14 Day Small Group Egyptian Explorer Tour

After breakfast we enjoy a full-day tour of Cairo. We begin with a visit to the Egyptian Museum – home to the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the world, including the golden riches discovered in Tutankhamun’s tomb. We also explore Al Azhar mosque, which dates to 970 CE and is the oldest mosque in Cairo. It’s still frequently visited by local worshippers and we need to cover up (long sleeves and trousers) to enter – as when entering all mosques. Women will also need to cover their hair with a scarf.

Accommodation: Cairo Pyramids Hotel (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Today we start with a 90-minute drive to Wadi El Natrun, a depression that lies below sea level. The ancient Egyptians extracted salt here to use for mummification. The area was important for early Christians, too, and we will visit Ek Anba Bishoy Monastery. We continue to El Alamein (a two-hour drive away), the site of the allied victory during World War II, where we will visit the War Cemetery and Military Museum. More than 80,000 soldiers were killed or wounded in the two battles. It was a decisive win for the Allies with Winston Churchill saying, "Before Alamein we never had a victory. After Alamein we never had a defeat". After visiting El Alamein, we’ll continue to Alexandria, a two-hour drive away.

Accommodation: Metropole Paradise Inn (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we have a tour of Alexandria. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BCE, the city was home to the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and it’s Great Library was the largest library of its time. Unfortunately, they no longer survive, but there is still much to see in this Mediterranean port city. Our tour begins with a visit to the city catacombs followed by the impressive Qaitbay Fortress and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina – Alexandria’s revival of the Great Library. In the afternoon, we return to Cairo (three to four hours) to board our sleeper train to Aswan (which takes approximately 12 hours).

Accommodation: Sleeper train

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Arriving in Aswan during the morning, we spend the rest of the day exploring the Nubian way of life. We begin with a visit to the Nubian Museum, which chronologically charts the history and culture of the people, before enjoying a Nubian lunch on board a felucca while we explore the Nile. In the afternoon we have a tour to the Monastery of St Simeon by camel* and Animalia Nubian House (please see the Responsible Travel section). We finish our day with a barbeque on the shores of an island in the Nile.

*To reach the monastery, we'll ride camels for about 15 minutes. If you prefer not to ride a camel it is possible to walk the 2.5mi (4km) over sandy and stony ground. This part of the trip takes place in the middle of the day when the sun is at its highest.

Accommodation: Basma Hotel (or similar)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Optional visit to Abu Simbel; board cruise boat.

This morning we transfer to our cruise boat and relax before enjoying lunch on board. For the rest of the day there is the option to explore the Aswan market or attend the Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple.

For those who want to do the optional visit to Abu Simbel, the tour starts at approximately 3.30am when we get picked up from the hotel. A breakfast box is provided. Around 8am we will arrive at the destination, where we are given around three hours to visit the temples. Built by Ramses II, the temples of Abu Simbel rank among the most impressive in the country, and are well worth the journey south across the Nubian Desert. We will be back in Aswan around 3pm.

For our Sun Festival departures, the visit to Abu Simbel is included. The festival is a bi-annual event that has been taking place for more than 3,200 years. During the celebrations, the sun perfectly aligns with the usually dark interior and lights up the seated statues of Ramses II; Ra, the sun god; and Amun, the king of the gods. Only the statue of Ptah, the god of darkness, remains in the shadows. There are traditional Nubian dances being performed, street food everywhere (save space for fresh koshari) and live music outside the temple.

Accommodation: M/S Nile Style, M/S Esmeralda or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visit Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam; sail to Edfu.

 We begin today with a visit to the Philae Temple and Aswan High Dam. In the 1970s, the temple was relocated by Unesco to Aglika Island after it became evident the original site of Philae would submerge on completion of the dam. This morning represents a magnificent and enduring testament to both ancient and modern engineering. After lunch we sail to Kom Ombo and visit the temple there before continuing our journey to Edfu, which is where we will spend the night.

Accommodation: M/S Nile Style, M/S Esmeralda or similar

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Disembark in Luxor; explore the Valley of the Kings.