Tour overview
Sail along the shores of Lake Nasser and cruise the Nile River on the ultimate discovery of Egypt’s antiquities and monuments.
Begin in Cairo with the iconic Giza pyramids and mysterious Sphinx before flying south to Aswan. Embark on the MS Movenpick Prince Abbas to cruise the calm waters of Lake Nasser. Visit Aswan’s High Dam and the beautiful Temple of Philae before sailing to the Ptolemaic Kalabsha Temple, which blends ancient Egyptian and Roman imagery. Indulge your inner explorer by “rediscovering” the remote UNESCO-listed Temple of El Seboua and the rock-cut Tomb of Pennut. Cruise in style to Abu Simbel, where four colossal statues of Pharaoh Rameses II guard his Great Temple. Here, step back to the Battle of Kadesh, with the life-like wall inscriptions on this magnificent temple sharing the Egyptian conquest over the Hittites more than 3000 years ago. Make sure to visit the nearby rock-cut temple of his favorite wife, Queen Nefertari.
Next, sail the Nile River aboard a 4-star boutique Dahabiya Sailboat from Esna to Luxor. Continue your days of discovery when you visit the impressive temples of Kom Ombo, the Speos of Horemheb, the Temple of Horus at Edfu, and more. Disembark in Luxor to descend into ancient Egypt’s gateway to the afterlife, the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Kings, and see Hatshepsut’s magnificent temple. Walk along the avenue of sphinxes to visit Luxor Temple’s hieroglyphic-laden walls. Then stand in awe beneath the Hypostyle Hall within Karnak Temple. Fly back to Egypt’s capital to tour this city’s age-old sights and ancient wonders, seamlessly blending with the hustle of modern-day Cairo. Enjoy time at leisure for that final souvenir hunt among lively souks.
This bucket-list experience includes return international full-service flights, 2 one-way internal flights, a 4-night Lake Nasser cruise, a 3-night Nile River cruise, 6 nights of hotel accommodation, 28 meals, an English-speaking Egyptologist Tour Leader, and more.
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
| Day 1 | Welcome to Cairo | Cairo |
| Day 2 | Pyramids & Sphinx | Cairo |
| Day 3 | Cairo – Aswan – Begin 4-Night Lake Nasser & Nile Cruise | Ship |
| Day 4 | Kalabsha Temple | Ship |
| Day 5 | Wadi El Seboua Temple – Amada & Derr Temples | Ship |
| Day 6 | Abu Simbel Temples | Ship |
| Day 7 | Dahabiya Nile Cruise – Kom Ombo | Dahabiya |
| Day 8 | Edfu Temples – El Fawaz | Dahabiya |
| Day 9 | El-Kab – Esna | Dahabiya |
| Day 10 | Disembark – Luxor – Valley of the Kings | Luxor |
| Day 11 | Karnak & Luxor Temple | Luxor |
| Day 12 | Luxor – Cairo | Cairo |
| Day 13 | Cairo Free Day | Cairo |
| Day 14 | Cairo, Egypt – Depart |
Day 1 Welcome to Cairo
Upon arrival in Cairo, you will be met by a representative at the airport and transferred to the hotel. Enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.
Overnight: Hotel Concorde El Salam or similar, Cairo
Meals included: None
Day 2 Pyramids & Sphinx (B)
After breakfast, join the Egyptologist guide for a visit to the enigmatic Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza.
At over 150 metres high and over 200 metres wide at its base, the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) is the only survivor of the Seven Great Wonders of the ancient world. It is a breathtaking structure built from enormous stone blocks with a white limestone covering. Along with the smaller pyramids, the sight of these huge structures is unforgettable.
Next, visit the Valley Temple, the pyramid of Chephren. The best preserved of the three main Giza Pyramids, the top part still retains the original facing of smoothly-finished stone, giving you an idea of how the pyramids would originally have appeared. Beside the pyramid of Chephren, you will see the Great Sphinx, carved out of a natural rocky outcrop. The lion's body stretches 45 metres.
