Country(ies): Egypt
Tour type: Small Group
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 18
Accommodation: 5-star hotels, sleeper train & felucca sailboat
Meals:
Transport: A/C minibus, sleeper train, felucca sailboat
Highlights: The Pyramids & Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, Philae Temple, Abu Simbel option, Nile felucca cruise, Temple of Karnak & Valley of the Kings, Colossi of Memnon, Red Sea at Hurghada
This comprehensive Egypt tour covers Cairo and the Nile Valley as well as the Red Sea at Hurghada. We start with visits to the iconic Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza where our local Egyptologist guides will start their explanations about ancient Pharaonic history and the evolution of pyramid building. While in Cairo we'll also visit the huge Egyptian Museum, home to a host of ancient artefacts, mummies, and the famous King Tutankhamun display.
Next, we board an overnight sleeper train and head south into Upper Egypt, arriving in Aswan the next morning. Aswan is home to one of the most scenic stretches of the Nile and we'll take a boat trip to the beautiful island Philae temple. An option is also available to visit the amazing temples built by Ramses II at Abu Simbel, which were completely dismantled and moved when Lake Nasser was flooded.
We take to the Nile next for a relaxing overnight river cruise on a traditional Nile felucca sailboat, accompanied by our friendly Nubian crew. This is a great way to break up your sightseeing with some relaxation time and to see rural Egyptian life pass you by on the banks of the Nile. After leaving the boat we'll visit Edfu temple en-route to Luxor, which is considered by many as the world's greatest open air museum. Here we'll tour both the east bank of the river to see the huge temple complex at Karnak and Luxor temple, which is beautifully lit up at night; and also the west bank of the Nile to explore tombs in the Valley of the Kings, see Queen Hatchepsut temple and Deir El-Medina, the valley of the artisans, as well as the Colossi of Memnon. You can also take a spectacular hot air balloon flight here if you wish.
Finally we head east to a beach resort in Hurghada for some relaxation time by the Red Sea. Snorkelling, scuba diving and other watersports options are available, and you can extend your time here if you wish. The tour then finishes back in Cairo with a walk through the back streets of the Khan-el-Khalili bazaar. Some further optional day trips and extensions are also available after the tour ends.
The tour is based on 5-star hotels in Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada, with an overnight sleeper train journey from Cairo to Aswan. Our support boat will join with the group during the felucca cruise, providing welcome clean toilets, showers, and a hygienic kitchen. Upgrades are available to change the sleeper train journey to a flight & hotel, and the felucca cruise to an extra night in the hotel in Aswan.
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As part of our Safer Encounters scheme, during the Coronavirus pandemic, maximum group sizes are reduced to 10 people.
Similar tours:
The following tours run alongside this tour with slight adjustments in the itinerary and accommodation...
Hotel Gala Dinners
Many of Egypt's hotels and Nile cruise boats arrange a very special gala dinner with entertainment in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Payment for these is often optional on Christmas Eve (24 Dec) but may be compulsory on New Year's Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices can range from around US$50 to over US$180 per person. Final decisions on prices and whether dinners are compulsory are made relatively close to the time. We aim to always select hotels that make their Gala Dinners optional, though this is not always possible. Gala dinner prices are therefore not included in our prices above, but will be added to your booking if they become required. Please budget accordingly, especially for New Year's Eve. More information is available on request.
Small-group departure dates are listed below. The tour is also available as a customisable private departure on any other dates. Please contact us for details and prices.
The hotels and accommodations listed below are the ones we most often on this tour. From time to time we may exchange these for similar properties at the same level. In general, specific hotels cannot be guaranteed on our group tours, but you may select your preferred options if you are booking a tailor-made trip.
Steigenberger Cairo Pyramids Hotel
Cairo
It features two pools, several restaurants and bars, free WiFi, a spa and fitness centre, and both classic and family rooms. The rooms overlook the gardens and feature air-conditioning, TVs, safes, and minibars. The hotel offers an airport shuttle.
