Egypt, Cairo

360° Egypt Tour 5^*

Arrival in Cairo.

Cairo is one of the world’s largest cities, stretching along both banks of the Nile.

Check-in and overnight stay at the hotel.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure for a tour of the Giza Plateau and its incredible pyramids:
The Great Pyramid, the tomb of Khufu/Cheops (the largest of the three, built around 2650 BC), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the only one to have withstood the test of time. For over 40 centuries, it was the tallest monument ever built by man, standing at a height of 146 metres.
Khafre: the pyramid of Khafre appears taller than that of Khufu; in reality, it is slightly shorter, but its steeper angle of inclination and its position on slightly higher ground give this impression.
Menkaure, the tomb of King Menkaure; it is much smaller than the other two pyramids, standing 66 metres tall.
The Sphinx: a lion with the head of a pharaoh, whose role was to guard the entrance to the tomb against looters. It measures 73 metres in length and 20 metres*

Lunch during the visit.

The afternoon will be spent visiting the sites of Memphis and Saqqara. Memphis, south of Cairo, is now little more than a palm grove where a few blocks, stelae and statues lie scattered, including an enigmatic alabaster sphinx; the capital of the Old Kingdom of Egypt, it was founded by King Menes around 3000 BC. We then continue to the site of Saqqara and its famous step pyramid, built around 2700 BC for Pharaoh Djoser by the architect Imhotep.

Dinner and overnight stay at the 5-star hotel (local standards).

Breakfast.

Then, situated near the Pyramids of Giza, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the world’s largest museum dedicated to ancient Egypt. This vast, modern complex houses over 100,000 artefacts spanning more than three millennia of history. As soon as they enter, visitors are greeted by the impressive colossal statue of Ramesses II.

The museum also displays the entire treasure of Tutankhamun, exhibited for the first time in a single location. A spectacular journey into the heart of one of the most fascinating civilisations in history.

Overnight stay at your 5-star hotel (local standards).

Breakfast.

Transfer to the airport and flight to Luxor, Upper Egypt.

Arrival in Luxor, transfer to the embarkation point and check-in to your cabin on the boat.

Lunch on board.

Free afternoon.

Dinner and overnight stay on board the 5-star boat (local standards).

Breakfast on board.

Departure for a tour of the left bank of the Nile, Thebes, with its timeless tombs of the pharaohs of the 18th to 20th Dynasties.
The Valley of the Kings, where you will visit three tombs. From the 18th Dynasty onwards, and throughout the New Kingdom, the pharaohs no longer chose to be buried in temples or monuments dedicated to their final journey. It was on the other side of the Nile, on the west bank – the Land of the Afterlife – that Thutmose I and all the pharaohs who succeeded him chose to be buried. Gone were the colossal monuments, such as the pyramids, or even the mastabas used during the Old Kingdom; instead, they opted for burial chambers hewn directly out of the rock, the entrances to which were meticulously sealed and concealed. The main reason was undoubtedly to avoid tomb raiders.

Visit to the Temple of Medinet Habu or Temple of Ramesses III. This temple is a veritable castle, undoubtedly one of the most spectacular mortuary temples. Your visit to Egypt will not be complete without a visit to the gigantic and monumental site of Ramesses. Ramesses III sought to restore Egypt’s greatness and, at the same time, to immortalise the name of his illustrious ancestor. Upon his accession to the throne, he set about building his jubilee temple, which remains one of the largest in the Theban necropolis. This immense and ancient fortification of Ramesses captivates all visitors. It is truly magnificent in terms of its size and splendour. It is one of the few that still retains its beautiful colours.

On the way back, a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon: two giant twin statues carved from sandstone, bearing witness to the past splendour of the temple of Amenhotep III.

Lunch on board.

Cruise on to Esna.

Dinner and overnight stay on board the 5-star boat (local standards).

Breakfast.

Sail to Edfu.

Lunch on board.

Set off to visit the splendid Temple of Horus at Edfu; this masterpiece of architectural balance and elegance is one of the best-preserved sites in the whole of ancient Egypt, and a fine example of Ptolemaic art from the Greco-Roman period. Enter the temple through the great pylon, decorated with enormous reliefs depicting the king and the gods, leading into the courtyard whose walls recount the various rites performed by the king. Two large black granite falcons, representing the god Horus, guard the entrance to the temple.

The cruise sails on to Kom Ombo.

Dinner and overnight stay on board the 5-star boat (local standards).

Breakfast.

