8days
Family
Abu Simbel · Aswan · Cairo & Giza · Luxor
Egypt with the Three Wise Men: Family Trip
From€2,000
Secrets of Abu Simbel – Special Flight
Spend a night at Abu Simbel: the temples at sunset, the Sound and Light show and the first rays of sunrise on Ramses II, plus a Nile cruise and Cairo.
Duration8 days / 7 nights
DestinationsAbu Simbel, Aswan, Cairo & Giza, Luxor
GuideEgyptologist (EN / ES)
From€1,100per person
Overview
Most visitors see Abu Simbel for two hours in the middle of a convoy. On this trip you sleep there. You arrive in the afternoon once the day-trippers have gone, return after dinner for the Sound and Light show on the temple façade, and walk back at dawn to watch the sun light up the four colossi of Ramses II. It is one of the great moments of any trip to Egypt.
Around that night the trip follows a proven route: a direct special flight to Luxor, three nights cruising to Aswan with Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu and Kom Ombo, then three nights in Cairo with a guided morning at the Pyramids and a free day to explore.
Highlights
- A night at Abu Simbel, on the shore of Lake Nasser
- Sound and Light show on the façade of the Great Temple
- Sunrise on the four colossi of Ramses II
- Three nights on the Nile from Luxor to Aswan
- The Pyramids of Giza and a free day in Cairo
Day by day
Day 1 Arrival in Luxor and embarkation
Fly to Luxor. Our representative meets you at the airport, helps with the entry formalities and drives you to your Nile ship. Settle into your cabin, have dinner on board and, if you still have energy, step out on deck: the temples on the East Bank are floodlit after dark.
Day 2 Luxor: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and Karnak
An early start on the West Bank, before the heat. Your guide takes you into three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, where the colours on the walls still look freshly painted, then on to the terraced temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the two Colossi of Memnon. After lunch on board, cross to the East Bank for Karnak, a sanctuary built and rebuilt over two thousand years, and the Temple of Luxor. The ship then sets sail south towards Esna.
Optional: a hot-air balloon flight over the West Bank at sunrise.
Day 3 Edfu and Kom Ombo
A horse-drawn carriage takes you to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, the most complete temple in Egypt, with its roof and pylon still standing. Lunch while sailing past palm groves and mud-brick villages, then a sunset visit to Kom Ombo, the double temple of Sobek and Haroeris, and its small museum of mummified crocodiles. The ship continues to Aswan.
Day 4 Philae, road to Abu Simbel and the Sound and Light show
Visit the temple of Philae in the morning and leave the ship. In the afternoon, drive south to Abu Simbel and see the temples with almost no one around once the day visitors have left. After dinner, the Sound and Light show is projected on the façade of the Great Temple. Night at a hotel on the shore of Lake Nasser.
Day 5 Sunrise at Abu Simbel and flight to Cairo
Walk back to the temples at dawn, when the first light falls directly on the four colossi. After breakfast, return by road to Aswan and fly to Cairo. Check-in at your hotel.
Day 6 The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
The day you have been waiting for. Your guide takes you to the plateau of Giza to see the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure up close, then to the panoramic viewpoint where all three line up against the desert. Finish at the Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple of Khafre. Afternoon free.
Optional: entry inside a pyramid (extra ticket) or an afternoon at Saqqara and Memphis.
Day 7 Cairo at your own pace
A free day. Ask us about optional visits: the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the Citadel and Islamic Cairo, Saqqara and Memphis, or a day trip to Alexandria on the Mediterranean.
Day 8 Departure from Cairo
Breakfast and, depending on your flight time, a last coffee in the city. Transfer to Cairo airport with assistance for your flight home.
What is included
- Direct special flight to Luxor (one 20 kg bag)
- Domestic flight Aswan – Cairo
- 3 nights on a Nile cruise, full board (drinks not included)
- 1 night in Abu Simbel, half board (drinks not included), with the Sound and Light show
- 3 nights in Cairo with breakfast
- All visits, entrance fees and transfers in the itinerary
- Spanish- or English-speaking guide on all visits
- Airport assistance and air-conditioned transfers
- 24-hour phone assistance, airport taxes and basic travel insurance
Not included
- Egypt entry visa (we can process it for you)
- Tips for guides, drivers and crew (customary in Egypt)
- Drinks, except where stated
- Optional excursions, such as the sunrise balloon flight over Luxor
- Tickets to go inside the pyramids or the tomb of Tutankhamun
- Personal expenses
- Extended cover and cancellation insurance
Gallery
FAQ
Why stay overnight at Abu Simbel?
Day visitors arrive together in the morning. Staying the night means you see the temples in the quiet late afternoon, at night with the show, and again at sunrise, when the light falls straight onto the façade.
What are the hotels like in Abu Simbel?
Abu Simbel is a small village, so hotels are simple and comfortable, with gardens facing Lake Nasser. They are within walking or short driving distance of the temples.
Can this itinerary be customised?
Yes. We can add nights, upgrade hotels or the cruise ship, arrange a private guide or include extra excursions. Send us your ideas and we will adapt the quote.
Do I need a visa to travel to Egypt?
Most European, UK and US citizens can get a visa on arrival at the airport or apply online for an e-visa before travelling. Your passport must be valid for at least six months. We can handle the paperwork for you.
From€1,100
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