Afterward, continue with a visit to a carpet school before heading back to your hotel, where the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Overnight: Hotel Concorde El Salam or similar, Cairo
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3 Cairo - Aswan - Begin 4-Night Lake Nasser & Nile Cruise (B/L/D)
This morning check out and be transferred to Cairo Airport for a domestic flight to Aswan.
Upon arrival, be transferred to the cruise terminal to board the beautiful Lake Nasser cruise. Enjoy lunch on board and in the afternoon, join a guided tour of the "Aswan High Dam”, an embankment dam built across the Nile in Aswan. Afterwards, visit the beautiful island of Philae and it's beautiful Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis. Arrive by motorboat to marvel at the temple's serene island location and stunning hieroglyphic wall inscriptions.
Later visit a perfume factory, before transferring to the ship to begin a 4-night 4-star cruise along the beautiful Nile River.
Overnight: MS Movenpick Prince Abbas or similar
Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 4 Kalabsha Temple (B/L/D)
Today, explore Kalabsha Temple, an impressive structure dedicated to the Nubian sun god Mandulis.
The temple's construction began in the late Ptolemaic dynasty and was completed during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus. Featuring a combination of Egyptian and Roman themes, the temple includes images of both pharaohs and Roman emperors. With its prime location on the trade route between Egypt and Nubia, Kalabsha Temple quickly became an essential spiritual centre for both locals and travellers passing through the area.
Return to the ship for lunch, and start sailing towards Wadi El Seboua, the Arabic translation means "Valley of the Lions".
Overnight: MS Movenpick Prince Abbas or similar
Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 5 Wadi El Seboua Temple - Amada & Derr Temples (B/L/D)
Begin the day with a visit to the remote Temple of El Seboua, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The complex consists of two New Kingdom temples. Walk through an avenue of sphinxes leading to the temple. View the open courtyard, hypostyle hall and inner sanctuary.
Afterward, continue sailing though the calm waters of Lake Nasser to Amada. Here, visit Rameses II's Amada and Derr Temples, the oldest temple ever found in Nubia featuring beautifully preserved reliefs.
Continue to the rock-cut Tomb of Pennut, who served as viceroy of Nubia, an ancient region on the Nile. The tomb consists of a small chapel with ancient reliefs depicting events from Pennut's life.
Tonight, enjoy a traditional Nubian show.
Overnight: MS Movenpick Prince Abbas or similar
Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 6 Abu Simbel Temples (B/L/D)
The ship sails to Abu Simbel, passing near the ruins of Kasr Ibrim. Visit Abu Simbel Temples, reclaimed from the floodwaters of the Aswan High Dam and totally reconstructed in the present location.
The site is dominated by the looming twin temples of Ramses II and his wife Queen Nefertari. The most notable feature of the Abu Simbel Temples are the four colossal statues of Ramses II on the outside. The temples of Abu Simbel are some of the most impressive and unique temples in Egypt.
Overnight: MS Movenpick Prince Abbas or similar
Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 7 Dahabiya Nile Cruise - Kom Ombo (B/L/D)
Today after breakfast, disembark and be transferred to a boutique Nile River Dahabiya sailboat for 3-nights of fun and exploration.
Enjoy a traditional welcome drink after boarding and settling in.
Start sailing toward Kom Ombo to visit and explore the Greco-Roman double temple dedicated to the two gods Sobek & Horus.
Enjoy lunch on board, then sail to where the river is at its narrowest to discover the Speos of Horemheb at Gabel-El-Silsila, an ancient sandstone quarry. This rock-cut temple was dedicated to seven deities whose statues can be seen inside its sanctuary. Horemheb placed a statue of himself along with gods including Amun and the local deity Sobek. The quarry was an important source of stone for Ancient Egypt's greatest temples including those at Karnak and Luxor.
