10-Day Egypt Tour: Cairo, Nile Cruise & Red Sea

After breakfast, travel to the Giza Plateau for your first full sightseeing day. The Giza Pyramids are arranged across the plateau, and your guide explains how the complex was planned, built and used as a royal burial ground. You have time to walk around the main viewpoints, see the Great Pyramid and look across the desert edge towards modern Cairo. Entry inside a pyramid, when available and selected, involves narrow passages and steps.

Continue to the Sphinx, whose human head and lion’s body were carved from the bedrock. Your guide points out the remaining details and explains the relationship between the statue and the nearby pyramid complex. Allow several hours for the visit, including walking on uneven ground and time for photographs. Return to Cairo after the plateau, with the rest of the afternoon free for a relaxed meal or an optional walk in your hotel area.

Begin at the Cairo museum, where the galleries bring together statues, jewellery, coffins and everyday objects from several periods of ancient Egyptian history. The collection includes treasures associated with King Tutankhamun, and your guide places the famous objects in the wider story of royal burial and religious belief. Museum visits usually involve a good deal of standing, so comfortable shoes will help.

Later, explore Old Cairo on foot. The area includes historic churches, Islamic monuments and narrow lanes shaped by centuries of religious and commercial life. Your guide explains the different communities that have lived here and points out the architectural details that are easy to miss when visiting alone. After the tour, return to the hotel to collect your luggage. Depending on the confirmed schedule, travel south to Luxor by domestic flight or overnight rail, with assistance for the transfer and check-in arrangements.

Arrive in Luxor and transfer to the cruise vessel for embarkation. Once your cabin is ready, settle in and have breakfast or lunch according to the arrival schedule. Your first sightseeing visit is Karnak, a vast temple complex reached from the East Bank. Walk through the avenue of sphinxes, the Great Hypostyle Hall and the courts beyond it while your guide explains how successive rulers added to the site.

Return to the vessel for the afternoon and begin the first night of your three-night Nile cruise. The pace is slower here: meals are served on board, and you can watch the riverbank pass from the deck between visits. The crew will explain the daily routine, meal times and any arrangements for leaving the ship. Keep sun protection, water and a light layer accessible, as temperatures can change between the open deck and shaded interior.

After breakfast, cross to Luxor’s West Bank for a morning among the ancient burial sites. The Valley of the Kings is set in a dry limestone valley where pharaohs were buried in decorated rock-cut tombs. Your guide explains how the tombs were designed and how their painted scenes relate to the journey into the afterlife. The number of tombs open to visitors can vary, and your guide will direct you to the included entrances.

Continue to the Hatshpsut temple, formally known as the Temple of Hatshepsut. Its terraces rise against the cliffs, with long ramps and broad colonnades leading into the complex. Allow time for a steady walk between the parking area and the temple, particularly in the sun. Return to the cruise vessel for lunch and an afternoon sailing period as the ship continues south. The evening is spent on board, with the next locks and river towns forming part of the changing Nile scenery.

Today is centred on the river itself. After breakfast, spend time on deck as the vessel continues towards Aswan, passing fields, villages, palms and stretches of desert beyond the cultivated strip. The cruise schedule may include a stop or short shore visit, depending on sailing conditions and the vessel’s operating plan. Your guide will explain the day’s arrangements on board before each departure.

Use the quieter hours to rest, read or enjoy the view rather than trying to fit in another major monument. Meals are taken on the vessel, and the crew can help with drinks, cabin needs and the timing of shore visits. Bring a hat, water and footwear with a firm sole for any gangway or riverside walking. This is the final overnight of the three-night cruise, so keep the items needed for the next morning separate from the luggage that will be collected at disembarkation.

Disembark in Aswan after breakfast and begin with a boat ride to Phiala temple, commonly called Philae Temple. The sanctuary stands on an island and is reached by a short motorboat crossing. Your guide leads you through the courtyards, columns and reliefs, explaining the temple’s links to the goddess Isis and the work that protected the site from rising water after the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

Continue by road to Abu Simbel, usually as an early excursion because the journey takes several hours each way. At the site, see the four colossal figures on the Great Temple and the smaller temple built for Queen Nefertari. Your guide explains the temples’ relocation and the scenes carved inside. Return to Aswan later in the day and transfer to your hotel. The schedule is long, so carry breakfast items, water and sun protection, and expect time on the road.

Have breakfast in Aswan before your transfer to the airport or onward transport point for the journey to the coast. Depending on the confirmed connections, the route may include a domestic flight and a road transfer to your resort area. Our team coordinates the luggage handling and hotel check-in arrangements, while your guide confirms the practical details before you leave Aswan.

Once you reach the Red Sea coast, check in and use the remainder of the day to rest after the transfer. You can enjoy the resort facilities, sit by the water or take a gentle walk, subject to the conditions and the hotel’s operating hours. No demanding sightseeing is planned today. Keep swimwear, medication and valuables in your hand luggage during the journey, and ask our team if you need help arranging a meal or local transport after arrival.

Spend the day at your resort destination with time for swimming, relaxation or an optional sea excursion. The coast is known for clear water, coral reefs and a range of activities, but the right choice depends on your experience, health and the conditions on the day. If you join a boat trip or snorkelling outing, follow the local crew’s safety briefing and use the supplied equipment as directed.

You may prefer a slower day on shore after the busy sightseeing schedule in Cairo and along the Nile. Take breaks from the sun, drink water regularly and check the meeting point and return time before leaving the resort. Our team can help with practical arrangements that are part of your confirmed programme, while optional activities are paid and booked separately unless stated otherwise. Keep the evening free for packing and an early night before departure.

After breakfast, check out and meet your driver for the transfer to the airport or the next point on your travel plans. The departure route depends on your confirmed flight and may require a road transfer from the resort area to the airport. Our team helps with the luggage and confirms the collection time in advance, allowing you to leave the hotel without rushing.

Keep your passport, travel documents, medication and valuables with you rather than in checked luggage. Leave enough time for airport check-in, security and any internal connection arrangements. If your flight is later in the day, ask whether luggage storage or a late departure arrangement is available at the hotel. Your ten-day Egypt tour ends with the transfer, while our local support remains available for practical assistance until you continue your journey.