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Premium Egypt

Unlock Egypt’s ancient past, hitting all the must-see sites, tombs and Wonders of the World

Cairo return

9 days / 8 nights

Guided Tour

Solo Traveller

Multiple departures

Overview

Take to the Nile Valley on a nine-day Premium adventure by river, road and air, visiting the mighty pyramids of Giza, one of the ancient Wonders of the World. See the majestic temples of Karnak, the famous tomb of Tutankhamun and Cairo’s bustling Khan al-Khalili Bazaar. Spend an evening with a Nubian family and another with an Egyptian family in Cairo for a look at local life and enjoy plenty of time for independent discoveries in each destination. Tuck into Egypt’s unique cuisine, cruise down the Nile on a riverboat and a felucca and visit Cairo’s oldest coffeeshop. With an ancient past that has led to a colourful present, Egypt is a traveller’s dream!

Inclusions

Meals

8 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 6 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle, Plane, Riverboat, Felucca

Accommodation

Hotel (5 nights), Feature Stay (3 night)

Premium inclusions

  • Arrival airport transfer
  • Tipping for accommodation, activities and transport
  • Luggage transfer
  • Daily breakfast and signature local meal experiences
  • 24/7 on-ground support

Included activities

  • Complimentary Arrival Transfer
  • Cairo - Welcome Dinner
  • Cairo - Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
  • Cairo - Egyptian Museum
  • Aswan - Nubian Village Visit and Dinner
  • Aswan - Philae Temple
  • Aswan - Sunset drinks on a felucca
  • Izbat Al Bayyarah - Kom Ombo Temple
  • Luxor - Karnak Temple
  • Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple
  • Luxor - Valley of the Kings (entrance to 3 tombs)
  • Luxor - Tomb of Tutankhamun
  • Luxor - Colossi of Memnon
  • Cairo - Home-Cooked Dinner
  • Cairo - Khan al-Khalili Bazaar
  • Cairo - Al-Azhar Mosque
  • Cairo - Coffee/tea in a local cafe

Optional activities

  • Cairo - Islamic Art Museum (entrance fee) - EGP340
  • Urban Adventures - Saqqara and Memphis - USD109
  • Cairo - Urban Adventures Downtown Cairo Tour - USD29
  • Cairo - The Great Pyramid of Cheops (entrance fee) - EGP1000
  • Aswan – Abu Simbel excursion by car (includes transfer, guide and entry) - USD110
  • Aswan - Abu Simbel excursion by flight (includes flights, transfers, guide and entry) from price - USD450
  • Edfu - Edfu Temple (entrance fee) - EGP550
  • Luxor - Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show (minimum 2 people) (entrance, guide & transport) - USD45
  • Luxor - Hot Air Balloon over the Valley of the Kings (Per Person) - USD120
  • Luxor - Valley of the Queens (entrance fee) - EGP220
  • Luxor - Tomb of Queen Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens (entrance fee) - EGP2500

Itinerary

Day 1 | Cairo

Salaam Aleikum! Welcome to Egypt. When you arrive at the Cairo airport, an included transfer will take you to your hotel. Your adventure officially begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe get out and explore the busy streets, find a hole-in-the-wall eatery for a snack or relax at your hotel – the pool offers magnificent pyramid views! After your meeting, head out for an included dinner with the group. Your leader will introduce you to Egyptian cuisine, known for being fresh, delicious and unique to the country. Best enjoyed when shared, you’ll tuck into an array of traditional dishes like fatta (a dish made with rice, bread and meat in a garlic and vinegar sauce) and kushari (a delicious mixture of pasta, rice, lentils and fried onions).

Accommodation: Steigenberger Cairo Pyramids Hotel or similar (1 night)

Meals: Dinner

Day 2 | Cairo

This morning, tour the mighty Pyramids of Giza – one of the famed Seven Wonders of the World –and the Sphinx with your leader and expert local guide. For an additional charge, you may be able to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops). After some time for lunch, your adventure continues to the Egyptian Museum – home to one of the world's great collections of ancient artefacts recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamun. From jewellery to the famous golden death mask and his gilded sarcophagi, this pharaoh was certainly prepared for the afterlife. Your leader will take you through some of Egypt’s dynastic history and you’ll have plenty of time to explore on your own – home to almost 100,000 artefacts, there’s a whole ancient world to uncover!

Accommodation: Steigenberger Cairo Pyramids Hotel or similar (1 night)

Meals: Breakfast

Day 3 | Aswan

Catch a morning flight to Aswan – Egypt’s southernmost city. Check into your hotel, then travel to Philae Island and visit the Temple of Isis – the goddess of health, marriage and wisdom – rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated here. Your leader will share stories of the history and changing landscape of the island. Then, take a boat to a Nubian village on an island in the middle of the Nile. Walk through the village before sitting down to dinner with a local Nubian family in their home. Enjoy traditional Nubian food, swap stories with your friendly hosts and gain a unique perspective into their way of life.

