Egypt 14-Day Christmas Tour with Nile Cruise

Begin with the Pyramids of Giza, visiting the plateau to see the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure. Your guide explains how the pyramid complex was planned, how the stones were moved and why the plateau remained an important royal burial ground. You also see the Sphinx, cut from the bedrock with the body of a lion and the head of a king.

After lunch, continue to the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo. Its galleries place thousands of years of Egyptian history in one visit, including royal statues, funerary objects and treasures from Tutankhamun’s period. The order of the day keeps the outdoor visit earlier, when the light is more comfortable, and leaves the museum for the afternoon. Wear practical shoes and bring water for the pyramid plateau.

Travel by road to Alexandria for a full day on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. Start at the Catacombs of Kom El Shokafa, where underground chambers combine Egyptian, Greek and Roman funerary traditions. Continue to Pompey Pillar, a single red-granite column that once formed part of the Serapeum complex, before visiting the Alexandria Library and learning about the modern institution’s connection with the city’s ancient intellectual reputation.

After a break for lunch, visit Qaitbay Citadel on the harbour. The fortress occupies the area associated with the ancient Pharos lighthouse, and its waterfront position gives you clear views across the Mediterranean. End at Montazah Palace and its gardens, where landscaped paths and sea views provide a quieter final stop. The return transfer to Cairo takes several hours, so the day is best treated as a long excursion with comfortable walking shoes.

Leave Cairo and travel west towards Siwa Oasis, stopping at Alamein on the way. At the World War II Museum, your guide sets the North African campaign in context through maps, equipment and displays about the armies that fought across the desert. The visit is indoors and gives the long journey a useful historical pause.

Continue by road through increasingly open desert landscapes towards Siwa. This is one of the longer transfers in the itinerary, so expect several hours on the road with rest stops arranged where practical. On arrival, check in and take time to enjoy the slower pace of the oasis. Siwa has its own local character, with palm groves, salt lakes and mud-brick architecture. Keep essentials in a day bag during the transfer and carry sun protection, even in the cooler Christmas period.

Spend the morning exploring Siwan village of Shali, the historic mud-brick settlement at the centre of the oasis. Walking through its lanes, you can see how traditional buildings used local materials and were shaped to provide shelter from the desert climate. The elevated ruins also give you a useful view over the surrounding palm groves and salt-water pools.

Continue to Cleopatra’s Spring, a natural pool associated with local stories of Alexander the Great and later travellers. You may have time to sit beside the water or take a swim if conditions and personal preference allow. The afternoon remains at a relaxed pace, with room for a local meal and an introduction to Siwan customs. Surfaces around old settlements can be uneven, so comfortable shoes are important; your guide can adjust the walking pace for the group.

Today takes you into the desert south of Siwa by four-wheel-drive vehicle. The route crosses the Great Sand Sea, where broad dunes replace the oasis palms and the landscape changes with the angle of the light. The driver follows established desert routes, while our team keeps the day paced around the group’s comfort and the practical conditions on the ground.

Continue to the spring of Bir Wahid, a warm-water source in the desert. It is a natural place to pause, take photographs and enjoy the contrast between open sand and a small pool of water. A desert excursion needs sun protection, closed footwear, a hat and sufficient drinking water. After returning to Siwa, the evening is free for a quiet meal or rest before the long transfer back towards Cairo the following day.

Leave Siwa after breakfast for the return journey towards Cairo. The road transfer takes much of the day, with breaks arranged along the route. Keep a small bag with personal essentials, medication and water beside you rather than in the main luggage, as the journey is considerably more comfortable when you can reach these items easily.

Depending on the confirmed transport arrangements, continue from Cairo to Luxor by domestic flight or another suitable connection. Our team coordinates the transfers so that the change between road and air travel is clear. On arrival in Luxor, settle into your accommodation or board the Nile cruise according to the sailing schedule. The evening is deliberately light, giving you time to rest before the archaeological visits and five-day cruise programme begin.

Begin the Luxor sightseeing programme at Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in the city. Walk through its successive courtyards and the Great Hypostyle Hall, where enormous columns still carry traces of their original decoration. Your guide explains how different pharaohs expanded the sanctuary over centuries and how it connected with the religious life of ancient Thebes.

