Egypt 10-Day Tour: Cairo, Nile Cruise & Marsa Alam

After breakfast, your guide takes you to the Giza Pyramid Complex, where you can walk close to the pyramids and hear how these vast royal tombs were planned and built. The visit usually allows time for photographs, a closer look at the limestone blocks and, subject to access, an optional interior visit arranged locally.

Continue to the Great Sphinx, cut from the bedrock on the Giza plateau. Your guide explains the symbolism of its human head and lion’s body while you view the monument from the surrounding area. Comfortable shoes, sun protection and water are useful here; much of the visit is outdoors on open ground.

Later, visit the Egyptian Antiquities Museum in central Cairo. Its collection includes royal statues, funerary objects, jewellery and objects from ancient daily life. The order of the displays and access to individual galleries can change, so your guide will focus on the principal collections available during your visit. Return to the hotel for the evening.

Enjoy a relaxed morning in Cairo before your onward journey. The day gives you time for breakfast, packing and a final rest at the hotel, with arrangements made for your transfer to the station later on. Your luggage should be packed for the next stage, as the following days include time on board and sightseeing around Aswan.

In the evening, transfer to the railway station for the overnight sleeper train to Aswan. Your reserved sleeping compartment gives you a private place to settle in, and meals are generally arranged on board according to the service available. The train travels south through the night, passing towns and agricultural areas along the Nile corridor.

Bring a small overnight bag with essentials, while keeping larger luggage safely stored. Train timings can vary, and our team will support you with the station transfer and boarding arrangements. Overnight is on the sleeper train.

Arrive in Aswan in the morning and transfer for breakfast or a short period to refresh before sightseeing. Begin with the Aswan High Dam, an important modern structure that controls the Nile’s seasonal waters and created Lake Nasser. Your guide puts the engineering project into context before you continue towards the river.

Next, take a short boat ride to Philae Temple, a temple complex relocated to higher ground after the dam projects changed the river landscape. The island setting makes the approach part of the visit. Later, enjoy a gentle Nile felucca sailing excursion around the Aswan islands, subject to suitable sailing conditions. The traditional wooden boat moves at a slow pace, making this a good time to take in the river and granite shoreline.

Travellers visiting Abu Simbel leave very early for the road journey and return later in the morning. The Abu Simbel Rock Temples were cut into the cliffs for Ramesses II and Nefertari and were moved during the creation of Lake Nasser. Return to Aswan to board the cruise boat and settle into your cabin for the first night.

Wake on board as the cruise continues north. After breakfast, the boat reaches Kom Ombo, where you visit the Kom Ombo Twin Temples. The unusual plan reflects worship of two gods, Sobek and Horus, with each side having its own sanctuaries and associated spaces. Your guide points out the carved reliefs and explains the temple’s connection with medicine, ritual and the river.

Return to the boat for lunch and time on deck as the landscape changes slowly along the Nile. You can rest, read or watch villages, fields and palm trees pass by. Cruise schedules depend on navigation and lock arrangements, so the exact time alongside may change while the planned visits remain in place.

Later, continue to Edfu and travel by local horse-drawn carriage or another arranged transfer to the Edfu Temple. Dedicated to Horus, it is one of the best-preserved major temples in Egypt, with tall pylons, a broad courtyard and detailed reliefs. Return to the boat for dinner and an overnight stay on the Nile.

Spend the morning on board as the cruise moves towards Luxor. Breakfast is followed by open time to enjoy the river from the deck or rest in your cabin. The pace is deliberately slower today, giving you a chance to appreciate the changing banks after several temple visits and to keep the journey comfortable.

As the boat approaches Luxor, your guide explains how the ancient city developed on both sides of the river. You may see agricultural land, small riverside settlements and working boats from the deck, while the crew manages the practical details of navigation and docking.

In the afternoon or evening, depending on the sailing timetable, prepare for the next day’s west-bank sightseeing. Keep comfortable walking shoes, sun protection and any medication you need accessible rather than packed away. Dinner and overnight accommodation are on board, completing the third cruise night before disembarkation in Luxor.

After breakfast, disembark and begin the west-bank visit. Enter the Royal Necropolis (Valley of the Kings), where tombs were cut into the desert cliffs for New Kingdom rulers. Your guide explains the painted scenes and burial beliefs, while the tombs open on the day of your visit determine the final selection. The walk includes uneven ground and steps, so sturdy shoes are helpful.

Continue to the Hatshepsut Mortuary Temple, arranged in terraces against the limestone cliffs. The broad courtyards and surviving reliefs show how the temple presented the reign of Egypt’s female pharaoh. Stop at the Memnon Colossi before leaving the west bank; the two seated figures once guarded the entrance to a much larger temple complex.

After sightseeing, travel by road to Marsa Alam. The transfer takes several hours and crosses desert landscapes before reaching the Red Sea coast. On arrival, check into your resort, settle into your room and enjoy the evening at your own pace.

Wake beside the Red Sea and enjoy a full day without a long transfer. After breakfast, you can use the resort facilities, relax by the pool or spend time on the beach. The schedule is intentionally open after the Cairo, train and Nile stages, allowing you to choose a quieter pace.

If you would like to be active, ask our team about locally arranged water activities or a guided outing suited to the conditions and your experience. Snorkelling can be arranged at selected sites along the coast, where clear water and shallow reef areas may make it possible to see colourful fish without a demanding swim. Sea conditions and access vary, so local staff provide the day’s safety guidance.

Keep sun protection, drinking water and suitable footwear close at hand. Lunch and dinner are taken according to your resort arrangement, and the evening is free for a walk, a spa treatment or an early night.

Your final full day in Marsa Alam is free for more time on the coast. After breakfast, choose between a relaxed resort morning and a boat or shore-based reef excursion arranged locally. The Red Sea is known for coral gardens and marine life, but the exact site depends on sea conditions, conservation rules and the experience level of the group.

Travellers joining a snorkelling outing receive instructions before entering the water and should follow the guide’s advice about currents, reef distance and safe entry points. Those who prefer to stay dry can enjoy the boat ride, the shoreline and the views across the sea instead. You do not need to fill every hour; the value of this day is having space to rest after the sightseeing programme.

Return to the resort with time to pack and check your departure arrangements. Keep passports, travel documents and essential items in your hand luggage for tomorrow’s transfer. Overnight at the resort.

Have breakfast at the resort, subject to your departure time, and complete checkout. Our team arranges your transfer to the airport or onward connection, allowing practical time for the road journey and airport procedures. The exact pickup time depends on your confirmed departure details.

Before leaving, check your room, safe and luggage carefully. Keep your passport, phone, medicines and travel documents with you rather than in checked bags. If you have arranged a late departure, our team can explain the available options for storing luggage and spending additional time at the resort, subject to the accommodation arrangements.

Your 10-day Egypt holiday ends with the transfer from Marsa Alam. We remain available during the departure process if you need help with luggage, directions or a change to your onward travel plans.