Egypt 12-Day Tour: Cairo, Nile Cruise & Hurghada

After breakfast, meet your licensed Egyptologist for a guided visit to the Giza Pyramids. You see the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure in their desert setting, with time to walk around the plateau and hear how these enormous royal tombs were built. Your guide explains the different viewpoints and helps you choose where to pause for photographs.

The tour continues to the Sphinx, whose human face and lion’s body were carved from the bedrock beside Khafre’s pyramid. You have time to view it from the main platform and learn about its connection with the nearby temple complex. Entry inside a pyramid, when available, is separate from the standard plateau visit and involves narrow passages and steep sections.

After sightseeing, return to Cairo for lunch and a quieter afternoon at the hotel. The day includes walking over uneven ground, so practical footwear, sun protection and water are useful.

Today focuses on Cairo’s museums and historic religious quarter. Begin at the Cairo museum, where your guide places the objects in their historical order, from early dynastic pieces through the pharaonic period. Allow time for statues, reliefs, royal jewellery and funerary objects rather than trying to see every display at once.

Continue to Old Cairo, an area with churches, mosques and narrow streets shaped by several periods of the city’s history. Depending on access and local conditions, the visit may include the Hanging Church, the Church of St Sergius and Bacchus, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. Your guide explains the traditions connected with each site and keeps the pace manageable.

There is time for lunch during the day, followed by a return to the hotel. Prepare a small overnight bag for the following morning, when you travel south to Aswan. Your main luggage can be organised for the domestic flight and the cruise transfer.

After breakfast, transfer to Cairo airport for your flight to Aswan. On arrival, our team assists with your transfer towards Abu Simbel, a journey that takes several hours by road or by the transport arrangement confirmed for your tour. The route crosses the desert, so carry water, sun protection and any medication you may need during the outing.

At Abu Simbel, enter the rock-cut temples built by Ramesses II. The larger temple has four colossal seated figures at its entrance, while the smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. Inside, your guide explains the reliefs, royal symbolism and the relocation of the temples during the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

Return to Aswan later in the day and check into your accommodation. The visit involves standing and walking in open, sunny areas. The evening is kept free so you can rest before boarding the Nile cruise tomorrow.

Begin with a visit to the Aswan High Dam, where your guide explains how the reservoir changed navigation, farming and the location of several ancient monuments. Continue by boat to Phiala temple, also known as Philae Temple, on an island in the reservoir. The sanctuary is dedicated mainly to Isis and has courtyards, columns and reliefs from the late pharaonic and Greco-Roman periods.

After the island visit, board your Nile cruise ship and complete the check-in formalities. The crew shows you to your cabin and explains the daily schedule, meal arrangements and safety procedures. The ship then begins its northbound journey, with time to watch the riverbank villages, cultivated fields and desert edges pass by from the deck.

Overnight on the Nile cruise. The pace is unhurried after the morning excursions. Bring a light layer for the evening and keep essentials in your day bag when going ashore.

Enjoy breakfast on board as the cruise continues along the Nile. The day follows the river’s slower rhythm, with open views from the deck and time to rest between visits. Your guide keeps you informed about the sailing schedule, shore access and the next temple stop.

Later, go ashore at Kom Ombo to visit its unusual double temple. One side honours Sobek, the crocodile god, while the other is dedicated to Horus the Elder. The surviving reliefs show religious scenes, medical instruments and ceremonial details. Your guide explains how the shared layout reflects the worship of two deities in one complex.

Return to the ship after the visit and continue sailing towards Edfu. Meals are taken on board, and the available leisure time may include sitting on the sun deck, reading or watching local life along the water. Shore visits involve steps, uneven paving and walking in warm conditions, so comfortable shoes are recommended.

Today’s main visit is the Temple of Edfu, reached from the river through the town by the local transport arrangement used for the cruise excursion. The temple is one of Egypt’s best-preserved ancient sanctuaries and was dedicated to Horus, shown as a falcon or a man with a falcon’s head.

