Highlights of Egypt

Welcome to Cairo, where the ancient and modern worlds connect seamlessly. Many flights arrive into Cairo late today, but if you arrive earlier, you may want to head to the hotel pool for a refreshing post-flight dip. Want more time in Cairo? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative, allowing you extra time to explore the city and relax into the adventure.

Around 7am, say hello to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Then, to set the scene, we visit the impressive Grand Egyptian Museum. Highlights we expect to see include the vast Great Hall, home to the colossal statue of Ramesses II, and the Grand Stairs, which present Egypt’s ancient story through a series of striking displays. Explore the Tutankhamun Galleries, where treasures from the boy king’s tomb offer insight into his life and legacy. We also explore areas such as the Khufu Boat Museum and the Main Galleries, where artefacts spanning thousands of years showcase the richness of Egypt’s past. Continue our learning at the National Museum for Egyptian Civilization, which covers Egypt from prehistoric times to now. In this vast museum is the Royal Mummies Hall, which displays the mummified remains of 20 pharaohs, including Hatshepsut, Seti I and II, plus multiple Ramses. Finally, we visit the ancient Khan El Khalili bazaar, navigating the narrow alleys lined with vendors selling everything from spices to gold. This evening, your tour leader ensures a big welcome over a group dinner.

First on our sightseeing today is Giza, home to the Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus and the mysterious Great Sphinx. Only the throng of sightseers milling around their huge foundations keep you in the 21st century. If you’d like to go inside these grand structures, it is possible to buy an entrance ticket locally. We then visit Saqqara, a necropolis that pre-dates Giza and is now the largest archaeological site in Egypt. It’s home to the oldest pyramid in the world, the Step Pyramid (or the Pyramid of Djoser), plus the tombs of ancient rulers. If you’d like to explore inside the stepped pyramid, it is possible to buy a ticket locally.

We have free time this morning to relax. You may wish to unwind at the hotel, enjoying the sun and taking a swim in the pool before our flight to Aswan. Alternatively, you could use the time to head back to the Pyramids of Giza for one last exploration. In the afternoon, we transfer to Cairo Airport to catch our flight to Aswan. Settle into the hotel upon arrival or head out and explore the markets. Upgrade to a Nile-view room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Today we visit the highlights of Aswan, first taking a motorboat to the Philae temple complex on Agilkia Island. The standout structure here is the Temple of Isis, an impressive classical monument built around 690 BCE for the ancient goddess. We also visit the vast Aswan High Dam, which was built in the 1960s to manage flooding, increase hydroelectric power and provide a reliable source of water for agriculture. In the afternoon, we visit the Nubian village of Animalia, where we can immerse ourselves in the indigenous Nubian culture with a visit to a traditional house and small museum. We then explore the Nile by felucca (a traditional Egyptian sailing boat). On this one-hour ride, we can truly enjoy the peace of the Nile and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, where the vast desert almost reaches the water’s edge. (The timings of the felucca sailing might be changed according to weather conditions). Capping an activity-packed day, we enjoy an Egyptian dinner on the island of Gharb Sohil. Upgrade to a Nile-view room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

We have a day at leisure. There’s the option to visit the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel, where four great seated statues of Ramses II stare east towards the rising sun. Built by the pharaoh, the two temples were originally on the banks of the Nile; however, they were raised to a higher site in the late 1960s when waters from the new Lake Nasser rose behind the Aswan High Dam. Upgrade to a Nile-view room today – speak to your sales representative for more details

Explore the Kom Ombo and Edfu temples today as we transfer (with a total drive time of 8hr 30min) to Luxor today. The temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the gods Sobek and Horus, sits on scenic spot by the Nile, while Edfu is home to the remarkably well-preserved Temple of Horus, a grand structure that served as the centre of the cult. Upgrade to a Nile-view room with a balcony today – speak to your sales representative for more details