Egypt 11-Day Itinerary Tour with Nile Cruise

After breakfast, your guide takes you to the Giza Plateau for a close view of The Pyramids of Giza. You have time to walk around the viewpoints, hear how the royal tombs were built and see the different scale of the three main pyramids. The visit is paced so you can take photographs without rushing between stops.

You then continue to The Sphinx, where the lion-bodied monument faces the pyramid field. Your guide explains the symbolism of the human head and the setting around the temple area. Depending on local access arrangements, there may be time to enter an available pyramid at your own expense. We return to Cairo after the plateau visit, leaving the afternoon free for lunch, rest or a relaxed look at the city.

Your morning begins at the Cairo museum, where galleries hold statues, jewellery, coffins and everyday objects from several periods of Egyptian history. Your guide helps place the main collections in context, so the visit feels connected rather than like a walk through unrelated rooms. Allow several hours, since the museum has more to see than can be covered at a quick pace.

Later, we visit Old Cairo and its historic lanes and religious buildings. The area brings together churches, mosques and older streets within a compact part of the city. You can pause for a drink or lunch before returning to the hotel. The evening is free, with your luggage prepared for the desert transfer the next day.

This day gives you a slower look at Cairo after two full sightseeing days. You may spend the morning at leisure, shop for small gifts or arrange an optional visit through our team. Keeping this time flexible also helps travellers adjust before the longer desert and Nile sections of the itinerary.

Our team reviews the following day’s road transfer and explains what to pack for the overnight camp. Bring comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, a warm layer for the desert after dark and only the luggage you need for one night. Your fourth Cairo night is at the hotel, and the departure for the Western Desert takes place the next morning.

We leave Cairo by road for Bahariya Oasis, a long transfer that passes from the city into open desert scenery. After arriving, you have time for a meal and a short break before continuing by local 4WD vehicle into the desert. The route reaches the White and Black desert, where pale limestone formations contrast with darker volcanic hills and gravel-covered ground.

Your driver stops at suitable viewpoints for photographs and a short walk, while your guide explains how wind and erosion shaped the rocks. By late afternoon, the camp is prepared for the night. Dinner is served in a simple desert setting, followed by time around the fire when conditions allow. Facilities are basic, so pack light and expect a night close to nature rather than hotel-style accommodation.

After breakfast at camp, we return by road to Cairo or the airport connection arranged for the Nile section, then continue to Luxor. Travel arrangements depend on the confirmed transport schedule, and our team coordinates the transfers so you are not left to manage the connections alone.

On arrival in Luxor, you board the Nile cruise and settle into your cabin. The afternoon is used for orientation, lunch and a first view of the river from the deck. A short Sailing Trip may be arranged on a traditional felucca when conditions and timing allow, giving you a quieter perspective of the riverbank. Dinner and your first night are on board, with the following morning dedicated to Luxor’s east bank.

The morning visit begins at Karnak temple, entering through its monumental approach and moving into halls, courts and sanctuaries built by successive pharaohs. Your guide points out the great columns, carved reliefs and the scale of the sacred complex. Wear comfortable shoes, since the site involves walking over open ground and stone surfaces.

Later, we visit Luxor temple, whose avenue, courts and columns sit within the modern city. Seeing it after Karnak helps explain the religious connection between the two sites. You return to the cruise for lunch and time on deck as the vessel begins or continues its southbound sailing. The second cruise night is spent on board.

After breakfast, we cross to Luxor’s west bank for The valley of Kings. Your ticket normally includes entry to a selection of open tombs, and your guide explains the painted scenes, burial customs and reasons the valley was chosen for royal burials. The walk can be hot, so carry water and use sun protection.

The route continues to Queen Hatshepsut temple, built against the cliffs in terraces, followed by the Colossi of Memnon. We then return to the cruise and sail south. Along the way, the boat passes villages, cultivated fields and desert edges that make the changing landscape easy to follow from the deck. This is the third and final cruise night.

We disembark in Aswan and travel early to Abu Simbel, where the rock-cut temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari face Lake Nasser. The journey is long, but the temples reward the effort with enormous seated figures, detailed reliefs and a clear view of the relocation project that protected them after the lake was formed. We allow time to explore before returning to Aswan.

Back in the city, the route includes The high dam and Phiala temple, reached by boat on an island. The temple’s courtyards and reliefs preserve layers of Egyptian, Greek and Roman history. After the visits, we transfer to the airport for the return journey north and continue by road to Alexandria for your overnight stay. The day involves several transfers, so comfortable clothing and a small day bag are useful.

Your Alexandria sightseeing begins with the Catacombs Kom el Shoqafa, an underground burial complex where Egyptian, Greek and Roman influences appear together in the architecture and carved decoration. Access involves stairs and uneven surfaces, so tell our team in advance if you need a slower route or mobility support.

We then visit Pompey Pillar, a single granite column associated with the Serapeum, before continuing to the seafront. The next stop is The Citadel of Sultan Qeitbay, built beside the harbour on the site traditionally linked with the ancient Pharos lighthouse. We finish at the new Library of Alexandria, whose modern building and exhibitions reflect Alexandria’s continuing connection with learning. You spend the night in Alexandria after dinner or free evening time.

After breakfast, we arrange your transfer from Alexandria to Cairo International Airport according to your flight time. The road journey takes several hours, so we plan the departure with a sensible margin for traffic and airport procedures. Your luggage stays with you, and our representative helps with the final transfer arrangements.

If your flight leaves later, you may have a little free time in Alexandria before setting off, subject to the agreed pickup schedule. At the airport, allow time for check-in, security and passport control. Our team remains available until you are safely on your onward journey, bringing this 11-day Egypt itinerary to a practical close.