This 12 day Cairo and Upper Egypt tour combines Egypt’s most important archaeological cities with two contrasting extensions. After Aswan, Abu Simbel and three nights in Luxor, the route returns north for Alexandria and then turns west for an overnight camp among the landscapes of Bahariya Oasis and the White Desert.
12 Day Cairo And Upper Egypt Tour
Description
Duration
12 Days, 11 Nights
Tour Type
Travel Packages
Language
Arabic, English
Popular Features
- Dendera and Abydos Day Trip
- One-Night Desert Camp
- Two Domestic Flights
Highlights
Explore Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Saqqara. Visit Philae Temple and the Abu Simbel temples. See Luxor's east and west banks plus Dendera and Abydos. Tour Alexandria's catacombs, citadel and library. Camp overnight in the desert near Bahariya Oasis.
Included
- Five nights in a five-star Cairo hotel with breakfast
- Two nights in a five-star Aswan hotel with breakfast
- Three nights in a five-star Luxor hotel with breakfast
- One night camping in the desert with full board
- Domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan
- Domestic flight from Luxor to Cairo
- First-class train ticket from Aswan to Luxor
- Airport meet-and-assist service
- Professional Egyptologist guide
- Modern air-conditioned transportation
- Admission to listed attractions
- Meals stated in the itinerary
- Applicable service charges and taxes
Excluded
- International airfare
- Egypt entry visa
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities
- Optional tours
- Services not listed in the itinerary
Travel Itinerary
Book this tour with confidence with Egypt Voyages
Day 1 - Arrival in Cairo and Nile Dinner Cruise
Meet the representative at Cairo International Airport and transfer to the five-star hotel. After check-in, spend the evening on a dinner cruise along the Nile, then return to the hotel for the night.
Day 2 - Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum and Saqqara
Explore the Giza Plateau, beginning with the Great Pyramid and continuing to the Great Sphinx and Valley Temple. Visit selected galleries at the Grand Egyptian Museum, then travel to Saqqara to see Djoser's Step Pyramid and the surrounding ceremonial complex.
Day 3 - Fly to Aswan and Visit Philae Temple
Take the domestic flight to Aswan and meet the local guide on arrival. Visit the High Dam and the unfinished obelisk in its ancient granite quarry, then cross by boat to Philae Temple on Agilkia Island. Check in at the Aswan hotel after sightseeing.
Day 4 - Abu Simbel Temples
Leave Aswan early for the desert journey to Abu Simbel. Tour the monumental temple of Ramesses II and the smaller sanctuary built for Queen Nefertari, with an explanation of their relocation during the international Nubian rescue campaign. Return to Aswan for the second night.
Day 5 - Train to Luxor and Evening Temple Visit
Travel from Aswan to Luxor using the included first-class train ticket. On arrival, explore Karnak's vast sequence of pylons, courts and columned halls. Continue to Luxor Temple in the evening, when the illuminated stonework creates a different atmosphere along the riverfront.
Day 6 - Valley of the Kings and Luxor West Bank
Cross the Nile to Luxor's west bank and enter selected royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Continue to Hatshepsut's terraced memorial temple at Deir el-Bahari and stop beside the Colossi of Memnon before returning to the hotel.
Day 7 - Dendera and Abydos Temples
Drive north to Dendera and tour the well-preserved Temple of Hathor, including its relief-covered halls and roof chapels where access permits. Continue to Abydos for the memorial temple of Seti I and its finely carved sanctuaries, then return to Luxor.
Day 8 - Fly to Cairo and Explore Old Cairo
Fly to Cairo and begin at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square. Continue to Saladin's Citadel and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, then visit the Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue before Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque. Tour the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and finish along Al-Muizz Street and at Khan El Khalili.
Day 9 - Alexandria Catacombs, Citadel and Library
Travel to Alexandria and descend into the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, where Roman and Egyptian artistic traditions meet. Continue to Pompey's Pillar, Qaitbay Citadel and the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina before driving back to Cairo.
Day 10 - Bahariya Oasis and White Desert Camp
Leave Cairo for Bahariya Oasis and pause for lunch in Bawiti. Change to the permitted desert vehicle for the route past El Hez, Crystal Mountain and the sculpted landscapes of the Agabat area, continuing toward the White Desert. Have dinner and spend the night at the prepared camp.
Day 11 - Desert Sunrise and Return to Cairo
Wake early to watch the desert change color around sunrise. Visit the scheduled hot spring, with bathing dependent on local conditions and personal comfort, then leave Bahariya for the drive back to Cairo. Check in at the five-star hotel for the final night.
Day 12 - Departure from Cairo
Check out after breakfast and transfer to Cairo International Airport. The representative assists with the departure procedures before the onward flight.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No health benefit is promised. Bathing should depend on water temperature, hygiene, local conditions and the traveler's own medical considerations.
Confirm the licensed vehicle, driver, permits, seat belts, communications and emergency provisions
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