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Abu Simbel Sun Festival Oct 2024

10 days

SUN FESTIVAL TOUR: Add an extra special element to your Egyptian holiday by combining it with the magical Abu Simbel Sun Festival in October 2024. Marvel at the spectacular temple of Abu Simbel and the legendary Pyramids of Giza. Enjoy a 5-star Nile cruise and visit Aswan's beautiful Philae Temple. Explore Luxor's incredible Valley of the Kings, mighty Karnak Temple and bustling Cairo, all in 10 unforgettable days!

For a detailed itinerary and information about visas, money, weather and more download our Trip Notes

Tour Overview

Duration

10 days

Starts

Cairo

Ends

Cairo

Range

Signature

Tour Guide

Yes, escorted by a tour guide

Group Size

Min 2 / Max 24

Minimum age

15 yrs, accompanied by an adult

Departs

18 Oct 2024

Hotel Rating

4 - 5 star

Countries

Egypt

Arrival Transfer

Yes

Departure Transfer

Yes

Meals included

Breakfast: 8, Lunch: 3, Dinner: 3
Per Person From

Tour Highlights

Abu Simbel - Visit this awe-inspiring temple at sunrise to witness the incredible phenomenon of the Abu Simbel Sun Festival
Cairo - Marvel at the legendary Pyramids of Giza, explore the Necropolis of Saqqara and see King Tut's treasures at the Grand Egyptian Museum
Luxor West Bank - Discover exquisite tombs at the Valley of the Kings, see the towering Colossi of Memnon and explore the beautiful Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
Luxor - Roam around the colossal Temple of Karnak and take an optional tour of the beautifully illuminated Luxor Temple at night
Aswan - Take a leisurely boat trip to Agilika Island to explore romantic Philae Temple and wander around the colourful souqs
Nile cruising - Spend 3 nights on board a 5-star Nile cruiser and cruise the River Nile in style from Aswan to Luxor
Kom Ombo - Visit the Nile side Temple of Kom Ombo

Included

Breakfast daily, 3 lunches and 3 dinners
5 nights 4-5 star hotels, 3 nights aboard 5 star Nile Cruiser (en suite cabin)
Overnight train from Cairo to Aswan (Private 2 berth sleeper cabin)
Overnight bus journey (3.5 hrs) to Abu Simbel, with Nile Cruiser to freshen up and rest prior to the festival event
Airport arrival and departure transfers on day 1 and day 10
Economy class flights from Luxor to Cairo
Touring - Cairo, Giza, Saqqara, Aswan and Luxor
Guided visit to Abu Simbel at sunrise for the Sun Festival of King Ramses II including Abu Simbel and Sun Festival entrance fee
Escorted by an Egyptian tour guide degree qualified in Egyptology
All relevant transfers and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles

Not Included

International flights and visa
Tip for your tour guide - we recommend you allow USD$8 per day, per traveller for your guide, though ultimately tipping is an entirely personal gesture
Entrance Fees: USD$100–120pp, paid in local currency
Tipping Kitty: USD$60-80pp, paid in local currency
Tipping is not a natural part of many Western cultures and many of us feel uncomfortable, or unsure, about when, or how much, to tip. However, in the places you will visit, tipping makes up a significant part of many people's wages so it's important that we get it right. For this reason we've developed a very simple system to take all the hassle out of tipping. With our 'tipping made easy' policy, a nominal pre-determined amount is collected from all group tour participants to cover tips en route. This then saves you the hassle of when and how much to tip bellhops, luggage handlers, local guides and other support staff through the tour. Our 'tipping made easy' doesn't include a tip to your group tour leader. Naturally, though, the amount is up to you as tipping is an entirely personal gesture.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Cairo

Friday 18 Oct 2024. Welcome to Egypt! Arrive Cairo, included transfer to hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or those arriving early, opt to join our optional Backstreets of Cairo tour which departs the hotel at 10am. Tonight, your Welcome Meeting will be held at 7pm.

Overnight: Cairo

Day 2 - Pyramids & Saqqara

Today we visit the stunning pyramids and the Sphinx at Giza Plateau. Sole survivors from the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramids are the planet’s oldest tourist attraction. Gaze in awe at Cheops (Khufu) - the largest of the three great pyramids. Constructed from over 2.5 million limestone blocks it is thought to have taken more than 20 years to construct. Continuing to Saqqara, we explore the myriad tombs and temples at this site and see Zhoser’s step pyramid - constructed by Imhotep, the pharaoh’s chief architect in 2700 BC. This evening is at your leisure.

