Egypt, In Depth
Cairo, Abu Simbel, the Nile and the coast.
Twelve days for travellers who do not want to leave anything important out: Saqqara and old Cairo, Abu Simbel, a four-night Nile cruise and a few days on the Red Sea.
How the days
usually unfold.
Four nights in Cairo, a night in Aswan, four on the Nile and two on the coast. Long, but every move has a reason.
Arrive in Cairo
Meet-and-assist and transfer to your hotel.
Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum
The Great Pyramid, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple, then an afternoon in the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Saqqara, Dahshur and Memphis
The Step Pyramid of Djoser, the decorated tombs of Saqqara, the Bent and Red Pyramids at Dahshur and the statue of Ramesses II at Memphis. Far fewer people than Giza.
Old Cairo
The Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, the Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, Coptic Cairo and an evening in Khan el-Khalili.
Fly to Aswan
Philae temple in the afternoon and dinner in a Nubian village on the west bank.
Abu Simbel, then the cruise
A pre-dawn drive of about three and a half hours to the temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari. Return to Aswan and board your cruise ship.
Kom Ombo
A quiet morning on board, then the temple at Kom Ombo and its small crocodile museum.
Edfu and the Esna lock
The temple of Horus at Edfu, then an afternoon sail through the lock at Esna.
Luxor's east bank
Karnak in the morning; Luxor Temple and the Avenue of Sphinxes later in the day.
Luxor's west bank
The Valley of the Kings, the temple of Hatshepsut and, if you like, the tomb of Nefertari or Medinet Habu. Leave the ship and drive to the Red Sea.
Red Sea
A free day. A boat trip, the hotel pool, or a late breakfast and nothing else.
Departure
Transfer to Hurghada airport.
Nothing important
left out.
This route is for people who have waited a long time to see Egypt and want to do it properly. It covers the same ground as most tours, then adds the places shorter trips skip: Saqqara and Dahshur, where the pyramids began; a full day for old Cairo; and Abu Simbel, which is a long day out but hard to regret.
The cruise is four nights rather than three. That extra night is mostly time on deck, watching farms and villages pass, and it changes how the trip feels. You arrive in Luxor rested, which matters because Luxor has more to see than anywhere else in the country.
Two days on the Red Sea at the end are a buffer as much as a holiday. If you would rather spend them in Luxor, for a balloon flight at dawn and the tombs of the nobles, we can swap them.
A note on Abu Simbel
Abu Simbel is about 280 km south of Aswan. Most visitors go by road, leaving very early and returning by early afternoon. There are also short flights, which cost more but save around six hours on the road. We price both so you can choose.
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 the Abu Simbel day tiring?
It is a long day, with a very early start and about seven hours on the road in total. Most people sleep in the car. The flight option avoids most of that.
Can we enter the tomb of Nefertari?
Usually yes, with a separate ticket that costs considerably more than the standard Valley of the Kings entry. We include it only if you ask.
Can we drop the Red Sea?
Of course. We can end in Luxor and fly back to Cairo for your international flight, or add an extra day in Luxor or Aswan.
Is this suitable for teenagers?
Yes, especially those who enjoy history. For younger children, the full sightseeing days can be a lot; see our family route for a gentler version.
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.
Ancient Egypt, Open Water
Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, a Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, then three days on the Red Sea at Hurghada.
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 →
Cairo, Alexandria & the Nile
Cairo, an overnight in Alexandria and a three-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor: Egypt's ancient and classical sides in nine days.
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.