Day by Day
Detailed Itinerary
Summary
Experience the allure of Africa in comfort
Classic tours are a perfect way to experience the culture, wildlife, history and highlights of a destination, with a level of comfort and organisation. This tour utilizes ambient hotels, lodges, guesthouses, chalets and tented camps with en-suite bathrooms in most locations, running hot water and welcoming restaurants and other facilities. Airport transfers and the majority of meals are included in this tour fare with an occasional optional dinner in locations where there is a good choice of local restaurants. Activities included on the itinerary are core tour experiences or highlights and usually primary reasons for booking in the first place.
Day 1: Cairo
On arrival at Cairo Airport, you are met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. This is simply an arrival day so you may arrive in Cairo...
| On this day |
On arrival at Cairo Airport, you are met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. This is simply an arrival day so you may arrive in Cairo at any time. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore your exciting new surroundings. |
| Accommodation
| Holiday Express Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Included Activities |
Airport arrival transfer |
Day 2: Cairo
In the morning we drive out to the fabled location of Giza to witness the archaeological phenomena of the Great Pyramids and the nearby reclining Sphi...
| On this day |
In the morning we drive out to the fabled location of Giza to witness the archaeological phenomena of the Great Pyramids and the nearby reclining Sphinx. With their long lasting images still embedded in our memories we visit the Egyptian Museum for a tour of the various fundamental exhibits. Our guide explains the complexity of Egypt’s many dynastic periods, starting with the Old Kingdom and ending with the Greco-Roman occupation. Tonight you will find yourself immersed in real local warmth during a traditional homestay dinner with an Egyptian family, allowing you a wonderful and humble insight into their way of life. |
| Accommodation
| Holiday Express Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast, Dinner |
| Included Activities |
Guided tour of Pyramids/Sphinx. Visit to Egyptian Museum and dinner with Egyptian family |
Day 3: Cairo
After breakfast we explore one of Cairo’s most captivating sights, the Saladin Citadel. Its great towers and high walls are located on a limestone s...
| On this day |
After breakfast we explore one of Cairo’s most captivating sights, the Saladin Citadel. Its great towers and high walls are located on a limestone spur. The Citadel, originally served as both a fortress and royal city and is one of the world’s greatest monuments of medieval warfare as well as being a highly visible landmark in Cairo’s eastern skyline. The infamous Citadel was once a pavilion known as the “Dome of the Wind” allowing much needed cool breezes to drift through its corridors and offered staggeringly beautiful views of surrounding Cairo. The Citadel was later fortified in 810 by the Ayyubid ruler Salah al-Din (Saladin) to protect it against attacks by the Crusaders. At its centre lies the fascinating mosque of Muhammad Ali and the Qalawun Mosque's green Dome. We visit the a part of Old Cairo known as Coptic Cairo with the option of entering the Babylon Fortress, the Coptic Museum, the Hanging Church, the Greek Church of St. George and many other Coptic churches and historical sites before perusing the colourful and dramatic sights of the famous Khan Khalili Bazaars which sprawls around an area known as Al-Azhar. The twisting streets, colourful suqs, alleyways and attendant hawkers all combine to look like a scene from Aladdin, as we make our way into the heart of the bazaar. We explore the gold market, ‘perfume street’, spice and cloth market where the scent of cumin, coriander and cardamom hangs heavy in the infused air. Tonight you have the option of enjoying a dinner cruise on the Nile with a belly dancing performance. |
| Accommodation
| Holiday Express Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast |
| Included Activities |
Tour of Citadel, Old Coptic Cairo and Khan Khalili bazaars |
Day 4: Cairo-Alexandria
Leaving the ancient bustling city of Cairo behind us we travel passed dry rugged hills and green strips of agricultural lands which snake alongside th...
| On this day |
Leaving the ancient bustling city of Cairo behind us we travel passed dry rugged hills and green strips of agricultural lands which snake alongside the Nile Delta to the seaport metropolis of Alexandria, once one of the most famous cities in the ancient times and founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. You have balance of the day to roam the enchanting streets, stroll along the beachfront sampling the exquisite sea food, or sip mint tea and smoke a sheesha (traditional tobacco water pipe) while the friendly banter of heated debates fills the cosy atmosphere of one of Alexandria’s charming and fragrant coffee houses. You can also head out to see the site of the great lighthouse, on the nearby island of Pharos, considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
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| Accommodation
| Egypt Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast |
| Included Activities |
Optional Activities |
| Travel Distance |
221 km / 138 miles |
| Travelling Time |
3 hours |
Day 5: Alexandria-Cairo-Aswan
We cruise the city streets of Alexandria in the morning and afternoon, visiting the Alexandria Museum, which houses many artifacts relevant to the reg...