Accommodation: Sonesta Nouba or similar (1 night)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 4 | Aswan - Nile Cruise

After breakfast, you may like to take a stroll around Aswan or join an optional tour of Abu Simbel – a temple complex that was dismantled and moved to make way for the Aswan High Dam. Board a Nile riverboat – your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three nights! Travelling by riverboat allows you to get to the heart of each destination while ensuring the journeys in between are every bit as interesting. In the afternoon, board a traditional felucca sailing boat where you can sit back and relax with some drinks as the sun sets over your surroundings. Return to your riverboat for dinner.

Accommodation: Amwaj Nile Cruise (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)

Day 5 | Nile Cruise - Edfu

Enjoy a peaceful morning on board your riverboat, then set out in the afternoon along the river, relaxing in the sun on deck and taking in the desert hills. Arrive at Kom Ombo Temple, where your leader will let you in on the secrets of this ancient sanctuary. Built in approximately 181 BC, Kom Ombo is dedicated to two gods – Horus (god of protection) and Sobek (god of fertility, linked to the Nile’s water). Each god has a dedicated section – north or south – and there have been recent discoveries of mummified crocodiles in the Sobek section. After, return to your riverboat and continue to Edfu where you’ll dock for the evening.

Accommodation: Amwaj Nile Cruise (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 6 | Nile Cruise - Luxor

This morning, you’ll be moored near Edfu and may have the option to venture independently into town to see the nearby temple. Sail towards Luxor passing through the Esna Locks. Arrive at the open-air museum of Luxor – from the spectacular temple complex of Karnak to the Valley of the Kings, Luxor is full of wonderfully preserved reminders of the Pharaohs. Today you'll explore the Karnak Temple. One of the world's most celebrated temple complexes, Karnak is a house of the gods built over a period of some 200 years. You’ll also head over to our Intrepid Foundation partner, Animal Care in Egypt (ACE), a local NGO dedicated to providing free veterinary care for wounded working animals in the region.

Accommodation: Amwaj Nile Cruise (Feature Stay) or similar (1 night)

 Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Day 7 | Luxor

Today you will leave your riverboat and travel to the Valley of the Kings. Buried under the arid hills are over 60 tombs of pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. With your leader, explore the place where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (16th to 11th century BC) were secretly interred for all eternity, and where discoveries are still being made. Your leader will explain the history and legends of these people and the significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics. Entry is included to three tombs of your choosing, as well as access to the tomb of Tutankhamun. The unearthing of the young Pharaoh’s resting place is one of the world’s greatest archaeological discoveries, and today you’ll explore the painted chamber that holds his famous golden sarcophagus. Continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut then view the Colossi of Memnon – two 17-m-high statues on Luxor's west bank.

Accommodation: Sonesta St George Hotel or similar (1 night)

Meals: Breakfast

 Day 8 | Cairo

Board a flight to Cairo this morning. When you arrive, settle into your hotel then head out to the Al-Azhar neighbourhood to visit Khan al-Khalili Bazaar – a sprawling maze of alleyways including the gold market, cloth market, 'perfume street' and the spice market. Continue to the 9th-century Al-Azhar Mosque – one of the oldest and largest in Egypt and a masterpiece of Islamic architecture. Stop off in Cairo’s oldest coffeeshop for an Arabic coffee or mint tea as you watch the world go by. The best food in Cairo is made inside a local home – this afternoon, you’ll be welcomed into the home of a local family to sit down and enjoy a meal of traditional dishes as you gain an inside look at modern Egyptian life.

Accommodation: Steigenberger Hotel El Tahrir Cairo, Sonesta Cairo, or similar (1 night)

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Day 9 | Cairo

Your trip will come to an end today after breakfast and you’re free to leave at any time after check out. If you have arranged a private airport transfer, you’ll be advised of the pick-up time. If you would like to spend more time in Cairo, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.

Meals: Breakfast

Dates/Pricing

 

DepartTwin ShareSolo
2 January 2026$6,005pp$6,005pp
16 January 2026$6,005pp$6,005pp
27 February 2026$6,060pp$6,060pp
27 March 2026$6,250pp$6,250pp
28 April 2026$6,485pp$6,485pp

Multiple departures available in 2025 & 2026. Enquire within your nearest Phil Hoffmann Travel store, click here for more information.

*Advertised pricing is based on per solo traveller on January 2026 departures, correct as of 2 May 2025.

Booking terms and conditions apply.

* Term and conditions apply: All pricing subject to change and availability. Advertised prices are per person twin share unless stated otherwise. Offers may be withdrawn at any time. Itineraries are subject to change. Booking Conditions and Phil Hoffmann Travel Schedule of Professionalism* applies. Please speak to your Phil Hoffmann Travel Consultant for more information.

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