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This Egipto Exclusivo tour is probably the most complete when it comes to culture and archaeology. It will take you to discover the essential monuments and archaeological sites of the country! On one hand, the most symbolic places of the pharaonic era: the Pyramids of Giza, the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, Abu Simbel, the majestic temples of Upper Egypt… And on the other hand, all the great attractions of the capital, Cairo: its mosques, churches, bazaars…
Like the rest of our itineraries, this Egypt tour is structured in a program where you won’t waste a single minute of your trip, thanks to our transportation, assistance, and guide services at all times. Therefore, it is aimed at lovers of Egyptian culture, both past and present. Take note of this 11-day package to discover all the secrets of this fascinating country!
Egipto Exclusivo is a receptive travel agency specializing in tailor-made and private trips throughout Egypt. We design your itinerary with all our heart and knowledge of a destination that we love and know deeply. We will take into account your tastes and preferences so that you have a unique experience that you will never forget.
Don’t think twice and just enjoy, leaving us to do what we are passionate about and best at: preparing all the details. And if you have any doubts, you will always be attended and advised, before, during, and after your trip.
Day 1: Arrival in Cairo
Day 2: Tour of Giza, Saqqara, and Dahshur
Day 3: Full day in Cairo
Day 4: Temples of Abydos and Dendera
Day 5: First full day in Luxor
Day 6: Second full day in Luxor
Day 7: Nile Cruise: Luxor-Edfu
Day 8: Nile Cruise: Edfu and Kom Ombo
Day 9: Abu Simbel-Aswan
Day 10: Temple of Isis in Philae and flight to Cairo
Day 11: Cairo Airport: Return home
This cultural and archaeological tour of Egypt begins upon your arrival at Cairo International Airport. Our agency’s representative, who speaks Spanish, will be there to assist you with all the necessary procedures related to your tourist visa. Afterward, you will be accompanied to the hotel in a private vehicle provided by Egipto Exclusivo, ensuring your comfort with air conditioning.
Once at the hotel, where you will spend your first night, you will be provided with all the information you need to enjoy your trip. Details about the itinerary, schedule, suggestions for free time, and any questions you may have about the local currency will be addressed. This day will allow you to familiarize yourself with Egypt and rest for the exciting program ahead.
The second day of this tour through the most historic sites of Egypt is actually the first one that includes organized visits to places of interest. And not just any places, but the entire area declared a UNESCO World Heritage site under the title ‘Memphis and its Necropolis – Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur’. It is a vast archaeological area southwest of Cairo where the most important necropolises of the Old Kingdom are located: Giza, Saqqara, and Dahshur. It is easily accessible by car, as the distances are relatively short from the capital: Dahshur, the farthest point, is about 30 km from downtown Cairo.
After a hearty breakfast to recharge, the day begins with one of the highlights of this tour of Egypt: the famous Pyramids of Giza, a true symbol of Ancient Egypt. Built by pharaohs of the Fourth Dynasty (Old Kingdom) at the height of their reign, they are now open to visitors and included in the program. The largest one is the Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops), followed by the Pyramid of Khafre (or Chephren), and the Pyramid of Menkaure, which is the smallest of the three. We will also admire the Great Sphinx of Giza, a colossal sculpture half-lion and half-pharaoh. Our guide will also explain the significance of the Valley Temple and the importance of other spaces in the necropolis.
After visiting the archaeological site of Giza, we will proceed to Saqqara, a royal necropolis even older than Giza, where the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt found eternal rest when the nearby Memphis was the capital. There are many points of interest in this complex, but we will focus on two: the Step Pyramid of Djoser (Third Dynasty) and the Serapeum. The Step Pyramid is considered the first stone pyramid in the history of this civilization, evolving from the early mastabas. The Serapeum, on the other hand, is a spectacular underground necropolis where the tombs of mummified sacred bulls were laid to rest.
After exploring Saqqara, we will move on to Dahshur, the last necropolis of the day. Here, our attention will be drawn to two other pyramids: the Bent Pyramid of Sneferu (Fourth Dynasty) and the Red Pyramid, also built by the same pharaoh. They represent a key link between the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the Pyramids of Giza, as the pursuit of perfection in the latter can already be observed. Therefore, this visit is highly enriching in this tour, where Ancient Egypt holds great significance.
After these three intensive visits, it will be time to recharge at a local restaurant that we have reserved for you. Once finished, we will head back to Cairo, where you will have the afternoon free and spend the night at the same hotel as the previous day. It is undoubtedly a well-deserved rest after one of the standout days in this Egipto Exclusivo tour.
After breakfast at the hotel, we will begin to explore the cultural attractions of Cairo, which are numerous. Although the capital lacks significant sites from the pharaonic era, one of the essential stages for those interested in Ancient Egypt can be found here: the Egyptian Museum. It houses the largest and richest collection of objects from that period, including artworks, mummies, and funerary items (tombs, sarcophagi, burial goods, etc.). Our guide will allow you to discover and understand the most important galleries.
