Days
14
Price from
Discover the history and mythology of Cairo, Aswan and Luxor
Fascinated by the ancient gods, goddesses and tombs of Egypt? Look no further – this two-week trip was made for you. Beginning and ending in energetic Cairo, this tour takes you to the tombs of the nobles in Aswan and Luxor, the rock temples of Abu Simbel and the Abydos Temple, interspersed with time cruising the Nile and relaxed evenings mingling with Nubian locals. From the famous pyramids of Giza to the lesser-known Red and Bent Pyramids in Dashur, through the Old Kingdom capital of Memphis and along the winding Nile, your local leader (a knowledgeable Egyptologist and history buff), 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
- 12 reviews
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1, Max 12
Why you'll love this trip
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Explore Ancient Egypt with a local who has qualifications in Egyptology and archaeology, the perfect person to illuminate the mysteries and marvels of places like Luxor and Aswan.
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A three-night river cruise is an ideal way to experience the Nile. Alight at temples, cool off in the onboard pool and relax on the sun deck while local life goes by.
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Geta a comprehensive view of Ancient Egypt with a mixture of iconic sights like the temples of Abu Simbel and lesser-known wonders like the inscriptions on Elephantine Island.
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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.
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Explore how old and new work together in the Old Cairo Citadel, where you can sip on a mint tea or a coffee in the city’s oldest café.
Is this trip right for you?
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Egypt can get very hot, particularly in the summer months of July and August.
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In order to enjoy this trip fully, you will need to be comfortable walking on rocky and/or steep hillsides. Comfortable, sturdy walking shoes are essential.
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Accommodation on the overnight train is in 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 carriage. Keep in mind general train cleanliness may not be to the same standards you are accustomed to.
Gallery
Itinerary
Welcome to Egypt! If you’re arriving at Cairo International Airport today, you'll be met there by a Peregrine representative and transferred to your hotel. There is nothing scheduled for today apart from an important welcome meeting at 6 pm with your leader and group. Check at the hotel reception for details.
Accommodation
- Novotel El Borg or Similar (1 night)
Optional Activities
- Cairo - Coptic Museum -Entry Fee - EGP100
- Cairo - Sufi Dance Khan al-Khalili -Entry Fee - EGP85
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 of 15 days prior to travel (note – we may not be able to confirm requests 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.It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.
After breakfast, begin your tour of the Pyramids at the Saqqara complex, located 30 kilometres south of Cairo. The ancient burial ground is home to the step-shaped Pyramid of Djoser, constructed more than 4500 years ago. Continue to Dahshur by private vehicle, where you will see the famous Bent and Red Pyramids. With its smooth sides, the Red Pyramid marked an important departure from the step-shaped pyramids before it. Finally, explore Memphis, which functioned as the ancient capital of Lower Egypt and of the Old Kingdom of Egypt.
Accommodation
- Novotel El Borg or Similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Cairo - Pyramid of Saqqara
- Cairo - Dahshur - Red & Bent Pyramids
- Cairo - Memphis visit
Optional Activities
- Cairo - Sound & Light Show at the Pyramids Tour (Min 2 customers)-Transfers/Entry-p/p - EGP700
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Get set for another full day of sightseeing. Our first stop is Giza, home to the most iconic structures of ancient Egypt – the Pyramids and the Sphinx. You will have the chance to take an optional tour inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops), but please note this is occasionally closed. Next, visit the Egyptian Museum, where your expert guide will take you through the exhibits followed by some free time to explore on your own. You may wish to visit the Royal Mummy Room (this is optional and at extra cost). Later, return to your hotel to pack your things and transfer to the station for your overnight train to Aswan (approximately 10 hours).
Accommodation
- Sleeper Train (1 night)
Included Activities
- Cairo - Pyramids and Sphinx
- Cairo - The Egyptian Museum headset
- Cairo - Egyptian Museum
Optional Activities
- Cairo -The Royal Mummy Room- Entry Fee - EGP180
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Special Information
Sleeping berths on the overnight train (beds and linen) are in private cabins and an airline-style dinner will be served. It is worth bringing additional snacks – your tour leader can help you arrange these. Toilet facilities are located at the end of each carriage.
