Lake Nasser & The Nile Tour
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Lake Nasser & The Nile OVERVIEW

TOUR SUMMARY

12 days

Lake Nasser & The Nile

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£0 (p/p)

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Country(ies): Egypt

Tour type: Small Group

Group size: Min: 1 | Max: Any

Accommodation: No Accommodation

Meals: Breakfasts - 10, Lunches - 7, Dinners - 7

Transport: A/C minibus, sleeper train, 5-star cruise boats & flight

Highlights:

Pyramids & Sphinx & Egyptian Museum in Cairo, Luxury cruise along the Nile, Pharaonic tombs of the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Karnak in Luxor, stunning temples at Abu Simbel, cruise along Lake Nasser.

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Combining the pyramids, sphinx and Egyptian Museum in Cairo with a luxury Nile Cruise is one of the world's classic holidays, and one of our most popular. Our Lake Nasser and the Nile tour includes all of this plus an additional 3 night cruise on Lake Nasser to visit the lesser known temples which straddle it's shores, including the great temple of Abu Simbel

We begin our tour in Cairo where we are introduced to Egyptian History with a visit to the Pyramids, Sphinx and Egypt Museum, home of the famous Tutankhamun exhibit. On the evening of day 2 we take the overnight sleeper train south to Luxor.

Luxor is commonly described as the world's largest open air museum. We arrive early in the morning, and board our luxury Nile cruise boat for breakfast, before visiting the huge temple complex at Karnak. Around midday we return to the boat for lunch and to check in. The remainder of the afternoon is free to explore Luxor's markets, or perhaps visit the Mummification Museum. In the evening we visit Luxor temple in the centre of town when it is beautifully lit up.

On day 4 we start early to explore the West Bank of the Nile before the big crowds and the extreme heat of the middle of the day arrive. Our tours here take in the Valley of the Kings, where many Pharaohs were buried, the unique temple of Queen Hatchepsut, and also the less visited Medinat Habu temple which has some of Egypt's deepest carved hieroglyphs and colourful wall paintings, really giving a sense of how these temples used to look at their peak. Our final stop is at the Colossi of Memnon before we head back to the cruise boat. After returning to the boat we set sail, heading south, up-river and through the locks on the Nile at Esna, before arriving at Edfu where we spend the night onboard. After visiting the impressive Edfu temple, we sail further up-river, stopping at Komombo, before reaching the laid-back town of Aswan, which sits on the banks of the Nile. We spend 1 night in Aswan onboard the cruise boat before joining a convoy to drive south, along the banks of Lake Nasser to Abu Simbel, where we join our Lake Nasser cruise. After lunch onboard we have an afternoon tour to the colossal temples of Ramses at Abu Simbel before spending the night onboard close by. In the evening you have the option of revisiting Abu Simbel for the Sound and Light show.

Our boat sets sail from Abu Simbel whilst enjoying breakfast onboard. We will be able to view the Citadel of Kasr Ibrim from the top deck of the boat. Unfortunately entry into the Citadel is no longer permitted. Before lunch you will have tours to visit the Temples of Amada and Derr, as well as the tomb of Penout. Whilst having lunch onboard you cruise continues towards Wadi el Seboua where you spend the night onboard. After breakfast you have a morning tour of Wadi el Seboua Temple before riding a camel (or walking) to el Dakka and Mehraka. Later on in the afternoon the boat continues to Aswan where you spend your final night onboard.

On your final day in Aswan you will visit the Kalabsha Temple, Kiosk or Kertassi at Beit el Wali and the beautiful island temple of Philae. From Aswan you return to Cairo by air and our last tour takes in the Citadel with great views over the city, several beautiful mosques, the ancient churches of Coptic Cairo, and the bustling Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. Your tour ends in Cairo with a transfer to the airport for your flight home.

ITINERARY

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We meet you at Cairo airport and transfer you to a 5-star hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to settle in and relax.

OVERNIGHT:

Cairo hotel

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 0, Lunches - 0, Dinners - 0

EXTRAS:

Extra day in Cairo (5-star) - pre-tour

Single room supplement (EGTMNN)

We enjoy a full day tour today to the majestic Pyramids and Sphinx at Gisa, and also to the famous Egyptian Museum. In the evening we transfer to the station for the overnight sleeper train journey to Luxor.

OVERNIGHT:

Sleeper train

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 0, Dinners - 1

EXTRAS:

None

After arriving early into Luxor this morning, we board our luxury Nile cruise boat for breakfast before visiting the huge temple complex at Karnak. Our cabins are available at lunchtime and the afternoon is free to relax or explore Luxor. In the evening we visit Luxor temple in the centre of town.

OVERNIGHT:

Nile cruiseboat

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 1, Dinners - 1

EXTRAS:

None

This morning we tour the West Bank of the Nile and explore the Pharaonic tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatchepsut and Medinat Habu temples, and the Colossi of Memnon. In the afternoon we sail up-river and cross through the lock on the Nile at Esna before continuing to Edfu. Before the tour starts this morning, you also have the option of a spectacular hot air balloon flight to see the sun rise over the West Bank of the Nile.

OVERNIGHT:

Nile cruiseboat

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 1, Dinners - 1

EXTRAS:

Hot air balloon in Luxor

We visit Edfu temple this morning, before continuing to sail up the Nile to Aswan, breaking the journey at the temple at Komombo en-route.

OVERNIGHT:

Nile cruiseboat

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 1, Dinners - 1

EXTRAS:

None

The Nile is at its most picturesque in Aswan, and we have this morning free to explore the town, its markets, and to walk along the Corniche or visit the Nubian Museum. In the afternoon we take a felucca sailboat trip around Kitchener and Elephantine islands. You also have the option this evening to visit Philae Temple for the Sound and Light show.

OVERNIGHT:

Nile cruiseboat

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 1, Dinners - 0

EXTRAS:

None

We have a little free time in Aswan this morning before joining the 11am convoy to drive south to Abu Simbel. The drive takes around 3 hours and we should arrive at approximately 2pm. After boarding you Lake Nasser cruise ship and enjoying lunch on-board, we have an afternoon tour of the impressive temples of Abu Simbel, which were saved from the rising water of Lake Nasser. In the evening you have the opportunity to return to the temples for the Sound and Light show.

OVERNIGHT:

Lake Nasser cruiseboat

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 1, Dinners - 1

EXTRAS:

None

This morning we enjoy breakfast on-board whilst starting our journey across Lake Nasser. Our first tour is of the Citadel of Kasr Ibrim (this tour is conducted from the deck of the boat as entry to the site is not permitted). Continuing north we leave the boat the visit the Temples of Amada and Derr as well as the Tomb of Penout. We return to the ship for lunch and continue sailing towards Wadi el Seboua.

OVERNIGHT:

Lake Nasser cruiseboat

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 1, Dinners - 1

EXTRAS:

None

After breakfast we visit the Wadi el Seboua Temple. The temple was constructed during the reign of Ramses II to celebrate his victory of Kush. The arabic name Wadi el Seboua translates as 'Valley of the Lions', referring to the avenue of sphinxes leading to the temple. After time at Wadi el Seboua you have the option of taking a camel ride or walking to the temples of Dakka and Mehraka. In the afternoon we return to the boat and sail to Aswan where we spend our final night onboard.

OVERNIGHT:

Lake Nasser cruiseboat

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 1, Dinners - 1

EXTRAS:

None

After breakfast we have tours to visit the Kalabsha Temple which is perched on the edge of Lake Nasser, the Kiosk of Kertassi and Beit al Wali. After disembarking the cruise ship we take a boat trip to the beautiful island temple of Philae. Later in the afternoon we take an internal flight with Egypt Air back to Cairo.

OVERNIGHT:

Cairo hotel

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 0, Lunches - 0, Dinners - 0

EXTRAS:

None

Our tour of Cairo today includes the Citadel overlooking the city, some important and beautiful mosques, Coptic Cairo, and time to explore and shop in the busy Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. This evening you could take a dinner cruise on the Nile, re-visit the pyramids for a spectacular sound and light show, or enjoy a farewell dinner with other people in your group.

OVERNIGHT:

Cairo hotel

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 0, Dinners - 0

EXTRAS:

None

Your time is free today until we transfer you to the airport in time for your flight home.

OVERNIGHT:

N/A

MEALS:

Breakfasts - 1, Lunches - 0, Dinners - 0

EXTRAS:

Extra day in Cairo (5-star) - post-tour

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Included:
  • All accommodation as stated in the itinerary 5-star hotels & 5-star deluxe cruise boats
  • All transport and transfers in private AC vehicles
  • Domestic flights from Aswan to Cairo
  • Overnight sleeper train between Cairo and Luxor
  • 24-hour airport arrival & departure transfer service
  • Sightseeing tours as detailed in the itinerary
  • Services of a local Egyptologist guide for all the sightseeing tours
  • Entrance fees to sites visited
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary
Excluded:
  • International flights (available on request)
  • Visa fees (USD 25 available on arrival for most nationalities)
  • Travel Insurance (mandatory, available on request)
  • Meals not indicated in the itinerary
  • Tipping kitty (allow US$55)
  • Drinks, snacks and other personal expenses (e.g. laundry)
  • Tour guide tips
  • Hotel Gala Dinners (if charged by the hotels on 24 & 31 Dec, see Tour notes)
  • Any other items not mentioned above

