Egypt 12-Day Nile Cruise And Desert Tour

After breakfast, travel to the Giza Plateau for a close view of The Pyramids of Giza. Your guide explains how the pyramid complex was planned, how the stone was moved and why the surrounding temples mattered. You have time to walk around the main viewpoints and take photographs before continuing to the nearby Sphinx, whose lion body and human head face the plateau.

Later, visit The Egyptian museum of antiquities in central Cairo. The galleries contain statues, jewellery, burial objects and royal treasures from several periods of Egyptian history. Allow time to concentrate on the displays rather than rushing through every room. Return to the hotel after the visits, with the evening free to prepare for the next morning’s flight to Aswan.

Fly from Cairo to Aswan and meet our local team on arrival. Begin with the High dam, an important modern engineering project that created Lake Nasser and changed farming and flood control along the Nile. Continue by boat to Phiala sanctuary, set on an island and reached by a short motorboat crossing. Your guide points out the temple reliefs, columns and later Christian additions.

After lunch, settle on the Nile vessel and complete the embarkation arrangements. In the afternoon, you navigate with Felucca around the islands, depending on wind and local sailing conditions. The felucca is a quiet way to see the river at water level, with simple seating and open views. Return to the vessel for dinner and your first night on board.

Leave early for the road journey to the Abu Simbel sacred structures. The drive crosses the dry landscape south of Aswan, and the early start helps you visit before the strongest daytime heat. At the site, see the large rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Nefertari, their entrance figures and the detailed interior reliefs. Your guide explains how the temples were relocated during the creation of Lake Nasser.

Return to Aswan and rejoin the Nile vessel for lunch or a late meal, according to the sailing schedule. The afternoon is quieter, giving you time to watch the riverbanks and rest on deck. Meals and overnight arrangements are made on board, while the crew handles the navigation and mooring between stops.

Spend the morning travelling north along the Nile. Breakfast is served on board, followed by time on deck as villages, cultivated fields and desert edges pass slowly by. Your guide is available to explain the daily rhythm of river life and the way irrigation supports the narrow strip of farmland.

The vessel pauses at a riverside temple site during the day, subject to the sailing programme and local operating conditions. Walk through the entrance court, columns and carved walls before returning to the boat. Keep comfortable shoes, sun protection and water with you for the shore visit. The evening is spent on board, with dinner and a second night of watching the river from the deck.

Reach Luxor and begin on the west bank, where the morning visit includes The valley of Kings. Walk between the limestone cliffs and enter selected royal tombs, where painted scenes survive on the walls and ceilings. Continue to Hatshepsut sanctuary, whose terraces rise against the rock face. Stop at The Colossi of Memnon before crossing back towards the river.

In the afternoon, visit Karnak sanctuary, allowing time for its monumental entrance, processional avenues and forest of columns. Finish at Luxor sanctuary, where the remaining courts and statues are especially atmospheric as the light changes. After the visits, leave the vessel and transfer to your Luxor accommodation. The day includes substantial walking on uneven ground, so comfortable footwear is important.

After breakfast, check out and transfer from Luxor to Cairo by the arranged domestic flight or overland connection. The flight is the quicker option when scheduled, while the road journey takes much longer and includes rest stops. Our team confirms the practical details in advance and assists with luggage at each point of the transfer.

On arrival in Cairo, check in and take the remainder of the day at an easy pace. This overnight stop breaks the journey before the desert section and gives you time to repack a small bag for the next two days. Keep heavier luggage organised for storage or transfer, as desert vehicles have limited space and the camping section is more comfortable with only essential items.

Leave Cairo after breakfast for Bahariya oasis, a drive of several hours through increasingly open desert. On arrival, pause for lunch and meet the desert team before changing to a 4x4 vehicle. The afternoon route crosses tracks and broad sandy areas, with stops chosen for views, photographs and short walks rather than a hurried list of viewpoints.

As the light softens, reach the camp in The white sand expanse. The landscape is shaped by pale rock formations and open desert, so the setting changes noticeably as the sun moves. The team prepares a cooked dinner and sets up the sleeping arrangements. Temperatures can fall after sunset; bring a warm layer, closed shoes and a small overnight bag. Mobile coverage and bathroom facilities may be limited.

Wake at camp for tea or coffee and an early look at the desert before breakfast. Morning light brings out the contours of the white rock, and the cooler hours are best for a short walk around the camp area. Your driver then continues through the desert, stopping at suitable points for photographs and simple explanations of the landscape.

Camping in the white sand expanse ends after breakfast and the return drive towards the oasis. After lunch in Bahariya, transfer back to Cairo by road. The journey takes much of the afternoon, so keep water, sun protection and travel essentials within reach. On arrival, check in and rest. The following day leaves Cairo again for the western desert and its fossil-rich valley.

Travel from Cairo towards Fayoum, an area of farmland, lakes and desert escarpments southwest of the capital. Continue by suitable local vehicle into Wadi El Hitan, where The valley of whales (Wadi El Hitan) contains fossilised remains of ancient whales. The open-air museum and marked paths make it possible to see the specimens without a demanding full-day hike.

Your guide explains how these marine fossils came to lie in a landscape that is now dry desert, and points out the main displays along the route. Wear sturdy shoes, cover your shoulders and carry water, as shade is limited. After the visit, continue to the arranged accommodation in the Fayoum area or return towards Cairo, depending on the confirmed overnight plan.

Have a relaxed morning after the desert excursions, then return to Cairo if you stayed in the Fayoum area. The transfer passes back through cultivated land before reaching the capital, and our driver assists with luggage at the hotel. If your accommodation is already in Cairo, the morning remains free for rest or a quiet café stop.

The afternoon is unstructured so you can revisit a favourite area, shop for small gifts or simply prepare for departure. Avoid arranging a distant independent visit without checking traffic and airport requirements with our team. We can help you plan the time around your departure details, while keeping enough margin for Cairo traffic and airport check-in the next day.

Enjoy breakfast and complete check-out according to your hotel’s schedule. Our representative arranges your airport transfer and helps you confirm the departure terminal and luggage arrangements. The drive time depends on traffic, so we plan the pickup with the required check-in margin rather than relying on a fixed journey duration.

At the airport, our assistance ends after you reach the appropriate departure area. Keep your passport, tickets and travel documents in your hand luggage, along with any medicines and valuables. Your 12-day Egypt itinerary finishes in Cairo after the Nile voyage, ancient sites and western desert excursions.