Essential Egypt

Main destination Egypt · About Escorted or Guided Tour

Essential Egypt

Main destination Egypt · About Escorted or Guided Tour
Cairo is your kickoff point, check out the Pyramids and Sphinx while you’re in the area. Head on to Aswan for temples, bazaars and camel ride. Next is sailing down the Nile in a Felucca, then Luxor and the Valley of the Kings before you head back to Cairo. Holiday success. A guy called Khufu was responsible for building the Great Pyramid. It’s 4500 years old, 146m tall and made from 2.3 million blocks weighing around 2.5 tons each. And how did they honour him? With a 9cm tall statue. Bummer. 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

Cities like Cairo can be dizzying, but your local guides are in the know – they'll have you heading straight for the hottest spots

The Pyramids might be hyped, but when you see them, you'll see what all the fuss is about, all right!

Set sail on a felucca cruise along the Nile. Back in the day, these wooden boats had zero facilities, but our new pimped-out boat has western-style toilets on board.

A visit to the incredible Egyptian Museum, home to King Tut's golden mask, is included

Not only will you visit three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, but you'll get there by riding a camel. How Egyptian can you get?

Get a taste of Nubian hospitality on your felucca cruise down the Nile. Oh, yeah, and the scenery is all right too...

Experience the adventure of overnight train travel, one of the most epic ways to wake up in a new and strange place

You will visit the following places:
Cairo

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"

Aswān

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.

Luxor

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.

Terms, conditions and restrictions apply; pricing, availability, and other details subject to change and/ or apply to US or Canadian residents. Please confirm details and booking information with your travel advisor.

I want to go to: