This private trip gives you the chance to combine Egypt's greatest monuments, the experience of sailing the Nile, and relaxation on the Red Sea beaches within a single program. The adventure begins in Cairo and Giza, where the pyramids, Saqqara, Memphis, and the Grand Egyptian Museum await you, then you fly to Aswan to begin a luxury three-night Nile cruise through Kom Ombo and Edfu all the way to Luxor.
After discovering Luxor's temples and the Valley of the Kings, you head overland to Hurghada to spend two days between the desert and the coral reefs. You conclude your tour by returning to Cairo to visit the Citadel of Salah El-Din, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, and Khan El-Khalili before departure.
Your trip begins the moment you arrive at Cairo International Airport, where your Traviaz Egyptology specialist meets you.
After assistance with arrival procedures and baggage collection, you transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle to your luxury hotel in Cairo.
After breakfast, your archaeological day sets off with the Traviaz guide in a tour that brings together the Giza Pyramids, Saqqara, and Memphis, to acquaint you with the first stages of Egyptian civilization's development.
On the Giza Plateau stands one of the greatest funerary complexes built by the Fourth Dynasty. The complex extends over an area exceeding 16,000 hectares and contains the three pyramids, valley temples, and the ceremonial causeways associated with them.
The Pyramid of Khufu, built approximately between 2580 and 2560 BC, used limestone and granite of a massive total weight in its construction, and remained the tallest man-made structure for more than 3,800 years.
Next to the pyramids, the Great Sphinx appears carved from a single block of limestone. Its length reaches approximately 73 meters and its height approximately 20 meters, while its face points east.
Its construction is generally dated to around 2500 BC, and a large number of researchers believe it embodies the features of Pharaoh Khafre.
In Saqqara, you discover the Step Pyramid of King Djoser, the first pyramid in Egypt's history and one of the oldest large-scale stone buildings in the world. Its construction dates back to the period between 2667 and 2648 BC.
The architect Imhotep devised the design of the pyramid consisting of six decreasing steps, bringing its height to approximately 62 meters. Imhotep later acquired a religious status and became associated with wisdom and medicine.
Visiting Saqqara before the Giza Pyramids helps you understand the architectural development that preceded the appearance of the great pyramids.
Memphis was the first capital of unified Egypt, founded by King Menes approximately in 3100 BC. The city retained its political and religious standing for more than a thousand years.
Its open-air museum displays a massive statue of Ramesses II made of limestone, exceeding 10 meters in length. You will also see the Alabaster Sphinx carved from a single alabaster block, weighing approximately 80 tons.
The program begins after breakfast with a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum, then you head to the airport to catch your domestic flight to Aswan in the evening.
The Grand Egyptian Museum sits approximately two kilometers from the Giza Plateau and presents a wide collection of ancient Egypt's artifacts within a massive building designed to be one of the world's most prominent archaeological museums.
The museum holds the complete Tutankhamun collection, which reaches 5,398 pieces, displayed in a cohesive sequence in a wing covering approximately 7,500 square meters.
In the entrance hall, the statue of Ramesses II welcomes you, weighing approximately 82 tons and standing 11 meters tall. Behind it extends the grand staircase, surrounded by 87 massive statues of ancient Egypt's kings and deities.
The museum deserves at least half a day, especially when visited with a guide who knows the layout of the halls and the most important pieces to see first. In the evening, you fly to Aswan, then board the private Nile cruise.
After breakfast aboard the cruise, you set out to explore three of Aswan's most famous landmarks before sailing begins northward.
The High Dam was completed in 1970 and became a fundamental element in controlling the Nile flood and generating electrical power.
The project produces approximately 10 billion kilowatt-hours annually, while Lake Nasser extends behind it for more than 500 kilometers.
The dam's importance is not limited to its engineering role, as seeing it explains the reason behind the execution of major rescue projects to move the temples of Philae, Abu Simbel, and dozens of archaeological sites away from the rising water levels.
Inside the ancient granite quarries, the Unfinished Obelisk appears, which Queen Hatshepsut ordered to be carved to become the largest obelisk in ancient Egypt.
Its length was planned to reach approximately 42 meters. The carving process stopped after cracks appeared in the rock, leaving the obelisk in place half-completed.
Today, it gives you a rare opportunity to understand how the ancient Egyptians extracted and shaped massive stones using the tools they knew.
Philae Temple sits on Agilkia Island, dedicated to the worship of the goddess Isis, with a large part of its buildings dating back to the fourth century BC.
During the Nubian temple rescue project, UNESCO together with 50 countries led the operation to transfer the site.
More than 40,000 stone blocks were dismantled, then the temple was reassembled on the new island while preserving its original orientation. Access to the temple is by boat crossing the waters of the Nile.
The cruise docks after breakfast near Kom Ombo Temple. You disembark with your guide to explore the site, then return to the ship to continue sailing toward Edfu.
Kom Ombo Temple sits on the eastern bank of the Nile and was built during the Ptolemaic era between 180 and 47 BC. Its distinctiveness lies in its dedication to two gods simultaneously: Sobek the crocodile god, and Horus the falcon god.
The temple's design is divided into two opposing axes, with separate entrances, colonnades, and sanctuaries dedicated to each god. The inscriptions include scenes of medical and surgical instruments believed to be among the oldest known depictions of this type of tools.
Next to the temple, the Crocodile Museum displays more than 22 mummified crocodiles that were associated with the worship of Sobek. After the visit ends, the ship resumes its journey toward Edfu.
Upon arriving at Edfu, you use a traditional horse-drawn carriage to transfer from the dock to the temple, then begin a historical tour with the guide.
Edfu Temple is classified as one of the most completely preserved Egyptian temples. It was built between 237 and 57 BC and remained buried under the sand for centuries, which helped protect large sections of it.
The temple is dedicated to the falcon-headed god Horus, and its main pylon reaches approximately 36 meters in height.
On the walls, you will read the details of the myth of the conflict between Horus and Seth, a story linked to the confrontation between order and chaos in ancient Egyptian thought.
After leaving Edfu, the cruise continues sailing through the Esna Water Lock. This stage allows watching how ships pass through the differences in water levels between sections of the Nile, before arriving in Luxor in the evening.
After breakfast, you end your stay aboard the cruise and begin a tour combining the west and east banks of Luxor.
After the visits end, you transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle to Hurghada in a journey taking approximately four hours.
The Valley of the Kings holds 63 tombs carved into the rock, designated for a number of New Kingdom kings. The basic entrance ticket allows visiting three of the open tombs, while Tutankhamun's tomb requires an additional ticket.
Religious texts and funerary scenes cover the tomb walls and depict the pharaoh's journey to the afterlife according to ancient Egyptian beliefs.
The Temple of Hatshepsut sits at Deir el-Bahari and was built during the fifteenth century BC in the form of three ascending levels in front of the rocky slopes.
Hatshepsut chose this design to assert her standing and legitimacy, while the inscriptions record a trade expedition to the Land of Punt, one of the oldest illustrated documentation of long-distance trade relations.
Two massive statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III stand on the Theban plain. They were made of quartzite, and each reaches approximately 18 meters in height, remaining in their position for more than three thousand years.
The Karnak Temple complex extends over approximately 247 acres and is considered one of the largest religious structures the ancient world knew.
Its development continued for about two thousand years, with each era and each king adding new sections. The great hall holds 134 sandstone columns and covers approximately 5,000 square meters, making it one of the largest religious halls in history. After the tour ends, you head overland to Hurghada.
Your day begins after breakfast with a trip to the Eastern Desert, where a safari experience combining driving through the sands and getting acquainted with aspects of Bedouin life awaits you.
A private air-conditioned vehicle takes you to the safari center, and from there an ATV quad bike tour begins through the sand dunes and desert trails. The route extends between varied terrain including golden sands and colorful rocky slopes.
During the tour, you stop at a traditional Bedouin village to experience Bedouin tea, camel riding, and learning about some details of daily life in the Egyptian desert. As evening arrives, you enjoy a Bedouin dinner in open desert surroundings under the sky.
After breakfast, you head to the Hurghada marina to begin a sea trip to the coral reef areas of the Red Sea.
The waters of the Red Sea are known for their great marine diversity, holding more than 1,000 species of fish and approximately 200 species of hard coral.
In some areas, underwater visibility can reach approximately 30 meters. During the snorkeling trip at Giftun Islands or Orange Bay, you see coral gardens, colorful fish, and sea turtles, and dolphins may appear on some trips depending on sea conditions.
The area is also distinguished by species of fish that do not exist elsewhere in the world. The activity suits both beginners and experienced participants, with a specialist marine guide present throughout the trip. After returning, the rest of the day is available for relaxing at the hotel.
After breakfast, you leave Hurghada by air to Cairo, where the Traviaz guide meets you to visit a number of Cairo's most prominent historical landmarks before departure.
The Citadel of Salah El-Din was built in 1176 AD above the Muqattam hills and remained a center of Egypt's governance for approximately 700 years.
Inside the Citadel, you visit the Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha, built between 1830 and 1857, distinguished by its Ottoman domes, tall minarets, and alabaster-covered walls. From the Citadel's walls, you get a wide view over Cairo.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization sits in the Fustat area and opened in 2021 to display the history of Egyptian civilization from prehistoric times through the modern era.
Its royal hall holds 22 mummies of New Kingdom pharaohs and queens, among them Ramesses II, Seti I, Hatshepsut, and Thutmose III.
The mummies were transferred to the museum in April 2021 during a ceremonial procession known as the "Golden Pharaohs Parade." The museum is considered their permanent display home.
The final day of the trip takes you to Khan El-Khalili, the historic market dating back to the fourteenth century AD. Its alleys and passages branch out between shops of antiques, jewelry, spices, textiles, and souvenirs. After the tour ends, you transfer to your hotel in Cairo for the final night.
Explore Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor in 6 days, visiting the Pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum, Philae Temple, Valley of the Kings, and Karnak Temple. Includes 5-star hotels and a private guide.
Experience Egypt’s highlights in 5 days with luxury hotels and a private guide. Visit the Pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum, Saqqara, Luxor, Aswan, and Philae Temple.
Enjoy a luxury Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, with stops at Edfu, Kom Ombo, Abu Simbel, and Nubian villages. Experience Egypt’s top archaeological sites and the Nile in one journey.
