Egypt
Coach, Cruise, Plane
Discover the oldest travel destination known on a small group tour of Egypt. Impressive ancient landmarks meet bustling modern cities, with traditional souks and unique landscapes. Cruise the Nile River and uncover its beauty and explore ancient Egyptian royal tombs in what is an unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime journey through Cairo, Luxor, Edfu and Aswan.
Egypt’s ancient history is prominent throughout the country with landmarks aplenty. From the iconic Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Abu Simbel Temples and the Valley of the Kings to the ancient temple complexes of Karnak and Luxor.
The well-known Nile River offers some of Egypt’s most incredible scenery. The tree-lined river bank and the backdrop of sand dunes and mountainous terrain creates a place of serenity as traditional felucca boats, reminiscent of those used in ancient times, sail the water.
Whilst Egypt’s capital city is known for its ancient history, the modern-day Cairo is a bustling cosmopolitan center called by the locals as “the mother of the world”. Old and new sit together in the city as business people in suits and locals in traditional robes walk the city streets shared by high-rise and traditional buildings.
Welcome to Cairo. This fascinating city with a bewildering mixture of old and new will intrigue and entice you; from the Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, to the bustling life the locals lead.
After we arrive in Cairo we enjoy a group welcome dinner to meet our fellow travelers.
[Dinner]
Get ready for many ‘wow’ moments today as we explore the city of Cairo and its ancient landmarks on a half-day tour of the city. After breakfast we set off on our tour, taking in the sights of some of world’s best-known icons, make sure your cameras are charged! We begin at the Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, before visiting one of the world’s oldest and largest monuments, the Sphinx. We explore the ancient capital of Memphis before making our way to the incredible Step Pyramid of Sakkara. This pyramid is believed to have been created by one man and dates back to 2700 BCE.
The remainder of our day is at leisure to explore this fascinating city at our own pace.
[Breakfast]
After breakfast, we continue to explore Cairo. Marvel at the impressive collection of Egyptian antiquities at the Cairo Museum and explore the Saladin Citadel of Cairo, a medieval fortification that overlooks the city. We visit the impressive Mohammed Ali Mosque and the bustling Khan El Khalili Bazaar, where we can shop for souvenirs and meander our way through the laneways bursting with clothing, jewelry, spice shops and more.
This evening we dine with a local family in Cairo, getting to know more about life in a city home to approximately 19 million people. We discover the modern-day culture of Cairo and enjoy a home cooked meal, connecting with each other’s lives and making new friends.
[Breakfast and Dinner]
We take a short flight this morning from Cairo to Luxor and commence a half-day tour of Luxor, we tour a local village, learning about their culture and way of life. We enjoy a traditional falaha tent lunch as we sit and indulge in local Egyptian food.
This afternoon we visit the expansive Karnak Temple. Developed more than 1,000 years ago, the Karnak Temple complex is made up of ruins of temples, chapels and pylons. Make sure your cameras are charged, this impressive complex is a photographer’s delight. We continue to the Luxor Temple and marvel at the remarkable ruins of this complex. An avenue of sphinxes of one and a half miles once connected Karnak Temple to this secondary but no less impressive temple. The age of these ruins and intricate details of the carvings will astound you. The obelisk at the temple’s entrance is one of two originally positioned here. Its missing twin can now be found on the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France gifted to King Louis-Philippe in the 19th century.
[Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]
Home to the final resting places of ancient Egyptian royalty, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens and the Tombs of the Nobles, Luxor holds a lot of historic significance in Egypt. The tombs are works of art, with impressive and intricate interior details having barely faded since inception.
We discover the Valley of the Kings, its unrivaled history and impressive tombs in a tour of the valley. Once filled with gold and treasure, the tombs that line the valley are incredible. Step inside the tombs of ancient Egyptian royalty and uncover the fascinating history of these final resting places. Discrete from the outside, the interior of the tombs is a site to behold with the colors still vibrant despite the centuries that have passed since their creation.
We continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a beautifully colonnaded and terraced temple built into the mountainside. Hatshepsut was one of Egypt’s few recognized female Pharaohs and we learn more of her reign and subsequent erasure from history. We next visit the Colossi of Memnon, two large stone statues that rise 18 meters from the plains.
We board our Nile River cruise ship this afternoon and enjoy lunch and dinner on the ship.
[Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]
We spend our day today cruising along the Nile River as we travel from Luxor to the town of Edfu. We enjoy our time relaxing on the ship and make the most of the luxurious amenities. Sitting on the roof deck and taking in the beautiful surroundings of the Nile River and its banks is highly recommended!
We travel through the Esna Lock today. Due to the high volume of river traffic, we may pass through the lock during the night or have an extended wait prior to entering the lock.
[Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]
This morning we visit the Temple of Horus. The second largest temple in Egypt, and one of the best preserved, the Temple of Horus is believed to have been built on the site of the great battle between Horus and Seth.
Our cruise departs Edfu en-route to Aswan, one of Egypt’s most picturesque cities. Located on the banks of the Nile River against a backdrop of sand dunes, time slows down in Aswan as feluccas tack back and forth across the river and locals go about their daily business at a more relaxed pace. On the way to Aswan we stop and see the Temples of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the two gods; Sobek and Heroeris. We arrive in Aswan and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure before dinner on the ship.
[Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]
We embark on a half day tour of Aswan this morning. In contrast to the country’s many ancient landmarks, today we visit Egypt’s modern feat of construction, the Aswan High Dam, an impressive dam built across the Nile. We also visit the Unfinished Obelisk, the largest known ancient obelisk, and the Temple of Isis on Agilkia Island. This peaceful temple is set to charm us and is often feted as a favored Egyptian site.
This afternoon we board a felucca for a relaxing cruise along the lifeblood of Egypt, the Nile River. Feluccas, traditional Egyptian sailing boats, were originally used as the primary transportation on the Nile. Today they offer a serene way to experience the Nile and its surrounds.
We enjoy our last night on the ship this evening.
[Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]
The amazing Abu Simbel temples are a true highlight of our Egyptian journey. We round the bend to gain our first glimpse of these impressive temples, originally carved out of the mountainside in the 13th century BCE. Pharaoh Ramses II commissioned these as a lasting monument to himself and his queen, Nefertari. The Aswan High Dam project of the 1960s put the temples under threat of flooding and as a result they were relocated block by block to their current position, 60 meters up the sandstone cliff. Reassembled in the exact same relationship to each other and the sun, and covered with an artificial mountain these rock temples stand testament to Egypt’s engineering feats both ancient and new.
A short flight from Aswan takes us to Abu Simbel where we enjoy a two-hour tour of the temples before returning to Cairo. We enjoy the remainder of our day at leisure in Cairo before a farewell dinner together.
[Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner]
Our tour concludes after breakfast this morning. We bid farewell to our new friends and to incredible Egypt.
[Breakfast]
Cairo
Egypt
The Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah is a luxurious escape from Egypt’s bustling capital, Cairo. Blending Arabic, Pharaonic and French art deco design, the Sofitel’s stylish interior creates an inviting and glamorous atmosphere for guests. Each room boasts views of the Nile River and are fitted with contemporary furnishings, a separate seating area, free wifi and a safe deposit box. One of the hotel’s most impressive features is the large infinity pool that overlooks the river and the city skyline of Cairo. The hotel is also equipped with 7 restaurants, 3 bars and a private promenade along the Nile.
Luxor
Egypt
The stylish, luxurious and modern Hilton Luxor Resort is located on the banks of the Nile River in the heart of Luxor. Featuring 8 restaurants and lounges, a sunken bar, 2 infinity swimming pools, a spa and a fitness center, the Hilton is paradise. Rooms feature bright and stylish décor, free wifi, and air-conditioning. After a day of exploring the delights of Luxor, the Hilton Luxor Resort is the perfect place to relax and unwind.
Nile Cruise
Egypt
Relax and travel the Nile River onboard the luxurious Movenpick MS Royal Lily. The ship features an outdoor swimming pool and sun terrace, a sauna, a restaurant and bar, and stylish décor throughout. The comfortable rooms feature large windows, air-conditioning and a separate seating area.
Cairo
Egypt
Conveniently located in the heart of the Cairo International Airport, Le Meridien Cairo offers a luxurious oasis not often found in airport hotels. Designed for ultimate comfort, rooms feature views of the airport or hotel pool, stylish modern décor, wifi, a safe deposit box and coffee maker. 4 dining options, a fitness center and outdoor pool, complete the hotel’s luxurious offerings.
The official currency in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound, although the recommended currency to take on your tour is the US Dollar. When you arrive in Egypt you will be able to change your US Dollars into the Egyptian Pound. Ensure you change a small amount into small denominations.
Small change is also useful for paying for toilets while on tour which is customary in many destinations.
To get the most out of your Small Group Touring Co. tour, you will need a good level of fitness. Our Middle East tours require you to be able to walk at least 2-3 hours on uneven ground and climb several flights of stairs. It’s not every day that you come face to face with some of the world’s oldest sights, some of which are located within the Middle East’s desert landscape. We want you to be able to soak up every moment of your tour and create lasting, fond memories of your time in the Middle East. If you are affected by dusty conditions, please ensure that you come prepared and are fit enough to cope with the conditions.
We don’t want you to miss out on any aspect of your Small Group Touring Co. tour. To ensure that you don’t, we recommend you arrive at your starting destination by 15:00h in order to take part in your welcome dinner.
*Prices shown are in USD.
This small group tour is operated by Bunnik Tours.
The above pricing is based on twin share per person. If you are interested in single pricing please contact one of our tour consultants and they would be glad to assist in providing a detailed proposal including pricing.
Tipping has been included in your tour price for tour director, drivers, porters, waiters and any specialist local guides.
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