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Discover the history and mythology of Egypt as you explore Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and the Nile
If you've ever had a fascination in the ancient gods, goddesses and tombs of Egypt, this in-depth, off-the-beaten-track trip is for you. Beginning and ending in energetic Cairo, stop by the tombs of nobles in Aswan and Luxor, mingle with friendly Nubian locals, visit the rock temples of Abu Simbel and see the final resting place of Osiris – God of the Underworld – at the Abydos Temple. From the famous pyramids of Giza to the less-known Red and Bent Pyramids in Dashur, through the Old Kingdom capital of Memphis and along the winding Nile, your local guide Ahmed (a knowledgable Egyptologist and history buff himself), will take you on a journey through Egypt's incredible past, landscapes and mythology.
- Start
- Cairo, Egypt
- Finish
- Cairo, Egypt
- Destination
- Egypt
- Style
- Peregrine
- Code
- PGMP
- Physical rating
- Trip rating
- 27 reviews
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1, Max 12
Why you'll love this trip
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Who better to take you on a journey through Egypt's history than a born-and-bred local and qualified Egyptologist? Ahmed, your local leader, has worked registering hieroglyphic texts on the Pyramids of Giza plateau, and was an inspector in charge of the Cheops and Chephren’ s pyramid complex. Just tell us there aren't some stories there!
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This trip packs an impressive number of highlights in without compromising on comfort and relaxation. A day spent among the incredible Pyramids of Giza is only the beginning.
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Karnak is one of the most fascinating temple complexes in the world; by exploring with Ahmed gives you an incredible insight into this structure.
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Visit the famed tomb of King Tutankhamun during free time at the Valley of the Kings.
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A four-night river cruise is the ideal way to experience the Nile. Rest and relax on the sundeck and in the pool while local riverside life streams our Feature Stay Riverboat
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Cairo's Khan al-Khalili Bazaar is an essential Egyptian experience. You'll have plenty of time to lose yourself in the colours and aromas of this fascinating marketplace.
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Don't miss the chance to drink Arabic coffee or mint tea from Cairo's oldest cafe, it has a long history and fantastic atmosphere.
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Enjoy a traditional dinner with a local family, a unique way to learn about life in Egypt while feasting on a home-cooked meal
Is this trip right for you?
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Egypt can get hot in the summer months of July and August. Where possible, you will visit sites in the early morning before it gets too hot.
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Some of the sites you will visit involve walking on rocky and/or steep hillsides, and there is often little or no shade. Comfortable, sturdy walking shoes and a hat are essential.
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Accommodation aboard the Nile riverboat includes full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner); drinks are offered in the bar area for an additional cost. An evening program is also available.
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Accommodation aboard the overnight train is two-berth cabins which are comfortable and air-conditioned. All bedding is provided onboard by the porter. and western-style toilets are located in each carriager. Keep in mind general train cleanliness may not be to the same standards you are accustomed to. An included dinner and breakfast are served on board. You may want to purchase something extra beforehand to supplement your meal, particularly if you're a vegetarian
Gallery
Itinerary
Cairo is one of the great cities of antiquity and its history can perhaps be symbolised by two imposing landmarks – the Pyramids of Giza and the Mosque of Mohammed Ali. In your free time, get out and explore the busy streets of this city of contrasts.
Accommodation
- Novotel El Borg or Similar (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.Special Information
An airport arrival transfer is included. This transfer is only valid if arriving on day 1 or if you have booked pre-trip accommodation through Peregrine. Please provide your flight details at the time of booking, or at a minimum 15 days prior to travel (note - we may not be able confirm request made within 15 days of travel). Once you have provided your details a transfer representative will be booked to meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel.Drive on to Dahshur across the agricultural plains next to the Western Desert. The area features the famous Bent and Red Pyramids; with its smooth sides, the Red Pyramid marked an important departure from the step-shaped pyramids before it. You'll visit both today.
Continue on to Memphis, which functioned as the ancient capital of Lower Egypt and of the Old Kingdom of Egypt. The modern towns of Dahshur and Saqqara lie within its administrative borders.
Accommodation
- Novotel El Borg or Similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Cairo - Pyramid of Saqqara
- Dahshur - Red & Bent Pyramids
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Next visit the Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world's great collections of ancient treasures. Your expert guide will take you through Egypt's fascinating dynastic history. Afterwards you'll have some free time to explore on your own. You may wish to visit the Royal Mummy Room (this is optional and at extra cost).
Return to your hotel, freshen up, pack your things and transfer to the station for your overnight train to Aswan(approximately 10 hours).
Notes: Sleeping berths (beds and linen) are provided in private cabins and an airline-style dinner will be served. It is worth bringing additional snacks; your tour leader can help you arrange this. Facilities are located at the end of each carriage.
Accommodation
- Sleeper Train (1 night)
Included Activities
- Cairo - The Egyptian Museum
- Cairo - Pyramids and Sphinx
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Dinner
On the high cliffs opposite Aswan visit the Tombs of the Nobles, a cluster of graves cut into the western bank of the Nile and dating from the Old Kingdom onward.
In the evening you will be invited to visit a Nubian village and enjoy the warm hospitality (and cuisine) of these locals. It|s a unique experience to gain some insight into the daily life of the local people and the chance to become fully immersed in the local culture.
Accommodation
- Hotel Basma or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Aswan - Elephantine Island
- Aswan - Tomb of the Nobles
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Dinner
The rest of your day will be free to wander. The Nubian Bazaar is a must, while the excellent Nubian Museum is recommended by many. The waterfront promenade, or Aswan's 'corniche', runs alongside one of Nile's most appealing stretches and is the perfect place to stop for a mint tea. Watch the waterfront come alive at dusk, as families are out strolling, socialising and relaxing along the corniche.
