Sphinx.

Hotel: Ramses Hilton Cairo
Included Meals: Breakfast
Iconic Experience: Great Pyramids of Giza Tour Enjoy a day gazing at the Great Pyramids of Giza and its treasures - the Step Pyramid of Saqqara and the Colossus of Rames II.
Notes
Day 3: Fly to Luxor and Embark on Your Nile Cruise

We fly to Luxor this morning and embark on a guided tour of the Karnak Temple Complex, before boarding our cruise in time for lunch. Later, marvel at Luxor's Temple and visit the Luxor Museum to see an astounding collection of archaeological treasures, including items from Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Hotel: Nile Cruise
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Iconic Experience: Karnak Temple Visit Stand amid a vast forest of columns in the largest temple complex known to man as your Egyptologist explains the significance behind it. Walk the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, see the of Rameses II and the Hypostyle Hall.
Iconic Experience: Visit Luxor Museum Spend the day discovering the wonders of the Luxor Museum.
Notes
Day 4: Explore Ancient Dendera

Pay tribute to the Goddess Hathor at Dendera Temple, a soaring structure built around 330 BC.  Beautifully preserved and elaborate in its design, every inch of this impressive sand-colored structure is mesmerizing and you’ll see many of its halls, shrines and unique features such as the sun dial and replica Dendera zodiac, tracing the images of Taurus and Libra.  You’ll learn about Dendera’s role as one of the major capitals of ancient Upper Egypt before sailing to Kom-Ombo for the night.

Hotel: Nile Cruise
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Iconic Experience: Dendera Temple of Hathor Visit At the Temple of Hathor, see a rare depiction of Cleopatra and Caesarian.
Notes
Day 5: Journey to Aswan

Today, we travel to Aswan, which for centuries held the important strategic role of being Egypt’s southern frontier and gateway to the rest of Africa. Today it is a tranquil, modern city, most known for its High Dam, Nubian villages and Philae Temple, built to honor Egyptian goddess Isis. We arrive in time for dinner, watching the buzz of the city from the comfort of our boat.

Hotel: Nile Cruise
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Notes
Day 6: The High Dam and More in Aswan

During your sightseeing in Aswan, you’ll see how the ancient Egyptians chose a stunning place to honor the goddess of love and you’ll learn how the Temple of Isis on Philae Island. Later, meet the wonderful ladies of a local Women owned co-operative on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER ® Experience. Our final stop today is a visit to the High Dam, the world’s largest embankment dam which ended the cycle of flood and drought along the Nile River.

Hotel: Nile Cruise
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Iconic Experience: Tour Aswan and its Impressive Landmarks Admire the picturesque setting of Aswan and its iconic sites as you embark on a sightseeing tour of the city. Learn about the beautiful Temple of Isis and the contentious construction of the Aswan Dam.  
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®: Aswan’s Women Co-operative Wander off the beaten tracks in Aswan as you meet the wonderful ladies of a local Women owned co-operative. Their mission is to ensure a garbage free world and they are using waste and natural material like bamboo or palm trees to create fine handicrafts. The organization is providing a hub of support and comfort for over 300 women who may live in poverty or suffer from loneliness, and want to become financially independent. Thanks to their newly learnt skills, they have now been able to provide the main source of income for their family. This experience is advancing Global Goal 5: Gender Equality.
Notes
Day 7: Onwards to Philae and Kitchener’s Island

Today could see you join a once in a lifetime Optional Experience to Abu Simbel, carved into a solid rock cliff in Egypt’s Nubian Valley. As you approach the Great Temple, you’ll marvel at the four-seated colossi on either side of the entrance and the elaborate engravings depicting great victories and paying homage to the gods. Later, you’ll set sail in a traditional felucca around the Botanical Gardens on Kitchener's Island, a haven for rare exotic birds and unusual plants.

Hotel: Nile Cruise
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Iconic Experience: Sail Around Kitchener's Island Sail around Kitchener's Island and its Botanical Gardens in a traditional felucca. 
Notes
Day 8: Off to Ancient Kom-Ombo

We visit the roofless Temple of Kom-Ombo, a highlight along the Nile, where we’ll learn how the temple was built to honor two gods, Horus the Elder and Sobek. The Temple has a perfectly symmetrical design, the two sides a mirror of each other with one side dedicated to the crocodile god, the other to the falcon god. You’ll learn all about the mythical link and why the Nile crocodile were of such importance to the ancient Egyptian priests.

Hotel: Nile Cruise
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Iconic Experience: Kom-Ombo Tour Discover the temple of Kom-Ombo and discover the wonders of the duo gods Horus the Elder and Sobek.
Notes
Day 9: Sail to Stunning Luxor

Watch how the river gives life to an arid landscape and the people who live within it as you sail down the Nile towards Luxor, once an ancient Egyptian capital. Head to the Sundeck for the best views and thrilling experience of passing through Esna Lock before continuing your journey. This evening you may choose to marvel at the Sound and Light show display at Karnak Temple.

Hotel: Nile Cruise
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Notes
Day 10: Disembark and Fly to Cairo

We disembark at Luxor, explore the fascinating complex of mortuary temples and tombs, including Queen Hatshepsut's Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and the Valley of the Kings. Connect With Locals as you enjoy a traditional Be My Guest experience with freshly baked bread, honey and mint tea. We take a return flight to Cairo where we'll enjoy an evening at leisure to soak up the buzzing atmosphere for which the city is famous.

Hotel: Ramses Hilton Cairo
Included Meals: Breakfast
Iconic Experience: Visit the Valley of the Kings Discover the ancient history behind the final resting place of Egypt's Pharaohs and Queen Hatshepsut's Temple at the Valley of the Kings.
Be My Guest: Enjoy Warm Mint Tea and Freshly Baked Local Bread with The El Boerey Family in a Luxor Village Enjoy an exclusive Be My Guest encounter on the banks of the Nile where your hosts, the El Boerey family, will share their stories about family life in a typical Luxor village. Savor a local culinary tradition of warm mint tea and freshly baked local bread with honey.
Notes
Day 11: Discover Colorful Cairo

The buzz of Cairo is undeniable, and you’ll get to feel it first-hand as you embark on an unforgettable sightseeing tour through the effervescent Egyptian capital. History buffs will love the visits to the Hanging Church of St. Mary and the Sultan Hassan Mosque in Old Cairo, built 700 years ago as a spiritual hub for the region. You’ll also see the Alabaster Mosque and Citadel of Cairo, a medieval Islamic-era fortification which served as the seat of the Egyptian government for almost seven centuries. Later, you’ll head to the celebrated Egyptian Museum, where you’ll Dive Into Culture and discover the museum’s unbelievable array of artefacts, from mummies and sarcophagi to jewelery and King Tutankhamun’s treasures.

Hotel: Ramses Hilton Cairo
Included Meals: Breakfast
Dive Into Culture: Discover the 'Mask of Tutankhamun' at Cairo's Egyptian Museum Enjoy a visit to Cairo’s Egyptian Museum, home to a remarkable collection of Egyptian antiquities including the world-famous ‘Mask of Tutankhamun’.
Iconic Experience: Cairo City Tour Spend your day enjoying the sights of the Hanging Church of St. Mary or embark on a journey to see the ancient Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque. 
Notes
Day 12: Farewell Cairo

Our expedition at its end, say a fond farewell to your newfound friends.

Included Meals: Breakfast
Notes
This itinerary is for reference only. Upon booking with GET, guests will receive tour documents which will list all confirmed hotels and itineraries based upon the guest's departure date.

Price Includes

What's Included
  • - The services of a professional English speaking Egyptologist / Travel Director throughout your journey
  • - Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
  • - All porterage and restaurant gratuities
  • - All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
  • - Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
  • - Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
  • - Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
  • - Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
  • - Return flight from Cairo to Luxor
  • - Seven-night luxury Nile Cruise
  • - Flight from Luxor to Cairo
  • - Optional Experiences and free time
  • - On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
Dining Summary
  • - 11 Breakfasts (B)
  • - 7 Lunchs (L)
  • - 7 Dinners (D)
Iconic Experience
  • Enjoy a day gazing at the Great Pyramids of Giza and its treasures - the Step Pyramid of Saqqara and the Colossus of Rames II.
  • Stand amid a vast forest of columns in the largest temple complex known to man as your Egyptologist explains the significance behind it. Walk the avenue of ram-headed sphinxes, see the of Rameses II and the Hypostyle Hall.
  • Spend the day discovering the wonders of the Luxor Museum.
  • At the Temple of Hathor, see a rare depiction of Cleopatra and Caesarian.
  • Admire the picturesque setting of Aswan and its iconic sites as you embark on a sightseeing tour of the city. Learn about the beautiful Temple of Isis and the contentious construction of the Aswan Dam.  
  • Sail around Kitchener's Island and its Botanical Gardens in a traditional felucca. 
  • Discover the temple of Kom-Ombo and discover the wonders of the duo gods Horus the Elder and Sobek.
  • Discover the ancient history behind the final resting place of Egypt's Pharaohs and Queen Hatshepsut's Temple at the Valley of the Kings.
  • Spend your day enjoying the sights of the Hanging Church of St. Mary or embark on a journey to see the ancient Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque. 
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
  • Wander off the beaten tracks in Aswan as you meet the wonderful ladies of a local Women owned co-operative. Their mission is to ensure a garbage free world and they are using waste and natural material like bamboo or palm trees to create fine handicrafts. The organization is providing a hub of support and comfort for over 300 women who may live in poverty or suffer from loneliness, and want to become financially independent. Thanks to their newly learnt skills, they have now been able to provide the main source of income for their family. This experience is advancing Global Goal 5: Gender Equality.
Be My Guest
  • Enjoy an exclusive Be My Guest encounter on the banks of the Nile where your hosts, the El Boerey family, will share their stories about family life in a typical Luxor village. Savor a local culinary tradition of warm mint tea and freshly baked local bread with honey.
Dive Into Culture
  • Enjoy a visit to Cairo’s Egyptian Museum, home to a remarkable collection of Egyptian antiquities including the world-famous ‘Mask of Tutankhamun’.

Optional Experiences

Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.

National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (Available on Day 1)

Designed for those visitors with extra pre or post trip nights in Cairo

Located in Old Cairo, visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) to see the 22 royal mummies and over 1500 artefacts on display.
With exhibitions beginning with the predynastic period, followed by the Roman and Coptic periods, until modern day Egypt.
The museum incorporates the array of different civilizations that contributed to Egypt’s rich and diverse history.

Adult Price: $65 Abu Simbel Adventure (Available on Day 7)

This four-hour excursion includes a flight to Abu Simbel, site of the Temple of Ramses II with his four great statues. You’ll also see statues of Queen Nefertari on the facade of the Temple of Hathor. 75 minutes will be spent at Abu Simbel - the remainder will be travel time. Prices are in USD.

Adult Price: $380 Philae Temple Sound And Light Performance (Available on Day 7)

Join us for a short boat ride to Philae Island, located between the old and new Aswan Dams, where you’ll have a short tour. We’ll then seat you in a Roman style theater for a retelling of the perennial Nile flood, and of the goddesses Isis and Hathor, to whose worship the temple was originally dedicated. Approximately 50 minutes. Prices are in USD. 

Adult Price: $55 Life on the Nile (Available on Day 8)

A chance to get up close with the wildlife of the world’s most famous rivers. Learn from your local Nubian expert how the Nile has been the center of life for ancient civilizations and local wildlife as you travel by boat around the islands of first cataract.
Watch out for colorful native birds, different species of herons, kingfishers, sunbirds, and other wildlife that thrive in the marsh grass along the riverbanks whilst taking in the unique views of the Sahara sand dunes.

Adult Price: $30 Sound and Light Show at Karnak Temple (Available on Day 9)

Listen to voices of ancient kings, queens and gods as they share stories about the places you’ll see in the Temple during a walking tour, followed by a show around the Divine Lake. This show is operated in Karnak Temple in Luxor during the evening, lasting for just under an hour. Prices are in USD. 

Adult Price: $55 Dinner, Belly Dancing and Nile Cruise (Available on Day 11)

Join us for a two hour cruise along the Nile river on a luxurious ship. You’ll be treated to dinner onboard and be entertained with a belly dancing show. Prices are in USD. 

Adult Price: $88 Full Day Alexandria (Designed For Those Visitors With Extra Pre Or Post Trip Nights In Cairo) (Available on Day 12)

Join us for a visit to Egypt's second city, Alexandria. You’ll see its nineteenth-century architecture and stop at the National Museum, the catacombs of Kom es-Shoqafa and Pompey's Pillar. You'll also enjoy great views from Fort Qaitbey, and stop at the Roman Theater with its marble seating before returning to Cairo. Prices are in USD. 

Adult Price: $155