Duration: 6 days · 5 nights
Starts from: Cairo
Group size: Up to 12 guests
Difficulty: Easy

Overview

From the pyramids to the Mediterranean and down the Nile Valley: Giza, Alexandria, Saqqara and Dahshur, both banks of Luxor, Philae in Aswan and a last morning at Abu Simbel.

This is a lot of Egypt for six days, and it suits travellers who like full itineraries and early alarms. Sightseeing starts on the day you land in Cairo, with the Egyptian Museum, the pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and Khan el-Khalili, and the next day is a full day trip to Alexandria on the Mediterranean.

Day three stays closer to Cairo for the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, the Bent and Red Pyramids of Dahshur and the ruins of Memphis. Then you fly to Luxor for the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, Karnak and Luxor Temple in one long day.

A three-hour drive brings you to Aswan for the High Dam and the Temple of Isis at Philae, and on the last morning you set off before dawn for the rock temples of Abu Simbel, flying back to Cairo in the afternoon. Lunch is included on most days, and there is always bottled water in the car.

Highlights

Giza pyramids and the Sphinx
Alexandria's catacombs, library and citadel
Saqqara, Dahshur and Memphis
Luxor's East and West Banks
Philae temple and the Aswan High Dam
The rock temples of Abu Simbel

Itinerary

1
Day 1
Arrival → Egyptian Museum, pyramids & Khan el-Khalili
Our representative meets you at Cairo International Airport and your guide takes you straight to the Egyptian Museum. Then on to Giza for the pyramids and the Sphinx, with lunch included, and finally the bazaar of Khan el-Khalili before you check in. Overnight in Cairo.
2
Day 2
Day trip to Alexandria
A 7:00 pickup for the drive of about three hours north to Alexandria. You visit the Roman theatre at Kom el-Dikka, the three-level catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa with their 2nd-century statues, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Qaitbay Citadel and the mosque of El-Mursi Abu el-Abbas, with lunch included. Back in Cairo around 19:00; the Bibliotheca is closed on Fridays.
3
Day 3
Saqqara, Dahshur & Memphis
Pickup at 8:00 for Djoser's Step Pyramid at Saqqara, the oldest of Egypt's great pyramids. You continue to Dahshur for Sneferu's Bent and Red Pyramids, and end at Memphis, the ancient capital, with the colossus of Ramses II and the alabaster sphinx. Lunch is included. Overnight in Cairo.
4
Day 4
Cairo → Luxor: both banks
Check-out at about 4:00 for the early flight, landing in Luxor around 6:00. The West Bank comes first, with the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon; after lunch, Karnak and Luxor Temple on the East Bank. Overnight in Luxor.
5
Day 5
Luxor → Aswan: High Dam & Philae
Breakfast and a 7:00 departure for the three-hour drive to Aswan. You stand on the High Dam above Lake Nasser, then take a boat to Agilkia Island for the Temple of Isis at Philae. Lunch is included. Overnight in Aswan.
6
Day 6
Abu Simbel → fly to Cairo
A 4:00 pickup for the 280 km drive, about three and a half hours, to Abu Simbel and the temples of Ramses II and Nefertari. You are back in Aswan around 13:00 for the flight to Cairo, landing at about 17:00, where your tour ends in time for your onward journey.

What's included

5 nights in 3-star hotels with breakfast: 3 in Cairo, 1 in Luxor and 1 in Aswan (4- and 5-star hotels on request, at extra cost)
Domestic flights Cairo – Luxor and Aswan – Cairo
Private air-conditioned transport in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan
Meet-and-assist service at every airport
Private guide for all visits
Lunch on days 1 to 5
Bottled water on every tour
Entry fees for the sites in the itinerary, plus all taxes and service charges