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Days
9
Price from
R8,321ZAR
Map of Egypt Unearthed including Egypt

Take in Egypt's treasures cruising the Nile from Cairo to Aswan

Cairo is your kickoff point, check out the Pyramids and Sphinx while you’re in the area. Head on to Aswan for temples, bazaars and camel ride. Next is sailing down the Nile in a Felucca, then Luxor and the Valley of the Kings before you head back to Cairo. Holiday success.

A guy called Khufu was responsible for building the Great Pyramid. It’s 4500 years old, 146m tall and made from 2.3 million blocks weighing around 2.5 tons each. And how did they honour him? With a 9cm tall statue. Bummer.

Before booking on this trip we recommend that you read the ‘Safety’ section in the trip notes regarding special safety considerations for Egypt trips.

Start
Cairo, Egypt
Finish
Cairo, Egypt
Destination
Egypt
Code
GENE
Physical rating
Traveller’s rating
122 reviews
Ages
Min 18 , Max 29
Group size
Min 1, Max 16

Why you'll love this trip

  • Cities like Cairo can be dizzying, but your local guides are in the know – they'll have you heading straight for the hottest spots

  • The Pyramids might be hyped, but when you see them, you'll see what all the fuss is about, all right!

  • Set sail on a felucca cruise along the Nile. Back in the day, these wooden boats had zero facilities, but our new pimped-out boat has western-style toilets on board.

  • A visit to the incredible Egyptian Museum, home to King Tut's golden mask, is included

  • Not only will you visit three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, but you'll get there by riding a camel. How Egyptian can you get?

  • Get a taste of Nubian hospitality on your felucca cruise down the Nile. Oh, yeah, and the scenery is all right too...

  • Experience the adventure of overnight train travel, one of the most epic ways to wake up in a new and strange place

Is this trip right for you?

  • Egypt can get hot in the summer months of July and August. The good news is it's mostly dry heat, and easier to handle than humidity. Wherever possible, you'll be seeing the sights in the morning before it gets too intense.

  • Travelling on a felucca is awesome, but it's not for everyone. You will be sharing a sleeping area with your fellow group members for the night and shared bathroom facility on board

  • Some of the sites you'll visit have rocky and/or steep hillsides. Solid walking shoes are essential, plus anything to shade you from those rays – a hat, sunscreen, long sleeves. If you don't feel up to it on a hot day, you can decide to not take part, or wander at your own pace.

  • Egypt nights can get chillier than you think, particularly from December to February. Remember to pack at least some warm clothes.

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egypt_cairo_sphinx_pyramid_bollywood-dancers
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Itinerary
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Welcome to Cairo. You will meet with your trip leader and the rest of your group at 6 pm this evening. Check for a note in the hotel lobby or ask the hotel reception for the location. If you're going to be late, just let the hotel know. If you arrive early enough, go immerse yourself in the madness: grab a pair of authentic Roy Bands sunnies from the bazaar, embrace the kitsch world of Dr Ragab's Pharaonic Village, then share a sahlab (sweet, hot custard drink with nuts) and p'raps a sheesha pipe with your new travel buddies.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Special Information
Optional Activities: all listed optional trips listed do not include transport or a local guide. Please speak to your trip leader for more details on how to organise these.

Today you'll take a trip to the Egyptian Museum to see the golden mask of none other than King Tutankhamun. Drive out to the edge of the desert and explore the pyramids and the nearby Sphinx (nobody's quite sure how it lost its nose). Later, with free time, there are plenty of further options, like visiting the Valley Temple of King Khafre (Chephren). In the evening, it's time for your sleeper train to Aswan (Sleeper Train to Aswan sounds a bit like the title of an adventure novel, doesn't it? Just you wait).
Accommodation
  • Overnight Sleeper Train (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Cairo - The Egyptian Museum
  • Cairo - Pyramids and Sphinx
Optional Activities
  • Cairo - Camel ride at the Pyramids - EGP100
  • Cairo - The Egyptian Museum Mummy Room - EGP150
  • Cairo - Sound & Light Show at the Pyramids (entrance fee only) - EGP200
  • Cairo - The 2nd Pyramid of Khafre - EGP60
  • Cairo - The Great Pyramid of Cheops - EGP300
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Enjoy some breakfast, then put on your haggling hat (or just a regular hat, we don't mind) for a trip to the bazaar. Grab useful stuff like books, cotton tops and sunhats for your upcoming Nile cruise. Splurge on fun stuff like perfume oil, leather bags and jewellery just for the heck of it.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Aswan - Felucca Sail - EGP75
  • Aswan - Nubian Museum (entrance fee only) - EGP100
  • Aswan - Philae Temple - EGP100
  • Aswan - Philae Temple Sound & Light Show (entrance only) - EGP150
  • Aswan - Unfinished Obelisk (entrance only) - EGP60
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Today is yours to spend as you please in Aswan. The optional drive to Abu Simbel is well worth it, because this is one of the coolest temples on earth, cut out of a solid rock cliff. A real winner, as far as sightseeing in Egypt goes (and that is obviously saying a lot). Renting a minivan with your fellow travellers is the way to go. It'll be an early start (around 5-6 am), and it takes about three hours to get there, and another three to get back. If you'd rather save time and fly there, that's possible too.