Continue to Luxor Temple, whose avenue, pylons and statues sit close to the modern city. The temple was linked with Karnak by a ceremonial processional route and was used for royal and religious ceremonies. Later, board the cruise vessel and complete the embarkation procedures. The ship becomes your base for the next stages of the journey, with meals and overnight accommodation arranged on board. Sailing times can change with river traffic and navigation conditions.

Cross the Nile to Luxor’s West Bank for the burial landscape of ancient Thebes. Visit the Valley of the Kings, where decorated tombs were cut into the desert cliffs for New Kingdom rulers. The number of open tombs changes, and your guide explains which entrances are included in the visit. Inside, expect sloping corridors, painted scenes and uneven steps rather than a single open monument.

Continue to Hatshepsut Temple, a terraced monument built against the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. Its broad levels and surviving reliefs show a different approach to royal architecture. On the return route, stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two large seated figures that once guarded the entrance to a much larger temple. Return to the ship for lunch or rest, then prepare for the vessel’s departure downriver. Sun protection and supportive shoes make the West Bank visits easier.

Spend part of the morning watching the Nile landscapes pass from the deck as the cruise continues south. Farmland, villages and strips of palms line the river, while the desert begins close behind them. The pace is quieter today, giving you time to rest, read or speak with your guide about the temples ahead.

When the vessel reaches Edfu, travel a short distance to Edfu Temple, one of the best-preserved large temples in Egypt. It was dedicated to Horus and has imposing pylons, a broad courtyard and detailed reliefs showing religious ceremonies and royal scenes. The visit usually involves walking across an open approach before entering the shaded sections of the complex. Return to the ship after the guided tour and continue sailing, with the evening spent on board as the river route carries you towards Kom Ombo.

Arrive at Kom Ombo and visit Kom Ombo Temple, which is unusual because its design is shared by two sacred traditions. One side was dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and the other to Horus the Elder. Your guide points out the paired entrances, halls and sanctuaries, along with reliefs that help explain the temple’s medical and ritual imagery.

The riverside setting makes this a convenient shore excursion, although the approach can be exposed to the sun. After the visit, return to the vessel and continue towards Aswan. The remaining sailing time is a chance to enjoy the changing banks of the Nile without another long road transfer. Keep your cabin key, water and sun protection with you when leaving the ship, and follow the crew’s instructions about the meeting point and departure time.

After reaching Aswan, disembark according to the cruise schedule and begin the city’s main visits. Travel by motorboat to Philae Temple, which stands on an island and is dedicated mainly to the goddess Isis. The boat ride is part of the experience, and the island setting helps you understand why the temple complex had to be relocated during the construction of the modern dam.

Continue to the High Dam, a major engineering project that changed irrigation, electricity generation and the seasonal behaviour of the Nile. Your guide explains its practical importance without losing sight of the environmental and archaeological changes it brought. After the visits, transfer to your Aswan accommodation. The afternoon is kept flexible for rest after disembarkation, and any optional walk or local activity should be arranged around the confirmed hotel and transport schedule.

Enjoy a final morning in Aswan before transferring to the airport or station for the journey back to Cairo. The precise departure arrangement depends on the confirmed transport schedule, so our team explains the meeting point and luggage process in advance. Allow extra time for airport or station procedures and keep travel documents in your hand luggage.

On arrival in Cairo, transfer to your hotel and use the remaining time to rest or take a gentle walk near the accommodation. This day does not add another major archaeological site; it gives you a practical buffer after the Nile cruise and the journey north. You can review photographs, organise souvenirs and prepare for departure. If you need help with luggage, onward transport or an early departure arrangement, our representative can coordinate the details with you.

After breakfast, complete your hotel check-out and meet our representative for the transfer to Cairo International Airport. The pickup time is set according to your confirmed flight, allowing time for the road journey, luggage handling and airport procedures. Keep your passport, tickets and essential medication accessible throughout the transfer.

Our team assists with the final logistics before you continue your journey home. Any remaining Egyptian currency, sealed souvenirs and liquids should be packed in line with airline and airport rules. The tour ends at the airport, after a route that has combined Cairo’s ancient monuments, Alexandria’s Mediterranean history, Siwa’s desert landscapes and a five-day Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan.