NILE EXPLORER TOUR
Overview
This adventure combines visits to the pyramids, sphinx and museums in Cairo, and a felucca sailboat cruise. All in all, this is a great introduction to Egypt with a balance of ancient sites and history, and more adventurous activities, staying in 4 & 5-star hotels.
Transportation:
Air-conditioned vehicle, sleeper train and felucca sailboat
Meals:
Breakfast: 9 | Lunch: 1 | Dinner: 4
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Cairo - Transfer to hotel
We greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to settle into the hotel and relax after your journey.
Day 2: Cairo - Pyramids, Sphinx & Saqqara tour
We start our tours today with a visit to the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza where our Egyptologist starts his explanations about Egyptian history and how the pyramids came to be built. We continue the tour at nearby Saqqara where we learn about the evolution of pyramid building at Zoser’s step pyramid.
Day 3: Cairo - City tour
This morning we head into the centre of Cairo and visit the ancient churches in Coptic Cairo, the mosques and palaces at the Citadel, and explore the famous Egyptian Museum.
In the evening we board the sleeper train for the overnight journey to Aswan.
Day 4: Aswan - Philae temple
After arriving in Aswan we check into our hotel right on the River Nile, which is at its most picturesque here in Aswan. We take a tour to the beautiful island temple of Philae by boat, then visit The High Dam.
Day 5: Aswan - Start felucca cruise
There is the option very early this morning for a tour to the temples to Ramses II at Abu Simbel, which have a fascinating story as they were completely dismantled and rebuilt piece by piece to escape the rising waters of Lake Nasser. If you don’t do Abu Simbel, the morning is free to explore Aswan’s busy and exotic bazaar, or relax in the hotel before we board our felucca sailboat for a few hours sailing on the Nile. We have a fun night’s sleep on the deck of the boat and are looked after well by our Nubian crew (toilets and showers are available on a support boat that will join up with us from time to time, and an option to upgrade to a luxury Nile cruise boat is also available).
Day 6: Felucca sailboat cruise
After breakfast, we enjoy some more sailing on the Nile today before driving to Luxor with a stop to visit Komombo and Edfu Temples en-route. We reach Luxor in the afternoon and check into our hotel by the Nile.
Day 7: Luxor - West bank tour.
There is the option today of a sunrise hot air balloon flight over the west bank of the Nile. Our today also takes in the West bank, visiting the Pharaonic tombs on the West Bank of the Nile. We also visit the unique temple to Queen Hatchepsut and learn about her Fascinating story.
The afternoon is free to relax in the hotel, explore Luxor town, take another felucca trip on the Nile to Banana island, or perhaps visit the Mummification museum.
Day 8: Luxor - Karnak temple & Luxor Temple
We tour one of Egypt’s biggest and most impressive sites today, Karnak & Luxor temples, with its huge temples, obelisks, statues and columned halls. In the evening we transfer to the train station and catch the overnight sleeper train back to Cairo. An upgrade to an internal flight is available if you would like to fly home on Sunday to keep the tour to a week’s duration.
Day 9: Cairo - City tour
After arriving in Cairo we have a short tour today to explore the mosque and museum at the Citadel, overlooking the city, and to wander around and possibly do some haggling and souvenir shopping in the busy Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. In the evening we include a dinner cruise on the River Nile as a farewell meal, enjoying a belly dancing and sufi dancing display as we float down the river.
Day 10: Cairo - Tour ends
The tour ends today and your time is free until we transfer you to airport for your flight home.