Egypt 11-Day Tour: Cairo, Aswan, Luxor & Marsa Alam

Your guided Cairo sightseeing begins at the Monumental Giza Complex, where you see the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure in the order that best suits the day’s access and conditions. Your guide explains how the necropolis was planned, how the pyramids were built and what the surrounding tombs reveal about ancient Egyptian society. You also stop at the Sphinx, carved from the bedrock and positioned beside the main pyramid area.

After lunch, continue to the Egyptian Museum to explore its Egyptian Museum Collections. Displays cover royal sculpture, funerary objects, jewellery and everyday items from several periods of Egyptian history. The visit is paced rather than rushed, with your guide pointing out key objects and explaining their use. You return to your hotel afterwards and prepare for the next day’s flight south, keeping overnight items separate from the main luggage if required.

Transfer to Cairo airport for your flight to Aswan, then meet our local team on arrival and continue to the cruise embarkation point. Once you have checked in and settled aboard, begin your Aswan sightseeing with the Aswan High Dam Engineering site. The dam changed water management, electricity production and the shape of the lake, while also leading to the relocation of several ancient monuments.

Continue by boat to the island temple known here as the Phiala Sacred Sanctuary, dedicated to Isis and reached across the water. Your guide explains the temple’s reliefs, columns and later religious use before you return to the mainland. The final stop is the granite quarry containing the Unfinished Obelisk Quarries, where you can see the marks left by ancient stoneworkers and why a flaw stopped the obelisk from being separated from the rock. Return to the vessel for dinner and your first night on the Nile.

Leave early for the road journey to Abu Simbel, travelling through the desert south of Aswan. The visit centres on the Abu Simbel Colossal Structures: the Great Temple of Ramesses II, with its huge seated figures, and the smaller temple dedicated to Nefertari and Hathor. Inside, your guide traces the scenes of royal power and religious devotion, while also explaining how the temples were moved to higher ground during the creation of Lake Nasser.

Return to Aswan and rejoin the cruise for lunch or an afternoon rest, depending on the sailing schedule. The vessel begins its journey north through the changing river landscape, passing cultivated banks, villages and stretches of desert. Keep your camera ready on deck, but allow time simply to watch the shoreline. The evening is spent aboard, with meals and overnight accommodation on the cruise.

The cruise continues north before stopping at Kom Ombo. Walk from the vessel to the Kom Ombo Dual Divinity Temple, an unusual complex shared by Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus the Elder. Its paired courts, halls and sanctuaries make the division clear, while the reliefs provide details about ritual, medicine and the ancient calendar. Your guide also explains the temple’s position beside the river and its connection with local agriculture.

Later, continue to Edfu, where a horse-drawn carriage or local transfer typically takes you inland from the river port. At the Edfu Falcon God Shrine, see one of Egypt’s best-preserved temples dedicated to Horus. The entrance pylons, broad courtyard and inner chambers retain strong architectural lines, and the carved walls describe the conflict between Horus and Seth. Return to the vessel after the visit and sail onward, with the evening free to relax on deck.

Sail towards Esna and visit the Esna Ancient Temple, a Greco-Roman sanctuary partly below the modern town level. The surviving hypostyle hall has large columns and a ceiling decorated with astronomical imagery, while its inscriptions reflect centuries of religious change. Access can depend on the vessel’s sailing and local conditions, so your guide keeps the visit practical and well timed.

Continue north towards Luxor, watching the riverbanks change as the city approaches. This is usually a slower cruise day, giving you time for lunch, a rest and views from the upper deck. After the vessel reaches Luxor, follow the arrangements for disembarkation or remain aboard if the schedule requires an overnight stay. Our team confirms the next day’s land transport and sightseeing plan so that luggage, meeting points and departure times are clear.

Cross to Luxor’s West Bank for a morning among the royal burial grounds. At the Valley of the Kings Royal Tombs, enter the tombs open on the day and follow the sloping corridors into decorated burial chambers. Painted figures, hieroglyphs and scenes from the afterlife survive in the dry rock, although the route can involve uneven ground, steps and warm conditions. Your guide explains how the valley replaced earlier visible pyramid tombs.

Continue to the Hatshepsut Temple Terrace, built against the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. Its wide terraces, ramps and colonnades create a clear progression from the valley floor to the sanctuary, while the reliefs record the queen’s rule and the expedition to Punt. Make sure you carry water and wear comfortable shoes. After lunch, return across the Nile to your Luxor accommodation for a quieter afternoon and evening.

Begin with the Karnak Grand Temple Complex on Luxor’s East Bank. Walk through the monumental gateways into the Great Hypostyle Hall, where rows of massive columns carry carved and painted decoration. Your guide sets the site in context, pointing out the sacred lake, obelisks, processional routes and the changes made by successive pharaohs. Allow around two hours for a considered visit, as the complex covers a large area and includes uneven paving.

After the sightseeing, collect your luggage and leave Luxor by road for Marsa Alam. The transfer crosses the Eastern Desert before reaching the Red Sea coast and usually takes several hours, with rest stops arranged as appropriate. On arrival, check in and settle into your beach accommodation. The evening is free for dinner and a first walk by the water, subject to the property’s facilities and the day’s arrival time.

Spend the day at your Marsa Alam Beach Resorts accommodation, with time to rest after the long road transfer from Luxor. You can swim from the beach where conditions allow, sit by the shore, or use the resort’s leisure facilities. The Red Sea coast is known for clear water and marine life, but sea conditions, swimming access and available activities vary by beach and season.

Keep the day unhurried. If you choose to snorkel or join an optional water activity, follow the local guide’s instructions and use the provided safety equipment. A short walk along the coast is a simple alternative for travellers who prefer to stay on land. Our team remains available for practical assistance, while meals and any additional activities follow the arrangements of your accommodation rather than a fixed sightseeing schedule.

Your final full day is free for more time beside the sea. Repeat a favourite activity from the previous day, read by the pool or take a gentle coastal walk when temperatures are comfortable. Travellers who want extra time in the water can ask about locally operated snorkelling or diving options; participation depends on the day’s sea conditions, safety assessment and available spaces.

Use the afternoon to organise your luggage and confirm the following day’s departure arrangements with our team. Keep valuables, passports and travel documents in your hand luggage, and leave enough space for any small purchases made during the trip. The evening provides a relaxed final night in Marsa Alam, with dinner and accommodation according to your booking.

After breakfast, complete check-out and meet your driver for the planned transfer to the airport or your next connection. The departure time is arranged around your travel details, and our team helps you manage luggage and confirm the route before leaving the accommodation. Allow extra time for airport procedures, especially if you are connecting to an international flight.

As you leave Marsa Alam, keep your passport, boarding information and essential medication accessible rather than packed in checked luggage. The tour ends when you reach the airport or agreed drop-off point. If you are continuing elsewhere in Egypt, we can confirm the onward transfer arrangements already included in your travel plan.