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The Nile, Alexandria & El Alamein

Trip Length

Trip Code
12 days PGNX

Activities
Culture (Easy)

Minimum Passengers
6 people

Maximum Passengers
15 people

Countries Visited
Egypt

Start City

End City
Cairo Cairo
The Nile, Alexandria & El Alamein

The Nile, Alexandria & El Alamein

Explore the battlefields of El Alamein and travel the length of the Nile, from Alexandria to Aswan

Alexandria, the old imperial capital at the far reach of the Nile Delta is now a cosmopolitan Mediterranean city with an impressive museum and history, from its long gone library, catacombs and lighthouse of Pharaohs to the WWII battlefields of El Alamein. Explore downtown ‘Alex’ and waterfront promenades too, and discover a lively, legendary city. Back in Cairo, revel in the history and mystery of ancient Egypt within the Egyptian Museum, alongside the great pyramids and Sphinx, and ambling its various backstreets and bazaars. In Luxor, a rich haul of tombs and temples await at Karnak, Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut. A relaxing three day riverboat cruise brings us to serene Aswan, home of the friendly Nubian people and a most romantic and felucca-strewn stretch of the Nile. There’s time for an optional visit to Abu Simbel, before returning to Cairo to visit a delightful 16th century Arabesque villa, Cairo’s oldest mosque, and the kaleidoscopic Khan al-Khalili Bazaar.

Day to Day Itinerary

Day 1: Cairo

On arrival at Cairo International Airport, you are met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. This is simply an arrival day so you may arrive in Cairo at any time. Note that hotel rooms are generally only available after midday. The balance of the day is free to explore your surroundings, but normally a Welcome Meeting is held in the evening where you meet your tour leader and fellow travellers.

Day 2: Alexandria

Meals included: 1 breakfast

This morning we drive north from Cairo and follow the desert road to Alexandria. After stopping half-way for short break and a cup of tea we expect to reach the coast around midday, where we check in to our hotel and have time for a light lunch. In the afternoon in the company of our local guide we make a visit to the new Alexandria Museum, which houses many artefacts relevant to the region , before continuing to the Roman Catacombs - a fascinating underground warren. We can also see the site of the great lighthouse, built during the time of Alexander the Great on the nearby island of Pharos and considered one of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In the evening we enjoy a pre-dinner drink in the Cecil Hotel that was built in 1930 - the perfect way to end the day.

Day 3: El Alamein - Alexandria

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch

Nothing quite conjures up the hostile desert conditions endured by both Allied and German forces than the landscape around El Alamein. From Alexandria we drive west along the coastal road before turning south towards El Alamein. It is a journey of around 2-3 hours and on arrival we visit the small military museum housing a variety of tanks, armoured vehicles and other war relics. We also visit the nearby Allied Cemetery. Eating facilities are limited, so at a suitable point we open the lunch boxes supplied by our hotel before making our way back to Alexandria in the afternoon. This evening our tour leader may suggest a visit to one of the many excellent seafood restaurants in town.

Day 4: Alexandria - Cairo

Meals included: 1 breakfast

The morning is free for you to make your own discoveries. Many will enjoy a stroll along the beach front while others might prefer to head downtown to one of Alexandria's celebrated coffee shops – 'Athinios' or the 'Grand Trianon' being two of the best. Other options include a visit to Montazah Palace (if open) or Qaitbey Fortress. In the early afternoon we make our way back to Cairo, where after checking in to our hotel, the rest of the day is free for us for us to to relax or enjoy a swim in the hotel pool.

Day 5: Cairo - overnight sleeper train

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 dinner

The Egyptian Museum is simply one of the world's great museums, home to a stupendous collection of antiquities and the perfect introduction to our tour, exhibiting many of the region's treasures. We head there after breakfast and our expert guide takes us through Egypt's rich and fascinating dynastic history. You will then have some free time to explore on your own; you may wish to visit the Royal Mummy Room (optional and at extra cost). We then drive out to Giza, home to perhaps the greatest iconic structures ever created by man - the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Instantly familiar yet retaining a mystique and power, getting up close to these incredible pharaonic tombs is captivating. For an additional charge you may be able to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops), although occasionally it may be closed to visitors. Afterwards we return to our hotel, where there is plenty of time to freshen up and pack before we are transferred to the railway station for the overnight sleeper train to Luxor. Sleeping berths (beds and linen) are provided in private cabins and an airline-style dinner is served. It is worth bringing additional snacks and your tour leader can help you to arrange this. A toilet is located at the end of each carriage.

Day 6: Luxor

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Breakfast is served on board the train and just after dawn we arrive in Luxor, where we are transferred to our Nile cruise boat and our home for the next four nights. We can relax by the pool on the boat or explore the bazaar in town. Later in the day we take horse-drawn carriages to Karnak, which is one of the world's most celebrated temple complexes, built over a period of some 200 years. We enjoy a guided tour of the temple and the rest of the afternoon and evening is free to relax, shop in the bazaar (which stays open till quite late) or experience the atmosphere of a local coffee shop.

Day 7: Valley of the Kings - Luxor - Nile Cruise

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

We rise early this morning (very much earlier during summer!) and head into the Valley of the Kings, where buried under the arid hills are over 60 tombs of pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. It's a compelling place, vast and spectacular, and discoveries are still being made. Tutankhamun's final resting place is also located here, but entry to this small tomb is quite limited. It is at additional cost, but you will be given some free time when you will have the opportunity to visit it. Our guide explains the funerary rites of the ancient Egyptians and significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics. We visit three royal tombs and then continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, set in a spectacular natural amphitheatre. Our final stop is at the Colossi of Memnon - giant statues that were once part of an impressive colonnade. We return to our boat and enjoy lunch on board. There is time to relax on deck or in your cabin before we set sail for Edfu. Departure time may vary, depending on river traffic – please refer to the note regarding cruise schedules in the 'Other Information' section. We pass through Esna Lock, which can sometimes be a slow process depending on the number of vessels waiting to get through, and continue our journey upstream.

Day 8: Nile Cruise (Edfu - Komombo)

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

Morning finds us moored near Edfu, an excellently-preserved temple dedicated to Horus - the falcon-headed god. We disembark and explore the temple as well as experiencing the bustling town centre. Returning to our cruise boat we continue travelling upriver, relaxing on the sundeck and taking in the surrounding sights - desert hills forming a backdrop to lush riverbanks, fishermen casting their nets and farmers working their land. Arriving at Komombo, our short walk around the Temple of Sobek (the crocodile-headed god) that lies picturesquely ruined on the river's edge provides an interesting insight into the Greco-Roman period.

Day 9: Aswan

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

We arrive in Aswan, Egypt's southernmost city and a place with an easygoing charm that is due in no small part to its large Nubian population. Depending on our arrival time, we may visit the beautiful Temple of Isis that was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated on Philae Island (alternatively we will visit it tomorrow). It is an absolute gem, its decorative pylons featuring some of Egypt's finest carvings - definitely one of the highlights of Upper Egypt. The rest of our day is free to wander – and Aswan is a great place for it. The Nubian Bazaar is a must, while the excellent Nubian Museum is recommended by many. The waterfront promenade, or Aswan's 'corniche', runs alongside the one of Nile's most appealing stretches and is the perfect place to stop for a mint tea. Aswan is a great little town and there are plenty of relaxing and interesting options here. Dusk is when the waterfront comes alive with families out strolling, socialising and relaxing along the corniche.

Day 10: Aswan

Meals included: 1 breakfast, 1 dinner

We disembark our cruise boat and check into our hotel. The rest of the day is free for us to make our own discoveries. The visit to Abu Simbel will take place this morning for those of us who booked this option with our tour leader back in Cairo. This optional trip is well worth it. With the four gargantuan statues of Ramses guarding the Great Temple, this is one of Egypt's most memorable sights. A popular afternoon option in Aswan is a sailboat ride around the islands in a traditional felucca, stopping off at the botanical gardens on Kitchener's Island. Alternatively, take a camel ride to the Monastery of St Simeon - an abandoned 7th century fortress monastery located in the desert on the Nile's west bank. Our tour leader is on hand to help us arrange any excursions. Alternatively, you may just prefer to relax by the hotel pool or do some shopping in the friendly bazaar. In the evening we visit a Nubian village and enjoy the hospitality of our hosts as we dine out on some delicious local cuisine. We are also treated to some Nubian dancing and may even have the chance to perform some of the moves ourselves!