Overnight: Cairo
Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 - Grand Egyptian Museum

Cairo - Aswan. Today we have a guided tour of Grand Egyptian Museum, which houses a giant exhibition containing the treasures of King Tutankhamun. In this incredible 490,000 sq.m complex many of the exhibits are being displayed for the first time and artefacts have been brought together from across Egypt and the world. Then we head over to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization to visit the fascinating Royal Mummies' Hall, where the mummies of ancient Egyptian kings and queens are now on display. This incredible hall contains 20 mummies in total and some are so well preserved that they still have thick locks of hair, visible finger nails and smooth blackened skin.

Returning to the hotel, there's time to relax by the pool before we board the overnight train to Aswan this evening.

Please Note: the Grand Egyptian Museum is scheduled to open in late 2024, though an official opening date has yet to be released. If travelling prior to the opening of the new facility we'll visit the Egyptian Museum instead.

Overnight: Sleeper Train
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Aswan & Philae Temple

Aswan - Abu Simbel - Nile Cruiser. Arrival Aswan, this morning we enjoy a short boat trip to Agilika Island for Philae Temple - dedicated to the goddess Isis. Upon returning to Aswan we visit a perfume oil emporium. Then check-in on board your Nile Cruiser, home for the next three nights. Later, there is free time to perhaps enjoy some shopping in the colourful souks and markets or simply relax in this attractive town which straddles the River Nile.

On board the cruiser there is free time to relax before departing in the early hours of the morning on our coach journey toward the Temples of Abu Simbel. Here we await the first rays of sunlight to touch the temple gate signifying the start of the Sun Festival of the mighty King Ramses II.

Overnight: Nile Cruiser/Coach Journey to Abu Simbel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5 - ABU SIMBEL SUN FESTIVAL

22 October. Abu Simbel - Aswan - Nile Cruiser. Possibly the most awe-inspiring temple of all ancient Egypt, with its gargantuan rock-cut façade, the great Sun Temple of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel was created to revere the mighty pharaonic ruler King Ramses II. Ramses the Bold, Ramses the Great, Ramses the Narcissist are perhaps all apt titles for one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful rulers. Celebrating a life that spanned nearly a centenary, Ramses had plenty of time for his more than 200 wives and concubines who produced him some 96 sons and 60 daughters.

Built by Ramses II to demonstrate his political clout and divine backing to the ancient Nubians, Abu Simbel is an awesome self-tribute. Guarding the entrance to the temple (built between 1290 and 1224 BC) hewn into the side of a mountain are four famous colossal statues of the pharaoh himself, which sit majestically staring out across the desert. Over the centuries, the desert sands imperceptibly shifted until the temple was all but lost to humanity. It was rediscovered by chance in 1813 by a Swiss explorer called John Lewis Burkhardt. Only one of the heads of the pharaohs was showing and only a small part of the rest of the colossal temple peeked above the desert sands. It wasn’t until the British happened upon Abu Simbel and starting excavating, that the full glory of the temple of Abu Simbel was revealed to the modern world.

The temple was dedicated to the deified Pharaoh, King Ramses II, known also as the great builder and the gods Amun-Re, Re-Herakhte and Ptah. In a fit of precision and architectural egotism, Ramses II had the entire temple precisely positioned in order for the sun’s rays to align just twice a year, on the date of his ascension to the throne (21 February) and on his birthday (21 October) to illuminate the inner sanctum of the temple. This incredible natural phenomenon provides for a most spectacular sight, which has come to be referred to as the Sun Festival of King Ramses II. Crowds pack into the temple before sunrise and watch the shafts of light slowly creeping through the rock hewn inner Hypostyle Hall (replete with further statues of the King) and through to the Sanctuary. As we are lead through the temple there will be time to pause for a moment to watch the sun illuminating the statues of Amun-Re, Re-Herakhte and Ramses the god, whilst the statute of Ptah - the god of darkness - remains in the shadows.

Famously, the temple was re-located in a multi-million dollar operation in 1972, further up from the shoreline of Lake Nasser, which had threatened to erode the foundations of this monolithic temple complex. For this reason, the sun now strikes a day later than Ramses had originally planned, though the event this morning itself is no less stunning. After the event, there is plenty of time to explore the Sun Temple of King Ramses II, the Temple of Hathor and take pictures.

After watching this incredible event unfold we return to Aswan. Our Nile Cruiser departs Aswan this afternoon and we cruise the River Nile to Kom Ombo where we disembark to visit the temple which is dedicated to the crocodile headed god - Sobek before returning to the cruiser.

Overnight: Nile Cruiser
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6 - Nile Cruise to Luxor

Nile Cruiser - Luxor. Relax, enjoy a swim in the pool and chill out in the sun on deck this morning. Let your troubles melt away as we cruise the River Nile to Luxor. Home of the legendary Valley of the Kings and Temple of Karnak, 4000 year-old Luxor is ancient Egypt at its best. Arriving into Luxor this afternoon, the rest of the day is free to explore the city before we spend our final night aboard the cruiser.

Overnight: Nile Cruiser
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 7 - Luxor

This morning we disembark and check into our 5 star Luxor hotel. The day is free to relax and explore. Tonight, there is an optional visit available to the beautifully illuminated Temple of Luxor.

Overnight: Luxor
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 - Valley of the Kings

This morning we explore the West Bank of the Nile and the legendary Valley of the Kings. Marvel at Colossi of Memnon, the massive stone remains of the Temple of Amenophis III, and explore the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and surrounding tombs.

After lunch we visit the Temple of Karnak, a spectacular religious complex built on a gigantic scale, where you get lost wandering around the massive stone papyrus columns.

Overnight: Luxor
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Fly to Cairo

Luxor - Cairo. Spend the morning at leisure in Luxor. Independently explore, shop or relax by the hotel pool. In the afternoon we fly back to Cairo for our final night.

Overnight: Cairo

Day 10 - Cairo

Saturday 27 Oct 2024. Our Egyptian adventure comes to an end today. Included departure transfer to the airport later today in time for your international flight.

Meals: Breakfast

Extras and add-ons

If you'd like to add extras or add-ons to your booking, you can do this easily during checkout. Just review the available options and select any additional services or upgrades you'd like before completing your purchase.

Pre and Post Tour Accommodation

Extend your tour with us by booking pre and post-accommodation, available at a per-person, per-night rate.

Post Tour Accommodation - Cairo

Double

$155per passenger

Twin

$155per passenger

Single

$275per passenger

Pre Tour Accommodation - Cairo (from price)

Double

$155per passenger

Twin

$155per passenger

Single

$275per passenger

Additional Excursions

Enhance your tour with these optional extras, helping you to get the most from your adventure.

Montaza Palace | Alexandria | Egypt
Alexandria Day Trip

Carry on your Egyptian affair before or after your tour, with a day trip (including lunch) to amazing Alexandria on the Mediterranean Coast. Founded by Alexander the Great, Alexandria boasts wonderful beaches and an impressive seafront corniche, along which are dotted cafes and restaurants, as well as catacombs, a fortress, souks and relics from a bygone age.

$165

per passenger

Hotels

The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.

If you are interested in booking pre or post-tour accommodation, here are some of the hotels we typically use.

Holiday Inn Cairo Maadi
Cairo

Overlooking the Nile and offering distant views of the Great Pyramids of Giza, this Holiday Inn provides the perfect location for your stay in Cairo. Each guestroom features a balcony (not Nile View as standard) and is well-equipped with modern amenities including free WiFi. Evenings can be spent enjoying international or Egyptian cuisine and unwinding with a cocktail at one of the hotel’s bars. Thanks to the friendly hotel staff, you’ll soon feel at home. And with panoramic views of the city from the rooftop lounge and pool, there’s no better place to base yourself for exploring Egypt’s ancient wonders.

Our Rating
Deluxe
Local Rating
5 Star Hotel
Sleeper Train
Cairo

When travelling on an overnight train in Egypt, sleeper carriages offer the highest level of comfort. Cabins are equipped with two beds (one above the other), a basin, electric points and air conditioning. Freshly laundered bedding is provided and in the early evening an attendant will come round and make up your bed for you. The carriages have toilets at each end and there is a club car which serves snacks and beverages. In the morning a very basic breakfast is provided.