Walk through the monumental gateway, courtyard and columned halls as your guide explains the inscriptions and the myth of Horus defeating Seth. The reliefs remain detailed enough to show processions, offerings and sacred rituals. The visit is usually made in the cooler part of the day, although the exact order depends on the ship’s docking schedule.

Return to the vessel and sail towards Luxor. The afternoon gives you a chance to enjoy the changing scenery: green farmland lies close to the river, while dry hills and desert appear beyond it. Keep your cabin key, water and sun protection with you during the shore excursion.

After breakfast, complete the cruise check-out and visit Luxor’s East Bank with your Egyptologist. At Karnak, walk through the vast temple complex, beginning at the processional entrance and continuing into the Great Hypostyle Hall, where towering columns carry carved and painted details. Your guide helps you understand how successive pharaohs expanded the sanctuary over many centuries.

Continue to Luxor Temple, where the avenue, pylons, columns and later Roman additions show how the site changed over time. Its position beside the Nile made it an important part of ancient religious processions. The two temple visits involve outdoor walking and broad stone surfaces, with limited shade in some areas.

After lunch, transfer to your Luxor accommodation and settle in. This completes the four-day Nile cruise experience between Aswan and Luxor. The evening is free for rest, a relaxed meal or a short walk near the hotel, depending on your energy after the morning’s sightseeing.

Set out after breakfast for Luxor’s West Bank, where royal tombs were cut into the hills beyond the cultivated river plain. Visit the Valley of the Kings with your guide and enter the tombs included in your visit. Inside, painted scenes and hieroglyphs describe the pharaoh’s passage into the afterlife. The route includes uneven ground, steps and narrow sections in some tombs.

Continue to the temple of Hatshepsut, often searched as the Hatshpsut temple. Its terraces rise against the cliffs, and the reliefs describe trade, rituals and the reign of one of Egypt’s most important female rulers. Stop at the Colossi of Memnon before leaving the West Bank.

After lunch, travel by road to Hurghada. The transfer crosses the Eastern Desert and takes several hours, with rest stops arranged as needed. Check into your resort on arrival and enjoy a quiet evening by the coast.

Today is set aside for rest beside the Red Sea. After breakfast, enjoy the resort facilities or choose an optional water activity arranged locally, such as a boat outing, snorkelling or time on a nearby beach. Sea activities depend on local conditions and availability, and our team can explain the practical arrangements before you decide.

If you go on the water, bring swimwear, a hat, sunscreen and a dry change of clothes. Snorkelling is usually conducted at a measured pace with equipment provided through the excursion arrangement, but you should tell the crew about any swimming concerns or medical needs in advance.

Travellers who prefer a slower day can remain at the resort, read, use the pool where available or take a walk in the surrounding area. There is no archaeological sightseeing scheduled, giving you space to recover after the cruise and long road transfer.

Enjoy another flexible morning in Hurghada. You may spend time at the resort, return to the beach or join an optional excursion if you would like more time on the water. Our team can help with the meeting point, expected duration and equipment details so you know what the activity involves before setting out.

The day is deliberately light. After several early starts and temple visits, many travellers prefer a late breakfast and a quiet afternoon. If you leave the resort, carry identification, water and sun protection, and follow the guide’s instructions around boats, jetties and swimming areas.

Later, organise your luggage for the return journey to Cairo. Keep documents, valuables and essential medication in your hand luggage. Your guide confirms the next day’s transfer arrangements, allowing you to enjoy the final evening without needing to plan the logistics yourself.

After breakfast, check out and begin the transfer from Hurghada to Cairo or to the airport connection arranged for your departure. The road journey takes several hours, so allow plenty of time for the transfer and keep water, travel documents and any snacks accessible during the drive.

If your departure schedule allows, our team can help you use any remaining time for a relaxed meal or a short stop before the airport. Your Egyptologist or representative confirms the meeting point and guides you through the final transport arrangements, while you remain responsible for checking your airline’s baggage and check-in requirements.

At the airport, say goodbye to our team and continue your journey home. Before leaving the hotel, check drawers, safe boxes and charging points for personal belongings. Your 12-day Egypt tour ends with the airport drop-off.