9 Day Private Egypt Tour and Nile Cruise with Red Sea

Overview

Itinerary

1. Arrival and pickup in Cairo

2. Arrive at Cairo International Airport, where your Egyptologist guide will welcome you and escort you to your private vehicle. Settle into your hotel, receive your briefing on the days ahead, and enjoy a relaxing evening to rest or explore at your own pace.

3. Overnight stay at Cairo

4. Explore Giza Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum

5. Visit the legendary Giza Pyramids on the edge of the Sahara Desert. Stand in the shadow of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, explore the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, and learn about the pharaohs who built these ancient wonders from your guide.

6. Marvel at the colossal Great Sphinx of Giza, the world's largest monolithic statue. Your guide will share the myths, mysteries, and history of this 4,500-year-old guardian of the Giza Plateau.

7. Explore the megalithic Valley Temple of Khafre, crafted from massive Aswan granite blocks. Your guide will explain the ancient purification rituals once performed here for the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife.

8. Conclude your first full day at the state-of-the-art Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids. Explore the world's largest archaeological museum, featuring the complete collection of Tutankhamun's treasures displayed together for the first time.

9. After enjoying the day to the fullest, you will be driven back to your hotel. Relax and recharge, as another amazing journey awaits you the next day.

12. Overnight stay at Cairo

13. Fly to Aswan, visit Philae Temple, and enjoy a 5-star Nile cruise

14. Take a short domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan, the picturesque gateway to Upper Egypt. Upon landing, your guide will welcome you to the "Jewel of the Nile," where golden desert sands meet the lush, vibrant riverbanks of Nubia.

15. Take a short motorboat ride to Agilkia Island to explore the romantic Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis. Your guide will share the remarkable story of how the entire temple complex was rescued and relocated block by block to save it from rising waters.

16. Board your 5-star luxury Nile cruise ship and settle into your elegant cabin. Enjoy a delicious lunch and spend the afternoon relaxing on the sun deck with a cup of mint tea, watching the golden desert dunes and traditional felucca sailboats glide by as your unforgettable voyage begins.

20. Overnight stay at 5-Star Nile Cruise

21. Experience Optional Abu Simbel and Kom Ombo

22. Optional Excursion: Take an early-morning drive through the Nubian desert to the legendary Abu Simbel Temples. Stand in awe before the towering statues of Ramesses the Great, explore the Temple of Nefertari, and learn about the monumental UNESCO engineering feat that rescued them from the waters of Lake Nasser.

23. Sail along the Nile to the unique Kom Ombo Temple, a perfectly symmetrical double temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. Explore its twin sanctuaries, ancient medical carvings, and the nearby Crocodile Museum.

27. Overnight stay at 5-Star Nile Cruise

28. Learn the history of Edfu Temple, then sail to Luxor

29. As your cruise concludes, you will be heading toward Luxor, where you can continue your explorations of sites like the Karnak temple complex, the Colossi of Memnon, and the Valley of the Kings, all of which were central to your earlier journey near the Giza Necropolis and Cairo International Airport.

30. After leaving Edfu, your Nile cruise heads toward Luxor, stopping at the Esna Lock to adjust to the river's different water levels. From the sun deck, you can watch local vendors in small boats toss souvenirs and textiles up to passengers—a long-standing tradition of Nile commerce. Afterward, enjoy afternoon tea and the scenery as you approach Luxor.

34. Overnight stay at 5-Star Nile Cruise

35. Luxor Highlights and Transfer to Hurghada

36. After breakfast, disembark in Luxor to explore the West Bank (the ancient realm of the dead), beginning at the Valley of the Kings. Descend into the royal tombs to see remarkably preserved 3,000-year-old hieroglyphics and wall paintings as your Egyptologist guide shares the stories of pharaohs like Tutankhamun and Ramesses II.

37. After the Valley of the Kings, visit the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Carved directly into the towering golden cliffs of the Theban Mountain, this 3,500-year-old architectural masterpiece features three dramatic terraces dedicated to Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh. Your guide will share her incredible story of rule and trade, as well as her successor's later attempts to erase her legacy.

38. As you reflect on your day exploring the Valley of the Kings and the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, you have experienced the core highlights of the ancient Luxor West Bank.

39. Your Luxor tour concludes at Karnak Temple, the world's largest ancient religious site, featuring the massive 134-column Hypostyle Hall and 4,000 years of history.

40. Your trip shifts from Karnak Temple to Hurghada, Egypt's top Red Sea resort, famous for its beaches, vibrant coral reefs, and year-round sunshine. After a private desert transfer, you will check into your hotel to relax and unwind by the crystal-clear water ahead of a free day tomorrow.

44. Overnight stay at Hurghada

45. Free Day in Hurghada

46. Enjoy a completely free day to relax on the beach, with optional activities like snorkeling or diving the coral reefs, a desert safari, a trip to Giftun Island, or unwinding with a luxury spa treatment and beachfront dining.

50. Overnight stay at Hurghada

51. Fly Back to Cairo

52. After breakfast, check out for your private transfer to Hurghada Airport and domestic flight to Cairo. Your representative will meet you upon arrival and transfer you to your hotel for a final evening of reflection before your departure.

55. Overnight stay at Cairo

56. Departure

57. Enjoy a final breakfast at your Cairo hotel and check out. Your private vehicle and guide will transfer you to Cairo International Airport for your flight home, concluding your unforgettable 9-day Egyptian adventure.

Know before you go

• Stroller / pram accessible
• Public transportation is nearby
• Infant seats available

Pickup, meeting point & start times