After visiting this museum, located in the heart of the city, our guide will take you to the most historic and characteristic neighborhoods of the Egyptian capital, which are also UNESCO World Heritage sites. We will head to Islamic Cairo to immerse ourselves in the famous Khan El-Khalili Bazaar, one of the oldest and most authentic bazaars in the Middle East. We will also discover other essential monuments in any Egypt tour and highly representative of the Muslim community, such as the Saladin Citadel and the Alabaster Mosque within. We will take the opportunity to have lunch at a local restaurant, for which our agency will make the necessary arrangements.
Next, we will visit another historic area of the capital: Coptic Cairo, closely linked to the early days of Christianity. In fact, we will visit places related to the journey of the Holy Family, in which the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and the Child Jesus are believed to have traveled through these territories, according to local belief. Notable sites include the Hanging Church or the Church of St. George. In this area, we will also discover the Ben Ezra Synagogue, an important landmark for Cairo’s Jewish community. Additionally, we will visit the Cave Church, also known as the Monastery of St. Simon, a spectacular Christian temple located in a natural cave in the eastern part of the city.
The fourth day of this tour through Egypt begins with an early breakfast, as we will need to check out and head to Cairo International Airport for our next destination: Middle Egypt, further south. We will land in Sohag, where another guide from our agency will be waiting for you with a sign.
After loading the luggage into our vehicle, we will head to Abydos and its temple, one of the most sacred places of Ancient Egypt. This funerary temple of Pharaoh Seti I (New Kingdom, 19th Dynasty) was the main center of worship for Osiris, the god of regeneration and judge of the afterlife. Any Egypt tour that focuses on culture, like this one, includes it in its itinerary because it was an important pilgrimage site for the ancient Egyptian religion, where believers sought eternal life. With the guidance of our guide, you will discover all the secrets hidden within this sacred and magical complex.
Once we have visited this fascinating temple and refreshed ourselves at a local restaurant, we will continue our journey by road towards Luxor. But before that, we will make another key stop on this Egypt tour: the temple of Dendera, dedicated to Hathor, the celestial and maternal goddess for the pharaohs. This spectacular monumental complex from the Ptolemaic period, which features beautifully preserved structures such as its hypostyle hall and mammisis, is also famous for its astronomical function and mysterious nature, exemplified by the Dendera Zodiac. Our guide will enlighten you about all these aspects.
In the final stretch of the day, we will arrive in Luxor. It will be time to check in at the hotel and rest for the following day.
We will start the day early with breakfast at the hotel. Afterward, we will cross the sacred waters of the Nile on a ferry. During ancient times, the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt considered this city on the eastern bank of the river as their capital, named Thebes, and they were buried on the western bank for eternal rest. There, one of the wonders of Ancient Egypt awaits us: the Valley of the Kings. We will also explore other important necropolises, which, along with the city, have been declared UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The entire day will be dedicated to exploring the main points of interest on the western bank, which are essential in any Egypt tour. In the Valley of the Kings, we will enter fascinating tombs, such as those of Seti I and Ramesses III, all of them richly decorated. The same goes for the Valley of the Queens, where royal wives received eternal burial. Among them, the tomb of Nefertari stands out, the Great Royal Wife of Ramesses II and a key figure during his reign. The Valley of the Nobles also represents an interesting visit to learn about the funerary practices of the elite society in Thebes. In contrast, we will find Deir el-Medina, a village of artisans that allows us to get closer to the daily reality of the lower class during the pharaonic era.
Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant in the area, and in the afternoon, we will return to the hotel where you will spend the night. All visits will be guided, just like in the rest of the monuments included in this Egypt tour.
Ancient Thebes is home to many of the great monuments of the pharaonic era. That’s why this archaeological tour of Egypt dedicates a second full day to exploring them. After a satisfying breakfast at the hotel, we will once again cross the waters of the Nile, this time to explore the sacred sites on the other side of the river.
It will be a new route along the western bank, traveling in a private vehicle that will take you to different sacred temples erected by some of the most important and representative pharaohs of the 18th and 19th dynasties during the New Kingdom. This includes the temple of Hatshepsut, which has undergone a famous restoration and greatly influenced subsequent architecture. Its location at the base of spectacular cliffs enhances its beauty.
The Ramesseum, built by the will of the great Ramses II in a colossal style that he favored, is equally impressive. You will explore the complex with the guidance of our guide, as well as the temple of Medinet Habu, one of the great legacies left by his son, Ramses III. At the beginning or end of the route, we will make a stop by the Colossi of Memnon, gigantic statues that are the surviving remnants of a temple that no longer exists.
Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant on the western bank, and in the afternoon, we will return to the hotel to collect your luggage and check out, as tonight you will sleep in one of the most special places on this Egypt tour: aboard the boat where you will embark on the Nile cruise for the following days. Therefore, you will need to check in on the boat, where dinner is also scheduled.
After a pleasant awakening on our boat, the pleasure continues with breakfast on board, fueling up for an eventful morning. This Egypt tour still dedicates a few more hours to the ancient city of Thebes, as the first part of this day will be spent visiting the monuments of the pharaonic capital upon which present-day Luxor stands.