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Dates and Prices

This tour is designed as a sample tailor-made tour itinerary. As such we do not offer set group departure dates that you can join. Rather, the tour is available for you to do privately starting on any date of the year (subject to fitting in with Nile and Lake Nasser schedules which do not operate every day). Guideline seasonal prices are given below, based on 2 people travelling. If you would like to adjust the tour itinerary, or there will be more or less people travelling, please contact us and we will customise a price for you.

Start Date
End Date
Price (P/P)
Offer Price
Note

Accommodation

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.

Mena House Hotel

Cairo

Cairo

Local rating

Our rating

Grand Islamabad Hotel Grand Islamabad Hotel

Note: The following information is provided from our own visits & research, the hotel itself, and our clients' experience of using the hotel.

Introduction:

The Mena House is a luxurious palace hotel which was originally built in 1869 as a hunting lodge by the King of Egypt. It is a very historic hotel which is reflected in the traditional Arabesque furnishings, original artwork and antiques found throughout. It has a newly rennovated garden wing and the largest swimming pool in Cairo with unrivalled views of the Pyramids in the background. There is a variety of international and Egyptian cuisine on offer at the many restaurants and bars within the hotel.

This hotel is one of our favourites in the whole of Egypt, and we use it on many of our tours with our Luxury comfort rating. 

Location:

The hotel is set in 40 acres of gardens just a few hundred metres from the Pyramid of Cheops and only 15 kilometers from Cairo. It is about a 30-45 minute drive to the city centre and a 45 minute drive to the airport.

Accommodation:

The Mena House has 498 rooms located in the Palace and Garden wings and  25 Cabana style rooms by the pool. All rooms are spacious and are furnished in traditional Arabesque style. 15 of the palace rooms and 145 of the garden rooms have views of the Pyramids. We use Garden Wing rooms as the standard option when we use this hotel, but rooms in the Palace Wing and/or Pyramid View rooms are available on request at a supplement. There are also non-smoking rooms available.
All rooms have either king-size or twin beds, are air-conditioned and have their own balcony and en-suite marble bathrooms equipped with a full range of personal toiletries, bathrobes and king size bathtubs.  There is also a mini-bar, satellite TV, hair dryer, direct-dial telephone and electrical sockets in every room for charging cameras, phones etc.. 24 hour room service is also available.

Bars & Restaurants:

There are a number of restaurants to choose from within the hotel including the famous Moghul Room which offers the very best in Indian cuisine and the Khan el Khalili, named after the famous Cairo bazaar which serves both Egyptian and continental dishes and is open 24-hours a day.

The Al Rubayyat restaurant was built in 1869 and was the original hunting lodge. It is a fantastic room to eat in, and serves Continental cuisine and has live entertainment every evening. There is also the Greenery which is a Mediterranean style restaurant situated in the Garden Wing offering buffet style breakfast and dinner. For snacks and light refreshments there is the Oasis poolside coffee shop.
Also within the hotel are several bars. There is the Sultan lounge where you can enjoy cocktails along with views of the Pyramids and the Mamlouk bar which is open from 5pm until 2am. You can then finish off the evening at either the Saddle disco or Abu Nawars nightclub both of which are open until 2am.

Facilities & Services:

The hotel has a very large outdoor pool with views of the Pyramids and is also the only hotel in Cairo to have its own 18-hole golf course. There is a fitness centre, 2 floodlit tennis courts, jogging track and horseback riding available from the stables. Within the hotel there is also a bank, hair & beauty salon, shopping arcade and a casino. This hotel is not best suited for families with younger children as the pool doesn't have many shallow areas and there are not many children's facilities available (we recommend Le Meridien Pyramids for families with children).

Other services include:

  • Safety Deposit Box
  • Luggage Store Room
  • Doctor (on call)
  • Laundry and Dry Cleaning
  • Ironing service
  • Business Centre
  • Concierge Desk
  • Wheelchair access
  • Babysitting (on request)

Nile Cruiseboat

Luxor

Luxor

Local rating

Our rating

Grand Islamabad Hotel Grand Islamabad Hotel

Nile Cruise boats are superbly appointed, floating, 5-star hotels featuring a restaurant, bars, shops, a relaxing sun deck and small swimming pool. Buffet breakfasts, lunches and evening meals featuring different cuisines are all included (though beverages and bottled water are not). You will have your own en-suite, AC cabin with large, panoramic opening windows to enjoy the view of the river while you sail. Single cabin supplements apply.

