Cairo and Felucca 8-Day Nile Expedition

After breakfast, we drive to the Giza Plateau for the **Majestic Pyramids of Giza**, where you see the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure in their desert setting. Your guide explains how the monuments were planned, built, and used as royal tombs. There is time to walk around the main viewpoints and take photographs; entry inside a pyramid can be arranged separately when available.

Continue to **The Great Sphinx**, carved with a lion's body and a human head, before heading into central Cairo. At **Cairo's Ancient Museum**, your guide leads you through galleries of statues, royal objects, jewellery, and other finds from Egypt's long history. The visit has a manageable pace, with time to pause at the pieces that interest you most.

After lunch, we return to the hotel. In the evening, transfer to the railway station for the overnight train south to Aswan. Your rail journey begins after the day's sightseeing, so keep essential items in a small overnight bag.

• Giza Plateau and pyramid viewpoints
• The Great Sphinx and Cairo's Ancient Museum
• Overnight train from Cairo to Aswan

Arrive in Aswan after the overnight train journey and transfer for breakfast or a morning rest, depending on the train schedule. Aswan has a slower pace than Cairo, with the Nile divided by islands and granite outcrops. Once refreshed, we travel to Abu Simbel, usually by road, for a visit to the temples of Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari.

At Abu Simbel, your guide explains the huge seated figures, temple chambers, wall scenes, and the relocation project that saved the monuments when Lake Nasser was created. The visit involves walking outdoors between the entrance and temple interiors, so comfortable shoes, water, and sun protection are useful.

Return to Aswan later in the day and check in for your overnight stay. The evening is free to rest or enjoy the river views. Travel arrangements can vary with rail and road schedules, and our team keeps you informed throughout the transfers.

• Arrival in Aswan after the first overnight train
• Road excursion to the Abu Simbel Temples
• Overnight stay in Aswan

After breakfast, explore Aswan's riverside sights with your guide. A typical visit includes the Unfinished Obelisk, where you can see how ancient stoneworkers began shaping a single piece of granite, and the Temple of Philae, reached by boat on an island. Philae's courtyards, columns, and reliefs are dedicated mainly to Isis and were moved to higher ground to protect them from rising water.

Later, we prepare for your **Traditional Nile Sailboat Voyage**. Board the felucca with your overnight essentials and meet the crew before the boat leaves Aswan. The felucca has a simple open-deck setup, so expect a close view of the river, its banks, and passing villages rather than the facilities of a large cruise ship.

Sail at a relaxed pace with time to watch the changing light, read, or talk with fellow travellers. Overnight on the felucca, with bedding and meals arranged according to the sailing plan and conditions on the river.

• Unfinished Obelisk and Temple of Philae
• Felucca boarding in Aswan
• Overnight on the Nile

Wake on the felucca and have breakfast on deck as the boat continues north. The morning is shaped by the river: the crew adjusts the sail, the banks pass slowly, and there are stretches of quiet water between stops. Conditions can affect the exact sailing distance, so the day follows the captain's safe route and the agreed landing points.

During the voyage, you may go ashore at a riverside village or small island when the sailing plan allows. These stops give you a closer look at everyday life along the Nile without turning the journey into a rushed sightseeing schedule. Your guide explains the day's movements and helps with any transfer between the boat and the bank.

Depending on the route and river conditions, the felucca may finish near Kom Ombo, with onward arrangements made for the night. Pack a small day bag for the boat and keep larger luggage secure. The night is spent aboard the felucca or in the planned riverside accommodation if the sailing program requires a change.

• Morning and afternoon sailing north
• Optional riverside landing during the route
• Overnight felucca experience

Leave the felucca after breakfast and continue by road toward Luxor, stopping at the Temple of Kom Ombo when the route and opening arrangements allow. The temple is unusual because it is dedicated to two gods, Sobek and Horus the Elder. Your guide points out the paired halls, carved reliefs, and the riverside setting before the journey continues.

In Luxor, visit Karnak Temple, a vast complex of pylons, courts, columns, and sacred spaces built and enlarged by successive pharaohs. Allow time to walk through the Great Hypostyle Hall and hear how the temple developed over many centuries. The site is extensive, so comfortable footwear and water make the visit easier.

After the sightseeing, transfer to the railway station for the second overnight train, travelling north toward Cairo. Dinner and sleeping arrangements follow the train service available for the journey, and our team assists with boarding and luggage.

• Kom Ombo Temple en route to Luxor
• Karnak Temple on Luxor's East Bank
• Overnight train from Luxor to Cairo

Arrive in Cairo after the overnight train and transfer to your hotel. The room may not be ready immediately after an early arrival, so our team helps arrange luggage storage and a place to freshen up when needed. After breakfast or a short rest, the day is left open for your own pace.

You can use the free time for a relaxed walk, a café stop, or last-minute shopping with guidance from our team. Travellers who prefer a quieter day can rest at the hotel after the long rail journey. Optional activities may be discussed locally, but they are kept separate from the scheduled visits already included in the program.

This final Cairo night gives you a comfortable buffer before departure. Confirm your airport transfer details with us, keep passports and travel documents together, and allow enough time for Cairo traffic on the way to the airport.

• Arrival in Cairo after the second overnight train
• Hotel check-in and time to rest
• Free evening in Cairo

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before checking out. Our team arranges your transfer to Cairo International Airport in line with your departure schedule. The drive time depends on traffic and your hotel location, so we plan the pickup with a sensible margin for airport procedures.

Before leaving, check your room and luggage carefully, including passports, chargers, medication, and any items purchased during the tour. Your guide or transfer representative can help with the departure arrangements and explain where to go once you reach the terminal.

Your 8-day Cairo and Nile program ends at the airport. If you have a later flight, luggage storage or additional time in Cairo may be discussed in advance, subject to the arrangements available for your departure day.

• Breakfast and hotel check-out
• Private transfer to Cairo International Airport
• Departure from Egypt