13-Day Egypt Highlights Tour from Cairo with Sahara and Nile Cruise

1

Day 01

Arrival in Cairo

• Arrival in Cairo by evening or night flight. You will be met at the airport, then transferred to your hotel for check-in.

2

Day 02

Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo

• Museum
  • A trip to Egypt is not complete without a visit to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. The museum has more than 120,000 exhibits dating back to different periods in the history of Ancient Egypt, including mummies, sarcophagi, pottery, jewellery and, of course, Tutankhamun's treasures.
• Coptic Cairo
  • We will move to the south of the city and visit the Christian part of Cairo. We will see the most important churches in this quarter: Saint Barbara, Saint Sergius and Bacchus, and the famous Hanging Church.
  • In the same area, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant.
• Islamic Cairo
  • We then move to the east of Cairo and begin walking through the Islamic part from the beautiful gate that marks the entrance to the Old City. We'll walk along the main street of Islamic Cairo and pass through an old Arab bazaar that seems timeless.
  • Shopkeepers invite you to their stalls, surrounded by the aroma of spices, bustling shopping, and countless valuables for sale in endless alleys.

3

Day 03

Saqqara, Dahshur and the Giza Pyramids

• At 9:00, we start the full-day tour to the pyramids.
• After a 40-minute drive to Saqqara, we will see the Step Pyramid, which marks an important milestone in the evolution of the pyramids. Djoser's pyramid is considered the oldest surviving large-scale stone architectural structure in the world.
• After that, we will take a short drive to Dahshur and visit the Bent and Red Pyramids in the royal necropolis located in the desert on the west bank of the Nile. It will be possible to descend into one of these pyramids.
• We return to Giza to see the Great Pyramids: Cheops, Chephren and Mikerin. You will also be able to get a close look at the Sphinx, the legendary guardian standing outside the huge burial complex.
• In the evening, we return to the hotel in Cairo.

4

Day 04

Into the Sahara Desert

• Today, we begin a 2-day tour to the Sahara Desert. We start with a drive from Cairo at 7 a.m. to the oasis, which takes about 5 hours.
• Black Desert
  • We will have lunch upon arrival and then start the tour by visiting the following attractions: the Black Desert, Black Mountain, Hot Spring, and Crystal Mountain.
  • The Black Desert got its name from the erosion of rocks that covered it with a layer of black rock dust and stones. Closer to the end of the Black Desert, there are black volcanic hills that long ago spewed out the dark volcanic material called dolerite, which is what the black rocks are made of.
• White Desert
  • Then, we'll go off-road to visit the Agapat region, the Desert Rose, the Sand Dunes, the Old White Desert, and the New White Desert, where we'll watch the sunset.
  • No desert in the world can match the number of unearthly rock formations carved by the wind into the form of huge mushrooms or cobblestones, like those found in the White Desert.
  • In the evening, enjoy a barbecue dinner and camp in the desert.

5

Day 05

White Desert Exploration

• After breakfast, we'll continue through the desert to visit:
  • Desert panorama
  • Perforated mountain
  • Sandboarding is waiting for us
  • Caraouine Sand Dunes
  • Sand Valley
  • A magic spring
  • Roman mummy tombs
• Then we will have lunch in the White Desert. We'll take a short rest and then return to our campsite through the most beautiful places in the White Desert. In the evening, there will be a fire again, dinner, and an overnight stay in the White Desert.

6

Day 06

Return to Cairo and Fly South

• After breakfast, return to the oasis, have lunch, and then drive back to Cairo.
• In the afternoon, fly south and check in to a hotel.

7

Day 07

Aswan Sightseeing and Nile Cruise Check-in

• In the morning, we check out of the hotel and drive around Aswan.
• First, we will visit the monumental temple dedicated to the goddess Isis. Then we'll go to the grand dam, a marvel of engineering, admire the views of Aswan, and take rare photos of its islands on both sides of the Nile.
• We'll also see small fishing boats and villages filled with great Egyptian culture.
• At lunch, we'll check in to a cruise ship for a 4-day trip to the sights of the Nile.

8

Day 08

Kom Ombo and Nile Cruise

• Today is a relaxed day, as the ship offers not only full board but also swimming pools. For an additional fee, an optional trip to Abu Simbel is possible.
• In the evening, our Nile cruise will begin, and we will enjoy the views of the Nile. At sunset, we will visit the Kom Ombo Temple.
• Then, we will continue on a night cruise.

9

Day 09

Edfu Temple and Arrival in Luxor

• Edfu
  • Early in the morning, we can ride by horse carriage to visit the Edfu Temple. The Temple of Edfu is an ancient Egyptian temple that preserves important scenes and inscriptions from the Sacred Drama related to the conflict between Horus and Set.
  • The Temple of Horus differs from other temples in Egypt in its exceptional degree of preservation and is the result of 180 years of construction with numerous additions and paintings.
  • Afternoon tea on the way to Luxor.
• Luxor
  • Arrival in Luxor around 7 p.m. and embarkation on a Luxor night cruise.
  • Luxor is divided by the Nile River into two areas, commonly referred to as the East and West Banks, and in ancient Egypt they were thought to symbolise Life and Death.

10

Day 10

Valley of the Kings and Luxor Temples

• We leave the ship in the morning after breakfast.
• Valley of the Kings
  • We will travel through the Valley and explore the tombs of some of the pharaohs.
  • Then we'll go to Queen Hatshepsut's temple, where you can take some amazing photos.
• Luxor temples
  • Then, we will visit the majestic Luxor and Karnak temples, where you can see the contribution of each of the pharaohs, usually in the form of statues and their images on the walls. These are undoubtedly among the best temples in all of Egypt.

11

Day 11

Transfer to Hurghada

• In the morning, we will have a 4-hour transfer directly to the Red Sea, to Hurghada, and check in to a hotel.
• After checking in, we relax on the beach.

12

Day 12

Leisure by the Red Sea

• Free time to enjoy the beach or swimming pools.

13

Day 13

Departure from Hurghada

• Check out from the hotel and depart from Hurghada.
• Those interested can extend their stay by the sea for a few more days.