In the morning, visit the Kom Ombo Temple, situated on a promontory on the banks of the Nile. This unique temple dates from the Greco-Roman period and comprises two magnificent sanctuaries: one dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and the other to Horus, the falcon god. Built during the Ptolemaic period on the site of a New Kingdom temple, it stands on the summit of a hill overlooking the Nile from a height of 15 metres. Standing on the summit of a hill, it overlooks the Nile from a height of 15 metres.
The temple's most striking feature is that it is dedicated to two deities: Haroeris, also known as "Horus the Great" or "Horus the Elder", and Sobek, the crocodile god. Everything about the temple is dual: it has two entrances, two parallel corridors and halls arranged symmetrically on either side of these, all of which converge at the double sanctuary. On the esplanade in front of the entrance, the carved columns reveal shimmering colours.

Cruise on to Aswan, the capital of Nubia.

Lunch on board.

Followed by a visit to the Temple of Philae.

Visit to a Papyrus Institute.

Dinner and overnight stay on board the 5-star boat (local standards).

Breakfast on board.

Free morning.

Lunch on board.

Mini felucca cruise and Aswan Botanical Garden. The only way to reach the left bank and Kitchener or Elephantine Islands, true jewels of the river. Let yourself be lulled by the breeze as you glide along the calm, blue waters of the ancient Nile.

Stop off at Kitchener Island and visit the Aswan Botanical Garden.

Late afternoon free.

Dinner and overnight stay on board the 5-star boat. (local standards)

Breakfast.

Free day on board the boat.

Lunch on board.

Cruise on to Esna.

Dinner and overnight stay on board the 5-star boat (local standards).

Early in the morning, your boat will pass through the lock.

Breakfast on board.

Visit to the Temple of Karnak. The most significant religious complex ever built here over a period of 2,000 years, where people’s faith paid homage to the same god: Amun. The greatest kings reigned here in succession. The name "Karnak", meaning "fortress", dates from the Islamic conquest.

Lunch on board.

Visit to the Temple of Luxor, which was built to glorify the god Amun-Re, who celebrated the anniversary of his marriage to his wife Mut every year. The procession would leave the Temple of Karnak and follow the banks of the Nile to reach the Temple of Luxor. The construction of the latter dates back to the reigns of the two pharaohs Amenhotep III and Ramesses II.

Return to the boat. Free time.

Dinner and overnight stay on board the 5-star boat (local standards).

Breakfast on board.

Coach transfer to Hurghada (4 to 5 hours) and check-in at the hotel.

Lunch.

An afternoon of relaxation on the beaches of the Red Sea. Here you can explore the marvellous underwater world, coral reefs and colourful fish.

Overnight stay at your 5-star hotel (local standards).

Free day on an all-inclusive basis.

Free day on an all-inclusive basis.

Breakfast.

Transfer to the airport for a domestic flight to Cairo.

Visit to the Citadel of Saladin and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, with the large clock in the centre of the courtyard – a gift from King Louis Philippe of France to Muhammad Ali. Its belvedere offers a panoramic view of the city of Cairo

Lunch during the visit.

A stroll through the Khan el-Khalili souks, a colourful bazaar built in the 14th century, which sells traditional goods as well as a fabulous selection of gold and gold- and silver-threaded jewellery and a range of oriental handicrafts.

Overnight stay at your 5-star hotel (local standards).

Breakfast and transfer to the airport according to your flight schedule.

Tips: "Bakchich"! A word you'll soon become very familiar with! Although it’s easy to turn down people asking for tips, tipping is part of the local custom and is a way of rewarding good service and a job well done. Tips for guides are never included and are left to each individual’s discretion.

You may be offered a paid internet connection available throughout the boat. However, we cannot guarantee the quality of the connection available during your stay.

The luggage allowance for the domestic flight is 23 kg in the hold per person, plus one small cabin bag weighing up to 7 kg. Any additional weight will incur an extra charge.

The accommodation meets local standards.

Security checks at Egyptian airports can be extensive and unpredictable, depending on the number of tourists. This is why the tour leader will plan timings as accurately as possible.

During excursions, you will be grouped with other participants.

This package includes periods of free time, during which you can explore at your leisure. However, any required transfers will be at your own expense.

Optional extras are subject to an additional charge, payable on site to your guide or local representative.

The order of visits may be altered due to local circumstances, such as sailing times or passing through locks, but all listed visits will be included.

Please note that the pace of the visits can be quite intense (see the full list of visits included in the day-by-day itinerary), which may involve getting up very early in the morning (except when the boat is sailing).

Egypt is a cultural destination.

Please note that if you are booking the "hotel only" package (without an international flight), you must provide us with your flight details as soon as possible via the contact form under "Help and Contact" at the bottom of the page so that we can arrange your transfers.