On this classic tour of Egypt, explore the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx, the Karnak Temple near Luxor, and the rarely-visited tombs of Seti I and Nefertari. Stay in the finest hotels, cruise the Nile aboard a luxurious riverboat, and travel with the best Egyptologist guides. You will learn about Egyptian culture and many customs that are still held along the mighty Nile River.
Highlights
Discover Egypt's pyramids, Sphinx, and Valley of the Kings
Involves minimal physical effort and is typically associated with leisurely activities. Activities are low-intensity or last less than a few hours each day.
Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, a representative welcomes you and assists you through the immigration process. Modern, air-conditioned coaches will take you to your hotel in Cairo, and your representative will ensure a smooth hotel check-in.
After breakfast, go on a full-day guided tour to visit the Pyramids of Giza (Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus), one of the Seven Wonders of the World. A single pyramid is built over 2.3 million blocks, each weighing an average of two and a half tons. In the face of such immensity, one cannot help but feel the wonder and awe that countless writers and artists have sought to convey over the centuries. The Cheops Pyramid is more interesting because its interior burial chambers are open for inspection by the public. Not far from the Pyramids is the Great Sphinx of Giza, which dates from the time of Chephren (2620 BC). This iconic statue, carved from natural yellowish limestone and standing 65 feet high and 187 feet long, combines the head of a Pharaoh with a lion's body. After the visit, you can take a quick trip to the papyrus institute or a perfume shop.
Take a leisurely lunch at a local restaurant. This afternoon, visit the Egyptian Museum for another unforgettable tour. In 1835, the Egyptian government established the Egyptian Museum. The present museum building was built in 1900 in the new classical style by the French architect Marcel Dourgnon. The museum's exhibited collections now exceed 120,000 objects, ranging from the pre-historic era to the Greco-Roman period. With 107 halls, the ground level is home to enormous statues. The upper floor houses small statues and jewels.
After an early breakfast in Cairo, transfer to the airport for a flight to Luxor. Meet your guide upon arrival and begin your tour of Luxor, visiting Deir al Bahiri to see the memorial Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a woman who declared herself pharaoh. The temple structure is to identify the pharaonic Hatshepsut with the sun god.
The Valley of the Kings is the next destination. The Valley of the Kings is a collection of tombs that are always open, visit three tombs included in the ticket. Embark on your cruise before lunch. Take your dinner and overnight on board your cruise.
After breakfast, visit Luxor Temple on the East Bank. The Luxor Temple was called the Southern Opet, or “Place of Seclusion,” the God Amenmope Amun of the opet. Off into the Theban desert too. In the late afternoon, explore Karnak Temple, a massive complex dedicated to the chief Egyptian god, Amun-Re. Karnak’s building elements and setting have astronomical references, tying them to ancient Egyptian cosmology.
After breakfast, visit the temple of Horus at Edfu. It is one of the best-preserved monuments in Egypt and a highly significant part of an annual pilgrimage and festival celebrating the sacred marriage of the gods Hathor and Horus. Scenes of the New Year Festival and distinctive reliefs in its chapels are the temple’s drawing cards.
Sail to Kom Ombo and visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, built during the Ptolemaic era, dedicated to two gods—hawk-headed Haroeris and crocodile-headed Sobek. It is richly decorated and even has a hieroglyphic calendar. Stand on deck as you approach Aswan, a glorious location on the Nile, backed by hills, with granite rocks protruding from the riverbed and sailboats (called feluccas) plying the water.
After breakfast, visit the beautiful temple complex of Philae, one of the most picturesque in all of Egypt. It sits on Aglika Island just south of the old Aswan Dam, and you can board a water taxi to the island to get to the ruins. The temple was moved to its current location following the construction of the High Dam, which threatened to submerge it permanently. The careful reconstruction at the site was carefully completed, painstakingly preserving the original appearance and layout of the complex and even landscaping the island to match its former location.
In the afternoon, embark on a felucca ride around the islands of Aswan. Enjoy the magnificent scenery and the fresh breeze while witnessing Kitchener’s Botanical Garden, where you will see different beautiful types of subtropical, exotic, and rare plants that have been brought in from all over the world. The Elephantine island is the largest in the Aswan area. Elephantine is Greek for elephant, and it is believed that the island received its name because it was a major ivory trading center. Different monuments were excavated on the island, like the ruins of a temple dedicated to the ram god Khnum, God of water. Elephantine was considered a cult center for God Khnum.
Collect the breakfast boxes and disembark on the cruise. Return to Aswan where the rest of the day is free. Transfer to the airport and fly to Cairo, where you will stay overnight at your hotel.
*Post-cruise excursion available at additional cost.
Day 8: Return Home
1 Breakfast
After breakfast at the hotel, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to your home.
Apologies for the inconvenience. Prices for not yet published. Below per person rate based on previous season. Contact us to confirm upcoming season pricing.
Prices for are estimated based on inflation. Contact us to confirm pricing and availability for your desired departure date.
$2,0422-3 travelers
Notes
Select a Date
* Cruise Itineraries may be changed without prior notice due to navigational circumstances
* Rates based on current entrance fees, taxes, and fuel; in case of any change rates will be reviewed accordingly
* A guide will accompany guests from Cairo for groups of 8 or more adults
Initial deposit is 50% package cost plus 100% flight cost, and most travelers will call our office and pay the deposit with a credit card.
Final payment is due 70 Days prior to departure by bank transfer, check, or credit card. All final payments by credit card may be subject to a surcharge and a maximum of $20,000 charge
Our guide and driver were very good with their knowledge and were very helpful with our questions. It was a very pleasant visit that would have been impossible to do on our own. Hotels and restaurants were fantastic. The special places we got to go to, like the kitchens, were great. Enjoyed the entire trip!
Meyer Smolen
TrustScore 4.8 | 254 reviews
TrustScore 4.8 of 5
Based on 254 reviews on
2 days ago
The holiday of a lifetime. The company is Alaksa-owned and thhat makes a big difference to the experineces you get i.e. meet genuine First Nations tribes people. The amount of wildlife was beyond my expectation, and seeing everything on sucha small, intimate boat made it even more spoecial and unique.
Liz O
2 days ago
Adventure Life covered all the details in planning our trip to Ireland. Any questions we had were answered immediately. Any trip glitches, which always happen when traveling, were resolved immediately. There were no worries, just fun!
Kathleen Weller
2 days ago
It was an outstanding, up-close, educational vacation of nature, culture, history, animals and geology! It was everything they promised! Binoculars were plentiful on the boat, but I'm glad I brought my own. Food was excellent. Rooms had black-out shades. Pack/wear multiple layers of clothing (I carried a small backpack when off the ship). Crew were delightful and very accommodating! Remember to jump FEET FIRST first when taking the optional polar plunge! Spend as much time outdoors as you are able and ENJOY!!!
Janet Dutton
1 week ago
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
1 week ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.