Specifically, we will visit two temples: the Luxor Temple and the Karnak Temple. The Luxor Temple is located in the city center, and you may have already caught a glimpse of its silhouette in the previous days, as it is very close to the eastern bank of the Nile and the port from which the ferry departs to cross its waters. It is a spectacular temple largely built during the reign of Amenhotep III (18th Dynasty), with the Mosque of Abu al-Haggag embedded within it during the medieval period. Its notable features include its pylons and its obelisk, the ‘twin’ of the one currently located in the Place de la Concorde in Paris.
During the morning, we will also visit the Karnak Temple, which was connected to the Luxor Temple by a several-kilometer-long Avenue of Sphinxes. Both temples were dedicated to Amun-Ra, the sun god, which is why Luxor is sometimes referred to as the ‘City of the Sun.’ The Karnak Temple is actually a vast religious complex, the largest in Ancient Egypt, which also houses smaller temples within its grounds. This was the headquarters of the powerful Priesthood of Amun, and Ramses II made significant contributions to its splendor. Its Great Court and Great Hypostyle Hall are among the most iconic monuments depicted by artists and photographed by tourists on any Egypt tour. Adjectives fall short here!
After an informative visit with our guide, it will be time to return to the boat for lunch, while the much-anticipated navigation along the waters of the Nile begins. This cruise, which will pass through the famous Esna Lock, is not only an experience in itself but also the most practical way to reach certain points of interest. For example, you will dock at the port of Edfu, where you will spend the night.
The pleasant breakfast on board our boat will be the prelude to the visit to the Edfu Temple, which we will explore in the morning. This sacred site is a classic part of any Egypt tour with a Nile cruise, as it is one of the largest and best-preserved temples from the pharaonic period. It was dedicated to Horus, the god of the horizon, royalty, and war. Built during the Ptolemaic era, it features elements that will leave a lasting impression, such as the large sculptures depicting the god, its enormous pylons, and the sacred boat hall, from where a fluvial procession of this deity would depart to meet Hathor in Dendera. Our guide will provide in-depth information about these and other details.
Afterward, you will return to the boat for lunch and continue the journey to the next place of interest: Kom Ombo. In this city, you will enjoy another temple of extraordinary beauty, which already dazzles from its view on board. Upon thorough exploration, you will discover why it was dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, a sacred animal that also takes center stage in the Crocodile Museum, showcasing numerous mummified specimens and artworks depicting them.
The day doesn’t end there, as you will return to the boat to set sail for Aswan. Dinner will be served on board, and upon arrival in the city, you will dock and spend the night in your comfortable cabin.
After a hearty breakfast, there will be no time to waste: we will depart early in the morning by road to Abu Simbel, located on the shores of Lake Nasser. It will be the southernmost point of this Egypt tour. The two temples, built by Ramses II for his glory and that of his Great Royal Wife, Nefertari, represent a true milestone in art and heritage preservation. First, for their extraordinary beauty and monumentality. Second, because they were meticulously relocated stone by stone to their current location in the 1960s to avoid being submerged by the reservoir created by the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
After lunch and the return journey, you will have free time in Aswan for the rest of the afternoon. Aswan is one of the most interesting cities in this Egypt tour. Its Corniche, its close connection with the Nubian people, its museums, the Unfinished Obelisk archaeological site, and its islands, particularly Elephantine Island, are some of the attractions that await you.
At the end of the day, your cruise ship will be waiting for you again, moored on the banks of the Nile. Although it may have remained stationary this day, it will still provide you with the best restaurant and accommodation experience.
The penultimate day of this cultural and archaeological tour of Egypt is dedicated, in the morning, to the visit of the Temple of Isis in Philae, which, along with Abu Simbel and other monuments, is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. We will travel there on a short road journey once breakfast on board is finished and we have checked out of the cruise ship. However, we will leave our luggage on the ship during the morning for convenience.
The Temple of Isis is located on the island of Agilkia. The monument was relocated here because the original island site was submerged by the waters of the Nile after the construction of the nearby Aswan High Dam. Therefore, you will access the island by a small and charming boat, and explore every corner of the complex dedicated to the celestial goddess Isis, protector of magic and wisdom, on foot. Our expert guide will accompany you, as it is the best way to discover this captivating place due to its unique location and the artistic beauty of this ensemble from the late pharaonic period. It is considered the last great temple of that civilization!
And in fact, it is also the last scheduled visit on this tour of Egypt: after exploring it thoroughly, we will return to Aswan to collect our luggage from the ship and depart for Aswan Airport. From there, you will fly to Cairo, where you will spend the night in a hotel.
On the final day of this tour of Egypt, there is no time for cultural visits. Therefore, you will have breakfast at the hotel and check out. Throughout the morning or day, we will transfer you to Cairo International Airport. We will offer assistance with check-in and say our goodbyes in the international departure lounge, hoping that you have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and that we will see you again on another tour of Egypt. Have a safe journey back and until next time!
In this Egipto Exclusivo tour, we include premium and customized services to ensure you enjoy a safe journey from beginning to end. However, there are other services not included, as they are at the discretion of each traveler. They are as follows:
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