Our Rating
Simple
Local Rating
Train
Steigenberger Hotel el Tahrir
Cairo

Ideally located in the heart of downtown Cairo, the Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir is right by the lively Tahrir Square. Guestrooms offer peace and quiet away from the high-energy of the city, with contemporary decor and sound-proofed windows overlooking views of Cairo. The wellness facilities are state-of-the-art, including a fitness centre, outdoor pool and sauna and massage rooms. Be sure to take advantage of the poolside bar and delicious hotel restaurant, or enjoy the option of 24-hour in-room dining.

Our Rating
Superior
Local Rating
4 Star Hotel
Holiday Inn City Stars
Cairo

The Holiday Inn Cairo City Stars Hotel is an ideal base for exploring the modern and historic attractions of Egypt's capital. Rooms are spacious, offering a flatscreen TV and private bathroom. There are restaurants on site, including the rooftop garden that offers panoramic views of the city.

Our Rating
Deluxe
Local Rating
5 Star Hotel
M/S Medea
Nile Cruising

The M/S Medea is elegantly furnished with rich fabrics, wood panelling and classic style furniture, offering a refined setting for your Nile cruise. The restaurant offers 120 covers with a combination of waiter service and buffet meals which allows to sample both Egyptian and international cuisine. The spacious lounge bar is tastefully furnished with Chesterfield sofas and offers panoramic views of the Nile River.

Our Rating
Deluxe
Local Rating
5 star cruise boat
M/S Miriam
Nile Cruising

M/S Miriam is a beautiful Nile cruise boat offering 59 spacious cabins. Onboard you'll find a fantastic restaurant serving both international and Egyptian cuisine. As your cruiser makes it's way along the mighty Nile river, take the opportunity to relax on deck and watch the changing scenery or perhaps indulge in a book.

Our Rating
Deluxe
Local Rating
5 star cruise boat
M/S Crown Emperor
Nile Cruising

The M/S Crown Emperor invites travellers on a captivating journey through Egypt's historical marvels in luxurious comfort. This elegant vessel offers comfortable and well-decorated rooms that combine modern amenities such as WiFi, A/C, and a television with classic Egyptian designs. From the expansive sun deck, passengers can absorb panoramic views of the Nile's timeless landscapes. The M/S Crown Emperor features a range of facilities, including a swimming pool, spa, and fitness centre, ensuring relaxation and recreation on board in addition to the tasty cuisine served in the onboard restaurants. This ship promises its guests an immersive and indulgent exploration of the Nile's enchanting treasures.

Our Rating
Luxury
Local Rating
5 Star Deluxe Cruise
Sonesta St. George Hotel
Luxor

An elegant and luxurious classical hotel, the Sonesta's sophistication will ensure you a comfortable stay. The hotel has a sweeping terrace with fantastic views of the Nile, a grand entrance of polished marble and handsomely appointed furnishings with exquisite detail and a beautiful health spa. All its rooms offer views of the city or the river, complemented by a wide range of restaurants and cafes. Just minutes away you will find the temples at Luxor and Karnak, home to two of ancient Egypt's most famed sanctuaries.

Our Rating
Deluxe
Local Rating
5 Star Deluxe Hotel
Steigenberger Nile Palace
Luxor

The Steigenburger Nile Palace is a grand hotel and stylishly furnished, with many rooms overlooking the Nile River. The hotel has a health club with massage rooms, sauna, steam room and fitness room, and a tennis court on the roof, not to mention a riverside pool. Its four restaurants offer a choice between Nubian, Lebanese, Italian, and Thai cuisine.

Our Rating
Deluxe
Local Rating
5 Star Deluxe Hotel

Prices & Dates

The Nile Cruise Upgrade version of this tour includes 3 nights on board a 5 star Nile Cruiser (en suite cabin) in place of the felucca. For full details, please refer to the 'Nile Cruise Upgrade Trip Notes' in the right hand column for details. All dates are guaranteed to operate when there are 2 persons booked on the tour. 'Twin/Double' prices are per person when there are 2 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Single' prices are applicable to solo travellers and anyone wanting the privacy of their own room. Room sharing is not available on this tour.

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