Sleeper train
Cairo, Luxor & Aswan
On the sleeper train you have a private twin-berthed cabin, which features two large seats; fold down beds with mattress, sheets, pillow, blanket; storage locker and wash basin. An airline style evening meal and breakfast are included.
Tolip Aswan Hotel
Aswan
Tolip Aswan Hotel overlooks the Nile and sits close to several tourist sites. Rooms have en-suite bathrooms, TVs, minibars, WiFi, and balconies with river views. Facilities include a pool, bar, gym, and sauna.
Felucca Sailboat
Aswan
Feluccas are very basic traditional Nile sailboats and make for an extremely relaxing and enjoyable way to travel down the river.
Steigenberger Nile Palace Hotel
Luxor
This hotel, formerly Le Meridien Luxor, is a modern hotel built in 2001. It is ideally situated right on the banks of the Nile and is within easy reach of all the major sites of Luxor.
Sunrise Royal Makadi Aqua Resort
Hurghada
The Sunrise Royal Makadi Resort is an excellent Red Sea resort option with a great beachfront location and lots of different activities and facilities available on site. The hotel is located near Makadi Bay, around 30km from the centre of Hurghada.
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino
Cairo
The Sheraton Cairo is located in Cairo’s Dokki district, close to the Egyptian Museum. It consists of a casino, night club, and 5-star hotel. The hotel offers a full range of services and amenities, as well as fully-equipped luxury rooms.
Our tours are designed to include all that you need to enjoy a really special time in the destination youre visiting. However, we do also offer some extra options to complement the tour and add some additional sightseeing or activities, or some extra time at either end of the tour.
All accommodation based options (e.g. Single supplements, extra nights, cruise upgrades) should be booked and paid for in advance so that we can make the appropriate arrangements. Other options may either be booked and paid for in advance or while you are on the tour, though we recommend booking in advance to ensure there are no issues with availability.
Many options are priced the same throughout the year, but some may incur single or high season supplements - full details are given on the tour reservation form or on request.
The detailed Tour Notes below have been written to give you some more detailed information about how the tour runs, what to expect, and how to prepare for your holiday. We recommend downloading an up to date copy of these shortly before you travel in case of any changes.
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Discover Egypt & Country Reviews
Product Reviews
Posted 27th of Mar 2019
Excellent value—I purchased it initially on Groupon and Encounters Travel allowed us to make additions.
Product Reviews
Posted 17th of Jan 2019
Great value for the price!
Product Reviews
Posted 17th of Jan 2019
Great value for the price!
Product Reviews
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
The price was great and the people wonderful!
Product Reviews
Posted 2nd of Jan 2019
Bucket list experience. A must.
Product Reviews
Posted 4th of Dec 2017
Amazing value for the price. We loved our guide, Big Mo!
Product Reviews
Posted 21st of Nov 2017
See above review for more details.
Product Reviews
Posted 15th of Sep 2017
We really got to see a lot for the time we spent in Egypt and Encounters made sure no time was wasted in waiting for transportation and rooms and things like that. We had a great group, a great guide, and really learned a lot. All accommodations were exceptional and we couldn't believe how we did everything for such a good price
Product Reviews
Posted 12th of Jun 2017
There was a time many years ago that I wanted to travel to Egypt and didn't because of the cost. This trip was, to me, very affordable. I think everyone should experience this trip. The tour guide was alos excellent, Sherif Mohammad.
Product Reviews
Posted 8th of Jun 2017
Incredible trip; our guide was really knowledgeable and answered all questions regarding history.
Product Reviews
Posted 7th of Jun 2017
Great tour! Safe, comfortable, and fascinating. It was a joy to travel to so many wonderful places and always know I was in good hands.
Product Reviews
Posted 7th of Jun 2017
As stated before it was a great trip
Product Reviews
Posted 6th of Jun 2017
Amazing trip. It was well layed out and guided. We also we're lucky to have a great group in which we all got along really well.
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