Country(ies): Egypt
Tour type: Small Group
Group size: Min: 2 | Max: 18
Accommodation: 5-star hotels & 5-star Nile cruiseboat
Meals:
Transport: A/C minibus, internal flight & Nile cruiseboat
Highlights: Iconic Pyramids & Sphinx of Giza, Egyptian museum, 5-star cruise down the Nile visiting Karnak & Luxor temples, the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatchepsut, Medinat Habu & Philae Temples
This classic 12-day tour introduces you to the main sites of Egypt while staying in a 5 star hotel in Cairo and enjoying a relaxing cruise on the Nile through Upper Egypt.. The tour starts in Cairo with a tour or the Pyramids, Sphinx and the Step Pyramid at Saqqara. You then take a short internal flight to Luxor to enjoy a 7-night cruise through the Nile Valley on a 5-star cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan and back again. En-route you'll visit the temples at Edfu and Komombo while watching typical rural Egyptian life pass you by from the sun deck of the boat. From Aswan you will visit the beautiful island temple of Philae and enjoy a felucca sailboat trip on the Nile before sailing back in the direction of Luxor, visiting the lesser known temple of Esna along the way. We end in Cairo with a trip to the famous Egyptian Museum which holds the treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb, as well as a walk through the back streets of the Khan-el-Khalili bazaar.
If our scheduled departure dates don't work for you, or you would prefer not to travel with a group, then we can also run this tour privately for you. Please contact us for more information and prices.
Expand all
Expand all
Similar tours:
The following tours are also available to provide an in depth exploration of Cairo, ancient Egypt and the River Nile...
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$150 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. More information is available on request.
This tour is also available for booking privately for travel anytime through the year. Departure dates will need to fit with the Nile cruise boat schedules which generally depart from Luxor on Mondays and Saturdays.
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.
Nile Cruiseboat
Luxor
A luxury Nile Cruise boat is a superbly appointed, floating, 5-star hotel. The cruise boat has many of the facilities of a normal hotel, including restaurants, bars, shops, a relaxing sun deck and swimming.
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.
Expand all
Classic Egypt & Country Reviews
Product Review
Posted 29th of Mar 2019
Important Egyptian sites were available to visit. They were visited.
Product Review
Posted 27th of Mar 2019
This was a great trip and worth every penny. Our Egyptologist tour guide was 'Big Mo' which made all the difference. He was knowledgeable, kind, and hospitable. He made sure we had a solid introduction to each tour site and then was available for more detailed information if we wanted. Book a tour with 'Big Mo' if at all possible!
Product Review
Posted 27th of Mar 2019
Excellent value—I purchased it initially on Groupon and Encounters Travel allowed us to make additions.
Product Review
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
Excellent tour. From the moment we landed in Cairo until we left, we were well taken care of. We experienced so much of Egypt -- from temples and pyramids and tombs to a bonfire dinner and sing-a-long on an island. Our guide (Waleed) was exceptional. His love and knowledge of Egypt was evident throughout the tour. He helped Egypt come alive for us. We were very pleased with the tour.
Product Review
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
Perfect adventure! Food, Tours, Service, Guides, even transportation!
Product Review
Posted 26th of Mar 2019
With all we did and the amount of travel, I was shocked at how cost effective the tour company made it. You get your money's worth after you think about busses, felucca sailboat, overnight train, hotel rooms, and the amazing tour guide.
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jan 2019
Great value for the price!
Product Review
Posted 17th of Jan 2019
Great value for the price!
Product Review
Posted 7th of Jan 2019
My Egyptian tour was the trip of a lifetime, The Egyptian and Nubian people were friendly and welcoming. The food and hotels were fantastic and the country of Egypt was stunning!!!
Product Review
Posted 6th of Jan 2019
All the sights were great and our tour guide explained and told History on all we saw.
Product Review
Posted 5th of Jan 2019
Worth every penny! Go to Egypt with Encounters Travel!
Product Review
Posted 4th of Jan 2019
Really enjoyed the various excursions especially the overnight felucca, hot air balloon, abu simbel and Camel ride against the pyramids
Product Review
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
The tour for the price was EXCELLENT!
Product Review
Posted 3rd of Jan 2019
The price was great and the people wonderful!
Product Review
Posted 2nd of Jan 2019
Bucket list experience. A must.
Need some travel inspiration or looking for some handy travel tips? Our blog provides excellent insight into our travel destinations - from tour updates to country guides, packing lists to little known things to do, you'll find it all in our travel blog.