Day 1: Arrival to Luxor
At Luxor Airport, a representative from the RTS agency will be there to welcome you. They will transfer you to a and assist you with check-in. After dinner, an RTS agency representative will be waiting for you at the reception at the agreed-upon time and will introduce you to the local guide. Together, you will visit the Luxor Temple. The temple is dedicated to the sun god Amon, and its main entrance is adorned with one of the world’s largest preserved obelisks. In addition to impressive colonnades and reliefs, you will also have the opportunity to get up close to the large statues of pharaohs. From the Luxor Temple to Karnak, there is a recently discovered avenue of sphinxes; the most beautifully preserved ones are right by the temple. After the tour, you will return to the hotel; overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 2: Luxor
After breakfast, you will check-out from the hotel. At the agreed-upon time, a guide will be waiting for you at the reception and you will embark on a full-day tour of Luxor’s West Bank, where the sights are related to the afterlife. These sites are guarded by the Colossi of Memnon, two giant statues carved from a single stone depicting the seated pharaoh Amenhotep III. You will visit the the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Queen Hatshepsut’s temple is notable for its unique design, as it was carved into the rock face and combines classic Egyptian elements with modern and innovative forms, featuring an impressive terraced structure that rises along the hillside. Next, you will explore the tombs in the Valley of the Kings, where many New Kingdom pharaohs, including Tutankhamun and Ramesses II, are buried in elaborately decorated tombs that display rich symbolism, religious scenes, and hieroglyphic inscriptions. After the West Bank tour, you will drive to the docking place and embark on Dahabiya for your first lunch on the boat. After lunch, a guide will be waiting for you at the agreed-upon time and you will drive to visit Karnak, one of the largest and most impressive religious complexes in the world. It was built and expanded over 2,000 years during the reign of approximately thirty pharaohs. The Karnak temples include sanctuaries, halls, obelisks, statues, pools, and other structures. The main temple with monumental columns is dedicated to the god Amon. After the visit, you will return to dahabiya, have dinner and spend the night on the dahabiya.
Day 3: Nile Cruise
After breakfast, you will enjoy a full day of sailing with lunch and dinner on the dahabiya. During the tranquil voyage, passing through rural towns and villages, you will be able to observe the lively life along the Nile. You will also cross the locks at Esna, where the water level of the Nile is raised and lowered to allow ships to pass smoothly. Continuing the journey towards Edfu, you can relax with afternoon tea on the deck while watching the sunset. You will moor on an island near Edfu for the night.
Day 4: Nile Cruise
After breakfast, you will be driven by carriage or vehicle (depending on traffic) with your guide to visit the Temple of Horus in Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. It was built during the Ptolemaic dynasty and the New Kingdom in a traditional style with columns, courtyards, and sanctuaries. A monumental tower marks the entrance to the temple, and the inner courtyard is surrounded by tall columns featuring depictions of gods and pharaohs. The reliefs on the walls illustrate mythological scenes, religious rituals, and ceremonies associated with Horus, the falcon god. After returning to the dahabiya, you will have lunch and continue sailing towards Gebel El-Silsila. You will moor near Silsila for the night, have dinner and spend the night on the dahabiya.
Day 5: Nile Cruise
After breakfast, you will explore the sights of Silsila, a location known for its sandstone quarries that provided most of the material for famous temples like Karnak and Luxor. You will also visit shrines and temples carved into the rocks. Then, you will continue your tranquil cruise towards the Munihah Peninsula, where you will have lunch and afternoon tea on the dahabiya. The green and blue riverbanks will gradually transform as the green strip along the Nile diminishes, giving way to golden sand dunes glistening in the sun. You will dock near Munihah, enjoy dinner, and spend the night on the dahabiya.
