Overview
Tour Description
Twelve days that split neatly into three parts: Cairo’s pyramids and museums, four nights on a 5-star Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, and four nights of sea and sun at a 5-star resort in El Gouna on the Red Sea. It is a good fit if you want to see the great monuments properly and then finish the trip with real rest, not a dash to the airport.
Domestic flights keep the travel time short. You fly from Cairo to Aswan, drive from Luxor to the coast, and fly from Hurghada back to Cairo for a last day at the Grand Egyptian Museum and the bazaar.
Highlights
- Memphis, the Step Pyramid of Saqqara and the Giza Pyramids with a private Egyptologist
- Abu Simbel, Philae Temple, the High Dam and a Nubian village by boat
- 4 nights on a 5-star deluxe Nile cruise with Kom Ombo and Edfu
- Sunrise hot air balloon over Luxor’s West Bank, then the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple
- Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Karnak sound and light show
- 4 nights at a 5-star beach resort in El Gouna, with snorkeling, diving and spa time
- Tutankhamun’s treasures at the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Citadel and Khan el-Khalili
How the tour runs
Your Cairo days are fully private. On the Nile cruise, sightseeing is with the ship’s Egyptologist and fellow guests, which is how most 5-star cruises work. If you prefer a private guide on the cruise too, tell us when you enquire.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Cairo
Our team meets you inside Cairo International Airport and helps with arrival formalities and luggage. A private air-conditioned car takes you to your 5-star hotel. The rest of the day is free to rest after the flight.
Overnight: 5-star hotel, Cairo.
Day 2: Memphis, Saqqara and the Giza Pyramids
After breakfast your Egyptologist takes you to Memphis, the capital founded by King Menes at the start of Egyptian history, where the giant statue of Ramses II lies in the museum garden. Next is Saqqara and the Step Pyramid of Djoser, designed by the architect Imhotep around 2650 BC. It is older than the Giza pyramids and is the first large building in the world made entirely of cut stone.
In the afternoon you continue to the Giza Plateau for the three Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.
Meals: Breakfast. Overnight: 5-star hotel, Cairo.
Day 3: Fly to Aswan, High Dam, Philae and a Nubian village
A morning flight takes you to Aswan. You visit the High Dam, completed in 1971, and take a boat to Philae Temple, the temple of Isis that was moved stone by stone to Agilkia Island to save it from the flood. You then board your 5-star Nile cruise for lunch.
In the afternoon a motorboat takes you to a Nubian village on Soheil Island, where you are welcomed into a family home for tea and learn about Nubian culture, its language, crafts and brightly painted houses.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Nile cruise, Aswan.
Day 4: Abu Simbel and Kom Ombo
An early start for the drive to Abu Simbel, the two rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari on the shore of Lake Nasser. The four seated statues at the entrance of the Great Temple are around 20 meters tall.
Back on board for lunch, the ship sails north to Kom Ombo, a temple shared by Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, the elder Horus. It is especially beautiful in the late afternoon light.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Nile cruise.
Day 5: Edfu and sailing to Luxor
After breakfast you visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu. Built under the Ptolemies but in strict pharaonic style, it is the most complete temple in Egypt and shows how the others once looked. The ship then sails on to Luxor, with afternoon tea on deck and a galabeya party in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Nile cruise, Luxor.
Day 6: Hot air balloon and the Luxor West Bank
Before dawn you are collected for a hot air balloon flight over the West Bank, watching the sun come up over the temples and green fields of Luxor. After breakfast on board you visit the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom were buried in painted rock-cut tombs, the terraced Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon.
In the evening you watch the sound and light show at Karnak Temple.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Nile cruise, Luxor.
Day 7: Karnak and Luxor Temple, then drive to El Gouna
You check out of the ship at 8:00 AM after breakfast. Your guide shows you Karnak, the largest temple complex of the ancient world, with its forest of 134 columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall, and then Luxor Temple in the center of town.
