hy Welcome to the land of the pharaohs! On this comprehensive private tour of Egypt from Cairo, we'll spend 8 days visiting Luxor, Aswan, Edfu, Abu Simbel and other must-see places. It also includes a cruise on the Nile River!
Tour Details
Day 1: Cairo
Welcome to Egypt! We'll pick you up at Cairo Airport or Sphinx Airport, whichever you prefer. After providing you with your visa and helping you with immigration formalities, we'll take you to a hotel in the Egyptian capital. You'll have free time until late afternoon, when we'll pick you up from your accommodation and take you to a local restaurant, where you'll enjoy a delicious dinner. After delighting in different local dishes, we'll return to the accommodation to rest.
Please keep in mind that if your flight arrives at Cairo Airport after 9 pm, we'll provide you with a cold picnic at the hotel instead of dinner.
Day 2: Cairo - Giza - Memphis - Cairo
After having breakfast at the hotel in Cairo, we'll begin a short 30-minute drive to one of the most spectacular sites in Ancient Egypt, where we'll take a guided tour of the Sphinx and one of the pyramids of Giza. We'll enter the pyramid of Cheops, Khafre or Menkaure, depending on which one is open that day. Entrance to one of these pyramids is not included and will cost 1500EGP per person.
At the end of the guided tour of one of these pyramids, we'll enjoy a traditional Egyptian meal at one of the restaurants in the area. Once we have regained our strength, we'll travel about 40 minutes to Memphis. Upon arrival at this enclave, the first capital of Egypt, we'll see the remains of the Saqqara necropolis and the famous statue of Pharaoh Ramses II.
In the afternoon, we'll leave Memphis behind and head to the old part of Cairo. There, we'll explore its medieval quarter, discover its oldest street and visit the Khan el Kalili market. Finally, we'll stop in front of the iconic Café des Miroirs and from there we'll go to a traditional establishment to enjoy a typical Egyptian dinner.
After dinner, we'll return to your hotel in Cairo.
Day 3: Cairo
The third day of this private tour of Egypt will begin with a hearty breakfast at the hotel. Then, we'll pick you up for a tour of central Cairo. We'll visit some of the most iconic sites in the Egyptian capital, such as the Citadel of Saladin, the Muhammad Ali Mosque, the Khan el-Khalili market and the Coptic quarter. After this first part of the tour, we'll stop at a local restaurant for a typical lunch.
After lunch, we'll visit the masterpieces of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, with the exception of the mummy room. Finally, we'll enjoy dinner at a local restaurant and take you back to your hotel to rest.
Day 4: Cairo - Luxor
After eating breakfast at the hotel, we'll make our way to Cairo Airport to catch a flight to Luxor. After an hour-long flight, we'll make it to the ancient city of Thebes, capital of Ancient Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms.
As soon as we land, we'll spend the morning on a guided tour of Luxor Temple, where we'll see its famous avenue of sphinxes and its forests of columns. At the end of the tour of this majestic sanctuary, which was dedicated to Amun-Ra, we'll take a short tour of Luxor by horse-drawn carriage.
The horse-drawn carriage will drop you off at a boat on the banks of the Nile River. You'll have the rest of the day free on this cruise, which will remain moored for the rest of the day so that you can have lunch, rest and dine on board.
Day 5: Luxor - Edfu
Having eaten a hearty breakfast on the boat, we'll pick you up at the river pier and head to another of Luxor's great wonders. This time, we'll visit Karnak Temple. Welcome to the great sanctuary of Amun, a World Heritage Site! We'll learn about the importance of this sacred space for ancient Thebes, and then return to the banks of the Nile.
We'll board a small boat that will take us across the river in just 15 minutes. On the other side, we'll take a guided tour of the Valley of the Kings, where we'll learn about the funeral rituals of Ancient Egypt and discover where the main pharaohs are buried. Please note that if you wish to visit Tutankhamun's tomb, you'll have to pay around 900EGP per person.
To finish the tour on this side of the Nile, we'll visit the Mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut and see the imposing Colossi of Memnon, two gigantic stone statues representing Pharaoh Amenhotep III.
We'll finish this intense morning by returning to the boat docked in Luxor, where a delicious lunch awaits us. In the afternoon, the cruise will begin sailing down the Nile River towards Edfu.
During this overnight journey, you'll be able to watch the sunset over the Esna lock from the boat. Dinner and accommodation on this 5th day of the private tour of Egypt will be on board the cruise ship.
Day 6: Edfu - Kom Ombo - Aswan
After having breakfast on board with views of the Nile, we'll disembark for a guided tour of the Temple of Edfu. Did you know that this sanctuary is one of the best preserved in Ancient Egypt? It's dedicated to the god Horus, and its interior hides many secrets.
We'll reveal its main mysteries and then return to the cruise ship to continue sailing south on the River Nile. After a journey of approximately 1.5 hours, we'll arrive at Kom Ombo. Once there, we'll disembark to visit its unique double temple built in the Ptolemaic period, dedicated to the gods Sobek and Hareoris.
At the end of the tour of the Kom Ombo temple, we'll return to the boat for lunch and continue sailing south. You'll have the rest of the afternoon free on the cruise ship, where we'll have dinner and spend the night as we sail down Egypt's sacred river towards Aswan, where we'll arrive early in the morning.
Important: transfers in Edfu will be by horse-drawn carriage. If you wish to use other means of transport such as a car or bus, you must notify the guide one day in advance.
Day 7: Aswan - Abu Simbel - Aswan
On this penultimate day of our private tour of Egypt, we'll have an early breakfast on the cruise ship, which will be docked at the river port of Aswan. From there, we'll embark on a 3-hour road trip to the temples of Abu Simbel. Once we arrive at this impressive complex, we'll visit these temples carved into the rock during the reign of Pharaoh Ramses II. Did you know that these buildings were moved to an artificial hill in 1968 to prevent them from being destroyed by the construction of the Aswan Dam?
After visiting Abu Simbel, we'll sail across the reservoir towards the temple on the island of Philae, where we'll visit this sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Isis. After learning about its history, we'll cross by boat to the other side of the Nile and from there we'll return by road to the cruise ship docked at the Aswan pier. We'll arrive there around noon, just in time for lunch on board.
Having enjoyed lunch, we'll leave the cruise ship and board a felucca, the traditional Egyptian boat, for an approximately 1-hour trip around Aswan as we peacefully sail down the Nile.
The return to the cruise ship is scheduled for around 4 pm. The rest of the afternoon will be free on board, where we'll have dinner and spend the night while the ship remains moored in the port of Aswan.
Day 8: Aswan - Cairo
You can have breakfast on the boat before we pick you up and take you to Aswan Airport, where you'll take a 1.5-hour flight to Cairo.
We'll adjust the pickup time at the boat in Aswan according to your international flight. If you're leaving Cairo very early, we'll fly from Aswan earlier and offer you a packed breakfast. If your flight from the Egyptian capital leaves in the afternoon, you won't have to get up so early and we'll offer you a continental breakfast on the boat before taking you to Aswan Airport for your flight to Cairo.
Important Info
The order of the itinerary shown is generic and for guidance purposes only. It may be altered without affecting the visits or their content. Depending on your arrival day, you'll either visit Cairo first and then take the cruise, or vice versa.
What Do I Need For The Trip?
All you need to do this private tour of Egypt is a return flight to Cairo, arriving on the day you have booked and returning on the same day the following week; that is, if you arrive on a Monday, you'll return the following Monday.
All-Inclusive
The price includes everything: visa, domestic flights, air-conditioned transport, hotels, boats, lunches, dinners, breakfasts, guides, trips, visits and entrance fees, except for the ticket to the Great Pyramid of Cheops and Tutankhamun's tomb.
Also not included: transfers in Edfu (in vehicles other than horse-drawn carriages), which will cost 15EUR per person; permission to take photos in the Valley of the Kings: 300EGP per person; and Wi-Fi on the cruise ship (depending on usage).
It's almost impossible to compare our price with that of other agencies, as no one includes everything, and the final price can end up doubling.
Hotels & Cruise Ships
We offer the tour in 2 categories:
Standard category (4 stars):
- Hotel in Cairo: Pyramids Park Resort Cairo, Stay Inn Pyramids Hotel, or similar.
- Cruise ship: MS Pioneer II, MS Mirage, MS Nile Delta, Miss Egypt, Beaurivage II, Grand Princess, Voyager, MS Jasmin, MS Grand Princess, King of Thebes, Queen of Sheba, MS Luna, MS Malaga, or similar.
Luxury category (5 stars):
- Hotel in Cairo: Renaissance Mirage City, Crowne Plaza Cairo West, Cairo Marriott, Omar Khayyam Casino, Hyatt Regency Cairo West, Ramses Hilton, Kempinski Royal Maxim, Jaz Pyramids, or similar.
- Cruise ship: MS Zeina, Royal Princess, Crown Jewel, MS TiYi, MS Liberty, MS Renaissance, MS Jaz C. Jubilee, MS Nile Marquis, Casa Sol, Royal Ruby, Radamis I, Royal Viking, or similar.
Please note that in Aswan, where boarding takes place on Wednesdays and Fridays, there is the option of spending a night at a hotel in the city. The following morning, you would be taken back to the cruise ship.
Note on Pricing
- The price indicated is per person in double rooms.
- Reservations for 3 people will be assigned a double room with an extra bed. If the third person wishes to have a separate single room, they must pay an individual supplement.
- There are no quadruple rooms, but if your group has 4 people, you can request 2 adjoining or connecting double rooms, subject to availability at the hotel and on the cruise ship.
- Children under 2 can participate in this activity free of charge.
More Days in Egypt
If you want to make the most of your trip, you can extend the number of days and visit the Red Sea or take a cruise on Lake Nasser. We offer 3 options, which run regularly, with other travellers:
Special Dates
From December 20 to January 2 (Christmas) and during Easter Week, no refunds will be given for this activity in the event of cancellation. Furthermore, during these special dates and other peak season periods, the order of the itinerary may vary.
Why Book a Private Tour?
By booking a private tour, you'll have an English-speaking guide exclusively for you. This means you'll enjoy a very special tour, in a unique group with your partner, family or friends. The best way to discover fascinating Egypt!
