12days
Aswan · Cairo & Giza · Luxor · Sharm El Sheikh
Nile Cruise, Sharm el-Sheikh & Cairo – Special Flight
From€1,330
Legends of the Nile & Abu Simbel – Special Flight
Our most requested trip: direct special flight, Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan, the temples of Abu Simbel and the Pyramids of Giza, all for a very fair price.
Duration8 days / 7 nights
DestinationsAbu Simbel, Aswan, Cairo & Giza, Luxor
GuideEgyptologist (EN / ES)
From€600per person
Overview
If you ask us which trip gives the best value, this is usually the answer. It takes our entry-level Legends of the Nile and adds the one visit nobody wants to miss: Abu Simbel, the two temples Ramses II carved into a Nubian mountain and that UNESCO moved, block by block, in the 1960s.
A direct special flight lands you in the Nile Valley. The cruise covers Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae. From Aswan, an early road trip takes you to Abu Simbel and back in time for lunch. You then fly to Cairo for the Pyramids and the Sphinx, with a free day to explore.
Departures run year-round on fixed weekdays. Prices rise at Christmas and Easter, so book early for those dates.
Good to know: on some departure dates the cruise sails from Aswan to Luxor instead, so the order of the visits is reversed. The visits themselves stay the same.
Highlights
- The temples of Abu Simbel, included
- Direct special flight to the Nile Valley
- Nile cruise with Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu and Philae
- The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
- A free day in Cairo to explore at your own pace
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 Abu Simbel and Philae
A very early start (around 04:00) for the road to Abu Simbel, about three and a half hours south through the Nubian desert, with a packed breakfast on the way. Two hours with the colossal temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, rescued from Lake Nasser in the 1960s. Back in Aswan, an afternoon visit to the temple of Philae and the High Dam. Overnight on board.
Day 5 Aswan to Cairo
Breakfast on board and disembarkation. Transfer to Aswan airport for the flight to Cairo, where our team takes you to your hotel. Free evening; Khan el-Khalili and its cafés are a good place to start.
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
- Return special flight (one 20 kg bag)
- Domestic flight Aswan or Luxor – Cairo
- 4 or 3 nights on a Nile cruise, full board (drinks not included)
- 3 or 4 nights in Cairo with breakfast
- Excursion to Abu Simbel by road
- 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 is this trip so affordable?
Special charter flights and fixed departure days let us buy cabins and hotel rooms in volume. The visits, guides and entrance fees are the same as on our more expensive trips.
Is the Grand Egyptian Museum included?
Not in this version, but you can visit it on your free day in Cairo. If you prefer it included with meals, see All-Inclusive Egypt with the Grand Egyptian Museum.
When is the best time to visit Egypt?
October to April is the most comfortable period, with warm days and cool evenings. Summer is very hot in Luxor and Aswan, but there are fewer visitors and prices are lower; visits are scheduled early in the morning.
How much should I budget for tips?
Tipping is part of daily life in Egypt. Your guide will explain the usual amounts for crew, drivers and guides on the first day, so there are no surprises.
From€600
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