Egypt: Pyramids, Temples & the Nile
10 days, Cairo to Cairo
Itinerary
Day 1Cairo: Welcome to Egypt
Famous for pyramids, temples and pharaohs, Egypt is so much more than its monuments and rich history, the deep-rooted culture makes it a very special place to explore. From chaotic Cairo to charming Nile riverbank villages, the people are warm and they sincerely open their hearts to visitors. We welcome you to Egypt, and invite you to be charmed by Egypt's 6000-plus years of living traditions.
Arrive to Cairo at any time and transfer to the hotel. Meet your fellow group members at the welcome meeting in the evening and get all the important information about the adventure ahead. Afterwards, head to a local restaurant perched overlooking the Pyramids.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Join the group for a dinner afterwards overlooking the pyramids. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Arrival Transfer
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
Cairo Pyramids Steigenberger Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:
DinnerDay 2Giza: The Great Pyramids and the Sphinx
Imagine you are back in time joining the first scientist in documenting the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Set eyes on these impressive structures and try to picture them half-submerged in sand ready to be discovered. While none of this was new to the locals, foreigners were seeing them for the first time, just like you now are.
Start the day in Giza, exploring the Great Pyramid site and the Sphinx. Later head to Sakkara, a vast complex of Pyramids and Tombs from the Old Kingdom.
Great Pyramid of King Khufu
Visit the great pyramid of King Khufu, which dates back to around 2600 BC. Cap off your time there with a visit to the great Sphinx of Giza, fondly known as the guardian of the Giza Plateau.
Sakkara Visit
Travel through desert and farm lands to visit Sakkara, the necropolis of the old kingdom of Ancient Egypt. The main attraction here is the Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the very first constructed in human history. It dates back to 2750 BC! Delve into the history of one of Egypt’s most important archeological sites.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Cairo Pyramids Steigenberger Hotel (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 3Luxor: The Great Temples of Egypt
What was once a multi-week journey up the Nile now only takes a few hours to travel from Cairo to Luxor. However the amazement you feel is profound when your eyes first see the great temples of Egypt. You immediately understand why for centuries people have been coming here to explore and observe these incredible monuments.
Leave Cairo on an early morning flight to Luxor, then drive north to the temple complex of Dandara. Check in to our very own Nile River vessel called a dahabiya, our home for the next 5 nights, before heading out to explore the temples of Karnak and Luxor, both within the city.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Dandara Temple Visit
After arriving in Luxor visit Dandara Temple. Dedicated to Hathour, the Goddess of love and motherhood, the temple has tombs around the site that belong to the old kingdom. There's also some well known details on the ceiling that show the first calendar in the Ancient World. Dandara is often said to be the best preserved temple in Egypt. It sees fewer visitors than other sites in the area and yet is one of the most expansive.
Tour of the East Bank - Karnak and Luxor Temples
Step into the second largest religious building in the world - the Temple of Karnak - and enjoy a guided tour through its many hieroglyph inscribed chapels and pylons. Next, explore the towering walls and pillars of the Luxor Temple, and take in the beautiful view of the Nile River.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerYour OMG StayDahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise
Day 4Luxor: The West Bank & Valley of the Kings
Step back in time as you set off on an early morning journey to explore the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the temples of the West Bank. Rumours of ancient curses abound here and yet the real true curse is that you can never have enough time to explore each tomb. Rejoin our dahabiya, and set sail like the early explorers, continuing up the Nile.
An early start takes us to a local community G for Good project before the heat of the day sets in. Enjoy a home-hosted lunch, then head out to explore the Valley of the Kings. This afternoon, return to our dahabiya and depart up the Nile to Esna.
Your G for Good Moment: Funtasia Project Visit
After breakfast the group will drive to the West Bank to meet your student-guide. Together you will bike through the village and visit the Funtasia Project Center where the group will learn about the Planeterra project at this location over tea with our guide.
Funtasia is a local nonprofit that works with young people in the West Bank of Luxor to develop life skills and social consciousness. They work with youth in an after school programs that teaches art, communication, and social skills.
Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon Visit
Pass through farmers fields on your way to the Valley of the Kings. Descend the narrow, rock-hewn corridors and take in the magnificent decoration and designs of the tombs of the pharaohs. While the treasure has now all gone, the tombs contain the incredible paintings of the life of their incumbent and stories from the Book of the Dead. Continue on to visit to the impressive Funerary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, which seems to rise out of the surrounding limestone outcrops - a reminder of the power women held in the Ancient Kingdom. End the day with a stop at the two mammoth statues of Amenophis II at the Colossi of Memnon. Please note, there is an additional 300 EGP fee to take photos in the Valley Of Kings.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerYour OMG StayDahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise
Day 5Esna to Ramadi: Sailing the Nile
Our sails are up and your first full day of sailing on the Nile is ahead. Get ready to discover incredible sites and enjoy experience only possible on a dahabiya.
Sail from Esna to the cliff side tomb complex of El Kab, then continue sailing to the Temple of Edfu. Sail a bit further and we stop for the night and enjoy an Egyptian style barbecue on a remote Island in the middle of the Nile.
El Kab Visit
Sail to El Kab, a famous site from the Middle Kingdom featuring lots of tombs and ruins around the city. Visit the tombs of the high official and the governors to see detailed daily life scenes decorating their resting places.
