8 Day Egypt Tour | Cairo, Aswan, Luxor & Nile Cruise

Welcome to Cairo, Egypt’s vibrant capital and the gateway to the wonders of the ancient world. Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, meet your representative and transfer to your hotel beside the Nile. Settle in and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure as you prepare for the journey ahead.

Begin your exploration at the Giza Plateau, home to the pyramids of Menkaure and Khafre and the Great Pyramid of Khufu – the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. Take in the extraordinary scale of these nearly 5,000-year-old monuments and enjoy the opportunity to enter one of the pyramids, subject to ticket availability.

Continue to the Great Sphinx, where the legendary guardian has watched over the plateau for millennia. This evening, gather for a welcome dinner and reflect on your first encounter with ancient Egypt.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Aswan. On arrival, board Sunray, your elegant Nile cruise and home for the next four nights. Enjoy lunch on board before stepping onto a traditional felucca for a peaceful sail around the Aswan Islands.

Feel the cooling river breeze and admire the granite hills, palm-fringed shores and gentle rhythm of life along the Nile before returning to your cruise.

Travel by motorboat to Philae Temple, beautifully set on Agilkia Island. Dedicated to the goddess Isis, this sacred complex reveals layers of Egyptian, Greek and Roman influence through its courtyards, columns and carved reliefs.

Continue to Aswan’s ancient granite quarries to see the Unfinished Obelisk. Still attached to the bedrock, the enormous monument offers a rare look at the techniques used by ancient Egyptian stonemasons.

Return to the ship and cruise north to Kom Ombo. Explore its distinctive riverside temple, uniquely dedicated to two gods: the falcon-headed Haroeris and Sobek, the crocodile god. Visit the collection of mummified crocodiles before rejoining the cruise.

Start the day at the remarkably preserved Temple of Horus at Edfu. Built during the Ptolemaic period, its monumental pylons, vivid inscriptions and atmospheric sanctuaries offer one of Egypt’s clearest windows into ancient temple worship.

As the cruise continues toward Luxor, join an onboard chef for a hands-on introduction to local Egyptian cooking. Later, disembark to explore Luxor Temple. Walk beneath the colossal statues of Ramses II, through his grand courtyard and along the imposing Colonnade of Amenhotep III.

Devote a full day to Luxor, once the ancient city of Thebes. Begin on the West Bank with the Colossi of Memnon, two monumental statues that have stood at the edge of the floodplain for more than three millennia.

Continue to the terraced Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s most striking architectural achievements, before entering the Valley of the Kings. Explore the richly decorated royal tombs and visit the tomb of Tutankhamun, discovered by Howard Carter in 1922.

After lunch aboard the cruise, cross to Luxor’s East Bank for a guided visit to Karnak Temple. Walk through the Great Hypostyle Hall, where colossal columns rise as high as 80 feet, and discover the monumental legacy left by generations of pharaohs.

After breakfast, bid farewell to your Nile cruise and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo. On arrival, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), home to more than 100,000 artifacts spanning Egypt’s remarkable history.

Follow the story of civilization along the Nile, from the tools and pottery of Egypt’s earliest communities to masterpieces from the age of the pharaohs and treasures associated with Tutankhamun. After your visit, transfer to your airport hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel before your private transfer to Cairo International Airport for your departing flight.