Accommodation
- Hotel Basma or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Aswan - Philae Temple
Meals Included
- Breakfast
With the four gargantuan statues of Ramses guarding the Great Temple, this is one of Egypt's most memorable sights. Return from Abu Simbel and transfer to meet your Nile cruise boat. Enjoy a fantastic mix of relaxation and organised sightseeing on an iconic Nile River cruise to Luxor.
Accommodation
- Riverboat (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Included Activities
- Abu Simbel - Abu Simbel temples
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Special Information
Abu Simbel FlightsYour included flight to Abu Simbel will be on the 0655 flight from Aswan. You will have two hours on site which includes transport to and from the temple. Expected arrival back to Aswan is 1130
Due to flight scheduling and availability these times may change.
On rare occasions the group may be split over several flights OR this included activity may take place on day five. If this occurs a additional local guide is contracted to ensure that full guiding services are included at the temple for the entire group.
Later, 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 the land.
Accommodation
- Riverboat (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Included Activities
- Kom Ombo - Kom Ombo Temple
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Special Information
Whilst a visit to the Edfu Temple is included in your Nile Cruise; the only mode of transport available to visit the temple is by locally managed horse and carriages. As a responsible travel focused business, animal welfare is extremely important to us and we want to ensure that we are not promoting any activities where the working animals are not properly cared for. Unfortunately, some operators of the Horse and Carriages have been found to be in breach of our animal welfare guidelines and it is, for this reason, we will no longer including the visit the Edfu Temple.EGYPT HOT-AIR BALLOON EXCURSIONS
Notes: Audits were carried out on balloon operators within Egypt to confirm the safety of their operations. Unfortunately we were not able to ascertain the safety standards of these balloon operators - therefore, we are not able to recommend or assist in the booking of any balloon excursions.
Accommodation
- Riverboat (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Continue to Luxor temple, dedicated to the Gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Luxor Temple was the focus of one of the most important religious festivals in ancient Egypt - the annual Opet Festival
Although the mud brick houses and palaces of ancient Thebes have long since vanished, the stone temples are a poignant reminder of what life would have been like in Pharonic Egypt and very much a part of the skyline of Luxor. Stay for sunset and enjoy the changing colours of the temple and ambiance of the modern day Nile cornice.
For the rest of the evening you are free to relax, shop in the bazaar (open until quite late) or perhaps experience the atmosphere of a local tea house.
Accommodation
- El Luxor Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Luxor - Luxor Temple (entry fee)
- Luxor - Karnak Temple
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Later in the day, visit the West Bank of Luxor, home to the Medinet Habu Temple. Dating back to the New Kingdom, it was one of the earliest temples where the ancient Egyptian god Amun was worshiped.
Accommodation
- El Luxor Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Luxor - Valley of the Kings (3 tombs)
- Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple
- Luxor - Medinat Habu Temple
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Later we also visit Dendera and the Temple of Hathor, located approximately 60km north of Luxor. Dendera was an ancient healing centre, similar to a Greek Asklepion or the Catholic Lourdes.
The temple has retained much of its colour and also contains one of the most facinatiing roof chapels dedicated to Osiris with signs of the zodiac on the upper part of the temple.
Accommodation
- El Luxor Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Luxor - Dendera Temple
- Luxor - Abydos temple
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Another remarkable site on the West Bank are Luxor's own 400 Tombs of the Nobles. The inscriptions inside the tombs are taken from the Book of the Dead in order to guide the nobles through to the afterlife. Later in the day, transfer to the airport and take a short flight back to Cairo with your group.
Accommodation
- Novotel El Borg or Similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Luxor - Deir el Madina
- Luxor - Tombs of Nobles
Meals Included
- Breakfast
In the afternoon we have a chance for some last minute shopping. Also dont miss the chance to drink arabic coffee or mint tea from Cairo's oldest cafe, it has a long history and fantastic atmosphere.
This evening, share an authentic Egyptian meal with a local family. You'll be invited into their home to talk, eat and learn how to make traditional Egyptian dishes. This is a truly special experience and is sure to be one of the highlights of your trip.
Accommodation
- Novotel El Borg or Similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Cairo - The Citadel
- Cairo - Home Cooked Meal
- Cairo - Sultan Hassan Mosque
- Cairo - Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Meals
13 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 6 dinnersTransport
Plane, Private aircon bus, Riverboat, Sleeper trainAccommodation
Cruise ship (3 nights - Feature Stay), Hotel (9 nights), Overnight sleeper train (1 night)Included Activities
- Cairo - Pyramid of Saqqara
- Dahshur - Red & Bent Pyramids
- Cairo - The Egyptian Museum
- Cairo - Pyramids and Sphinx
- Aswan - Elephantine Island
- Aswan - Tomb of the Nobles
- Aswan - Philae Temple
- Abu Simbel - Abu Simbel temples
- Kom Ombo - Kom Ombo Temple
- Luxor - Luxor Temple (entry fee)
- Luxor - Karnak Temple
- Luxor - Valley of the Kings (3 tombs)
- Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple
- Luxor - Medinat Habu Temple
- Luxor - Dendera Temple
- Luxor - Abydos temple
- Luxor - Deir el Madina
- Luxor - Tombs of Nobles
- Cairo - The Citadel
- Cairo - Home Cooked Meal
- Cairo - Sultan Hassan Mosque
- Cairo - Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar
Dates & availability
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Important notes
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:
An optional single supplement is available on this trip. Please refer to your booking agent for further information.
INTERNAL FLIGHT:
As there are internal flights included in this tour, please check that the passenger names are as per passport. The maximum check-in baggage allowance for the flight from Luxor to Cairo on day 12 is 23kgs per person plus 7kgs hand luggage.
Essential trip information
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