Annapurna Circuit Trek
Annapurna Follow an ancient trade route through the Himalayas on this challenging trek EXPLORE Nepal | Days: 18 | From: $4,295
9 Days / 8 Nights
Various options*
Choose from 4 to 5+ star accommodations for your 4 Nights in the city and 4 Nights cruising the Nile.
Welcome to Egypt! Our tour leader will greet you at the Cairo International Airport. They’ll even be available to assist with all the admin at customs and immigration (which isn’t always the most straight-forward process here). Once everything is sorted, we’ll have a private transfer ready to take you straight to your hotel so you can rest after long hours of flying.
Your first full day in Egypt is packed with historical interest. First, we’ll head to Memphis – the original capital of ancient Egypt, with roots tracing back more than 5,000 years to 3200 BC. Visit the vast Pyramid Fields that contain over 100 individual structures with weathered intricate stone carvings, worn statues, and the ruins of ancient courtrooms of the civilization’s first true city.
Then, we go to the striking Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara (the oldest of all the pyramids built by the pharaohs) before heading to Giza, the most epic section of the pyramid zone and arguably the most iconic ancient complex on the planet. You’ll see the soaring Great Pyramid, walk beneath the Great Sphinx, and even duck inside an ancient tomb.
Get ready for the sprawling city of Cairo – the largest urban area in the whole of Africa. We’ll begin at the Citadel of Saladin, which was once the home of Egypt’s medieval Islamic rulers, and see the majestic Mosque of Muhammad Ali.
Next, we’ll hop over to the pulsating streets of old Cairo to the Khan El Khalili market where trading traces back to the 1300s. It’s a maze of perfumed spice sellers, copper lantern shops, silk emporiums, and more!
Finally, we’ll explore the acclaimed Egyptian Museum which houses the largest and most prestigious collection of Egyptology and Pharaonic antiquities anywhere in the world. See the famed haunting Mask of Tutankhamun and lesser-known masterworks from the Old Kingdom period.
Today starts with an early flight to Luxor, a town known as the “world’s largest open-air museum” and where the pharaohs made their power base between the 16th and the 11th centuries BC. Monuments, temples, relics, ruins – they’re everywhere.
We’ll tour the Karnak Temple Complex (the largest conglomeration of ancient shrines in the country) and visit the Precinct of Amun-Re, where 33-foot (10-meter) high columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall display some of the most iconic hieroglyphic inscriptions. In the evening, we board our river cruiser for visions of the blazing sunset kissing the oasis palms and the glistening waters of the Nile.
Welcome to the West Bank of Luxor, where the largest group of pharaonic mortuary tombs and shrines on the globe.
We begin at the legendary Valley of the Kings and its 63 individual burial sites. This is where you’ll enter the mystical resting place of Tutankhamun. Be stunned by the intricate interiors of the Tomb of Tausert and Setnakht and other tombs adorned with eye-watering mural stories from more than 3,000 years ago. Later, we head to the Valley of the Queens, where you can what some experts hail as the best-preserved tomb in Egypt.
You’ll wake having spent the night sailing south down the meandering Nile to Edfu. After breakfast on board, you’ll disembark for a trip to one of the most celebrated relics of the ancient world: the Temple of Horus. Considered the single most intact temple left from the Ancient Egyptian era, the site was miraculously preserved after being buried in layers of desert sand.
Your journey continues down the Nile from Edfu toward the incredible temple ruins of Kom Ombo. This temple dates from the Ptolemaic dynasty (180-47 BC), making them contemporary to Hellenistic Greece and the Roman Republic. Accordingly, they showcase a curious intermingling of ancient African, Egyptian, and Mediterranean styles throughout their shrines.
We’ll finish our cruise down the Nile in Aswan, a town that houses a true feat of human engineering called the High Dam. You’ll be guided to local Aswan quarries that were used by the ancients to source stone for some of the most magnificent tombs at Giza and Saqqara. Later, we hop over to the islands that rise above the water between the High Dam and Low Dam to the enthralling Philae temple complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s a layer cake of historical interest from the Ptolemaic, Roman, and Pharaonic eras. Your final evening on the Nile will be spent sailing between the palm-topped isles on a traditional Egyptian felucca boat.
We fly back to Cairo today for more time in the enthralling Egyptian capital. There’s plenty left to do. We’d especially recommend people watching in Al-Azhar Park or exploring the streets of Coptic Cairo. In the evening, sample some local cuisine and teas before settling in for your last night in Egypt.
Please contact us for a complete detailed itinerary.
Rising high above bustling Tahrir Square in the beating heart of modern Cairo, the Steigenberger puts you right next to the iconic Egyptian Museum and the enthralling bazaars of Khan El Khalili. Inside, it’s an oasis in the big city, offering an enclosed outdoor swimming pool and a private spa facility.
The four-deck Steigenberger Minerva will whisk you from Luxor to Aswan in comfort. Up top, there’s a sun-splashed pool area that’s a joy to relax in after a long day touring the temples. Each of the 77 rooms and suites are done out in charming contemporary styles with amenities like internet access and flat-screen TVs.
Spilling off the side of leafy Zamalek Island, the Sofitel Al Gezeira Sheraton is a slice of paradise amid Cairo’s traffic-clogged streets and marketplaces. It’s got a whiff of a grand Parisian stay about it, what with lobbies adorned with glinting chandeliers. Highlights include the infinity pool overlooking the cityscape and the panoramic balconies in the suites.
There are just 56 curated cabins on the exquisite Royal Lilly cruiser from the Movenpick group. Each offers wide windows for Nile viewing from the comfort of your bed. Each gets access to an upper deck that touts a swimming pool and loungers.
Rejuvenate between visits to the pyramids of Giza and walks through the Cairo bazaars by picking the opulent Four Seasons on the Nile. This hotel is consistently rated among the best in the city and for good reason. The sprawling suites combine elegant Victorian-style furnishings with plush Egyptian cotton bedding. There’s also a full-fledged spa and haute Lebanese dining at the on-site restaurant.
The Farah Nile Cruise takes luxury on the river to all new heights. Guests will be greeted by art-filled lobbies that are flooded with natural light. Suites are filled with handmade timber furnishings and there’s plenty of extra frills, from sundeck stargazing telescopes to onboard cooking classes.
The best time to visit Egypt is during the North African wintertime, which lasts from October to April. This is the coolest part of the year, though it’s still likely to be warm – average temperatures sit at around 75°F (24°C) in December. Spring, summer, and fall can also be good options. These seasons see smaller crowds but also higher mercury readings, sometimes of over 100°F (38°C)!
You’ll need at least a week to see the highlights of Egypt and even that will be a packed itinerary. Take our nine-day trip, which splits time almost equally between Cairo and the Nile River to include the wonders of the Giza pyramids, but also the impressive temples of Luxor and the Aswan High Dam.
That’s easy: The Giza pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, and the Karnak Temple Complex are all considered the stand-out highlights of Egypt. However, there are oodles of lesser-known historic sights that we also try to include in our itineraries. Plus, there’s something to be said for the pure joy of wandering medieval bazaars and watching the Nile roll by on a river cruise.
The famous pyramids of Egypt are located just south of Cairo. They’re officially a part of the Memphis Necropolis UNESCO site, which spreads south from the town of Giza for about 20 miles (32 km), running parallel to the Nile. Most visitors will travel to the pyramids from a hotel in Cairo city center or Giza itself.
Most Nile River cruises last around four days. That allows for enough time to sail from Luxor – the home of the Valley of the Kings – to Aswan – where you’ll see the High Dam and the ancient quarries. You can also do cruises for much longer than that if you wanted to spend extra time enjoying the beautiful views of the iconic waterway and the many historic sites along its length.
There is no other operator in the travel industry that will provide the same level of personal attention to you before you head to Egypt. We get very involved with our travelers before each trip by offering a series of pre-planning calls in the months and weeks before departure. This provides you with an opportunity to hear directly from us on preparation, trip experience, and training. It also gives you the platform to ask questions about any aspect of the trip.
Our knowledgeable support staff take care of the details of your in-country transportation, lodging, meals, tours, Torres del Paine park fees, and activities. We’ve even scheduled in a bit of free time for you to explore, relax, shop, or eat on your own.
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