| On this day |
We cruise the city streets of Alexandria in the morning and afternoon, visiting the Alexandria Museum, which houses many artifacts relevant to the region and then continue to the catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, a fascinating underground warren considered to be one of the seven medieval wonders of the world. The necropolis is made up of a series of complex Alexandrian tombs, statues and archaeological objects of the Pharaonic funeral cult with obvious Hellenistic and early Imperial Roman influences. A circular staircase, which was often used to transport deceased bodies down the middle of it, leads down into the tombs that were tunneled into the bedrock in the 2nd century AD. One of the more gruesome features of the catacombs is the so called Hall of Caracalla, a mass burial chamber for the humans and animals massacred by order of the Emperor Caracalla. We move on to gaze at one of the largest ancient monoliths and only known free standing column in Roman-Egypt, Pompey’s Pillar. In the afternoon we travel back to Cairo heading to the railway station, where we board the overnight sleeper train to Aswan. Sleeping berths (beds and linen) are provided in private cabins and an airline-style dinner is served on board. It is worth bringing additional snacks on board and your tour leader can help you to arrange this. A toilet is located at the end of each carriage. |
| Accommodation
| First Class Sleeper train |
| Rooming |
Cabin bunks |
| Meals |
Breakfast, Dinner |
| Included Activities |
Visit to National Museum, Catacombs and Pompey's Pillar |
| Travel Distance |
1100 km / 688 miles |
| Travelling Time |
15 hours |
Day 6: Aswan
We leave the coziness of the sleeper train and transfer to our hotel in Aswan, after settling in you have the morning at your leisure to either visit...
| On this day |
We leave the coziness of the sleeper train and transfer to our hotel in Aswan, after settling in you have the morning at your leisure to either visit the Philae Temple, High Dam, gaze at the unfinished Obelisk or embark on a traditional Felucca ride (wooden sailing boat) around the island powered only by the Nile breeze visiting Elephantine Island and Botanical Gardens on Kitchener’s Island. In the evening we experience an traditional Nubian dinner. |
| Accommodation
| Isis Cornish Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast, Dinner |
| Included Activities |
Optional activities in the morning. Traditional Nubian dinner. |
Day 7: Aswan-Nile River Cruise
You have the morning at your leisure to further explore the easy going charms of this compelling city, peruse the colourful bazaars, visit the Nubian...
| On this day |
You have the morning at your leisure to further explore the easy going charms of this compelling city, peruse the colourful bazaars, visit the Nubian Museum or enjoy a walk along the 'corniche', which is the promenade that runs alongside the river. Probably one of the most fascinating optional activities to do on this day is a visit to the famous twin rock temples of Abu Simbel approximately 230 km southwest of Aswan. This complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage site known as the Nubian Monuments. The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC, as a lasting monument to himself and his queen Nefertari, to commemorate his alleged victory at the Battle of Kadesh, and to intimidate his Nubian neighbours. However, the complex was relocated in its entirety in the 1960s, on an artificial hill made from a domed structure, high above the Aswan High Dam reservoir. The relocation of the temples was necessary to avoid their being submerged during the creation of Lake Nasser, the massive artificial water reservoir. At lunch time we move to our cruise boat on the banks of the Nile where we will spend the next three nights on board.
|
| Accommodation
| Nile Cruise Boat |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite cabin |
| Meals |
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Included Activities |
Optional Activities |
Day 8: Nile River Cruise-Kom Ombo to Edfu
You have the morning at your leisure before we set sail around lunch time on our Nile river cruise where you will spend balmy days drifting on the riv...
| On this day |
You have the morning at your leisure before we set sail around lunch time on our Nile river cruise where you will spend balmy days drifting on the river visiting famous sites and temples, passing desert scenery and daily life along the banks, cool nights under a blanket of heavy stars and shimmering town lights. We cruise towards the fascinating location of Kom Ombo where you have the option of disembarking and visiting the unusual Temple of Kom Ombo dedicated to the God of Sobek (the crocodile-headed god) that lies classically ruined on the edge of the Nile River. The late afternoon finds us arriving in Edfu, a city on the West bank of the Nile where you can disembark and roaming the vibrant town centre. We dock for the night at Edfu. |
| Accommodation
| Nile Cruise Boat |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite cabin |
| Meals |
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Included Activities |
Optional Activities |
Day 9: Nile River Cruise: Edfu to Luxor
This morning you have the option of exploring Edfu further or visiting the well preserved temple dedicated to Horus (the falcon headed God), son of Os...
