Overview
Tour Description
Egypt, arranged the way you’d arrange it yourself — if you knew Egypt
Most first-time visitors get one of two Egypt trips. The cheap one puts you on a coach with thirty-nine other people and a guide holding a numbered paddle. The expensive one is the same trip with a better hotel. This is neither.
You get a licensed Egyptologist who is yours for eight days. That changes the trip more than any hotel upgrade. It means you arrive at the Valley of the Kings before the cruise crowds instead of behind them. It means when you want another twenty minutes in the Tutankhamun galleries, you take it. It means the questions you ask get answered by someone with a degree in the subject rather than a script.
What the eight days actually look like
Cairo, four nights. The Giza plateau and the Sphinx. The Grand Egyptian Museum — the full Tutankhamun collection, more than 5,000 pieces, shown together for the first time in history. A dinner cruise on the Nile your first evening, while your body catches up with the time change. And a completely free day near the end for Khan el-Khalili, the Citadel, Coptic Cairo, or nothing at all.
The Nile, three nights. You fly to Aswan and board a 5-star ship. Philae Temple, reached by boat, on its island. Kom Ombo at the water’s edge. Edfu by horse carriage. The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon on Luxor’s West Bank. Karnak before you fly back to Cairo. You unpack twice in eight days. The temples come to you.
Why travellers from the US book this one
- Genuinely private. Your guide, your driver, your vehicle. Not “small group” — private.
- The domestic flights are already in the price. Cairo–Aswan and Luxor–Cairo, booked and ticketed by us. Most quotes you’ll compare add these later.
- No entrance-fee surprises. Every site in the itinerary is paid for. Egypt charges separately for almost everything, and it adds up fast when it isn’t included.
- Met at every airport. Someone from our team is at the gate in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor — including visa assistance on arrival.
- Built around the jet lag. Nothing strenuous on day one. A free day on day seven. You fly home rested instead of wrecked.
- Tailor-made. We don’t run fixed departures. You pick the dates; we build around them. Add Abu Simbel, a hot-air balloon over Luxor, or an extra Cairo night and we’ll re-quote the same day.
The price drops as your party grows
The private guide, the private vehicle and the driver cost us the same whether there are two of you or twelve. So we pass that on. Bring another couple and the rate falls; bring a family group and it falls again. It is the same trip either way.
Travelling in a group of nine or more? Tell us and we’ll quote the group rate directly — it’s the lowest price we publish.
When to go
October to April is Egypt’s comfortable season — daytime highs in the 70s and 80s Fahrenheit, and the reason it costs more. May to September is hot, genuinely hot in Luxor and Aswan, but the sites are quieter and the same trip costs roughly a third less. Mornings start earlier and the afternoons are yours. Plenty of our American travellers choose summer deliberately.
Book four to six months ahead for October–April travel. Christmas, New Year and Easter go first and the cruise ships fill before the hotels do.
Frequently asked questions
Is Egypt safe for American travelers?
Yes, and it’s the question we’re asked most. Tourism is a pillar of Egypt’s economy and the sites are protected accordingly. On a private tour you’re with your own guide and driver from the airport to the airport — you’re never navigating a station or hailing a taxi alone. The US State Department currently advises normal precautions for the tourist corridor of Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. We’ve run this route for over fifteen years.
Do I need a visa for Egypt?
Yes. It’s $25, and you can get it on arrival at Cairo airport or online in advance through Egypt’s official e-visa portal. Your passport needs at least six months’ validity remaining. Our representative meets you before passport control and walks you through it.
Is this a private tour or a group tour?
Private. Your Egyptologist, your driver and your vehicle are yours alone. The only shared elements are the cruise ship itself, which carries other passengers, and the Nile dinner cruise on your first evening.
Which cruise ship will I be on?
One of M/S Royal Beau Rivage, M/S Royal Signature, M/S Esmeralda, M/S Royale Elite or M/S Nile Style, depending on your dates. We confirm the exact ship in writing before you pay anything. Every one is 5-star with private bathrooms, air conditioning, river-view cabins and a sun deck.
How much should I budget for tips?
Around $10–15 a day for your guide, $5–8 a day for your driver, and $40–60 per couple for the cruise crew at the end. Tipping is customary in Egypt but entirely at your discretion, and nobody on our team will pressure you.
