Egypt Nile Cruise and Pyramids Tour: 8 Days with Flights and Transfers

This Egypt Nile cruise and pyramids tour covers the country’s headline sights in eight days. You spend three nights in Cairo, three nights sailing the Nile, and one night in Luxor. Flights, internal flights, transfers and the guided excursions are all included. Here’s the full day by day plan, so you know exactly what you’re booking.

Day 1: UK to Cairo

Fly from your chosen UK airport to Cairo. On arrival a transfer takes you straight to the hotel. The rest of the day stays free, so you can head for a local souk or try Egyptian food at your own pace. Overnight in Cairo.

Day 2: Giza pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum

Breakfast at the hotel, then a guided tour of Cairo’s best known sights. You start on the Giza Plateau at the Great Pyramids, built more than 4,500 years ago. Next comes the Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple. In the afternoon you visit the Egyptian Museum, then walk through the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Your evening is free, although an optional Cairo by Night tour with dinner is available. Overnight in Cairo.

Day 3: Fly to Aswan and board the Nile cruise

An early transfer takes you to the airport for the short internal flight to Aswan. A guided city tour follows, taking in the old Aswan Dam, the Granite Quarry with its unfinished obelisk, and the High Dam. Afterwards you board your Egypt Nile cruise ship and settle into your cabin. Lunch is served on board. Later that afternoon you sail on a traditional felucca to see the cataracts. Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 4: Kom Ombo and the crocodile temples

Full board on board today. Early risers can add the optional trip to Abu Simbel, although it leaves the ship at around 3am. A second optional visit goes to the island of Philae and its Temple of Isis. The ship then sails north to Kom Ombo. There you explore the twin temples of Haroeris and Sobek, see the Nilometer, and visit the crocodile mummy museum. Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 5: Edfu Temple and Luxor Temple

Full board again. This morning you transfer to the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the god Horus and one of the best preserved monuments in Egypt. Back on board, the ship continues to Luxor. Once there you visit the Temple of Luxor, built by the pharaohs Amenhotep III and Ramses II. Dinner and overnight on board.

Day 6: Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut

Breakfast on board, then across to the west bank for the Valley of the Kings. The excursion includes three tombs. From there you continue to the Temple of Hatshepsut, a terraced structure set beneath towering cliffs. Afterwards you cross back into modern Luxor and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon is yours. An optional sound and light show at Karnak runs in the evening. Overnight in Luxor.

Day 7: Karnak Temple, then back to Cairo

An early start today for the Karnak Temple Complex, a vast site of temples, chapels and pylons. Afterwards you transfer to the airport for the flight back to Cairo, followed by a transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is free. Optional additions include the Saladin Citadel or the new Grand Egyptian Museum. Overnight in Cairo.

Day 8: Cairo to the UK

Breakfast at the hotel, then a transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Where you stay

Cairo nights are at the JAZ Pyramids Resort, previously called Pyramids Resort by Jaz, or a similar four star property. It sits in nine acres of gardens close to the Grand Egyptian Museum, with an outdoor pool, a spa and two restaurants. Nights three to five are on the Nile Treasure Cruise or similar, a 60 cabin ship with a sundeck pool and panoramic cabin windows. Your Luxor night is at the Achti Resort, also known as the Steigenberger Resort Achti, a five star hotel on the east bank with two outdoor pools and tropical gardens.

Good to know before you book

Meals follow the itinerary. Hotel nights include breakfast, while the cruise nights are full board. Because return flight times vary, breakfast on the final morning may not be possible. Entry to the tomb of Tutankhamun sits outside the Valley of the Kings excursion, although you can buy a ticket at the site. Also, the optional Grand Egyptian Museum visit clashes with both the Saladin Citadel trip and the excursion packages, so you can book one or the other. Excursion order may shift because of internal flights or traffic, yet everything listed still goes ahead.

All bookings are made with ATOL protected suppliers and tour operators. Boullies Travel Ltd is PTS protected. Your money is safe with us. Offered in association with Exoticca.

• Return flights from the UK included
• Internal flights Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo included
• All airport, port and touring transfers included
• Three nights in Cairo and one night in Luxor, bed and breakfast
• Three nights full board on a Nile cruise ship
• Guided excursion to the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple
• Guided visit to the Egyptian Museum and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar
• Aswan city tour: old Aswan Dam, Granite Quarry and High Dam
• Felucca sail on the Nile at Aswan
• Kom Ombo: temples of Haroeris and Sobek, the Nilometer and the crocodile mummy museum
• Temple of Edfu and Temple of Luxor
• Valley of the Kings with three tombs, Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon
• Karnak Temple Complex
• Cairo nights at the JAZ Pyramids Resort or similar, four star, with pool and spa
• Luxor night at the Achti Resort or similar, five star, on the banks of the Nile
• Optional upgrades: four night cruise, luxury and five star luxury ships, and private group departures
• Optional excursions: Abu Simbel, Philae, Cairo by Night, Karnak sound and light show, Saladin Citadel and the Grand Egyptian Museum