Country(ies): Egypt
Tour type: Small Group
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 18
Accommodation: 5-star hotels, sleeper train & felucca sailboat
Meals:
Transport: A/C minibus/coach, sleeper train & felucca sailboat
Highlights: The Pyramids & Sphinx, traditional Felucca sailboat trip down the Nile, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Karnak, optional trip to Abu Simbel
The Nile has often been described as the lifeblood of Egypt. Along it lie some of the most spectacular monuments in the world. From temples and tombs to pyramids and monasteries, each has a story to tell and together they stand as a testament to the greatness of an ancient civilisation. Come with us on a journey to Cairo and down the Nile, and explore this fascinating country.
We begin the tour in Cairo where we tour the Pyramids and Sphinx at both Gisa and Saqqara. We also offer an optional full day city tour to explore the city's many interesting sites which includes beautiful mosques, the famous Egyptian museum, sprawling Khan-el-Khalili bazaar, and Citadel where you get great views over the whole city.
From here we travel to Aswan to begin our journey down the Nile. Dotted with beautiful green islands, cascading rapids and large sailed feluccas, the Nile here is perhaps at its most beautiful. We spend time visiting the picturesque island temple of Philae, as well as having the chance to visit the amazing temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel before taking a traditional felucca sailboat trip over 2 nights, sailing down the river to Luxor with stops to tour the temple at Edfu.
In Luxor we tour the vast array of monumental architecture from Egypt's ancient past. On the east bank we have a chance to see the huge temples of Karnak and Luxor. On the west bank of the Nile we visit, amongst other sites, the Valleys of the Kings to see the multitude of Pharoanic tombs which have been unearthed during years of excavations. Other west bank sites visited include Queen Hatchepsut's temple, the Colossi of Memnon, and the Valley of the Artisans, Deir El-Medina.
From here we return to Cairo where you can to do some last minute shopping, re-visit the museum or bazaars, or do a day trip to Alexandria or Wadi Rayan and the Valley of the Whales before leaving Egypt with what we hope are some treasured memories.
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Hotel Gala Dinners
Many of Egypt's hotels and Nile cruise boats arrange a very special gala dinner with entertainment in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Payment for these is often optional on Christmas Eve (24 Dec) but may be compulsory on New Year's Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices can range from around US$50 to over US$150 per person. Final decisions on prices and whether dinners are compulsory are made relatively close to the time. We aim to always select hotels that make their Gala Dinners optional, though this is is not always possible. Gala dinner prices are therefore not included in our prices above, but will be added to your booking if they become required. More information is available on request.
Small-group tour departure dates are given below. The tour is also available for booking privately for travel anytime through the year, with adjustments to fit your personal requirements. Please contact us for details and prices.
The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often use on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.
Steigenberger Cairo Pyramids Hotel
Cairo
It features two pools, several restaurants and bars, free WiFi, a spa and fitness centre, and both classic and family rooms. The rooms overlook the gardens and feature air-conditioning, TVs, safes, and minibars. The hotel offers an airport shuttle.
Sleeper train
Cairo, Luxor & Aswan
On the sleeper train you have a private twin-berthed cabin, which features two large seats; fold down beds with mattress, sheets, pillow, blanket; storage locker and wash basin. An airline style evening meal and breakfast are included.
Tolip Aswan Hotel
Aswan
Tolip Aswan Hotel overlooks the Nile and sits close to several tourist sites. Rooms have en-suite bathrooms, TVs, minibars, WiFi, and balconies with river views. Facilities include a pool, bar, gym, and sauna.
Felucca Sailboat
Aswan
Feluccas are very basic traditional Nile sailboats and make for an extremely relaxing and enjoyable way to travel down the river.
Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel
Luxor
This hotel, formerly Le Meridien Luxor, is a modern hotel built in 2001. It is ideally situated right on the banks of the Nile and is within easy reach of all the major sites of Luxor.
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino
Cairo
The Sheraton Cairo is located in Cairo’s Dokki district, close to the Egyptian Museum. It consists of a casino, night club, and 5-star hotel. The hotel offers a full range of services and amenities, as well as fully-equipped luxury rooms.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination youre visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, cruise upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Other options may either be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Many options are priced the same throughout the year, but some may incur single or high season supplements - full details are given on the tour reservation form or on request.
The detailed Tour Notes below have been written to give you some more detailed information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday. We recommend downloading an up to date copy of these shortly before you travel in case of any changes.
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Nubian Adventure & Country Reviews
Product Reviews
Posted 29th of Mar 2019
Important Egyptian sites were available to visit. They were visited.
Product Reviews
Posted 27th of Mar 2019
This was a great trip and worth every penny. Our Egyptologist tour guide was 'Big Mo' which made all the difference. He was knowledgeable, kind, and hospitable. He made sure we had a solid introduction to each tour site and then was available for more detailed information if we wanted. Book a tour with 'Big Mo' if at all possible!
Product Reviews
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
Excellent tour. From the moment we landed in Cairo until we left, we were well taken care of. We experienced so much of Egypt -- from temples and pyramids and tombs to a bonfire dinner and sing-a-long on an island. Our guide (Waleed) was exceptional. His love and knowledge of Egypt was evident throughout the tour. He helped Egypt come alive for us. We were very pleased with the tour.
Product Reviews
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
With all we did and the amount of travel, I was shocked at how cost effective the tour company made it. You get your money's worth after you think about busses, felucca sailboat, overnight train, hotel rooms, and the amazing tour guide.