What’s the best time of year to visit Egypt?
October through April for comfort — daytime highs in the 70s and 80s Fahrenheit. May through September is hot, particularly in Luxor and Aswan, but the sites are much quieter and the same trip costs roughly a third less. We start earlier in summer and keep the afternoons free.
How long is the flight from the US?
About eleven hours nonstop from New York or Washington on EgyptAir. From most other US cities you’ll connect through Europe or a Gulf hub, making it fourteen to eighteen hours in total. We build day one around the arrival, so there’s nothing demanding on your first day.
How far in advance should I book?
Four to six months for October–April travel. Christmas, New Year and Easter fill first, and the cruise ships sell out before the hotels do. Summer is more flexible — six to eight weeks is usually enough.
How much walking is there?
Days two and five are the demanding ones — three to five miles across uneven ground, mostly in the sun. Everything else is moderate, and day four is almost entirely on the ship. Your driver stays with the vehicle all day, so you can stop, sit down or leave early whenever you want. If anyone in your party has limited mobility, tell us when you enquire and we’ll adjust the itinerary properly rather than pretending it’s fine.
Can we add Abu Simbel or a hot-air balloon?
Yes to both, and they’re our two most requested additions. Abu Simbel fits on day three or four, by road or short flight. The balloon launches at sunrise over Luxor’s West Bank on day five and you’re back aboard for breakfast. Ask when you enquire and we’ll include both in your quote so you can see the real cost.
Can you change the itinerary?
That’s how we work. Nothing here is fixed — extend Cairo, add Alexandria or the Red Sea, swap the Egyptian Museum for more time at the GEM, or move the free day. Every trip we sell is built around one party’s dates and interests.
How do I pay, and what happens if I cancel?
A deposit confirms your dates and the balance is due before travel. Send us your dates and we’ll email the full terms in writing with your itinerary — before you commit to anything.
Get your itinerary — free, and with no obligation
Tell us roughly when you’d like to travel and how many of you there are. Within a few hours you’ll have a full day-by-day itinerary by email, with your hotel and ship named, your exact price for your party size, and the 10% already taken off.
No deposit, no card, no pressure. If it isn’t right, tell us and we’ll change it — or tell us nothing at all, and you’ll hear from us once more and then not again.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Cairo, and a first evening on the Nile
Arrive in Cairo, and a first evening on the Nile
Your flight lands at Cairo International and someone from King Tut Tours is waiting at the arrival gate — not the curb, the gate. We handle passport control, help with your entry visa, find your luggage and carry it. It takes the one genuinely stressful hour of the trip and removes it.
A private air-conditioned car takes you to your 5-star hotel and we check you in. Then you have a few hours to shower and lie down, which after eleven hours in the air is the point.
Dinner on the water
In the evening, a Nile dinner cruise: an Egyptian buffet, the city lit up on both banks, live folklore music, and a tanoura dancer — the spinning dervish performance Egypt is known for. It is an easy, sitting-down first night, chosen deliberately. Nothing about day one asks anything of you.
- Meals: Dinner
- Overnight: 5-star hotel, Cairo
- Walking: Minimal
Day 2: The Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum
The Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum
Breakfast at the hotel, then your Egyptologist meets you in the lobby. This is the day the trip becomes real.
The Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx
The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the last of the seven wonders of the ancient world still standing, and it was already two thousand years old when Cleopatra was born. Your guide will time the visit around the tour buses — that is most of what a private guide is for. You’ll walk the plateau, stop at the panoramic viewpoint where all three pyramids line up, and stand at the Sphinx.
Going inside the Great Pyramid is possible and costs extra, paid at the gate. It is a steep, low, hot climb with no artefacts at the end. Your guide will tell you honestly whether you’ll enjoy it.
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Ten minutes from the plateau and aligned with the pyramids on purpose. The GEM is the largest archaeological museum in the world, and the reason to come to Egypt right now: the complete Tutankhamun collection — over 5,000 objects — displayed together for the first time since Howard Carter found them. The Ramses II colossus in the atrium and the hanging obelisk are worth the trip on their own.
Give this three to four hours. It is not a museum you rush.
Lunch at a good local restaurant between the two, included.
