Cairo to Western desert with Nile cruise 13 day holiday

Two weeks Egypt holiday with Nile cruise, the Pyramids excursion, Luxor temples and Western desert tour to Bahariya, Kharga and Dakhla oases.

Let’s get to know Cairo

Upon arrival in Cairo, sharm-club representative will meet guests and transfer them to the hotel, his home away from home, using the best comfortable air-conditioned minivans. The guest will check in the hotel in a few minutes to enable him/her to rest and refresh for an amazing tour of Cairo in the next day. Overnight in the hotel.

The Great Pyramids of Cairo

After breakfast, you will meet up with your highly educated long experienced Egyptologist guide who will accompany you for the rest of the day. Your first stop will be at the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities hosting the largest collection of Pharaonic artifacts.

Next visit of the day will be to the Pyramids of Giza, the most popular sight in the world, built by the pharaohs between 2590 BC to 2480 BC. Next discover one of the largest monolith statues in history of mankind - Th Great Sphinx and its valley temple.

Lunch will be offered in the city in a local restaurant during the day. At the end of the tour you will be transferred to your hotel for overnight.

Cairo to Bahariya Oasis tour

After a tasty breakfast in the hotel, time to check out the hotel. Let’s take a comfortable private air-conditioned vehicle to Bahariya Oasis, which lies some 365 kilometers to the South West of Cairo. We will have a tour around the oasis, explore it, swim in natural springs and enjoy a wonderful natural scenery. We visit the Valley of the Golden Mummies, the necropolis with the largest and most important tombs belonging to the Roman period, discovered in 1999. There were hundreds of tombs scattered over a surface area of 36 square kilometers. By the evening we reach the Oasis, check in the hotel and overnight.

Bahariya Oasis White Desert Safari

This day we will start with a jeep safari to the Western Desert, we pass via Black and White deserts on our way to Farafra Oasis. The main attraction of the desert is the crystal mountain. In the White desert we will be surrounded by bizarre chalk rock formations that were once the surface of a shallow sea that covered this area in prehistoric times. The rocks create all sorts of shapes like mushrooms, animals, and strange looking sculptures. All this area has become a natural protected area during the last few years.

At the end of the day, we set up our camp in the desert to enjoy the magical atmosphere of the region, watch the stars, have an amazing barbecue party, and spend the night in our comfortable camp.

White Desert from Farafra to Dakhla Oasis

After breakfast in the camp, let’s move on with our fabulous tour of the Western Desert. Our first stop of the day will be at the Farafra Oasis, located 180 kilometers to the South of Bahariya where we will have an amazing chance to swim in one of the natural water springs located in the city.

Our next visit will be to Badr Museum, which is a splendid small museum hosting the work of Badr Abdel Moghny, a self-taught local artist, illustrating the art and the culture of the Farafra Oasis.

Afterwards we drive to the Dakhla Oasis, the capital of the Egyptian oases during the Pharaonic times which is now famous for its many historical sites, natural scenery, and handmade products. We visit the old City of Dakhla, Al Qasr - an ancient Islamic village, the temple of Deir Al Hagar (“the monastery of the stone” in Arabic). The temple was constructed during the Roman period, under the reign of Nero (54- 68 AD) and is dedicated to the Theban triad: Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. The temple is considered one of the finest examples of the architecture of the period.

At the end of the day, we check in our hotel in Dakhla and overnight.

Dakhla Oasis - Kharga Oasis

After breakfast in the hotel, we continue our journey to Al Kharga Oasis. Inhabited since prehistoric times, the Kharga Oasis is the most populated town in the Western Desert. We check in a hotel here after lunch time.

Visits in the oasis include:
- the temple of Nadura, built during the Roman era, most probably for the worship of the spouse of Amun. The ruins of the temple contain marvelous preserved wall paintings.
- the Kharga Museum, hosting a number of exhibits that were found in the area dating back from prehistoric times to the Coptic period.
- the Temple of Hibis. It is a marvelous temple dedicated to the worship of Amun Ra of Hibis and it is considered to be the largest temple in all the oases. The construction of the temple was started by Psammetichus II (595- 589 BC) who ruled during the reign of the 26th dynasty and the building work was completed by the Persian king Darius I (521 – 486 BC) and was enlarged during the periods of Nectanebo I and Ptolemy II.

