Cairo - Aswan - Abu Simbel- Dahabiya Cruise- Luxor - Hurghada.

Highlights of Egypt, Nubia, Dahabiya and Red Sea in 12 days

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a photo showing a group of people taking a photo in front of Saqqara pyramid in Egypt

Day 1

Visit Saqqara.
Include the Step pyramid and the Nobles tombs.

Visit Dahshur.
Include the bent pyramid and the Red pyramid.

Lunch at Saqqara, a good place to try Egyptian food. Normally they serve a mixed grill, kofta, and lots of small dishes filled with appetizers.

Visit Giza.
view the Great pyramid, The Sphinx, Khara pyramid, Menkawra pyramid, and priest Kar tomb.

Night stay in Cairo.
The tour duration 8-9 hours.

Optional tours and activities
Camel ride in Giza.
Going inside the Great Pyramid.
Attend a Giza sound and light show in the evening.

Day 2

Visit the Egyptian museum.
Including King Tut Ankh Amon collection. Or the Grand Egyptian Museum when open.

Walking tour in Downtown Cairo.

Lunch at Abo Tarek, famous for Koshri as the most common fast food in Egypt, is a mix of rice, pasta, little, check bees, fried onion, and tomato sauce.

Visit Coptic/Old Cairo.
Include the hanging church and Abu Serga Church.

The tour duration 7-8 hours.
Night stay in a Cairo

a photo showing the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Day 3

Transfer to Cairo Airport and fly to Aswan . 1.5 hour flight.
Visit the High Dam.
Visit Philae temple.
Visit the unfinished obelisk.

Lunch and check in the hotel.

Afternoon/Sunset:
Felucca ride on the Nile River to view the following: The Nobles tombs – Agha Khan Mausoleum – the Plantation Island and the Old Cataract hotel.

Night stay in a Cairo
Dressing code: Normal.

Optional activities:
( please notify us before hand of optional tours you would like )

Elephantine Archeological site.
The Nubian Village.
The Nubian Museum.
Camel ride to Saint Simon Monastery.
Visit Plantation Island.
Motor boat ride through the Nile Cataract.
Philae temple sound and light show.

Day 4

Early morning travel to Abu Simbel temple (3-4 hours drive each way)

Visit the temple of Ramses and Nefertari. Drive back to Aswan.

The tour duration 8-9 hours

Noon:
check into the Dahabiya.
Lunch and sailing.
Dinner and overnight on board in Daraw.

Day 5

Breakfast on board.
In the town of Daraw you learn how to shop like a local at the market, visit a barn to meet camels and learn about the camel trade, and visit a Nubian Town.

Visit Kom Ombo temple.

Lunch on board.

Sailing to El Selsela ancient sandstone quarry and shrines.

Dinner and overnight on board near Bisaw.

Day 6

Breakfast in a local home or on board.

Explore Bisaw Island, walk through farms and meet the villagers.

Join the men in their boats to share the experience of Nile fishing.

Sail to Edfu, Ride to visit the Temple of Horus.

Lunch on board.

Dinner and night stay on board in El Hegz.

Day 7

Breakfast on board.
Sail to Esna.
Check out the dahabiya after breakfast.

We visit the Temple, restored caravanserai and market.
Esna is part of the Luxor governorate, we drive about an hour from Esna to Luxor.

Check in the hotel.

Afternoon:
Visit Karnak Temple
Visit Luxor temple
Tour Duration: 3-4 hours
Night Stay in Luxor

Optional activities:
( please notify us before hand of optional tours you would like )

Hot air Balloon ride.
At sun rise, about 50 minutes flight with transfers duration is 2 hours.
Walk the Alley of the Sphinx (Karnak to Luxor temple)
Tut Ankh Amon tomb.
Ramses 6th tomb
Set 1st tomb
Horse carriage ride between Karnak and Luxor temples.
Felucca ride in the Nile River.
Luxor Museum.
Karnak temple sound and light show.
Nefertari tomb.

Day 8

Stop at the Colossi of Memnon

Visit the Valley of the Kings.

Your tour guide will lead you to the most important tombs among the opened tombs in the valley - You are allowed to visit 3 tombs amongst more than 10 tombs that are currently open. Snacks

Visit Hatshepsut temple.

Visit the Ancient Workmen Village (Deir El Medina)

Visit a local farmer's house for a late Lunch or dinner.

Tour Duration: 7-8 hours
Dressing code: Conservative (for the local family visit)
Night stay in Luxor.

a photo showing The Colossus of Memnon in Luxor, Egypt

Day 9

Check out in the morning and transfer to the Red Sea (Hurghada).

About 4 hours drive.

Arrive in Hurghada and check in the hotel.

Afternoon:
Half day city tour in Hurghada.

Night stay in Hurghada.

Day 10

Free day in Hurghada

Optional activities in Hurghada, you can book it 48 - 24 hours in advance

Half day Hurghada private city tour. Explore different parts of the city, including the Corniche (esplanade, promenade) along the beach, the Marina, the old town, the market and the fish market. A fun option is use bicycles for this tour. The tour duration is 3-4 hours.

Full day private snorkeling tour using a private sailboat. Hurghada is famous for its reefs and beautiful underwater scenery. In this tour you board a sailboat (which has an engine in the case of no wind) and sail to different Islands and reefs where you can snorkel. The tour duration is 6-7 hours. Cooking equipment is available. You can buy your lunch and cook it on board. Snorkeling equipment is included. Full day snorkeling tour (group tour). Hurghada is famous for its reefs and beautiful underwater sceneries. In this tour you board a yacht and sail to Islands and reefs where you can snorkel. This includes lunch and snorkeling equipment. The tour duration is 6-7 hours, and starts around 9am.

Full day paradise Island (group tour). If you would like to relax and have access to the water at a beautiful beach to swim and snorkel, Paradise Island would be a good option. Includes lunch and Snorkeling equipment. The tour duration is 6-7 hours, and starts around 9am.

Overday or Overnight desert trip in Wadi El Gemal.

Desert Safari (group tour). In this tour you explore the desert near Hurghada using Quad bikes. It’s great fun and adventure. You visit a Bedouin camp and have dinner while watching a folk show. The tour duration is about 6 hours, starting at around 2pm. Swim with the Dolphins (group tour). In the sea not in a swimming pool. It’s a day tour in a boat with lunch included. The chances of finding friendly Dolphins and swimming with them is quite high.

Scuba diving tours are available when requested. If you are not a licensed diver, you can do a diving introduction at a safe depth with instructor.

Other tours and activities are available, our operator in Hurghada will explain them all to you.

Day 11

Check out form the hotel and transfer to Cairo

(Flights about 1 hour Or overland about 6 hours)

Night stay in Cairo

Day 12

Visit the Citadel.
Including Mohamed Ali mosque.

Lunch at El Azhar park.
A beautiful park in the center of Cairo, on the top of a hill overlooking the city.

Walking tour in El Muizz St, of Medieval Cairo.
The most preserved area with medieval Islamic architecture such as Mosques, Houses, markets, and other Medieval architecture.
It’s a perfect place to experience the local culture of Egypt today.

Visit Khan El Khalili market.
The tour duration 7-8 hours.

Optional Tours
Attend a folk show in Al-Ghouri Caravansary.
Available in Sat, Mon and Wed.

Cairo

08 days - Cairo-Luxor-Dahabiya Cruise-Aswan-Abu Simbel

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Highlights of Egypt and Dahabiya Cruise in 8 days

Day 1

Visit Saqqara. Include the Step pyramid, Titi pyramid, the Nobles tombs. Visit Dahshur. Include the bent pyramid and the Red pyramid.

Lunch at Saqqara- a good place to try Egyptian food. Normally they serve mixed grill, kofta, and lots of small dishes filled with appetizers.

Visit Giza. view the Great Pyramid, The Sphinx, Khara pyramid, Menkawra pyramid and, the nobles tombs

Night stay in Cairo .

The tour duration 8-9 hours.

Optional extras

Going Inside the great pyramid
Camel rides
Attend Giza sound and light show in the evening.

Day 2

Transfer to Cairo airport and fly to Luxor.
About 1 hour flight.
Pick up at Luxor airport.

Visit The Valley of the Kings, The Colossi of Memnon and Hatshepsut temple.