| On this day |
This morning you have the option of exploring Edfu further or visiting the well preserved temple dedicated to Horus (the falcon headed God), son of Osiris (Oldest son of the Earth). An excursion to the remains of an ancient settlement of Edfu: Ancient Tell Edfu or Edfu Pyramids ruins can also be arranged. Continuing our river journey upstream, we cross Esna lock and sail on towards the “The world’s “greatest open air museums” the city of Luxor and spend the night nestled in its ancient splendour. |
| Accommodation
| Nile Cruise Boat |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite cabin |
| Meals |
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Included Activities |
Optional Activities |
Day 10: Luxor
Our Nile River cruise ends in the morning where we swap our cruise boat for sturdy donkeys and make our way to the infamous Valley of the Kings, we le...
| On this day |
Our Nile River cruise ends in the morning where we swap our cruise boat for sturdy donkeys and make our way to the infamous Valley of the Kings, we learn about ancient Egypt funeral rites and the significance behind the many inscriptive paintings and hieroglyphics. On our return we make a final stop at the Colossi of Memnon, giant statues that were once part of an impressive colonnade. In the afternoon you have the option to enjoy Luxor by night on horse drawn carriages, passing through late night bustling markets, Egyptian city street life and aromatic coffee houses, where you can stop off at any of the fragrant food suqs or charismatic restaurants. |
| Accommodation
| Emilio Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast |
| Included Activities |
Donkey ride through the Valley of the Kings |
Day 11: Luxor
The bright morning sun find us out and about on horse drawn carriage as we travel to probably what is considered to be the most famous and largest tem...
| On this day |
The bright morning sun find us out and about on horse drawn carriage as we travel to probably what is considered to be the most famous and largest temple complex in the world, The Temple of Karnak. A vast and awe inspiring conglomeration of ruined temples, chapels, pylons and other buildings dedicated to the Theban gods and the greater glory of pharaohs. The extraordinary site covers over 2 Sq km, while its main structure, the Temple of Amun, is the largest religious building ever built. Karnak was the most important place of worship in Egypt during the New Kingdom. It was called Ipet-Sut, meaning ‘The Most Esteemed of Places’. The three main temples of Mut, Montu and Amun are enclosed by brick walls with the main complex; with the colossal Temple of Amun as its centre piece. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the other sublime sights and delights of eccentric yet charming Luxor such as the Luxor Temple and museum or the Mummification museum.
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| Accommodation
| Emilio Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast |
| Included Activities |
Horse drawn carriage to Temple of Karnak, afternoon optional activities |
Day 12: Luxor-Hurghada
An early start to the day, as we travel through wild desert landscapes and shifting skies to the coastal town of Hurghada, one of Egypt’s most popul...
| On this day |
An early start to the day, as we travel through wild desert landscapes and shifting skies to the coastal town of Hurghada, one of Egypt’s most popular Red sea resorts. The afternoon is free to explore and enjoy the beach life on the Red Sea, swimming, snorkelling and most of all relaxing. |
| Accommodation
| Three Corners Empire Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast |
| Included Activities |
Optional Activities |
| Travel Distance |
210 km / 131 miles |
| Travelling Time |
5 hours |
Day 13: Hurghada-St Catherine
Boarding our hydrofoil boat in the morning we make our way to Sham El-Sheikh located on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula; from here we will travel to St...
| On this day |
Boarding our hydrofoil boat in the morning we make our way to Sham El-Sheikh located on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula; from here we will travel to St Catherine and spend the night at the foot of mythical Mount Sinai. |
| Accommodation
| Daniella Village |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast, Dinner |
| Included Activities |
Hydrofoil to Sham El-Sheikh |
| Travelling Time |
4 hours |
Day 14: St Catherine-Cairo
Known as “Moses Mountain” in Arabic, Mount Sinai is believed to be the place where God spoke to the Hebrew prophet Moses and according to Bedouin...
| On this day |
Known as “Moses Mountain” in Arabic, Mount Sinai is believed to be the place where God spoke to the Hebrew prophet Moses and according to Bedouin traditions, where God gave laws to the Israelites. We embark on the climb up Mount Sinai joining the early morning pilgrimage to the summit. You will be woken up after 2am to commence the fairly steep climb in the dark, in order to witness the incredible sunrise by 5-6 am. An experience well worth every second. After breakfast we visit the Monastery of St Catherine at the mouth of a gorge which lies at the foot of Mount Sinai. The monastery is both Greek Orthodox and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We leave the valley behind us and make our way back to the vibrant city lights of Cairo. |
| Accommodation
| Holiday Express Hotel |
| Rooming |
Standard en-suite room |
| Meals |
Breakfast |
| Included Activities |
Sun rise climb up Mount Sinai and visit to St. Catherine Monastery |
| Travel Distance |
392 km / 245 miles |
| Travelling Time |
5 hours |
Day 15: Cairo
Your trip ends today after breakfast and you are free to leave at any time. Depending on your departure flight, you can spend the morning at the bazaa...
