Highlights of Egypt
10 Days / 9 Nights Itinerary
Egypt: Pyramids, Temples & the Nile
Egypt is a country that sparks the imagination with thoughts of the ancient pyramids and the majestic Nile. On this 10-day adventure, visit all the main archeological sites, while also stopping at smaller lesser know temples along the Nile. Experience the sounds of the river and countryside on a traditional dahabiya sailboat — your home for five unforgettable nights. Connect with a local family over a meal in Aswan and visit the renowned Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Do more than just see Egypt; take part in it and let it stay with you until the end of time.
Tour Includes:
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Funtasia Project Visit, Luxor
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Nubian Village Visit, Aswān
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Egyptian Lunch & Historic Walk or Downtown Cairo Food & Walking Tour, Cairo
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Complimentary arrival transfer & departure transfer
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Welcome & Farewell dinners
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Guided visits: Sakkara & Step Pyramid of Zoser, Pyramids of Giza & Sphinx, Dandara, Karnak & Luxor temples, Valley of the Kings & Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, El Kab tombs, Edfu & Kom Ombo temples, Philae Temple, Grand Egyptian Museum
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Fly-in/fly-out Abu Simbel tour
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5-night traditional dahabiya sailing excursion
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All internal flights & transport between destinations and included activities
Meals Included
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9 breakfasts, 7 lunches, 7 dinners
Group Leader
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Certified Egyptologist Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout
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Dedicated CEO to handle logistics, provide local insights, and enhance your experience
Transport
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Private vehicle, dahabiya boat, plane, walking
Solo Travelers
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No single supplement for most group trips
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Shared twin/multi-share accommodation with same-sex travelers (some single rooms available)
Accommodation
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Hotels (4 nights), traditional dahabiya Nile sailing boat (5 nights)
Group Size
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Max 16, average 12
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrival in Cairo
Arrive in Cairo at any time, where you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel to begin your adventure.
In the evening, attend a welcome meeting with your Chief Experience Officer (CEO) and fellow travellers. This is your opportunity to learn more about the journey ahead and review important trip details. Afterward, head to a local restaurant perched overlooking the Pyramids.
Meals Included: Dinner
Transport: Arrival Transfer transport – Cairo International Airport to Cairo
Accommodation: Cairo Pyramids Steigenberger Hotel (or similar)
Activity: Meet Your CEO and Group (1h) – welcome meeting and group dinner overlooking the pyramids
Day 2 – Giza: The Great Pyramids and the Sphinx
Begin your day in Giza with a visit to the legendary Great Pyramid site. Explore the Great Pyramid of King Khufu, dating back to around 2600 BC, and take in the iconic Sphinx of Giza, known as the guardian of the Giza Plateau.
Later, travel by private vehicle through desert and farmland landscapes to Saqqara, the vast necropolis of Ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom. Here, discover the Step Pyramid of King Zoser—the first pyramid ever constructed, dating back to approximately 2750 BC—and explore one of Egypt’s most significant archaeological sites.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Transport: Private vehicle (approx. 3 hours total)
Activities:
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Great Pyramid of King Khufu & Sphinx visit (approx. 2h 30m)
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Saqqara archaeological site visit (approx. 2h)
Accommodation: Cairo Pyramids Steigenberger Hotel (or similar)
Day 3 – Luxor: The Great Temples of Egypt
Depart Cairo on an early morning flight to Luxor. Upon arrival, travel north to visit the remarkable Dandara Temple, one of Egypt’s best-preserved temple complexes. Dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love and motherhood, the site also features tombs from the Old Kingdom and intricate ceiling carvings, including what is believed to be one of the earliest depictions of a calendar.
After your visit, check in to your dahabiya—your private Nile River sailing vessel and home for the next five nights.
Later, return to Luxor to explore the East Bank’s most iconic temples. Discover the vast Temple of Karnak, one of the largest religious complexes in the world, and continue to Luxor Temple, where towering columns and detailed hieroglyphs stand along the banks of the Nile.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Transport: Flight from Cairo to Luxor (approx. 1 hour)
Activities:
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Dandara Temple visit (approx. 2 hours)
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Karnak & Luxor Temples guided tour (approx. 2h 30m)
Accommodation: Dahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise (or similar)
Day 4 – Luxor: The West Bank & Valley of the Kings
Start early to beat the heat with a visit to a local G for Good community project on Luxor’s West Bank. After breakfast, meet your student guide and cycle through the village to the Funtasia Project Center. Here, learn about the Planeterra-supported initiative over tea and gain insight into how the organization empowers local youth through education in art, communication, and life skills.
Enjoy a home-hosted lunch before continuing your exploration of Luxor’s West Bank.
In the afternoon, visit the legendary Valley of the Kings, where you’ll descend into ancient tombs adorned with vivid wall paintings depicting the lives of pharaohs and stories from the Book of the Dead. Continue to the striking Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, dramatically set against limestone cliffs, and stop at the towering Colossi of Memnon.
Return to your dahabiya later in the day and begin sailing north along the Nile toward Esna.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activities:
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Funtasia Project visit & village cycling experience (approx. 1–1.5 hours)
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Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple & Colossi of Memnon visit (approx. 3–5 hours)
Accommodation: Dahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise (or similar)
Please note: There is an additional fee of 300 EGP for photography inside the Valley of the Kings.
