• Day 1 | Departure from Canada 

International flight

• Day 2 | Cairo 

Arrival at Cairo international airport. Meet our representative, pick up your luggage and then hop on a private transfer to your hotel. Dinner at own expense and overnight in hotel.

• Day 3 | Cairo- The Pyramids, Memphis and Saqqara 

First breakfast, and then you are off for a full day of discovery, accompanied by your private driver and guide. You start the day with the famed pyramids of the Giza plateau. Watched over by the famous solitary sphinx with a lion’s body, the three great pyramids of Giza stand tall: Cheops, Khafre, and Menkaure. Entrance to one of the pyramids is included as well as lunch at a local restaurant, and there’s an optional camelback ride on the plateau. In the afternoon you visit Memphis and Sakkara, just outside Cairo. Memphis is a well-known ancient funeral site and was excavated and exhumed by the desert sands, which gradually revealed Sakkara and its necropolis. The eleven pyramids, countless mastabas and isolated Coptic monastery cover an area stretching over more than 7 km from north to south, representing more than 3500 years of Egyptian civilization. In the center of the site sits the pyramid of Djoser, the first ever built and also the first great stone monument ever erected by man. Return to hotel and dinner of your choice. Overnight at hotel. (B, L)

• Day 4 | Cairo – The great metropolis 

Enjoy your breakfast and then it’s another full day of discovery – in Cairo. At the Museum of Egyptian antiquities, the works on display on the first floor will take you back in time, each room showcasing the beauty of a different epoch. The Tutankhamun exhibit houses over 1700 objects taken from his famous tomb, discovered west of Thebes in King’s Valley, across from the city now known as Luxor. Lunch in a local restaurant is included, after which the tour continues with a visit to the Citadel. Both a palace and an impenetrable fortress, the space inside the Citadel’s immense walls is divided into three sections. Entirely Muslim, it includes many mosques and palaces built by succeeding dynasties. The visit continues at Cairo’s most famous bazaar: Khan el-Khalili. This place was meant for traders and tourists. In its narrow alleys you can find jewels, copper artifacts, marquetry, pharaoh imitations, semi-precious stones, carpets, blown glass ornaments, and many other souvenirs. The boutiques are still organized by corporation. Go there just to stroll around, bargain, or lose yourself in this exotic market. You can follow this with a stop at the bazaar’s famous coffee shop, the al-Fichawi, to sample a tea or a coffee-flavored karkade –truly not to be missed. In the evening, you can opt for a sound and light show at the pyramids of Gaza. (B, L)

• Day 5 | Cairo - Abu Simbel 

Breakfast is followed by a transfer to Cairo airport and your flight to Abu Simbel via Aswan. Once on site, you will be welcomed by your private driver and taken for a visit of the temples of Abu Simbel (as part of a group), complete with an English-speaking guide. The pharaoh Ramesses II built the two temples of Abu Simbel. It is dedicated to himself, to the three great Egyptian gods (Amun, Ra, and Ptah), and to his wife Nefertari. Of all the monuments built by Ramesses II, the great temple is considered the most beautiful and the most imposing. When discovered in 1817 by the Italian archeologist Giovanni Battista Belzoni, the site was almost completely buried in sand. After this visit, settle into your hotel. In the evening, you can opt for a sound and light show at the temple of Abu Simbel. Lunch and dinner at your own expense. Overnight in Abu Simbel. (B)

• Day 6 | Abu Simbel - Aswan (cruise begins) 

Breakfast and then departure from Abu Simbel to Aswan (approx 3½ hours on the road). It is possible to complete the journey from Abu Simbel to Aswan by plane (subject to availability). Arrive in Aswan right before lunch. Your private driver will take care of you until the beginning of your cruise on the Nile, Africa’s longest river. Settle into your cabins and then enjoy lunch on the riverboat.
Depending on which cruise you selected, you have the option of boarding a felucca for a tour around Elephantine Island, from where you can admire Agha Khan Mausoleum. Late in the day, enjoy free time in Aswan, whose touristy yet colorful souk remains very popular. Dinner on the ship. Overnight in Aswan. (B, L, D)

• Day 7 | Nile cruise - Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu

Breakfast on board. In the morning join a tour group on a visit to the High Dam followed by the temple of Philae, the “Pearl of Egypt”, dedicated to the Nubian goddess Isis for over 24 centuries. This temple was built towards the end of ancient Egyptian civilization in the fourth century BC, as were all other buildings on the island: Trajan’s kiosk, Hadrian’s gate, the temple of Maat-Hathor, and the mammisi. While you enjoy your lunch, your ship will sail towards Kom Ombo, north of Aswan. In the afternoon, visit the temple of Kom Ombo in the company of your English-speaking guide (as part of a group). Erected right on the shores of the Nile, surrounded by some of Upper Egypt’s most captivating landscape, this unusual temple was dedicated to two divinities: Horus and Sobek. While the southern part of the temple is dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world, the other part is dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris, also known as Horus the Elder or Horus the Great. The temple’s walls and corridors are covered with reliefs, many of which still show traces of color. Dinner on board. Evening navigation towards Edfu, where the ship will spend the night. (B, L, D)