Edfu Temple Visit
Enjoy a visit to the Edfu Temple, which is located in the middle of a bustling village. It is the most completely preserved temple in Egypt. The temple was dedicated to Horus and was constructed during the Greeko-Roman time taking around 200 years of construction to complete.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerYour OMG StayDahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise
Day 6Ramadi to Herdyab Island: People along the Nile
Our journey south continues. Today the Nile meanders along farmlands and small islands that have forever been bathed by rich nutrients, creating fertile land in a narrow green ribbon along the river's banks, surrounded by desert on both sides. Even if living here can be challenging, the people are always welcoming and smile at you when you meet.
Explore two places only possible by dahabiya. Stop at Besaw Island, a village in the Nile that has changed very little over time. Then sail up river to Gebal El Silseila and to Kom Ombo. Our day ends as we dock along the shore of Herdyab Island as the sun sets over the Nile valley.
Bisaw Village Visit
Sail to Bisaw Village, a place modern life has not touched, resulting in a beautiful village surrounded by nature on the Nile.
Kom Ombo Temple Visit
Enjoy a visit to this temple located in a scenic spot, right on the banks of the Nile. It was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, and you can still see the remains of an ancient mummified crocodile that was worshipped here thousands of years ago.
Gebal Silsila Visit
Sail for a visit to Gebal El Silseila, the quarry of sand stone that was used for the construction of many of Egypt's ancient temples. There are remains of some shrines dating back as early as 2050 BC.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerYour OMG StayDahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise
Day 7Herdyab Island to Aswan: Sailing to Philea
The last day sailing the Nile begins as you set sail for Aswan, the furthest South you can go by boat since the dam that formed Lake Nassar was built. As you approach Aswan the river gets busier and the city comes in view. Dotted with small islands, Aswan is our last stop on the Nile.
Sail to Aswan. After lunch, take a small local ferry to the other side of the river to explore Philea Temple then head over to a Nubian village and learn about Nubian culture.
Your Local Living Moment: Nubian Village Visit
Visit a Nubian Village where you will learn about Nubian people, their culture, and their own distinct language. A language that actually can not be learned as it does not have an alphabet. Visit a local family for mint tea and a chat about their lives and history.
Philae Temple Visit
Sail across the Nile to the beautiful island of Agilkia and explore the Greco Roman history of the Temple of Philae, built as a dedication to the Goddess Isis. This temple complex was moved from its original location on the Island of Philae after the flooding of Lake Nasser, the word "philae" meaning "the end" in reference to this island's placement on what was once the southernmost border of Egypt.
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerYour OMG StayDahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise
Day 8Aswan to Cairo: Visit Abu Simbel
In 1964, the world united around the mission to save the Abu Simbel temple from being submerged forever in the rising waters of Lake Nassar. A global effort was put in place to dismantle and rebuild the temple at a site above the high water mark. That feat of humanity meant that these temples were saved for all of us to enjoy.
Transfer to the airport in the early morning for our short flight to Abu Simbel. Visit the temple complex and fly back to Aswan to connect to your flight to Cairo. Make your way to the hotel and enjoy a free evening.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Temple of Abu Simbel Visit
Part historic monument and part modern marvel, Abu Simbel is one of Egypt’s grandest temples. Built during the rule of Ramses the II this structure was almost swallowed by the Nile, but now stands safe and sound thanks to some crafty archaeologists and UNESCO. Travel through Egypt’s rugged landscapes and the towering figures of Ramses himself, Ra-Horakhty, Amun, and Ptah will all be waiting to welcome you.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Plane
Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's... yup, it is a plane, actually.
Accommodation
Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir Cairo (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 9Cairo: Your OMG day
There is nothing better than ending on a high note and today you will do just that. After having seen the temples, the pyramid and the tombs, today you get to see the great treasures of Egypt housed in the Egyptian Museum. Then discover Cairo on your own terms, with two activity options to choose from for the rest of the day, one focused on the culture and history of Egypt and the other on food.
Transfer to the 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.
Egyptian Museum
With over 10,000 pieces from every period of Egyptian history, including the treasures from the tomb of Tutankhamun, this massive museum is a fantastic place to learn about the country. Embark on a captivating journey through Cairo's history and modernity where millennia of Egyptian heritage can be seen on display, from priceless artifacts to mesmerizing mummies. There is plenty of free time for you to explore on your own.
Your OMG Day: Egyptian Lunch & Historic Walk or Downtown Cairo Food & Walking Tour
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 included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 10Cairo: Departure
Your adventure comes to an end, and you can depart at any time today. You may be leaving Egypt behind, but the experiences you have will last forever.
Depart at any time, your departure transfer is included.
Departure Transfer
You will be met at your hotel and transferred to the airport at the end of your adventure.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with any onward travel arrangements you require.
Meals included:
BreakfastYour OMG Stay
Exterior Deck for Dahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise 
Dahabiya Interior Room Photo 
Traditional Dahabiya boat on the Nile River
Dahabiya Nile Sailing Cruise
Cairo, Egypt
5 nights (Day 3 - 7)
This is a traditional dahabiya sail boat, featuring 10 comfortable en suite cabins on the main deck with windows and air conditioning in every cabin. There is a Covered deck for outdoor dining and lounging. Ideal for observing life along the Nile when we sail.
Why we love this stay
- There's no engine, so you get to enjoy the sounds of the river as you sail. It's like going back in time.
- We dock away from the big river cruises, generally next to a monument or a small village
- The size of the vessel allows us to visit sites you can't on a standard motorized cruise boat