Day 5 – Esna to Ramadi: Sailing the Nile
Spend the day sailing along the Nile from Esna, taking in the ever-changing riverside scenery.
Stop at the cliffside tomb complex of El Kab, an მნიშვნელოვანი Middle Kingdom site known for its tombs and ancient city ruins. Explore the burial places of high officials and governors, where detailed wall scenes offer a glimpse into daily life in ancient Egypt.
Continue sailing onward to Edfu to visit one of Egypt’s best-preserved temples. Located within a lively village, the Temple of Edfu is dedicated to Horus and dates back to the Greco-Roman period, with construction spanning nearly 200 years.
Later, sail further along the Nile before stopping for the night on a remote island. Enjoy a traditional Egyptian-style barbecue under the stars.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activities:
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El Kab tomb complex visit (approx. 1 hour)
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Edfu Temple visit (approx. 1–2 hours)
Accommodation: Dahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise (or similar)
Day 6 – Ramadi to Herdyab Island: People along the Nile
Continue your رحلة along the Nile with visits to unique sites only accessible by dahabiya.
Begin with a stop at Besaw Island, a tranquil riverside village where life has remained largely unchanged for generations. Wander through this peaceful community surrounded by natural beauty and gain a glimpse into traditional Egyptian life.
Sail onward to Gebel el-Silsila, the ancient sandstone quarry that supplied materials for many of Egypt’s great temples. Explore the area’s historic shrines, some dating back as early as 2050 BC.
Later, visit the striking Kom Ombo Temple, set directly along the Nile’s edge. This unique double temple is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and features fascinating remnants of mummified crocodiles once worshipped here.
End the day docked along the shores of Herdyab Island, where you can take in a memorable sunset over the Nile Valley.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activities:
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Besaw Island village visit (approx. 1 hour)
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Gebel el-Silsila quarry and shrine visit (approx. 1 hour)
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Kom Ombo Temple visit (approx. 1.5–2 hours)
Accommodation: Dahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise (or similar)
Day 7 – Herdyab Island to Aswan: Sailing to Philea
Sail onward to Aswan, enjoying a relaxing morning on the Nile.
After lunch, take a small local ferry across the river to Agilkia Island to visit the beautiful Temple of Philae. This Greco-Roman temple complex, dedicated to the goddess Isis, was carefully relocated from its original site due to the flooding caused by Lake Nasser. The name “Philae,” meaning “the end,” reflects its historic position as Egypt’s southernmost boundary.
Continue your afternoon with a visit to a nearby Nubian village. Meet members of the local community and learn about Nubian culture, traditions, and their unique spoken language. Enjoy mint tea with a local family while gaining insight into their daily life and heritage.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activities:
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Philae Temple visit (approx. 2 hours)
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Nubian village visit (approx. 1 hour)
Accommodation: Dahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise (or similar)
Day 8 – Aswan to Cairo: Visit Abu Simbel
Transfer to the airport in the early morning for your short flight to Abu Simbel.
Visit the temple complex, one of Egypt’s grandest sites. Built during the rule of Ramses II, Abu Simbel is both a historic monument and a modern marvel. Once threatened by the rising waters of the Nile, the site was relocated with the support of UNESCO. The towering figures of Ramses himself, along with Ra-Horakhty, Amun, and Ptah, stand at the entrance.
After the visit, fly back to Aswan and connect to your flight to Cairo. Upon arrival, make your way to the hotel and enjoy a free evening.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Transport:
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Flight: Aswan – Abu Simbel (approx. 1 hour)
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Flight: Abu Simbel – Aswan International Airport (approx. 30 minutes)
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Flight: Aswan International Airport – Cairo (approx. 1 hour 30 minutes)
Activities:
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Temple of Abu Simbel visit (approx. 1 hour 30 minutes)
Accommodation: Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir Cairo (or similar)
Day 9 – Cairo: Your OMG day
Transfer to The Grand Egyptian Museum for a morning tour then have a choice between two activity options to discover Cairo. Later, return to the hotel for a farewell dinner together along the Nile, with Cairo as our background.
Activities:
The Grand Egyptian Museum Guided Tour activity – Cairo, 2h30m
Egyptian Lunch & Historic Walk or Downtown Cairo Food & Walking Tour activity – Cairo, 4h-6h
Option 1: Sit down for an authentic lunch featuring Koshari. Afterwards, visit the Citadel and Mohamed Ali Mosque where Egypt's past comes to life. Admire stunning views of Cairo before wandering through the bustling Khan El Khalili Bazar and Muiz Islamic Street. Enjoy a treasure trove of colors and scents, and lose yourself in the maze-like alleys.
Option 2: Take on downtown Cairo beginning in the iconic Tahir Square. Explore the labyrinthine streets on a guided foodie tour. Sample an array of local treats and expose yourself to unique flavours, including Shawarma, Falafel, and sweet Basbousa. Then, explore the famous Khan Khalili bazaar in the heart of Egypt's bustling capital.
Accommodation: Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir Cairo (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 10- Cairo: Departure
Depart at any time, your departure transfer is included.
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport at the end of your adventure.
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with any onward travel arrangements you require.
Transportation: Cairo – Cairo International Airport
Meals: Breakfast