Highlights of Egypt
Independent pre-planned 10-day Journey
Starts in Cairo on any day

Visiting Cairo, Egyptian Antiquities Museum, Old Cairo, Islamic Cairo, Khan El Khalili Bazaar,
Giza Pyramids & Sphinx, Abu Simbel, Philae temple, Aswan,
Nile Cruise, Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple and Karnak

 

Your Trip, Your Way

The trip described below is one which we have previously offered as one of our own Private Journeys and we continue to make it available as a custom-designed itinerary.

We can start this trip on any date and can accommodate any number of travellers. The itinerary can be followed exactly as shown or we can add or subtract days as required or change the order of events to suit your exact needs.

Along the way we will provide expert guides and private air-conditioned vehicles in all locations. We'll pre-arrange all breakfasts and any other meals that you require. We have suggested meals in the itinerary below, but we can adjust this to suit your tastes.

Our itinerary also includes recommended hotels and boats, however we can modify this to use accommodation at any comfort level.

In short, we'll start with this itinerary and add to, subtract from or modify it in any way you like.

We'll take care of the details. Then all you have to do is arrive and enjoy your journey.

 

Introduction

The Pharaohs may be gone and the ancient desert settlements may be quiet, but what remains to be visited and studied in this spectacular country is phenomenal.

We travel to historic Cairo, then south into Nubia to within a stone's throw of the Sudan border at Abu Simbel. Then we return to Upper Egypt and the city of Aswan where we begin our cruise down the Nile River to Luxor. The archaeological and historical antiquities are abundant.

Throughout the trip, the Mid-east culture will envelop you. The vast desert scenery will inspire you. The Nile River will calm you. The diversity is amazing.

Egypt is one of the most popular countries in the Middle East and it has been welcoming western visitors for centuries. The infrastructure is well-developed, the hotels are comfortable, the cruise boats are welcoming, the transportation is good and the sites are simply magnificent.

Enjoy the cities, villages, deserts, museums, busy markets, historic and cultural sites of this beautiful country; all in comfort and safety.

Travel on your own or with friends and leave all the details to us.

 

The Journey

During this 10-day trip you'll arrive in and depart from the city of Cairo and travel as far south as the Sudan border.

And of course, if this itinerary is not exactly what you want, we can change it. Add days, subtract days, change hotels, change the order. Anything is possible.

Some highlights of the trip as it is currently shown...

• Grade is "easy to moderate"

• All accommodation included

• All transportation

• All airport transfers

• Our own carefully-selected guides

• All tours and entrance fees

• Meals as shown
            ...and lots more

The Full Recommended Itinerary (for a map of this journey click here)

 