The Egyptian Museum, Tahrir Square
The original 1902 museum downtown, still holding the largest collection of pharaonic antiquities anywhere. Included in your itinerary — but tell your guide if you’d rather trade it for more time at the GEM or an earlier finish. Two major museums in one day is a lot after a long flight, and we would honestly rather you enjoyed one than endured two.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch
- Overnight: 5-star hotel, Cairo
- Walking: Substantial — comfortable shoes, a hat and water. Your driver stays with the vehicle throughout, so you can drop bags and sit down whenever you want.
Day 3: Fly to Aswan, Philae Temple, and board your ship
Fly to Aswan, Philae Temple, and board your ship
Breakfast, check out, and we drive you to Cairo airport for the short flight south to Aswan. The ticket is already in your name — it’s part of the package, not an extra. Your Aswan guide meets you at the aircraft door.
The Aswan High Dam
A quick stop with a genuinely good view. Built in the 1960s, it ended the Nile’s annual flood, created Lake Nasser, and forced the rescue of half a dozen temples that would otherwise be underwater — including the one you’re about to see.
Philae Temple
You reach Philae by motorboat, which is half the pleasure. It’s the temple of Isis, and the story carved on its walls — Osiris murdered by his brother, put back together by Isis, avenged by their son Horus — is the one myth that explains most of what you’ll see for the rest of the week. When the High Dam threatened to submerge it, UNESCO cut the temple into 40,000 blocks and rebuilt it on higher ground, stone for stone.
Boarding
Late afternoon you board your 5-star Nile cruise. Lunch and dinner are onboard, and you sleep on the water tonight in Aswan. Cabins have private bathrooms, air conditioning and a river view; there’s a sun deck and usually a small pool.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Flight: Cairo → Aswan (included)
- Overnight: Onboard, moored at Aswan
- Note: Abu Simbel can be added today or tomorrow, by road or by short flight. Ask us and we’ll price it with your quote.
Day 4: Sailing — Kom Ombo and Edfu
Sailing — Kom Ombo and Edfu
The easiest day of the trip, and the one people remember. You have breakfast while the ship is already moving, and the Nile goes past: villages, water buffalo, sugar cane, kids waving from the bank, feluccas cutting across your bow. This is what you came for and it costs no effort at all.
Kom Ombo
The ship ties up directly below it — the temple is a two-minute walk from the gangway. Kom Ombo is a double temple, split perfectly down the middle: one half for Sobek the crocodile god, one half for Horus the elder. Same building, two gods, two entrances, two sanctuaries. There’s a wall of carved surgical instruments — scalpels, forceps, bone saws — and a small museum of mummified crocodiles next door.
Edfu
After sailing on, you reach Edfu and travel to the temple by horse-drawn carriage through the town, which is a small event in itself. Edfu is the best-preserved temple in Egypt — the roof is still on, the pylon is intact, and the walls carry the full account of Horus defeating Set. Standing in a complete ancient building rather than a ruin changes how the whole week reads.
Dinner onboard as the ship sails north toward Luxor.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight: Onboard, sailing to Luxor
- Walking: Light. Both temples are close to the mooring.
Day 5: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon
Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon
An early breakfast and across to Luxor’s West Bank — where the ancient Egyptians buried their dead, and where the density of what survives is unlike anywhere else on earth.
The Valley of the Kings
Sixty-three tombs cut into a dry desert canyon, holding the pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Your ticket includes three tombs and your guide will pick the three with the best-preserved colour on the day. The paint is 3,000 years old and looks like it went on last year — that is the thing nobody is prepared for.
Tutankhamun’s own tomb, with his mummy still inside it, requires a separate ticket bought at the gate. So does Seti I’s, which is the most spectacular in the valley and priced accordingly. Your guide will tell you which is worth it for you.
The Temple of Hatshepsut
Three colonnaded terraces built straight into a cliff face, and unmistakably modern-looking for something from 1479 BC. Hatshepsut ruled Egypt for two decades as pharaoh in her own right; her successor tried to erase her from the record and clearly failed.
The Colossi of Memnon
Two sixty-foot quartzite statues of Amenhotep III, all that’s left of what was once the largest temple complex in Egypt. In Roman times one of them made a singing sound at dawn and tourists came from across the empire to hear it — the earliest tourist graffiti in the world is carved on its legs.
