Cairo, Alexandria & the Nile
Pharaohs, Greeks and the river between.
Cairo and the pyramids, a night in Alexandria on the Mediterranean, then a three-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor.
How the days
usually unfold.
Cairo with a night in Alexandria in the middle, then the classic cruise north from Aswan to Luxor.
Arrive in Cairo
Meet-and-assist and transfer to your hotel.
Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum
The pyramids in the morning, the museum in the afternoon.
Drive to Alexandria
About three hours north. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Qaitbay Citadel on the site of the ancient lighthouse, and an evening on the Corniche.
Alexandria, then back to Cairo
The Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Pompey's Pillar and the Roman amphitheatre, then drive back to Cairo.
Fly to Aswan and board
Philae temple and a felucca around Elephantine Island, then board your cruise ship.
Kom Ombo and Edfu
Two temples, one at sunset and one the next morning, with the river in between.
Esna to Luxor
Through the lock at Esna and into Luxor for Karnak and Luxor Temple.
Luxor's west bank
The Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple, then leave the ship and take an evening flight back to Cairo.
Departure
Transfer to Cairo International Airport.
Pharaohs, Greeks
and the river between.
Most Egypt tours skip Alexandria, which is a shame. The city Alexander the Great founded was the greatest port of the ancient Mediterranean, home to the lighthouse and the library and the last capital of the Ptolemies, Cleopatra's dynasty. Today it is a lively seaside city with a very different feel from Cairo.
This route gives Alexandria a night of its own, then flies you south to Aswan for the classic Nile cruise. Seeing Greek and Roman Alexandria first makes the later temples easier to read: Edfu and Kom Ombo were built by the same Ptolemaic kings.
Changing the balance
Want the Red Sea as well? The cruise already ends in Luxor, about four hours from the coast, so two or three nights by the sea fit neatly before you fly home. Prefer more desert? See Desert, Oasis, Cairo.
What is included,
and what is not.
Every journey is private and priced for your dates. This is what a quote from us normally covers, and what we price or leave separately.
A few clear
answers first.
Is Alexandria worth an overnight stay?
Yes. A day trip from Cairo means six hours in the car and a rushed visit. Staying a night lets you see the main sites without hurrying and enjoy the waterfront in the evening.
Can we go to Alexandria by train?
Yes. The train from Cairo takes around two and a half to three hours. We can book it instead of the car.
Why does the cruise sail from Aswan to Luxor?
Sailing north is the most common three-night itinerary, and ending in Luxor gives you a full morning on the west bank before the evening flight back to Cairo.
Can we add Abu Simbel?
Yes. Add a night in Aswan and visit Abu Simbel the next morning.
Compare it with
a different pace.
Not sure this is the right shape? These routes start from similar places but give the days a different balance.
Desert, Oasis, Cairo
Cairo and Alexandria, the Mediterranean coast road and three nights in Siwa Oasis, with a 4x4 day in the Great Sand Sea.
See this journey →
Egypt, In Depth
Three full days in Cairo, Aswan and Abu Simbel, a four-night Nile cruise to Luxor, then two days on the Red Sea.
See this journey →
Nile, Slowly
Two nights in Aswan, four on the river past Kom Ombo and Edfu, and Luxor at the end. For travellers who want the Nile itself to be the holiday.
See this journey →Change the order,
keep what matters.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We will send a day-by-day plan with hotels and a full price, then adjust it with you on WhatsApp until it fits.