HIGHLIGHTS OF EGYPT
PRIVATE TOUR ITINERARY
 

DAY 1	ARRIVAL IN CAIRO, EGYPT Arriving at Cairo airport and meet the TrailFinders representative who will transfer you to the hotel located downtown on the island in the centre of the Nile. Cairo, Egypt’s chaotic, noisy, unpredictable capital city boasts a population of more than 16 million people. Situated on the Nile, it’s famous for its incredible history, well-preserved in the medieval Islamic city, in Coptic Cairo, in Giza (the pyramids and Sphinx) and in the Egyptian Museum. Visitors to Cairo have marvelled at its antiquities for thousands of years, but Cairo is about more than just the past – it’s also home to a vibrant and modern society. Mud-brick houses lean up against modern office buildings, flashy cars crowd donkey-drawn carts. Cairo’s inhabitants cope well with these contrasts and are not driven by the Western obsession to update and upgrade, possibly because they live in such close proximity to centuries of history. Overnight at the Sofitel Cairo or similar.
DAY 2	CAIRO - GIZA - CAIRO (B, L) Breakfast at the hotel. This morning we visit Giza to see the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. The Giza Necropolis stands on the Giza Plateau on the outskirts of Cairo near the town of Giza, southwest of city centre. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the only remaining monument of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’. The Great Sphinx is a half-human, half-lion statue located just to the east of the pyramids. The earliest and largest monolith statue in the world, it stands 73.5 metres long, 6 m wide and 20 m high. It is commonly believed to have been built by ancient Egyptians in the 3rd millennium BC. Lunch today will be at the atmospheric Khan El Khalili café at the Mena House hotel. After lunch, visit the interesting Papyrus museum for a demonstration of the ancient art of producing and painting this famous material. Afterwards return to the hotel. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Sofitel Cairo or similar.
DAY 3	CAIRO (B, L) Breakfast at the hotel. This morning at around 9:30, depart for a full day of sightseeing. Visit the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. The sprawling building is packed with antiquities; mummies including the pharaohs Ramses II and III and Seti I, the contents of the tomb of Tutankhamen and thousands of other highlights from the oldest of civilizations including an excellent collection of Greek and Roman artefacts. From here, proceed to Cairo’s El Moez Street and the ancient Khan al Khalili Bazaar. El Moez Street is one of the most interesting streets in Cairo and a photographer's paradise. Khan al-Khalili is a major souk in the Old City and a historic landmark. The souk dates back to 1382, when an Emir built a large caravanserai in Cairo in order to repair the city walls after major damages due to the plague. The souq is noted for selling good-quality clothing, cloth, spices, souvenirs, traditional jewellery and perfumes at reasonable prices. At an appropriate time today, have lunch at a local restaurant in the bazaar itself. Afterwards, if you wish, you can stop at one of the many small and traditional coffeehouses serving Arabic coffee, mint tea and the popular water pipes for shisha. Return to the hotel in the afternoon. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Sofitel Cairo or similar.
DAY 4	CAIRO (B, L) Breakfast at the hotel. Relax a bit this morning and enjoy the hotel or perhaps go out for a morning walk in the pleasant streets surrounding the hotel. Around 11 am, depart for Old Cairo, a wonderful part of the city that contains the remnants of cities which were capitals before Cairo, as well as some other elements from the city's varied history including Coptic Cairo with its ruins of Roman fortifications, the Coptic Museum, Babylon Fortress, the Hanging Church and other Coptic churches and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. You will also visit the incredible Al Sultan Hassan mosque, one of the masterpieces of Mamluk architecture completed in 1363. It is believed that the mosque was constructed from the casing stones of the Giza pyramids. Verses from the Quran in elegant Kufic and Thuluth scripts adorn the inner walls. This imposing mosque is featured on the Egyptian one-hundred pound note. Afterwards, visit nearby Al Azhar Park which offers stunning panoramic views of the world's most intriguing city. The park’s lush, green landscaped gardens are an enjoyable sojourn away from the noise of the busy city. The park is home to the newly discovered Ayyubid wall, constructed by Salah El Din more than 800 years ago. Late lunch in the park restaurant. Afterwards you can walk through the park as twilight approaches, the lights of the city begin to come on and the call to prayer is heard from the many surrounding mosques. This is a magical experience. Afterwards, return to the hotel. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Sofitel Cairo or similar.
DAY 5	CAIRO – ABU SIMBEL – ASWAN (B) Today you catch the early morning flight to Abu Simbel. Abu Simbel is an archaeological site comprising two massive rock temples on the western bank of Lake Nasser about 290 km southwest of Aswan. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site known as the "Nubian Monuments" which run from Abu Simbel downriver to Philae. The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his queen, Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged victory at the Battle of Kadesh and to intimidate his Nubian neighbours. With the construction of the Aswan High Dam across the Nile between 1958 and 1970, the massive Lake Nasser was created behind the dam. The lake is named after President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who initiated the controversial project and is 550 km long and 35 km across at its widest point. It has a storage capacity of about 157 cubic kilometres of water. When the project was in its planning stages, the anticipated rising waters behind the dam required major relocation projects that were carried out during the 1960s. Many important Nubian and Ancient Egyptian archaeological sites were dismantled block by block and moved to higher ground. Two of the most notable of these were Abu Simbel, which you visit today and Philae Temple which you visit in two days. After touring the site, return to the airport to catch the flight to Aswan. After landing in Aswan and on your way back to the city, visit the magnificent High Dam before checking in to your hotel. Later this afternoon, take a leisurely walk through one of the interesting markets of Aswan. Free for dinner. Overnight at the Movenpick Aswan.