Day 11: Cairo

Meals included: 1 breakfast

After breakfast we are transferred to Aswan airport for the short flight back to Cairo where we are transferred to our hotel. Today we dive into another layer of Egyptian history: medieval Cairo. We head to Khan al-Khalili Bazaar, Cairo's oldest mosque and the Gayer-Anderson Museum. The 'Khan', sprawling around an old area known as Al-Azhar, is a quintessentially Cairo experience - a warren of alleys with stalls serving up a succession of intoxicating scenes and retaining a distinctly medieval and sometimes carnivalesque feel. It's Cairo's finest area for you to practise your bartering skills! We explore the gold market, 'perfume street' and the spice market, where heady aromas hang in the air like a thick blanket of Damascene cloth (which can be purchased next door in the cloth market!). The beautiful 9th century Ibn Tulun Mosque is one of the oldest, largest and arguably the most beautiful mosque in Egypt – the perfectly proportioned courtyard and distinctive minaret both help to mark it out as a masterpiece of Islamic architecture, Nearby stands the Gayer-Anderson Museum, housed in two fine old villas (dating to the 16th and 17th centuries AD). Once owned by an English army officer, the two houses contain a fascinating collection of Arabic artefacts, furniture and memorabilia, giving us a great insight into Cairene life during the Ottoman period.

Day 12: Cairo

Meals included: 1 breakfast

Your trip ends today after breakfast. Check-out time is usually around 12 noon and you are free to leave at any time. If you have arranged a private airport transfer you will be advised of the pick-up time. Additional accommodation can be pre-booked if you wish to spend more time exploring Cairo.

About Peregrine

Peregrine has been operating adventure holidays since 1977. Today we can help you discover all four corners of the globe, from the Polar regions, to Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and beyond. We offer high-quality, excellent-value, small-group adventures to interesting areas of the world, in harmony with the local people and the environment.

What's Included

• The services of Peregrine’s expert English-speaking local leader throughout the tour. Our tour leaders are all licensed as professional local guides.

• Sightseeing (including entrance fees where applicable): Alexandria - museum and Roman Catacombs; Cairo - Egyptian Museum, pyramids, Sphinx, Gayer-Anderson Museum, Ibn Tulun Mosque and the Khan al-Khalili bazaar; Valley of the Kings; Temple of Hatshepsut; Colossi of Memnon; Edfu; Komombo; and Temple of Isis on Philae Island.

• 4 nights on Peregrine's comfortable Nile riverboat, cruising from Luxor to Aswan.

• Horse-drawn carriage ride to the temple complex at Karnak.

• Excursion to the WWII battlefields of El Alamein including the military museum and Allied Cemetery.

• Local cuisine dinner in a Nubian village near Aswan.

• Air-conditioned sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor. Accommodation in a private, two-person sleeping berth (beds and linen provided), with an ‘airline-style’ dinner included.

• Flight between Aswan and Cairo with all transfers on day 11.

• Free time to explore Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan.

• Arrival transfer.

Summary of accommodation, transport & meals

Transport

Accommodation

Meals

Not Included

International flights, meals unless specified, drinks, departure taxes, visas, travel insurance, tips (see below), spending of a personal nature, departure transfer.

Optional Extras

Visas and Permits

Egypt

Australians, New Zealanders, Americans, British and Canadians require a visa for Egypt. All other nationalities should check with the Egyptian Embassy or Consulate in their country for up-to-date visa information. If you require a double entry visa for Egypt you will need to obtain this from an overseas embassy prior to arrival. Single entry visas for most nationalities can be obtained on arrival at Cairo Airport. The current cost for most nationalities is US$15. You must pay in cash in US dollars, UK pounds, euros, Japanese yen or any other convertible currency to a bank located next to immigration. If you are arriving in Egypt by land from Israel you must obtain your visa beforehand.

If you are arriving in Egypt by ferry from Aqaba, Jordan, a single entry visa can be obtained upon arrival and costs approximately US$15.

All travellers departing Egypt at the Port of Nuweiba must pay a 50 Egyptian pound departure tax (subject to change). Your tour leader will collect this amount from you to pay at immigration control.

About this Information

The information provided here is given in good faith and has been compiled with all reasonable care. However, things change and some of the information may become out of date. Please keep this in mind when you read it and check with us if you want to be sure about something. The document was correct at time of printing, but you can check online for the most up to date version.  If you have any queries, please contact your travel agent or our staff in Australia. We are here to help you!

Last Updated

3 November 2011