Day 6: Nile Cruise – Aswan
During breakfast, you will enjoy a short cruise, and then, with your guide, you will visit the unique double temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon god. The temple’s fascinating reliefs depict ancient Egypt’s religion, culture, and healing practices. After the visit, you will continue your cruise to Aswan, having lunch on the dahabiya. Upon arrival in Aswan, the RTS agency representative will assist you with disembarking. You will then go on an afternoon excursion to the Philae Temple and the Aswan High Dam. The Philae Temple is located on Agilkia Island, where it was relocated during the construction of the High Dam in Aswan and the creation of the artificial Lake Nasser. It is one of the most beautiful and well-preserved Egyptian temples. This stunning temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, showcases the architectural and artistic prowess of ancient Egypt. Its impressive collonaded façade, columns, and intricate carvings depicting mythological scenes, religious rituals, and the lives and reigns of pharaohs represent a unique blend of pharaonic, Hellenistic, and Roman influences. After the tours, you will return to Aswan and take a boat to your hotel on an island in the middle of the Nile. The RTS agency representative will assist you with check-in at the hotel, and you will enjoy dinner and an overnight stay at the hotel.
Day 7: Aswan
After breakfast, you will have some free time to enjoy the hotel facilities, including the pool with a magnificent view of the Nile, sailboats, and golden sandy shores. Alternatively, you can take a morning excursion to Abu Simbel (available at an additional cost), which the RTS agency representative can arrange. You will take a motorboat ride to a Nubian restaurant on an island near Elephantine for lunch. After lunch, you will sail on a felucca (traditional sailboat) to Kitchener’s Island, which houses a botanical garden established in 1860. Here, you can admire lush tropical plants and magnificent trees that provide shade from the strong sun. Next, you will take a motorboat ride through the Nile’s national park with its famous cataracts, concluding your day with a visit to a welcoming Nubian village. You will enjoy dinner in a Nubian house. After dinner, a motorboat will take you back to the hotel for the night.
Day 8: Aswan – Cairo
After breakfast, a representative from the RTS agency will be waiting for you at the hotel reception at the agreed-upon time to assist you with the check-out process. You will then travel together to the airport, where they will help you with the check-in for your flight to Cairo. Upon arrival in Cairo, he will introduce you to a local guide, and together, you will proceed to the Giza Plateau. Your first stop will be for lunch at a local restaurant with a view of the pyramids and the Sphinx. After lunch, you will have the opportunity to explore the pyramids up close. Among the pyramids, you will find the Great Pyramid of Khufu (also known as the Pyramid of Cheops), which is the largest and oldest, as well as the slightly smaller pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure (entrance to the inner chambers of the pyramids is available at an additional cost). Adjacent to the pyramids stands the mysterious Sphinx, a colossal statue with a pharaoh’s head and a lion’s body. Following the pyramid and Sphinx visits, you will be driven to your hotel, where the RTS agency representative will assist you with the check-in process. You will then have dinner and spend the night at the hotel.
Day 9: Cairo
After breakfast, your guide will be waiting for you at the hotel reception at the agreed-upon time, and you will begin your exploration of ancient Egyptian culture with visits to two major museums. First, you will visit the National Museum, followed by the Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The National Museum houses a rich collection of artefacts from various periods of ancient Egyptian civilisation, including the famous treasures of the pharaohs, including Tutankhamun, which depict the rich history and culture of ancient Egypt. In the newer Museum of Egyptian Civilization, they have relocated mummies, sarcophagi, and burial offerings. After your museum visits, you will have lunch at a local restaurant. Then, you will explore the old part of the city, stopping at the Khan al-Khalili market, where you can also visit Al-Hussein Mosque. Afterwards, you will return to the hotel for dinner and spend the night there.
Day 10: Departure from Cairo
After breakfast, check out from the hotel (no later than 11:00) and enjoy some free time until your departure to the airport (typically 3 hours before your flight). At the agreed-upon time, a representative from the RTS agency will be waiting for you at the hotel reception. You will be driven to the airport, where they will assist you with the check-in for your flight.
This marks the conclusion of your trip with a flight to your chosen destination.
*Please note that we reserve the right to make programme changes due to public transportation schedules, weather conditions, and other circumstances beyond our control.