Back to the ship for lunch, and your last night onboard, moored at Luxor.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Overnight: Onboard at Luxor
- Optional: A sunrise hot-air balloon over the West Bank is the single most popular add-on we sell. It launches before breakfast and you’re back aboard in time for it. Ask us to include it.
Day 6: Karnak Temple, then the flight back to Cairo
Karnak Temple, then the flight back to Cairo
Breakfast, check out of your cabin, and cross to the East Bank for the last of the great sites.
Karnak
The largest religious building ever constructed. Thirty pharaohs added to it across roughly 1,500 years, which is why it feels less like a temple than a city. The Great Hypostyle Hall — 134 columns, the tallest of them 70 feet, close enough together that you lose the sky — is the single most overwhelming space in Egypt, and it is the right note to end on.
Lunch at a good restaurant in Luxor, included.
Back to Cairo
We take you to Luxor airport for your flight north — again, already ticketed. Our Cairo team meets you at arrivals and drives you to your hotel. Nothing else is asked of you today.
- Meals: Breakfast, lunch
- Flight: Luxor → Cairo (included)
- Overnight: 5-star hotel, Cairo
Day 7: A free day in Cairo
A free day in Cairo
Nothing is scheduled. This day is in the itinerary deliberately — six days in, most people want either a lie-in or the freedom to chase something specific, and a fixed programme gives you neither.
If you’d like to fill it, the popular choices are:
- Khan el-Khalili — the medieval bazaar. Go late afternoon, have mint tea at El Fishawy, haggle without embarrassment. Your guide can come with you or you can go alone; both are fine.
- The Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali — the best view over Cairo, and a completely different Egypt from the pharaonic one you’ve spent a week in.
- Coptic Cairo — the Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Church of St Sergius, all within a few hundred metres of each other.
- Saqqara and Memphis — the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest large stone building in the world, a half-day out of the city. If you have any appetite left for antiquities, this is the one to add.
- Nothing at all — a pool, a book, and a long lunch. Genuinely a valid choice on day seven.
Guide and driver are available for any of these; just tell us the night before.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: 5-star hotel, Cairo
Day 8: Departure
Departure
Breakfast and check out at your leisure — we’ll arrange a late checkout if your flight is in the evening, and store your bags either way.
A private air-conditioned car takes you to Cairo International, and one of our representatives comes into the terminal with you: check-in, baggage, and through to security. The same service you got on the way in, in reverse.
If you’d like to extend — a few nights in Hurghada or Sharm on the Red Sea, or a stop in Alexandria — say so at any point during the week and we’ll arrange it before you leave.
- Meals: Breakfast
Included and Excluded
- 4 nights in a 5-star Cairo hotel — Triumph Plaza, Barceló Cairo Pyramids, Pyramids Park Resort or similar, with upgrades available on request.
- 3 nights aboard a 5-star Nile cruise — M/S Royal Beau Rivage, M/S Royal Signature, M/S Esmeralda, M/S Royale Elite, M/S Nile Style or similar. All cabins have a private bathroom, air conditioning and a river view.
- Both domestic flights — Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo, ticketed in your name.
- Every entrance fee for every site listed in the itinerary. No paying at gates.
- A private, licensed, English-speaking Egyptologist guide for all sightseeing days.
- Meet and assist at every airport — Cairo, Aswan and Luxor, including visa help on arrival.
- All ground transport in a private, air-conditioned modern vehicle with your own driver.
- All meals as listed — daily breakfast, lunch on every sightseeing day, full board while onboard the cruise, plus the welcome Nile dinner cruise.
- All service charges and government taxes.
- International flights to and from Egypt. Nonstop from New York or Washington is about eleven hours; we’re happy to advise on routings, we just don’t sell the ticket.
- The Egypt entry visa — $25, payable on arrival or online in advance. Our airport representative helps you with it either way.
- Drinks — bottled water, soft drinks, alcohol and drinks with meals.
- Optional extras — going inside the Great Pyramid, the tombs of Tutankhamun and Seti I, Abu Simbel, hot-air ballooning, and any day-seven excursions.
- Gratuities. Tipping is customary in Egypt and entirely at your discretion. As a guide: roughly $10–15 per day for your Egyptologist, $5–8 per day for your driver, and $40–60 total for the cruise crew per couple. We’ll never chase you for it.
- Travel insurance — not required, strongly recommended.