• Day 8 | Nile cruise - Edfu, Esna, Luxor

Breakfast on board. In the morning, discover the temple of Edfu, the Ptolemaic era’s best-preserved temple. Dedicated to the falcon god Horus, god of the city of Edfu, its buildings are perfect examples of ancient Egyptian religious architecture. At 137 meters long and columns rising to 36m, it is the largest of its kind after Karnak. Built from sandstone, its perfect dimensions bring the harmonious layout to life. Located about 180 km north of Aswan and 105 km south of Luxor on the left bank of the Nile, the site was of great importance in antiquity, as indicated by the archaic necropolis that was found here. Climb back on board and enjoy lunch while your ship takes you to Esna. Once you are past the Esna locks, the journey continues north towards Luxor (former Thebes). Dinner on board and overnight in Luxor. (B, L, D)

• Day 9 | Nile cruise - Luxor

After breakfast, you say goodbye to the cruise ship. Then begins a busy day of discovery of the Theban necropolis on the west bank of the Nile. This land of mystery was the domain of the god Osiris during the New Empire. Next, you visit the valley of the pharaoh Kings, whose magnificently decorated tombs tell the story of the voyage of the defunct in the hereafter. This Valley of Kings scrupulously hides its secrets…because the great pyramids built by the pharaohs during previous dynasties were too tempting for thieves. As a result, 26 sovereigns from the XVIIIth to the XXth dynasties decided to have their tombs built in this isolated valley (tombs open to the public may vary).

You will also visit Queen Hatshepsut’s surprising terraced temple, nestled at the foot of a high limestone cliff. Hatshepsut was Egypt’s greatest sovereign. Throughout her 20-year rule, marked by peace and prosperity, she succeeded in fighting off the male heirs to her throne. Partially set in the mountain, her temple is almost 40 m wide. Its rows of colonnades shaped like beehives blend in perfectly with the natural lines and bends of the mountainous backdrop. The temple of Hatshepsut represents an extension of the temple of Mentuhotep II, even though it is considerably larger. Seen from far away, the two temples come together in such a homogenous way that it is impossible to distinguish one from the other. On the way, stop to admire the Colossi of Memnon, two monumental stone statues on the road to the Theban necropolis. They are the last remains of Amenhotep III’s gigantic palace of a million years, built during the XVIIIth dynasty. Once you are back from these impressive visits, enjoy dinner in Luxor. After lunch, meet up with your English-speaking guide for an afternoon visit of the majestic temple of Karnak, dedicated to Amun, protector of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom.

The temple of Karnak was the most important place of worship in all Egypt during Thebes’ rule. The buildings of this temple complex were built, destroyed, restored, expanded, and decorated by myriad Pharaohs. The site includes a complex of sanctuaries, obelisks, and pylons dedicated to the glory of Egypt’s pharaohs. The area covered is gigantic: 1.5 km by 800 m. Impossible to describe, this immense monument must be visited in person in order for its magnitude to truly be felt. From the entrance to the walls of the temple of Amun, you will cross the processional avenue and its ram-headed sphinx, which originally lined a canal linking the temple with the Nile.
At the end of the day, discover the temple of Luxor. At this time of day, the perfection of the columns of Amenhotep III is particularly highlighted. This is where the fertility of the Nile was celebrated each year during the Optet festival.

The temple of Luxor: even though its entrance is proudly guarded by triumphant statues of Ramesses II, this majestic temple was actually built by Amenhotep III. Over the years, many of Egypt’s legendary rulers, from Tutankhamun to Alexander the Great, endeavored to improve and heighten this grandiose monument’s splendor.
After dinner, you have the option of going to a sound and light show (not included), if your flight schedule permits it. Transfer to Luxor airport and flight to Cairo. Once in Cairo, your private English-speaking guide will pick you up and accompany you on a transfer to your hotel. Dinner at own expense (in Luxor or Cairo). Overnight in Cairo.
Note: not all cruises include a visit to the Valley of the Nobles and the Valley of the Queens. In such cases, it is possible to add these visits as part of a private service, or we can also suggest longer and more complete cruises. (B)

• Day 14 | Departure from Cairo 

Breakfast and, depending on your flight schedule, transfer to international airport and check-in for your return flight to Montreal. (B)

Symbols: (B) Breakfast, (L) Lunch, (D) Dinner

** Budgets displayed on this website are provided for information purpose only and do not have any contractual value, Uniktour cannot be held responsible for any consequences related to this information (departure dates are not indicated). Fares are led to change on a regular basis, depending on exchange rates and the fluctuation in the hospitality industry. For a precise quotation, you may click here.

** Fares applying to the on-site itinerary are not subject to applicable GST (TPS) & QST (TVQ). The displayed budget does not include 0.1% FICAV contribution (The Compensation fund for customers of travel agents)

• The budget of this trip includes: 

- All private transfers mentioned in the program with English-speaking guide;
- All visits mentioned in the Cairo program with private English-speaking Egyptologist-guide;
- Abu Simbel temple visit with local English-speaking guide (as part of a tour group);
- Entrance for all visits mentioned in the program (including light and sound show in Abu Simbel);
- Road transfer from Abu Simbel to Aswan (internal flight supplement: approx. $150 CAD/person);
- All visits during the cruise with English-speaking guide (as part of a tour group);
- Visits to all temples from Luxor to Karnak and from Karnak to Luxor with private English-speaking Egyptologist-guide;
- 8 nights accommodation in double rooms as mentioned in the itinerary
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary (B, L, D)

• The budget of this trip does not include: 

- Domestic flights
- Visa fees ($25 USD, payable at Cairo airport);
- Tips and personal expenses
- Travel insurance 
- Meaks not mentioned as per itinerary
- Anything not mentioned in the 'the budget of this trip includes' section above 

Next departure dates for this travel