Our Egyptologist guides travel on board with you. This means you do the sightseeing tours in a small group with travellers and a guide you know, rather than joining one of the large boat groups. The guide can also help with any problems with your cabin, dietary requirements, or just to sit and talk about Egypt with you. They will often volunteer to give short lectures about both ancient and modern Egypt in the evenings to those interested.

Nile cruise itineraries are slightly flexible, mainly depending on the time passing through the lock at Esna. Some sailing may be done after dark, and boats may need to moor alongside each other at night. Gala dinner supplements may be added to our prices if you are on board on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.

Deluxe 5-star level boats, all-suite boats, and Dahabiyas are also available on private and tailor-made tours. Please contact us for details. 

Le Riad Hotel de Charme

Egypt

Egypt

Local rating

Our rating

Grand Islamabad Hotel Grand Islamabad Hotel

Le Riad Hotel de Charme is an award winning all-suite luxury boutique hotel located in the heart of Old Cairo on the busy, mainly pedestrian El Moez Street. The hotel is surrounded by old Ottoman Houses and the design of the hotel and its suites aims to reflect the historical surroundings. All 17 suites are large, comfortable and individually designed and furnished with warm colours, fabrics, antique furniture and paintings by local artists. Each has a dressing room/study and lounge area with free WiFi and internet enabled TVs. Large en-suite marble bathrooms have walk in showers but not baths. 

There are both deluxe King and Twin suites, some with an additional sofa bed, plus larger Superior suites which feature a balcony overlooking El Moez Street.

The hotel has a tea lounge on the first floor, plus a rooftop restaurant. Due to the location in Islamic Cairo, no alcohol is served in the hotel, though guests may bring their own to the suites.

Options

Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination you're 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.

TOUR NOTES

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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Our trips feature a mix of different transport options. We want you to feel like you’re really experiencing the country you're travelling through, but at the same time we want you to finish journeys refreshed enough to enjoy the next stage of the tour. In Egypt we do not use any public tourist buses or overnight coach journeys as we know that people don't sleep on board and end up very tired for the following few days. All the vehicles we use are air-conditioned, many are fitted with speed limiters, and all are inspected and checked daily. Some 4WD vehicles used on desert safari options may not always have air conditioning where they are only used for short periods.

This tour also avoids any overnight train journeys, featuring domestic flights with Egypt Air between Cairo-Luxor and Aswan-Cairo.

Nile and Lake Nasser cruise boat itineraries are subject to alterations depending on local conditions at the time of travel. Some sailing may be done after dark. Boats may moor up alongside each other at night, requiring you to cross through other boats to reach the shore. On Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve the cruise boats normally run a special Gala Dinner. The cost of this is normally compulsory, whether you attend or not, and is included in our group tour prices, and will be added to private and tailor-made tour quotes as required.

This tour is designed as a sample tailor-made tour itinerary. As such we do not offer set group departure dates that you can join. Rather, the tour is available for you to do privately starting on any date of the year (subject to fitting in with Nile and Lake Nasser schedules which do not operate every day). Guideline seasonal prices are given below, based on 2 people travelling. If you would like to adjust the tour itinerary, or there will be more or less people travelling, please contact us and we will customise a price for you.

If you would like to book a place on this tour, please complete the online reservation form on our website (via the Dates & Prices tab on the tour page). You can pay your deposit or full balance online, or just hold a reservation if you prefer. We will then contact you with more details about how to complete your booking. Payments may be made by debit or credit card (subject to a card processing fee), or by making a bank transfer or posting us a cheque/bank draft. Full details will be provided in your booking confirmation email. Please contact us if you would like any more information or have any questions before making a booking.

Travel insurance is compulsory on all of our tours and needs to cover personal accident & liability, medical expenses and repatriation, travel delay & abandonment. We also strongly recommend that you take out cover against cancellation and lost/stolen baggage. Personal medical insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover and is generally not suitable for travel on our tours. You will not be able to join your tour if you have not provided us with details of your insurance or if you arrive without cover in place (no refunds will be due in this event). More information...