DAY 6	ASWAN – NILE CRUISE (B, L, D) Breakfast at the hotel. This morning board a felucca and sail leisurely along the Nile passing  the Agha Khan Mausoleum, Kitchener’s Island and other local sites. Around noon, check in to your beautifully appointed Nile cruise boat, the “Sun Boat IV”, moored in its private dock in Aswan. On board, you will be welcomed by the reception staff and shown to your cabin. This boat is the best boat on the Nile. Lunch will be served on board. This afternoon, visit the nearby Granite Quarries which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples. This site contains a huge unfinished obelisk which was abandoned in ancient times due to damage sustained during the carving process. After returning to the boat, afternoon tea will be served in the lounge with music supplied by a trio of Egyptian musicians. Tonight you'll be greeted by the boat manager, who will introduce you to the boat staff and review on-board facilities and your cruise program for the next few days. Complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer will be served, together with a selection of canapés. Gourmet dinner on board. Overnight in Aswan.
DAY 7	NILE CRUISE (B, L, D) Breakfast on the boat. This morning visit the majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilka. The temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, is in a beautiful setting which has been landscaped to match its original site. It's various shrines, sanctuaries and pylons celebrate all the deities involved in the Isis and Osiris myth. After returning to the boat, set sail for Kom Ombo and begin your on-board Egyptian cooking lesson. Lunch on board while cruising leisurely along the Nile. This afternoon, visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. The temple stands at a bend in the Nile where in ancient times sacred crocodiles basked in the sun on the riverbank. Afternoon tea will be served on board while you continue your cruise toward Edfu. This evening, explore the largest and most completely preserved Pharaonic, Greek-built temple in Egypt - the extraordinary Temple of Horus at Edfu. Tonight’s dinner on board will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with an opportunity to don traditional Egyptian “galabeyas” if you wish. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialities, followed by oriental music. Overnight on board in Esna.
DAY 8	NILE CRUISE (B, L, D) Breakfast on the boat while sailing for Luxor. After arriving at the private pier in Luxor City, proceed on a tour of the East Bank of Luxor, starting with the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor dedicated to the god Amun. From here, visit the Temple of Karnak, built over more than a thousand years by generations of Pharaohs. The great “Hypostyle Hall” is an incredible forest of giant pillars which cover an area larger than the whole of Notre Dame Cathedral. Lunch on board. This afternoon, visit the West Bank of Luxor to explore the Valley of the Kings, a vast city of the dead where magnificent tombs were carved into the desert rocks, decorated richly and filled with treasures for the afterlife by generations of Pharaohs. You will also have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens and Hatshepsut’s Temple. Rising out of the desert plain in a series of terraces, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, ancient Egypt’s only female Pharaoh, merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it as if nature herself had built this extraordinary monument. On the way back to the Nile, the road passes by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn. Make a brief photo stop here before returning to the boat for afternoon tea on board. Tonight’s farewell dinner will be a gala event with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine. The meal will be followed by a belly dancer, accompanied by a whirling dervish show. Overnight on board in Luxor.
DAY 9	LUXOR - CAIRO (B, D) Breakfast on board and check out at 8:00. After disembarking, board your horse-drawn calèche and take a leisurely ride through some of the interesting back streets of Luxor - areas which visitors normally would miss. Afterwards, head to the airport and board your flight back to Cairo. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel which is conveniently situated near the airport. The rest of the afternoon is free to enjoy the hotel and to prepare for the trip home tomorrow morning. Overnight at the Fairmont Heliopolis and Towers.
DAY 10	CAIRO – HOME (B) Breakfast at the hotel. At an appropriate time today, transfer to the airport to board your flight home.

 

Price

The price will be determined after the trip is designed the way you want it. We can change any aspect of the trip to meet your needs.

 

Accommodation

The accommodation recommended in the itinerary has been selected to meet the needs of the experienced Canadian traveller. Of course, we can adjust specific properties according to your wishes.

We have suggested hotels with high standards for cleanliness and comfort. At the same time we have attempted to make use of several styles of properties including modern hotels, beach resorts and so on.

We would estimate that our recommended accommodation is in the 4 to 5-star category on average.