Overnight in the hotel.

Journey from Kharga Oasis to Luxor

After best breakfast, we will take a comfortable vehicle to go to Luxor. The distance from Kharga Oasis to Luxor is about 340 km, it takes up to 4 hours hours to reach the city. Upon arrival to Luxor check in the hotel, after 3 pm and free time at leisure.

Please, note that on this day lunch and dinner are not included.

Luxor to Aswan Nile cruise holiday

In the early morning at dawn you can do Hot Air Balloon Luxor over the valleys of the city (optional activity). Breakfast at 7 am and check out the hotel. Luxor full day tour includes visits of the following attractions:

- Karnak Temple, the largest religious Pharaonic structure ever built in the world.

- Luxor Temple, dedicated to the holy Theban triad, the gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu, it is one of the finest examples of the Pharaonic architecture. The Luxor Temple was buried under the sand and dust for years until it was discovered in 1881.

We check in our boat after 1 pm and have lunch on board. Free evening at leisure. You can do an optional activity marvelous Sound and Light show at the Karnak Temple, enjoy a fascinating illustration of the history of the Temple of Karnak and the entire Egyptian history, watch the amazing light show. Overnight on the boat on FB basis.

Tour to the West bank of Luxor

We start the day with a visit to the Valley of the Kings, the necropolis of the Pharaonic New Kingdom. These tombs have the finest colored decorations with the famous Tomb of Tut Ankh Amun discovered by Howard Carter in 1922 and many other royal tombs belonging to the kings of the 18th and the 19th dynasty. We visit here 3 opened tombs. Visit to the Tomb of Tut Ankh Amun is optional (paid separately).

Next stop at the amazing Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. This temple was constructed by the 18th dynasty Queen Hatshepsut (1473 – 1458 BC) as a unique structure rising from the desert in the shape of imposing terraces.

We also will pass by the gigantic Colossi of Memnon, which are 18 meters high statues - remaining items of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III. We will be back to our boat by lunch time. Lunch on the board. Afternoon our boat starts moving towards Edfu via Esna. Please note, that boats do not stop in Esna now. Overnight while cruising the Nile.

Nile Cruise Edfu to Kom Ombo

After breakfast, you will have the chance to visit the Edfu temple of Horus. This temple is the largest and best preserved Ptolemaic temple in Egypt. The building work of the temple started during the reign of Ptolemy III in 237 BC and the construction continued until 80 BC. The temple includes wonderfully decorated walls and stone capitals.

Your next stop at Temple of Kom Ombo dedicated to two gods Horus, the falcon god, and Sobek, the crocodile god. The Greco-Roman temple is famous for its matchless location overlooking the Nile. Here we also visit Crocodile Museum. Spend evening in the Nile Cruise, sail to Aswan and overnight on boat.

Exploring Aswan

In Aswan our city tour includes visit to one of the most beautiful temples constructed in Egypt, the Temple of Philae which is situate on Philae island. This fabulous temple dedicated to the goddess Isis was constructed as one of the finest examples of the combined architecture of ancient Egyptians and the Greco-Romans styles.

Our next stop at the High Dam, built by the former Egyptian president, Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1960s to reserve the Nile Water that was lost every year in the artificial Nasser Lake.

Back to our ship for lunch and free time at leisure. Optionally afternoon you can visit Nubian Museum, Mummification Museum or sail to Aswan Botanical Garden on a traditional felucca.

The Great Abu Simbel temples tour

In the early morning you can do an optional tour to Abu Simbel by car (150$ per person). Check our the boat at 8 am and free time before your departure for Cairo. Transfer to Aswan airport as scheduled. Upon arrival in Cairo our driver will meet you and take to a hotel. Overnight in Cairo in 4* hotel on BB.

Leaving Cairo for your homeland

After breakfast free time at leisure. Check out the hotel at 12 pm. Transfer to Cairo International airport as per your flight schedule.