You may arrange your own insurance, or you can take advantage of a comprehensive policy that we can arrange for you through Endsleigh Insurance which has been designed to be suitable for our tours. The policy is available to travellers of all nationalities and you do not need to live in the UK  to take out the policy. For full details of cover provided, prices and to apply for one of our policies, please complete travel insurance application form.

Note: Any country that borders the Mediterranean is considered as 'Europe' for the purposes of travel insurance (including Turkey, Israel, Egypt and Morocco). If you are doing a tour that visits one country in 'Europe' and one that is 'Worldwide' (for example, an Egypt and Jordan tour), then you need a 'Worldwide' policy. When completing the form you should enter your travel dates including any extra days involved in overnight flights or connecting travel between your home and the tour. Our policies are not able to cover any extra time or activities other than your tour and options booked with us and your travel to & from home.

If you plan to arrange a hot air balloon flight locally, or do some scuba diving during your tour, you should check the small print in your policy to make sure these are covered (these are covered in our policy). Please also check the maximum altitude that you will be reaching and that full cover including emergency evacuation is provided up to this altitude.

IMPORTANT:  We must have your travel insurance details (policy number and type of insurance) before you depart or you may not be allowed to join the tour.  If you haven't told us already, please let us know the details when you can. You should take a paper copy of your insurance policy with you as you may be asked to show this at the start of the tour.

We are a UK registered company and an ABTA Member (Y4447) and you can be confident when booking with us that your money is safe and protected. Financial failure insurance is provided through Affirma to protect all customers for the land portion of their tour.
Please see our website or booking conditions for more information.

It is impossible not to have an impact on the local environment, cultures and eco-systems when you travel. However, it is very possible to try and ensure that these impacts are as limited, or positive as possible. We are committed to ensuring that we try to leave our host countries in a better state than we found them and encourage and assist our travellers to help us with this.
The following are a few simple tips that require very little effort on your part but which will help ensure that any effect you have on the locations you visit is positive rather than negative.

  • Don’t prejudge: Things in different countries will almost certainly be different. That doesn’t make them worse or inferior, just different.
  • Communicate: Don’t expect locals to speak your language. Take the trouble to learn a few words or phrases of the local language. Don’t worry about sounding silly. Most locals are patient and accommodating and appreciate you making the effort to communicate in their language.
  • Conserve energy: Be careful not to waste valuable resources. Use local resources sparingly. Switch off lights, air-conditioning and fans when you leave the hotel room and don’t waste water. Remove superfluous packaging. Many countries have far less efficient waste disposal systems than ours. Remove packaging from newly acquired items before leaving home.
  • Don’t litter: No matter how untidy or dirty the country you’re travelling in may look to you, avoid littering, as there is no need to add to the environment's stress. Many of the countries we visit have a tough challenge dealing with rubbish and waste. Please consider taking home as much plastic waste as you can (e.g. water bottles).
  • Choose environmentally friendly products: By using environmentally friendly (bio degradable) sun creams, shampoos and detergents you can help reduce pollution.
  • Respect local customs and traditions: As you are a guest in these countries, you should also comply with the local customs. If you are friendly and well mannered, the locals will reciprocate and it will only enhance your experience. It’s important to follow dress and behaviour guidelines especially when visiting religious or sacred sites (your tour leader will advise you how best to do this).
  • If a client commits an illegal act the client may be excluded from the tour and Egypt Uncovered shall cease to have responsibility to/for them. No refund will be given for any unused services.

All porters are employed and equipped following guidelines set by the International Porter Protection Group (IPPG).

You can stay in touch with us online by following us on Facebook and Twitter. We post updates on relevant travel news in our destination countries, special offers and discounts and other interesting travel related news and information.
www.facebook.com/EgyptUncovered
www.twitter.com/encounterstravl (yes, without the 'e')

It is important when considering and preparing to travel anywhere in the world that you have a good understanding of the country you are visiting, its laws and customs, and the possible risks and situations that may occur. This includes specific risks related to your itinerary (eg. does it involve water & can you swim, are you fit enough for the activities included), as well as more general risks such as terrorism and natural disasters.

General details and links to more information about health risks, visa requirements, money, and travel insurance are given in these tour notes. We recommend that you re-read all these before your departure as well as the small print of your travel insurance policy so you know exactly what is covered and what is not.

You should take copies of your important travel documents with you and ideally also store them online securely as a backup. Make sure that you have given us your emergency contact details and told that person where and when you are travelling. Ensure you take enough money with you and that you have access to emergency funds.

Finally, you should read through and stay updated with the current official government travel advice for your destination. We are registered partners with the UK Foreign Office's 'Travel Aware' campaign which provides further useful and invaluable information.

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