After you arrive in Aswan and check in to your hotel this morning, pay a visit to Elephantine Island, situated on the Nile River. Here, you will see ancient Nile measuring tools called nilometres as well as inscriptions dated to the 17th Dynasty (about 3500 years ago). Finish with a walk though the colourful Nubian villages in the middle of the island. Next, visit the Tombs of the Nobles, a cluster of graves cut into the western bank of the Nile. This evening you will be invited to visit a Nubian village and enjoy the warm hospitality (and cuisine) of a local family. This is a unique chance to be immersed in local culture.
Accommodation
- Hotel Basma or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Aswan - Elephantine Island
- Aswan - Tombs of the Nobles
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Dinner
In the morning, take a felucca excursion to the beautiful Temple of Isis, which was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated on Philae Island. It's a marvel of decorative pylons featuring some of Egypt's finest carvings – definitely one of the real gems of Upper Egypt. The rest of your day is free. The Nubian Bazaar and the Nubian Museum are both great options. Or perhaps you’d prefer to relax by the waterfront? Chat to your leader for advice on how to spend your free day.
Accommodation
- Hotel Basma or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Aswan - Felucca Ride
- Aswan - Philae Temple
Optional Activities
- Aswan - Sound & Light Show at Philae Temple -Entry Fee - EGP300
- Aswan -Sound & Light Show Philae Temple Tour (Min 2 customers) -Transfers/Entry/Guiding-p/p - EGP800
Meals Included
- Breakfast
This morning take a short flight (approximately 45 minutes) from Aswan to Abu Simbel, where you’ll explore the magnificent twin temples, commissioned by Ramses II. The Great Temple is guarded by four gargantuan statues of Ramses and is definitely one of Egypt's most memorable sights. Return from Abu Simbel and transfer to the port, where you will embark on your Nile cruise.
Accommodation
- Riverboat (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Included Activities
- Abu Simbel - Abu Simbel temples
- Abu Simbel - Flights to and from Abu Simbel
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Special Information
The exact time of your flight will be confirmed by your leader. You will have 2 hours at Abu Simbel, which includes transport to and from the temple. Due to flight scheduling and availability, we ask that you speak with your leader before organising any afternoon activities today.On rare occasions the group may be split over several flights, or this included activity may move to Day 5. If this occurs an additional local guide is contracted to ensure that full guiding services are included at the temple for the entire group.
Morning finds you moored near Komombo. Take a short walk around the Temple of Sobek (the crocodile-headed god). Sitting picturesquely on the river's edge, the temple provides an interesting insight into the Greco-Roman period. Later, continue travelling upriver, relaxing on the sun deck 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
- Aswan - Kom Ombo Temple
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Special Information
While a visit to the Edfu Temple is included in your Nile Cruise by the operator, the only mode of transport available to visit the temple is by horse and carriage. 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 as a result we will no longer include a visit to the Edfu Temple in our itinerary.
Spend another day cruising the Nile, with plenty of time to relax and watch life go by. Arrive in Luxor late this afternoon and spend a final night on board the boat.
Accommodation
- Riverboat (Feature Stay) (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
This morning, disembark the boat and transfer to your hotel. Later, head to Karnak, one of the world's most celebrated temple complexes. A guided tour of the temple will reveal its finest sections. Next is 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 mudbrick 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 Pharaonic Egypt. 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
- Iberotel Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Luxor - Luxor Temple
- Luxor - Karnak Temple
Optional Activities
- Luxor - Valley of the Queens -Entry Fee - EGP100
- Luxor - Valley of the Queens -Tomb of Queen Nefertari -Entry Fee - EGP1200
- Luxor - Sound and Light Show Karnak Tour (Min 2 customers)-Transfers/Entry/Guiding-p/p - EGP800
- Luxor - Sound and Light Show at Karnak -Entry Fee - EGP300
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Rise early this morning and head into the Valley of the Kings. Buried under the arid hills here are over 60 tombs of pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. Tutankhamun's final resting place is also located here, and you'll have free time to visit it. Your guide will explain the funerary rites of the ancient Egyptians and significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics. You'll visit three royal tombs and then continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, set in a spectacular natural amphitheatre. Your final stop is at the Colossi of Memnon – giant statues that were once part of an impressive colonnade. Later, 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 worshipped.
