Egypt Explorer, Nile Cruise & Coast

Welcome to Egypt. Upon arrival at Cairo Airport you'll be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or if arriving early, you can opt to pre book our optional private Backstreets of Cairo tour, which introduces you to the highlights of Egypt's bustling capital.

Bright and early this morning set off on a guided tour to see iconic Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx. Sole survivors from the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramids are the planet’s oldest tourist attraction! Known as Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus, the pyramids were already more than 2,000 years old. Next we explore the sand-strewn tombs and temples of the ancient necropolis of Saqqara, home to the Zhoser’s step pyramid. A visit to a government supervised Papyrus Museum will also be made at some point during today.

Cairo - Aswan. Take a guided tour of the vast new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza this morning. In this incredible 490,000 sq.m complex you'll discover a mind-boggling array of relics and antiquities from almost every period of ancient Egyptian history. Get up close and personal with ancient mummies Thuya and Yuya, King Tutankhamun's great grandparents. Marvel at the most famous exhibit, the spectacular funerary mask of King Tutankhamun. Made of solid gold and weighing 11kg, the mask was found covering the head of the mummy, where it lay inside a series of 3 sarcophagi.

Then there's time to relax back at the hotel before your guide assists you in boarding the overnight sleeper train to Aswan this evening. Your new guide will welcome you on your arrival to Aswan tomorrow morning.

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, you'll visit the Egyptian Museum instead.

This morning arrive into Aswan where you will be welcomed by your new guide. Enjoy a short boat trip to Agilika Island for Philae Temple - dedicated to the goddess Isis. Back in Aswan, visit a perfume oil emporium. Then check-in on board your Nile Cruiser which will be 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.

Aswan – Abu Simbel (optional) - Nile cruise - Kom Ombo. Today there is an optional early morning flight excursion to Abu Simbel offered. Choose to either join a guided journey to Abu Simbel or opt for a self-guided exploration by exploring the temples at your own pace. Abu Simbel is home to the famous the rock-cut temple of King Ramses II. The Nile cruiser departs Aswan this afternoon and you'll cruise the River Nile to Kom Ombo and disembark to visit the temple which is dedicated to the crocodile headed god - Sobek before returning to the cruiser.

Nile Cruise - Luxor. Relax, enjoy a swim in the pool and chill out in the sun on deck this morning. Let your troubles melt away while cruising 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 spending one final night aboard the cruiser.

This morning, disembark and check into your 5 star Luxor hotel. Following check in, you will visit Karnak Temple, a spectacular religious complex built on a gigantic scale, where you get lost wandering around the stone papyrus columns. Later, there is an optional excursion to the Luxor Temple, which is long rumoured to be the location of Pharaoh crownings.

This morning 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.

Luxor - Hurghada. Departing Luxor, drive east to Hurghada part of the beautiful Red Sea Riviera for 3 days on the beach!

The next 2 days are free to explore Hurghada or simply relax. Today there's an optional day trip to Giftun Island for swimming and snorkelling, which can be booked locally.

Hurghada is one of the Red Sea's most popular resorts and it is easy to see why. Hotels and expanded infrastructure provide holidaymakers with excellent aquatic facilities for sail boarding, yachting, deep-sea fishing, SCUBA diving and snorkeling. Hurghada’s central location provides a gateway to prime offshore reefs, which are some of the finest in the world. Hurghada also has plenty of restaurants and late night bars for evening entertainment. Just outside Hurghada is an ancient Roman quarry called Mons Porphyritis and Port Safarga – a famously windy place which is ideal for windsurfing.

Hurghada - Cairo. This morning you will take a transfer to Hurghada Airport, then fly onwards to Cairo. The remainder of today is free for you to relax or explore Egypt’s capital at leisure. You can join an optional excursion to Khan el Khalili bazaar, the ideal place for some last minute souvenir shopping.

Cairo. After breakfast, hotel check-out and onward transfer to the airport.