Capture the best of Egypt on this eight-day express adventure through the fascinating cities of Cairo, Aswan and Luxor. Get up close to the mighty pyramids of Giza, share a delicious local meal in a Nubian village, discover the fascinating tombs of ancient pharaohs and watch daily life flow by as you cruise in style along the River Nile. Let an experienced guide bring the captivating stories of this time gone by to life as you immerse yourself in the history, grandeur and culture of ancient Egypt, without foregoing modern comforts.
Before booking on this trip we recommend that you read the ‘Safety’ section in the trip notes regarding special safety considerations for Egypt trips.
Highlights
Tick off all the iconic sites of ancient Egypt with an experienced local leader on-hand to bring pharaonic Egypt back to life and included flights.
Enjoy three nights on board a Nile River Cruise Boat, relax on deck with a cool drink in hand as you watch the life of Upper Egypt unfold in front of you.
Discover the intricately designed tombs at the fascinating Valley of the Kings, where many of the ancient Egyptian pharaohs are buried.
Take an optional tour to the iconic temples of Abu Simbel, choose to fly or travel by road - you decide.
Sail away on your Felucca to a traditional Nubian Village, meet the locals of Upper Egypt and enjoy a hosted meal.
- You will visit the following places:
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Cairo
Cairo, literally The Vanquisher or The Conqueror, is the capital of Egypt, the largest city in Africa and the 16th most populous metropolitan area in the world. Cairo is also ranked as one of the most densely populated cities in the world. Nicknamed The City of a Thousand Minarets for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life. Cairo was founded by the Fatimid dynasty in the 10th Century, but the land composing the present-day city was the site of national capitals whose remnants remain visible in parts of Old Cairo. Cairo is also associated with Ancient Egypt due to its proximity to the ancient cities of Memphis, Giza and Fustat which are nearby to the [Great Sphinx] and the pyramids of "Giza"
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Aswān
Aswan, formerly spelled Assuan, is a city in the south of Egypt, the capital of the Aswan Governorate. It is a busy market and tourist centre located just north of the Aswan Dams on the east bank of the Nile at the first cataract. The modern city has expanded and includes the formerly separate community on the island of Elephantine. Aswan is the smallest of the three major tourist cities on the Nile. Being the furthest south of the three, it has a large population of Nubian people, mostly resettled from their homeland in the area flooded by Lake Nasser. Aswan is the home of many granite quarries from which most of the Obelisks seen in Luxor were sourced. Aswan was the ancient Egyptians' gateway to Africa.
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Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper (southern) Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 (2010 estimate), with an area of approximately 416 square kilometres (161 sq mi). As the site of the Ancient Egyptian City of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple complexes at Kamak and Luxor stand within the modern city. Immediately opposite, across the River Nile, lie the monuments, temples and tombs on the West Bank Necropolis, which include the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. Thousands of international tourists arrive annually to visit these monuments, contributing a large part towards the economy for the modern city.