The tour duration is 5-6 hours.

Lunch and Check in the hotel.

Afternoon:

Visit Habu temple

Visit a local farmer family in Luxor and have dinner in their house.

The tour duration 3- 4 hours.

optional extras- Queens Valley

Night stay in Luxor .

Day 3

Check out from the hotel after breakfast.
Visit Karnak and Luxor temple.

The tour duration about 3-4 hours.

Transfer from Luxor to Esna. About 1 hour drive,

Check in to the Dahabiya Cruise.

Lunch on board.

Sailing for about 4-5 hours to El Hegz Island.

Going on a walking tour in El Hegz village and visiting a local family there.

Dinner and overnight on board.

Optional Tours :-

Hot air balloon ride over the west bank during the sunrise. The tour duration is about 2 hours, including 50 minutes flight.
Donkey ride in the fields

a photo showing the Egyptian Museum in Cairo

Day 4

Breakfast on board.
Sailing

Visit El Kab ancient tombs and temple ruins.

Sailing.

Lunch on board.

Visit.

Sailing.

Dinner and overnight stay on board.

a photo showing the Dahabiya sailing in the middle of the Nile

Day 5

Breakfast on board.

Visit Bisaw Island and village, and meet more locals and learn about the lifestyle in a remote Egyptian village.

Enjoy a ride with local fishermen helping them in fishing in the Nile River.

Sailing.

Visit El Selsela ancient sandstone quarry and shrines.

Sailing.

Special barbeque dinner by moonlight and overnight stay on board.

Day 6

Breakfast on board.

Visit Kom Ombo temple, Daraw town, camel market( according to availability), and local market.

Lunch on board.

Sailing.

Farewell dinner and overnight stay on board near Aswan.

Optional Tours:-

Philae temple sound and light show.

Day 7

Check out from the Dahabiya after breakfast.

travel to Abu Simbel(3 hours’ drive along the desert)

Visit the 2 temples of Abu Simbel

Drive back to Aswan and stop at the High Dam.

Note: Aswan – Abu Simbel – Round trip flights are available occasionally.

The tour duration 8-9 hours.

Lunch

Boat tour in the Nile in Aswan to view the following: Elephantine Island – Agha Khan Mausoleum – The Cataract – The Nobles tombs

The tour duration is 2 hours.

Transfer to Aswan airport and fly to Cairo.

Arrive in Cairo airport and transfer to the hotel.

Night stay in Cairo.

Day 8

Visit the Egyptian museum. Including King Tut Ankh Amon collection and The Animals mummies room.

lunch at Abo Tarek, famous for Koshri as the most common fast food in Egypt, mix of rice, pasta, lentils, chickpeas, fried onion, and tomato sauce.

Walking tour in Downtown Cairo. The most famous among the area is Tahrir square, the birthplace of Egypt’s great revolution, and visit the places where important events happened during the Egyptian revolution.

Visit the Citadel. Including the Alabaster mosque of Mohamed Ali.

Walking tour in El Muizz St, of Medieval Cairo. The most preserved area with medieval Islamic architecture such as Mosques, Houses, markets, and other Medieval architecture. It’s a perfect place to experience the local culture of Egypt today.

Visit Khan El Khalili market.

The tour duration 9-10 hours.

Important information

Physical conditions required

Medium

Low: Able to walk and stand for about 15 minutes.

Medium:Able to walk up some flights of steps, walk and stand for about 1 hour and tolerate the direct sun for less than 1 hour.

Good: Able to hike, walk and stand for over 3 hours and tolerate the direct sun for more than 1 hour.

Very good: hiking Mountains, sand dunes and tolerate the direct sun for more than 2 hours.

General Notes

Dressing code is conservative while visiting Mosques, Churches, villages or areas with mainly local communities.

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Normal: comfortable, breathable clothing, comfortable walking shoes.

Conservative: For women (Long sleeved shirts, modest pants or skirts and scarf)

For man (no shorts and no sleeveless shirts)

For more info, visit our Practical info page (hyperlink)

Departure details

Traveler pickup is offered. Pick up and Drop off is limited within General Luna only Hotel pickup is offered. View the hotel list on our checkout page to see if yours is included among the pickup points.