Prices:
May to September — hot, quiet, and about a third less
Luxor and Aswan are genuinely hot. We start earlier, keep afternoons free, and the sites are far emptier. Many of our American travellers pick summer on purpose.
| Solo traveller | $2,300 / person |
| 2–4 travellers — most couples | $1,700 / person |
| 5–8 travellers | $1,600 / person |
| 9–16 travellers | $1,200 / person |
Every price above includes 10% off. All our trips are tailor-made, and every tailor-made trip gets the discount — quote code EGYPT10 when you enquire. Prices are per person and cover everything inside Egypt: hotel, cruise, both domestic flights, all entrance fees, transfers and your private guide.
October to April — Egypt’s peak season
Daytime highs in the 70s and 80s °F. The most comfortable time to travel, and the busiest.
| Solo traveller | $3,350 / person |
| 2–4 travellers — most couples | $2,500 / person |
| 5–8 travellers | $2,250 / person |
| 9–16 travellers | $2,150 / person |
Note:
Where you sleep
5-star throughout. Upgrades to Marriott Mena House, Four Seasons Nile Plaza or a deluxe cruise are available on request — just ask when you enquire and we’ll quote both.
Cairo · 4 nights | Triumph Plaza, Barceló Cairo Pyramids, Pyramids Park Resort or similar 5-star. |
Nile cruise · 3 nights | M/S Royal Beau Rivage, M/S Royal Signature, M/S Esmeralda, M/S Royale Elite or M/S Nile Style, subject to availability on your dates. All 5-star, all with private bathroom, air conditioning and a river view. |
We confirm your exact hotel and ship in writing before you pay anything. If your first choice isn’t available on your dates, we tell you what is — we don’t substitute quietly.
Tour Attractions
FAQs
What is the Best Time to Visit Egypt from the USA
October through April is Egypt's prime season — sunny days of 70–85°F, perfect for temple touring and Nile cruising. Mapped to the American calendar:
- Thanksgiving week (late November): Superb weather, moderate crowds. Book by August.
- Christmas & New Year: The most in-demand window of the year. Nile cruises sell out 4–6 months ahead — reserve by July for the gala-dinner sailings.
- Spring break (March): Warm, lively, ideal for families.
- Memorial Day & summer: Hot in Upper Egypt (95°F+), but prices drop 15–25% and famous sites are blissfully quiet. We schedule early-morning touring and pool afternoons.
- August 2, 2027: The total solar eclipse over Luxor — 6 minutes 23 seconds of totality, the longest until 2114. See our dedicated eclipse tours; spots are limited.
How Much Does an Egypt Trip Cost from the USA?
Our packages on this page range from about $1,499 to $13,000 per person (double occupancy), excluding international flights unless noted. As a rule of thumb: a quality 8-day Cairo + Nile cruise package runs $1,500–$2,500 per person; luxury versions with 5-star deluxe cruises and Old Cataract–class hotels run $3,500–$6,000; and a private Dahabiya sailing starts around $1,800. Everything is priced in US dollars, and the price we quote is the price you pay taxes and service charges included.
Is Egypt Safe for American Tourists?
Yes, tourism is Egypt's lifeblood, and tourist areas are heavily protected. Millions of visitors, including hundreds of thousands of Americans, travel here safely every year. Our guests are accompanied by a licensed guide and private driver throughout, we monitor conditions daily, and our 24/7 support line answers in minutes, not hours. We are happy to share recent reviews from American travelers, or connect you with past guests before you book.
What about Flights from the USA to Egypt?
EgyptAir flies nonstop from New York (JFK) and Washington (IAD) to Cairo in about 11 hours. One-stop connections through Europe (Lufthansa, Turkish, Air France, British Airways) serve every major US city, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Miami, Dallas, and San Francisco. Round-trip economy fares typically run $750–$1,100 in shoulder season and $1,100–$1,600 over Christmas and spring break. We can include international airfare in your package on request — just tell us your home airport when you inquire.
A practical tip from our guests: arrive in Cairo in the evening, sleep off the jet lag, and start your Pyramids tour the following morning. Every itinerary on this page is paced with that in mind.
How long is the flight from the USA to Egypt?
About 11 hours nonstop from New York (JFK) or Washington (IAD) to Cairo on EgyptAir. One-stop connections via Europe serve all other major US cities, typically 14–17 hours total.
