Description
Embark on a delightful 9-day tour package in Egypt to explore the magnificent cities of Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan while travelling by land between these Egyptian cities. Marvel at the beauty of the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, and discover the secrets of the Valley of the Kings.
Immerse yourself in the grandeur of the Karnak Temple and revel in the allure of the Aswan and Abu Simbel temples. This is an adventure you won’t want to miss.
Day 1 – Arrival Day
Once you arrive at Cairo airport, a local representative will meet you to assist with immigration and passport control and collect your baggage. From there, you will be transferred to your hotel, where an Egyptologist tour guide will be waiting to accompany you for the duration of your tour. You can enjoy a comfortable overnight stay in Cairo.
Day 2 – Giza Pyramids
Our tour guide will collect you from your Cairo hotel for an incredible excursion to The Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mykerinus. Afterwards, we will visit the Great Sphinx, which dates back to the time of Chephren, and see the Valley Temple.
Following this, we will explore the Egyptian Museum, which houses a vast collection of over 250,000 genuine artefacts dating back 5000 years. The museum features an exclusive exhibit dedicated to Tutankhamun – a stunning collection of treasures, gold, and jewellery buried in his tomb for over 3,500 years before their discovery in 1920 during his excavation.
Please note that the entrance fee to the Mummies room is not included. You will be spending the night in the hotel.
Day 3 – Old Cairo
Experience the best of Cairo with an 8-hour excursion that will take you to the major monuments of Old Cairo and the historic Khan El Khalili Bazaar. You will be picked up from your hotel in Cairo and accompanied by an Egyptologist tour guide.
Your first stop will be the Saladin Citadel, a preserved historic site constructed by Salah al-Din in 1183 AD to defend against Crusader armies. The Moqattam hills, where the citadel stands, offer fresh air and sweeping views of Cairo.
Here, you can visit mosques and museums, including the Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha, and admire the beautiful alabaster structure of the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, designed by the Turkish architect Yousif Boushnaq.
After you visit the Citadel, you will enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant in Old Cairo. Then, you will continue your tour and visit significant attractions such as the Hanging Church, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Church of St. Barbara, and the Church of Abu Serga, one of the oldest Coptic churches in Cairo.
You will end your tour with a visit to the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, one of the oldest bazaars in the Middle East. Here, you can explore the maze of alleys at the centre of Cairo’s trading activities since the 14th century. Finally, you will be driven to the train station, where you will travel by the sleeping train to Luxor.
Day 4 – East Bank-Luxor
We will come to pick you up from Luxor train station for a delightful breakfast on the train. Then, we will visit the East Bank of Luxor to explore the marvellous Karnak temple. This temple complex is not just a single temple but a stunning collection of sanctuaries, pylons, obelisks, and kiosks, all devoted to worshipping the Theban gods and Egypt’s pharaohs.
The Karnak temple was the most significant place to worship the Theban Triad, comprising Amun, Mut, and Khonso.
Afterwards, we will visit the Luxor Temple, primarily erected by the New Kingdom Pharaoh Amenhotep III and then completed by King Tutankhamun and the Great King Ramses II. The first pylon of the temple was built by Ramses II and adorned with his military victory at the Battle of Kadesh.
Finally, we will spend the night in Luxor, where you can rest and prepare for the next day’s adventures.
Day 5 – West Bank of Luxor
The Valley of the Kings, previously known as the Great Place of the Truth, is a magnificent domain of the Pharaohs. It is where they once laid in great stone Sarcophagi, awaiting immortality. The valley is isolated and located behind Deir el Bahri, dominated by the Pyramid-Shaped Mountain Peak.
The Colossi of Memnon are massive statues rising about 18 M from the plain. They are the remains of what once was the largest complex on the west bank, built by Amenhotep the Third.
The Queen Hatshepsut temple rises out of the desert plain in terraces. The temple merges with sheer limestone cliffs of the eastern face of Theban Mountain. It appears as if nature herself had built this extraordinary monument.
For lunch, a conventional food restaurant is serving overnight in Luxor.
Day 6 – Aswan
Before we pick you up for the tour of Aswan’s tourist attractions, it’s recommended that you have breakfast at the hotel. Your private tour guide will accompany you in exploring the temple of Philae, built in classical Egyptian style in honour of the goddess Isis. This temple is one of the last outposts where the goddess was worshipped.
Next, you’ll tour Elephantine on a Felucca boat ride. You’ll also visit the High Dam, a rock-filled dam located at the northern border between Egypt and Sudan. It was built between 1960 and 1968 and forms Lake Nasser. The dam provides irrigation and electricity for Egypt.
Another attraction is the Unfinished Obelisk, a large piece of granite from Aswan to make statues and embellish temples, pyramids, and obelisks. It’s fascinating to see how the ancient Egyptians worked on these monuments, although the construction process isn’t entirely clear. The obelisk is nearly 42 meters long, and it would have been the single heaviest piece of stone the Egyptians ever fashioned if it was completed.
After the tour, lunch will be served at Nile View restaurant, and then you’ll be transferred to a 5-star hotel to check-in. Spend the night in Aswan.
Day 7 – Abu Simbel
Your private tour guide will accompany you early in the morning to continue your Upper Egypt exploration with a visit to the Abu Simbel temples. These two temples, dedicated to Ramses the Second, Queen Nefertari, and various gods, were carved into the mountain on the west bank of the Nile between 1274 and 1244 BC.
The Great Temple boasts four colossal statues, while the second temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari and Goddess Hathor. These incredible structures were dismantled and rebuilt on higher ground, and their preservation is considered one of UNESCO’s most outstanding achievements. After a delicious lunch in Aswan, you’ll be taken to the train station to board the sleeping train to Cairo. Enjoy a peaceful overnight journey.
Day 8 – Optional Tour to Alexandria
The name of the red granite column in Alexandria is believed to be related to the burial site of a Roman general who fled to Egypt and was assassinated after losing a crucial battle against Caesar in Greece. Standing at 25 meters tall, the column was most likely erected in honour of Emperor Diocletian. It is the tallest ancient monument in Alexandria.
In the 15th century, the Mamlouk Sultan Qeitbay built the Citadel to protect the city from the Crusaders. The Islamic monument was constructed using the remains of the old Lighthouse, built by Ptolemy II in the 3rd century BC. Unfortunately, the Lighthouse was damaged during an earthquake in Egypt in 1303 AD, during the reign of the Mamlouk King Qeitbay.
One can enjoy an Egyptian restaurant at the Fish Market for lunch in Alexandria.
The new Library of Alexandria was established in October 2002, aiming to reclaim the glory of its ancient predecessor. It is a stunning building that functions as a vast complex where history, philosophy, science, and the arts come together. The library is also a hub for open discussion, dialogue, and understanding among its visitors.
The journey from Alexandria to Cairo ends with an arrival time of 19:00. An overnight stay in Cairo is recommended.
Day 9: Departure
Following breakfast at the hotel, our representative will kindly escort you to the airport and offer their assistance throughout the final departure formalities.
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