In the afternoon a private air-conditioned car takes you to El Gouna on the Red Sea, about four hours.
Meals: Breakfast. Overnight: 5-star resort, El Gouna.
Day 8: Free day in El Gouna
A day to do nothing at all. El Gouna is a car-free lagoon town with private beaches, marinas and good restaurants. Spend it by the pool or on the beach, and enjoy the resort’s evening entertainment.
Meals: Breakfast. Overnight: 5-star resort, El Gouna.
Day 9: El Gouna at your own pace
Another free day on the Red Sea. Many guests take a boat out for snorkeling over the reefs, or explore the town’s marina and bars in the evening. We are happy to book activities from El Gouna for you.
Meals: Breakfast. Overnight: 5-star resort, El Gouna.
Day 10: Spa, water sports or a desert trip
Your last full day on the coast. Book a treatment at the spa, try kitesurfing or diving, or take an optional desert safari in the afternoon. These extras are not included and can be arranged locally.
Meals: Breakfast. Overnight: 5-star resort, El Gouna.
Day 11: Fly to Cairo, Grand Egyptian Museum, Citadel and Khan el-Khalili
A morning flight from Hurghada brings you back to Cairo, where your guide meets you at the airport. You spend the morning at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which shows the entire Tutankhamun collection together for the first time.
In the afternoon you visit the Citadel of Salah el-Din, built in 1183 to defend Cairo against the Crusaders, and the Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali inside its walls. The day ends in Islamic Cairo with time to wander Khan el-Khalili, the old bazaar.
Meals: Breakfast. Overnight: 5-star hotel, Cairo.
Day 12: Fly home
After breakfast you are driven to Cairo International Airport for your flight home, with our team helping you through check-in.
Meals: Breakfast.
Included and Excluded
- Meet and assist at all airports by our guest relations team
- Domestic flights Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo
- 3 nights in a 5-star hotel in Cairo with breakfast
- 4 nights on a 5-star deluxe Nile cruise, full board
- 4 nights in a 5-star resort in El Gouna with breakfast
- Private sightseeing in Cairo with an Egyptologist guide
- Sightseeing on the Nile cruise with the ship’s Egyptologist
- Abu Simbel excursion
- Hot air balloon flight in Luxor
- Nubian village visit by boat
- Karnak sound and light show
- Entrance fees to all sites in the itinerary
- All transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle, including Luxor to El Gouna
- All service charges and taxes
- International flights and Egypt entry visa
- Drinks on the cruise and at hotels
- Optional activities in El Gouna
- Tips for guides, drivers and crew
- Personal expenses
Prices:
What will it cost you?
Prices per person change with the season and how many of you travel. Set yours and see the real number — no email needed.
Note:
All the accommodation in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan hotels and Nile cruises are 5* ultra deluxe accommodations
Tour Attractions
FAQs
How much does this 12-day Egypt and Red Sea tour cost?
From $9,000 per person sharing a double room from May to September, and $12,500 per person from October to April. Single travelers pay $13,600 in summer and $15,000 in winter. Domestic flights, the balloon ride, Abu Simbel and all listed entrance fees are included.
Is the Nile cruise sightseeing private?
Your Cairo tours are private. On the cruise, the ship's Egyptologist guides small groups of guests, which is standard on 5-star Nile cruises. A private guide for the cruise days can be added on request.
Why El Gouna instead of central Hurghada?
El Gouna is a quiet resort town north of Hurghada, built around lagoons, with private beaches and a car-free center. It suits travelers who want a calm, upscale end to the trip. It is about 30 minutes from Hurghada airport.
Can I add more beach days or skip the Red Sea?
Yes. We can lengthen the El Gouna stay, swap it for Sharm El Sheikh or Marsa Alam, or replace it with more time in Cairo or Alexandria. Tell us what you have in mind and we will send a revised plan and price.
What is included in a luxury tour?
VIP airport service, private guides and vehicles, 5-star hotels, a deluxe cruise or dahabiya, and internal flights.
