Country(ies): Egypt
Tour type: Private
Group size: Min: 1 | Max: Any
Accommodation: 5-star hotel, sleeper train & Dahabiya
Meals:
Transport: A/C Minibus, sleeper train & Dahabiya
Highlights: Unmissable Pyramids & enigmatic Sphinx, eclectic Egyptian Museum, Luxury Dahabiya cruise, musty tombs in the Valley of the Kings, breath-taking Temple of Karnak, Abu Simbel option
Sailing up the Nile on a Dahabiya is one of the most enjoyable ways to explore Egypt. You enjoy the luxury and comfort a larger Nile cruise boat provides, but in a much more intimate and exclusive setting. The slower pace also gives you much more time sailing, allowing you to experience more of rural Egypt in-between the sightseeing stops. This tour combines a 7-night Dahabiya cruise from Luxor to Aswan, with time in Cairo to see the pyramids and sphinx and Egyptian Museum.
Note: 5-night cruises are also available, using an overland transfer for the final section from Komombo to Aswan. The boats also run from Aswan to Luxor, and this option can be more convenient if you would like to add a Red Sea extension after the cruise. Please contact us for details.
Your Egyptian holiday starts in Cairo staying in the famous Mena House hotel, right next to the pyramids. Spending two nights here after your arrival means that your tours of the pyramids and sphinx at Gisa and Saqqara aren't too rushed, and we have time to include a comprehensive city tour, taking in the huge Egyptian Museum, ancient churches in Coptic Cairo, great views from the Citadel and the bustling Khan-el-Khalili bazaar.
The overnight sleeper train (or optional flight upgrade) takes you south to Luxor, where your first tour is to the West Bank of the Nile, home to the many pharaonic tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and the 3-tiered temple to Queen Hatchepsut. Other stops include the Colossi of Memnon, and the Medinat Habu temple, which houses some of the best preserved wall paintings and carved hieroglyphs in Egypt. While you arein Luxor, you will also visit the huge temple complex at Karnak, and visit Luxor temple in the evening, when it is lit up to great effect.
You board your Dahabiya in Luxor, and all your meals for the next 7 days are provided by the on board chef and his team. Most Dahabiyas have between 6 and 10 comfortable en-suite, air-conditioned twin or double cabins, with upgrades to larger suites available on some boats. This tour uses a high standard Dahabiya with a classical, elegant style. More contemporary styled boats are also available on request.
The boat features a dining room, lounge and bar, and a sun-deck from where you can relax and watch rural Egyptian life pass you by as you sail up river. The boat stops overnight at Esna and Edfu en-route to Aswan, as well as two small islands where can enjoy a peaceful night away from the noise and the crowds that are hard to avoid in the main cruise boat stops.
While sailing up-river to Aswan, you stop to see the important temples at Esna, Komombo and Edfu, and also see several other sites missed by the normal cruise boats, including the El Kab tombs and Silesia temple. In Aswan, you visit the beautiful Philae temple by boat, and have the option to tour the impressive temple to Ramses II at Abu Simbel.
You also have some free time to explore the markets, before returning to Cairo on the overnight sleeper train (or optional flight upgrade).
You can fly straight home from Aswan if you wish (you would change planes in Cairo en-route). Back in Cairo you have some free time to do some shopping or further sightseeing, or perhaps add a day trip to the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, or to the spectacular desert scenery at Wadi Rayan and Wadi Hitan. This tour includes the 'Valley of the Whales' World Heritage Site where ancient whale fossils are found and displayed on the sand.
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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.
Seasonal prices for this tour are given below. We can also customise the itinerary 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.
Dahabiya
Luxor
Dahabiyas are beautifully crafted sailboats with all the luxuries that modern day tourists have come to expect including air-conditioned en-suite cabins and beautifully cooked meals.
Le Riad Hotel de Charme
Egypt
This lovely small boutique all-suite hotel is situated in the heart of bustling Old Cairo within walking distance of the Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. All suites are individually designed and decorated and the hotel also features a roof terrace restaurant.
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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