Notes: Flights don't go to Abu Simbel every day, and they'll usually set you back US $250-300. It's best to fly in the morning, so you can beat the heat (it's down south). Your trip leader won't accompany you on a flight – only the land travel option. Local guides can be hired on arrival.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Aswan to Abu Simbel: return transport by bus & entrance fee (price from per person - minimum 4 passengers) - USD90
  • Aswan to Abu Simbel: return flights and entrance fee (book with www.egyptair.com - prices from approx) - USD320
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

All aboard! Time to sail the Nile in a felucca.  This pretty awesome boat will be your home tonight, and all three meals are included today. You'll visit the Temple of Sobek, a classic, ruined (you might even say classically ruined) Greco-Roman temple. Continue sailing towards Edfu and take in some timeless scenes of life on the Nile. Your Instagram account should be going off like a frog in a sandstorm by now. Stop in at Edfu to explore the awesomely preserved Temple of Horus (Horus being the falcon-headed God).

Please note our Felucca will have shared bathroom facility on board
Accommodation
  • Overnight Felucca (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Kom Ombo - Kom Ombo Temple - EGP80
  • Edfu - Edfu Temple - EGP100
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

The world is your oyster today. And Luxor is one beautiful and interesting world to be in. Enjoy free time – you might want to take a horse-drawn carriage to the massive temple complex at Karnak (one of the most impressive temple complexes in the world, for sure). Some of it dates as far back as 2,055 BC, if that gives you some idea of what you're dealing with.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Luxor - Karnak Temple - EGP120
  • Luxor - Sound and Light Show at Karnak (entrance only) - EGP200
  • Luxor - Luxor Museum (entrance only) - EGP120
  • Luxor - Luxor Temple - EGP100
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Today you'll ride a donkey. But you won't just ride it anywhere. You and your new furry friend will venture to the legendary Valley of the Kings, where the tombs of Egyptian royalty are many. You will visit three of them. Be nice to your donkey and it'll be a nice, peaceful sunrise stroll past fields of alfalfa. Upset him and you’ll be sore for days. In the evening you'll catch an overnight train back to Cairo.

Audits were carried out on balloon operators within Egypt to confirm the safety of their operations, unfortunately we were not able to ascertain the safety standards of these balloon operators- therefore, we are not able to recommend or assist in the booking of any balloon excursions.
Accommodation
  • Overnight Sleeper Train (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Luxor - Valley of the Kings (3 tombs)
Optional Activities
  • Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple - EGP82
  • Luxor - Tomb of Tutankhamun - EGP200
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner

Time for one last walk around Cairo. Head south from Bab al-Futuh (one of the medieval north gates), past the old Islamic monuments that stand watch over the bazaars. Wipe the dust from your brow and say goodbye to this frenetic place. Just go ahead and try not to shed a tear in front of your new travelling buddies.
Accommodation
  • Hotel (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Your trip ends today after breakfast.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Meals

8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 3 dinners

Transport

Felucca, Overnight train, Private bus

Accommodation

Hotel (5 nights), Overnight train (2 nights), Felucca (1 night)

Included Activities

  • Cairo - The Egyptian Museum
  • Cairo - Pyramids and Sphinx
  • Luxor - Valley of the Kings (3 tombs)

Reviews

Our Egypt Unearthed trips score an average of 4.92 out of 5 based on 122 reviews in the last year.

Egypt Unearthed, April 2018

Zachary Hameister

Review submitted 18 Apr 2018

Egypt Unearthed, April 2018

Cassandra Warn

Review submitted 18 Apr 2018

Dates & availability

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Important notes

ENTRANCE FEES:
Some entrance fees are not included. If you wish to take part in these activities, you pay these fees as you go along.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT:
An optional single supplement is available on this trip. Please refer to your booking agent for further information.
Please note, on the following night the Single Supplement is not available:
-Day 5: Felucca

Following recent safety incidents we recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest information on travelling in Egypt before your departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas of your itinerary. We have links to prominent government travel advisories and regular updates on issues affecting this trip on our Travel Alerts page - www.geckosadventures.com/en-au/travel-alerts

Essential trip information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.
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