| On this day |
Your trip ends today after breakfast and you are free to leave at any time. Depending on your departure flight, you can spend the morning at the bazaars doing some last minute shopping or sip herbal tea in one of the many buzzing coffee houses. Airport departure transfers are included and you will be transferred to the International Airport for your flight home, unless alternative arrangements have been made to either join another tour or if you wish to spend more time exploring the compelling sights and sounds of dynamic Cairo.
|
| Meals |
Breakfast |
| Included Activities |
Airport departure transfer |
Tour Inclusions:
• Meet & assist at Cairo International Airport with assistance at Passport Control.
• Four nights at Cairo 3 stars hotel superior on BB Basis.
• One night at 4 stars hotel Aswan on BB Basis.
• Two nights at 3 stars hotel Luxor on BB Basis.
• One night at 3 stars hotel Hurghada on BB Basis.
• One night at 3 stars hotel Alexandria on BB Basis.
• One night at 3 stars hotel St Catherine on HB Basis.
• Three nights on a 5 stars Nile cruise on FB Basis.
• One night on the First class sleeping train on HB Basis.
• Hydrofoil from Hurghada to Sharm
• All transportation on air-condition private vehicles.
• English speaking tour leader guide through out the tour.
• Entrance fees. (Museum, Pyramids, Citadel, Karnak, VOK, National Museum of Alexandria, Catacombs, Pompay´s Pillar, Alexandria Library)
• Home hosted Dinner.
• Nubian Dinner
• Donkey ride to VOK.
• Horse drawn carriages to Karnak.
• Felucca Sailing in Aswan.
• Services of local offices in Egypt with 24-hour emergency contact.
• Government taxes and levies.
• Meals as indicated (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner)
• Airport Departure transfer
Tour Exclusions:
• International airfare and taxes.
• Visa entry to Egypt.
• Departure Transfer.
• Kom Ombo.
• Edfu.
• Transportation to Edfu Temple.
• Tour to Philae temple, unfinished Oblesik and High Dam.
• Abu Simbel.
• Dinner cruise in Cairo
• Extra meals more than listed as part of the itinerary
• Entrance fees for any sites not listed in the itinerary.
• Items of a personal nature.
• Any item not specified in the “Inclusions”.
• Alcoholic & non-alcoholic beverages.
• Any transfers not mentioned in the attached detailed itinerary.
• Any sightseeing not mentioned in the attached detailed itinerary.
• Travel insurance.
• Gratuities.
• Telephone calls.
For travellers wishing to extend their stay, joining tours and short extensions are available.
The establishments used, travel distance and travel times as shown on this itinerary may be subject to change and are approximate only, as travel distances and times especially, are dependent on many tour factors that may be beyond our control. The Rooming description below is based on standard en suite/twin share rooms, however single or triple rooms can be arranged on request.
Please note: If the Hydrofoil to Sharm El-Sheikh is not operating due to either weather conditions or technical problems, we will have to change the mode of transport to a bus from Hurghada to St. Catherine instead. This will result in a change to the published itinerary.
Trip Details
Transport
Land arrangements utilize air-conditioned private vehicles. First class sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan (overnight) and 5 star Nile Cruise boat from Aswan to Luxor. Hydrofoil from Hurghada to Sham El-Sheikh.
Guiding
Accompanied throughout tour by an English speaking Tour leader.
Accommodation
Hotels (10 nts) Cruise boat (3nts) Sleeper train (1nt)
Meals
14 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches and 7 Dinners
Transfers
Arrival and Departure transfers are included in this tour; therefore travellers need to supply us with their flight details as soon as possible. If you require a pre and post tour accommodation this can be organised through our offices.
Departure Transfer
Optional Extras
All prices quoted are accurate on publication but subject to change. Prices will be confirmed or requoted on enquiry.
We are able to pre-book a wide range of services not listed here, please contact us should you require more information.
Activities & Excursions
- Camel ride around pyramids of Giza
- Nile dinner cruise & belly dancing show: Cairo
- Tour of Kom Ombo Temple
- Tour of Edfu Temple
- Tour to Unfinished Obelisk/High Dam/Temple of Philae
- Abu Simbel by bus
- Red Sea Diving or Snorkelling
- Red Sea dolphin or catamaran cruise
Flights
- Cairo to Nairobi
- Cairo to Addis Abba
