Day 1 — Arrival Cairo: Welcome & First Impressions
Arrive Cairo: meet your Guide representative at the airport, transfer to your hotel. Relax, freshen up and enjoy an evening orientation briefing with your Egyptologist — perfect time to plan optional evening activitie like a Nile dinner cruise.
Day 2 — Egyptian Museum & Giza Pyramids: Treasures and Timeless Stones
Morning: Guided highlights tour of the Egyptian Museum (Tahrir) — walk among royal statuary and the Tutankhamun galleries while your guide reveals hidden meanings behind artifacts.
Afternoon: Transfer to Giza Plateau for panoramic views of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Stand before the Sphinx, walk the Valley Temple and enjoy an included short camel ride for iconic photos at golden hour. (Optional Sound & Light show after sunset.)
Day 3 — Cairo Free Day: Optional Discoveries
A flexible day to explore Coptic Cairo, Khan el Khalili bazaar, contemporary Cairo cafés or add-ons (optional Islamic Cairo tour, cooking class, extras).
Day 4 — Alexandria Transfer & Coastal Heritage: Libraries, Ruins & Sea Air
Drive to Alexandria. Experience the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s striking architecture, stroll the restored Roman Amphitheatre and descend into Kom El Shoqafa catacombs. Photo stop at Qaitbay Citadel on the Mediterranean Corniche; finish with a walk through Montaza Gardens and seaside vistas. Overnight in Alexandria.
Day 5 — Alexandria Free Morning: Local Flavors & Seaside Strolls
Relaxed morning for beachfront cafes, optional local fish lunch or a deeper look at Alexandria’s museums and old town alleys. Evening return to hotel.
Day 6 — Return to Cairo: Leisure & Preparation
Scenic transfer back to Cairo; afternoon at leisure to shop, rest or join optional tours.
Day 7 — Saqqara, Dahshur & Memphis: Origins of Pyramid Building
Visit Saqqara’s Step Pyramid (Djoser) and its ancient necropolis — your guide explains the birth of monumental architecture. Continue to Dahshur’s Bent and Red Pyramids to observe early engineering innovations, then drive to Memphis to view the fallen colossus of Ramses II.
Day 8 — Citadel & Old Cairo: Islamic & Coptic Heritage
Explore Salah El Din Citadel and the Mohamed Ali Alabaster Mosque with sweeping city panoramas. Move to Old Coptic Cairo to enter the Hanging Church, Abu Serga and Ben Ezra Synagogue, feeling centuries of multi faith history in narrow lanes.
Day 9 — Fly to Aswan: Nile South Gateway & Riverside Calm
Transfer to Cairo airport for a short flight to Aswan. Arrive, settle into hotel and take a gentle evening felucca ride on the Nile or visit a Nubian market for vibrant textiles and local flavor.
Day 10 — Abu Simbel Day Trip: Monumental Rock Temples at Dawn
Early transfer to Abu Simbel (by road or flight as arranged): witness Ramses II’s colossal temples — light and scale create an unforgettable spectacle. Learn the relocation story and return to Aswan for a relaxed evening.
Day 11 — Aswan & Embark Nile Cruise: High Dam, Philae & Sail to Kom Ombo
Visit the Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple (Isis) set on its island — atmospheric lighting at sunset. Board your Nile cruise, enjoy lunch on board, then sail to Kom Ombo for the shared twin temples of Sobek and Horus; overnight aboard toward Edfu.
Day 12 — Edfu & Sailing Toward Luxor: Horus Temple & Onboard Culture
Morning visit to Edfu’s well preserved Temple of Horus with its carved reliefs. Sail through Nubian landscapes, enjoy onboard talks and a traditional Galabeya party in the evening.
Day 13 — Luxor West Bank: Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut’s Terraces
Cross to the West Bank to explore the Valley of the Kings (three tomb entries rotated), the temple terraces of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari, and the Colossi of Memnon. Experience the desert necropolis that sheltered pharaonic eternity.
Day 14 — Luxor East Bank: Karnak & Luxor Temples — Monumental Columns & Processional Ways
Visit Karnak’s Hypostyle Hall — walk between 134 towering columns and hear stories of pharaonic rituals. Continue to Luxor Temple for evening atmosphere and optional sunrise hot air balloon over the West Bank (pre booked extra).
Day 15 — Departure: Farewell & Airport Transfer
Transfer to Luxor or Cairo airport as per itinerary for onward flights. Final assistance and farewells with memories, photos and recommendations for return visits.