Egypt 11-Day Tour from Cairo to Aswan and Luxor

Begin with Giza's Pyramids, visiting the pyramid complex with your guide and taking time to understand how these enormous royal tombs were planned and built. You can walk around the main viewpoints, see the alignment of the monuments and, subject to availability and your preference, enter one of the pyramid interiors. Wear comfortable shoes, as the ground is uneven in places.

Continue to The Great Sphinx, whose lion body and human head face the ancient pyramid field. Your guide explains the monument's symbolism and the excavations that revealed it from the surrounding sand. There is time for photographs before leaving Giza.

After lunch, visit the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. Its galleries contain objects from several periods of ancient Egyptian history, including royal sculpture, coffins and everyday items. The pace is guided but unhurried, with time to focus on the collections that interest you before returning to the hotel.

Leave Cairo by road for a full-day Alexandria excursion on the Mediterranean coast. The journey takes several hours each way, so an early departure makes the day more comfortable and leaves useful time for sightseeing. Your guide keeps the route organised and explains how Alexandria developed as a major centre of the ancient Mediterranean world.

On arrival, explore the city's principal historical areas and waterfront sights, with the exact sequence adjusted to local access and opening arrangements. The visit may include the area associated with the ancient library and the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, as well as other landmarks selected for the day's programme. Breaks are arranged for lunch and refreshments.

Return to Cairo in the afternoon or evening, depending on road conditions and the pace of the visits. Keep essentials with you during the excursion, including water, sun protection and comfortable footwear. The following morning remains in Cairo, so you can rest after the long return transfer.

Spend the morning in Cairo's historic Old Cairo quarters, where narrow lanes and religious buildings reflect the city's layered past. Visit The Hanging Church of Cairo, a Coptic church built above the Roman fortress area, then continue to Ben Ezra Synagogue ancient site, associated with Cairo's historic Jewish community. Your guide sets the context for each place and explains the customs to observe during visits.

Continue to Cairo's historic Citadel fortress, a hilltop complex with broad views across the city. The fortifications and courtyards show how Cairo was defended and governed over many centuries. Allow time for the uphill approach and wear shoes suitable for stone surfaces.

Later, walk through Khan el-Khalili traditional market. The lanes are filled with small shops selling metalwork, textiles, spices and souvenirs. You are free to browse, but there is no pressure to buy. Return to the hotel to prepare for the next stage of the tour, which takes you south to Aswan.

Transfer to Cairo airport for your flight to Aswan. After arrival, our team assists with the transfer into the city and begins the day's visits once arrangements are settled. The pace changes here: Aswan is smaller and quieter than Cairo, with the Nile shaping much of the landscape.

Visit Aswan's massive High Dam, an important modern engineering project that created Lake Nasser and changed the management of the Nile's annual floods. Your guide explains its purpose and the effects of the reservoir on nearby communities and monuments.

Continue by boat to Philae island shrine, dedicated mainly to the goddess Isis. The temple complex was relocated to higher ground when the original island was threatened by rising water. On the island, follow the courtyards, gateways and carved walls before returning by boat. Settle into your accommodation in Aswan and spend the evening at leisure.

Start with a Felucca sailing adventure on the Nile, using one of the traditional sailing boats associated with Aswan. The outing is calm and weather-dependent, with time to enjoy the river, passing islands and riverbank scenery. The crew handles the sailing while you relax on deck; bring sun protection and a light layer for the breeze.

Continue north by road or by the arranged river transfer to Kom Ombo. Visit Kom Ombo double sanctuary, an unusual temple dedicated to two divine groupings and built with a balanced layout. Your guide points out the reliefs, medical instruments and Nile-related details that make the site different from other temples.

Proceed to Edfu's grand temple, one of Egypt's best-preserved major temples. A local transfer takes you from the arrival point to the entrance, where the tall pylon and enclosed courts lead towards the sanctuary. Continue to Luxor after the visit and check in for your first night in the city.

Cross to Luxor's West Bank after breakfast for a Valley of Kings exploration. The valley contains royal tombs cut into the desert hills, with selected tombs open according to the day's access arrangements. Descend into the decorated chambers to see painted scenes of the afterlife, while your guide explains how the tombs were planned and why their entrances were hidden.

Continue to the Temple of Hatshepsut, the great Queen, built in terraces against the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. The long approach and broad colonnades create a clear view of the temple's relationship with the surrounding rock. Take water and a hat, since shade can be limited on the open terraces.

Finish at the Colossal statues of Memnon, two large seated figures that once guarded the entrance to a much larger mortuary temple. After the West Bank visits, return across the Nile to your Luxor accommodation for a relaxed evening.

Visit the Karnak sacred complex in the morning, allowing time to walk through its sequence of pylons, courts and colonnades. The Great Hypostyle Hall is a central highlight, with towering columns carrying carved and painted details. Your guide explains how successive pharaohs expanded the precinct rather than treating it as a single-period monument.

Take a break during the middle of the day, when the open areas can feel warm, then continue with a visit to Luxor temple ruins. The temple stands close to the modern city and was linked to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes. Its courtyards, statues and later religious additions show how the site changed across different periods.

There is free time later for the riverside promenade or a quiet café. You remain in Luxor tonight, giving you a third night in the city and avoiding a rushed departure after the temple visits.

Travel north from Luxor by road for a full-day visit to Dendera and Abydos heritage sites. The route passes through cultivated Nile Valley landscapes before reaching the temple areas, so the drive is part of the day's picture of rural Egypt. Carry water, snacks and sun protection, as facilities between the main stops are limited.

At Dendera, explore the temple dedicated to Hathor, known for its substantial walls, carved astronomical ceiling and detailed reliefs. Your guide helps you read the scenes and explains the temple's connection with healing, music and the cycles of the sky.

Continue to Abydos, one of ancient Egypt's important religious centres. The temple precincts preserve carefully carved reliefs and links with the cult of Osiris. After the visits, return to Luxor by road. The day involves a long transfer and walking over uneven stone, but the schedule allows time at both sites rather than treating them as brief photo stops.

After breakfast, transfer to Luxor airport for the flight back to Cairo. The journey is arranged around the available travel schedule, and our team assists with the airport transfer and check-in process. Once in Cairo, travel to your hotel and settle in.

The rest of the day is kept intentionally lighter after the movement between cities. You may rest, enjoy a final meal near the hotel or ask our team about a suitable short walk. If travel timings allow, there can be time to revisit a favourite Cairo area independently, but no major sightseeing is required today.

Use the evening to organise luggage for departure and keep passports, travel documents and valuables together. Our team confirms the next day's airport transfer so the final morning is straightforward.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before your departure transfer to Cairo airport. The pickup is scheduled according to your flight time, allowing for the drive, airport procedures and the recommended check-in period. Your driver helps with the luggage, while our team remains available if you need assistance during the transfer.

If your flight is later in the day, ask us about storing luggage at the hotel and spending a little more time nearby. Keep the final hours practical: collect personal items, check that you have your passport and review any purchases before leaving.

Our team says goodbye at the airport, bringing your 11-day Egypt itinerary to an end. The exact drop-off point depends on your departure terminal, so keep your flight details accessible for the transfer.