Overnight: Akhnaton Dahabiya Sailboat or similar
Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 8 Edfu Temples - El Fawaz (B/L/D)
Enjoy a tranquil breakfast while sailing to Edfu then relax on the sundeck and watch the daily life of the Egyptian riverbank glide by.
Arriving at Edfu, explore the well-preserved and extraordinary Greco-Roman Temple of Horus.
This evening under the bright stars and clear sky enjoy your dinner. You'll be spending overnight at El Fawaz Island on board the dahabiya.
Overnight: Akhnaton Dahabiya Sailboat or similar
Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 9 El-Kab – Esna (B/L/D)
While enjoying your breakfast the Dhabiya sails on to El-Kab. Also known as Nekhbet, it contains several noble tombs covered with an impressive array of hieroglyphic inscriptions and high-relief drawings representing the daily life of their owners, and their journey to life after death. The most famous tomb at El-Kab belongs to Ahmos.
Return to the sailboat for lunch on board while sailing to Esna.
Overnight: Akhnaton Dahabiya Sailboat or similar
Meals included: Breakfast; Lunch; Dinner
Day 10 Disembark - Luxor - Valley of the Kings (B)
After breakfast, disembark and be transferred to Luxor's West Bank for a tour of the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Kings, the ancient Egyptian ‘Gateway to the Afterlife’. Impressive tombs were built on the West Bank for ancient pharaohs, the most famous of which can be found in the Valley of the Kings.
Further on, rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, is the Temple of Hatshepsut, dedicated to the pharaoh queen, one of Egypt's famous female rulers.
Afterward, visit an alabaster factory and observe how this soft mineral is processed.
Check into your hotel and in the afternoon, visit the magnificent Luxor Temple to admire the colossal statues of the great pharaoh Rameses II.
Overnight: Jolie Ville Kings Island Hotel or similar, Luxor
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 11 Karnak & Luxor Temple (B)
Enjoy a hearty breakfast before visiting the impressive Karnak Temple that dates back over 3,000 years. Walk along the avenue of the Sphinxes to marvel at the Hypostyle Hall with its 134 massive sandstone columns.
Visit Luxor Temple to admire the colossal statues of the great pharaoh Rameses II.
In the afternoon, return back to Luxor and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Jolie Ville Kings Island Hotel or similar, Luxor
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 12 Luxor - Cairo (B)
This morning you'll be transferred to Luxor Airport for a domestic flight to Cairo. Upon arrival, continue your journey exploring Old Cairo on a guided tour.
This area is the original home of the Coptic Christians, one of the world's oldest Christian denominations. Visit the Hanging Church, then proceed to Abu Serga, a 5th-century Coptic church. Learn how the church was built over the site of a cave, believed to have sheltered the Holy Family during their flight into Egypt. Then, tour the Church of St. George, one of the finest examples of Greek Orthodox churches in Egypt.
The remainder of the day is at your leisure.
Overnight: Hotel Concorde El Salam or similar, Cairo
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 13 Cairo Free Day (B/D)
Enjoy a day at leisure in this amazing city. Perhaps stroll through the busy souks of the city, discover ancient wonders and more.
Alternatively, take an optional tour to visit a treasure trove of Egyptian antiquities.
Optional Tour: Egyptian Museum of Antiquities & Khan El-Khalili Markets with lunch
(Please note: See Important Information and cart for details)
Begin with a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities that houses the world's most extensive collection of Pharaonic antiquities. Enjoy lunch then continue to Khan el Khalili bazaar, Cairo's most famous souk.
This evening enjoy a farewell dinner.
Overnight: Hotel Concorde El Salam or similar, Cairo
Meals included: Breakfast; Dinner
Day 14 Cairo, Egypt - Depart (B)
This morning enjoy breakfast before checking out, then at the appropriate time, be transferred to the airport for the return flight back home.
Meals included: Breakfast; In-Flight