Accommodation
- Iberotel Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Luxor - Valley of the Kings (3 tombs)
- Luxor - Tut Ank Amon Tomb
- Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple
- Luxor - Medinat Habu Temple
Optional Activities
- Hot Air Balloon - Valley of the Kings - USD120
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Special Information
You are able to purchase a photo ticket that will entitle you to take photos in any of the three tombs that you visit as part of your tour. The cost of the camera ticket is around EGP 300.It is possible to do a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings and the temples on the West Bank. Your Leader can reserve this service for you. We use Dream Balloons in Luxor. Pick up will be from your hotel between 4.30 am and 5 am; balloon capacity is 16–25; cameras are prohibited in the basket but cellphones are allowed. The activity is subject to weather conditions. Payment by card is possible and will attract a 3 per cent bank service fee.
Today, drive north of Luxor (approximately 3 hours) to the Abydos Temple, the place where Osiris – god of the nderworld – is believed to be buried. The temple was built by King Seti I, probably one of the least known pharaohs of the New Kingdom period. Despite this fact, Abydos is among the best preserved and most impressive religious structures in all of Egypt. Later, visit Dendera and the Temple of Hathor, located approximately 60 kilometres north of Luxor. Your evening is free.
Accommodation
- Iberotel Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Luxor - Dendera Temple
- Luxor - Abydos temple
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Visit Deir al-Medina, an ancient village located on the West Bank of Luxor. During the 18th–20th Dynasties it housed the artisans and workmen who built and decorated the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The workers also built their own – much smaller – tombs in the area. Next, head to Luxor's own 400 Tombs of the Nobles. The inscriptions inside the tombs are taken from the Book of the Dead and were 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. Your evening is free.
Accommodation
- Novotel El Borg or Similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Luxor - Tombs of Nobles
- Luxor - Deir el Madina
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Today visit the the Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, considered among the most iconic monuments in the Islamic world, plus the Citadel and Mohammed Ali Mosque. In the afternoon, you will have the chance to do some last-minute shopping in Old Cairo and sit down for an arabic coffee or mint tea from Cairo's oldest cafe, which 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.
Accommodation
- Novotel El Borg or Similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Cairo - Home Cooked Meal
- Cairo - Sultan Hassan Mosque
- Cairo - Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar
- Cairo - Citadel Old Cairo
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Dinner
Your trip comes to an end today after breakfast. Speak to a Peregrine representative if you need to secure more accommodation after the end of your tour.
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
- Cairo - Dahshur - Red & Bent Pyramids
- Cairo - Memphis visit
- Cairo - Pyramids and Sphinx
- Cairo - The Egyptian Museum headset
- Cairo - Egyptian Museum
- Aswan - Elephantine Island
- Aswan - Tombs of the Nobles
- Aswan - Felucca Ride
- Aswan - Philae Temple
- Abu Simbel - Abu Simbel temples
- Abu Simbel - Flights to and from Abu Simbel
- Aswan - Kom Ombo Temple
- Luxor - Luxor Temple
- Luxor - Karnak Temple
- Luxor - Valley of the Kings (3 tombs)
- Luxor - Tut Ank Amon Tomb
- Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple
- Luxor - Medinat Habu Temple
- Luxor - Dendera Temple
- Luxor - Abydos temple
- Luxor - Tombs of Nobles
- Luxor - Deir el Madina
- Cairo - Home Cooked Meal
- Cairo - Sultan Hassan Mosque
- Cairo - Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar
- Cairo - Citadel Old Cairo
Dates & availability
Trip departures are unavailable.
There are currently no scheduled departures on our Pyramids, Mummies & Pharaohs trip. If you are interested in other trips in the region visit one of the links below.
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Important notes
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A single supplement is available on this trip for solo travellers who do not want to share a room. 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 23 kilograms per person plus seven kilograms of hand luggage.
Essential trip information
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