13-Day Egypt Family Adventure & Nile Cruise

After breakfast you set off on a private guided tour of the Giza Plateau, home to the last surviving wonder of the ancient world. Standing before the Great Pyramid of Khufu, you grasp the sheer scale that has astonished travellers for millennia, then wander to the enigmatic Great Sphinx, its lion's body and human face gazing eternally eastward. Your Egyptologist guide unravels the riddles of the Valley Temple, where pharaohs were prepared for the afterlife, sharing stories that keep younger explorers spellbound. After lunch you continue to the magnificent Grand Egyptian Museum, the largest archaeological museum in the world, where the complete treasures of Tutankhamun and thousands of artefacts trace Egypt's dazzling history. There is plenty of space to roam, marvel and photograph at your own pace before returning to your Cairo hotel for a restful evening.

• Giza Pyramids Complex
• The Great Pyramid — The colossal tomb of Khufu, the oldest and only intact ancient wonder.
• The Great Sphinx — The mysterious limestone guardian with a lion's body and pharaoh's face.
• The Valley Temple
• The Grand Egyptian Museum — The world's largest archaeological museum, home to Tutankhamun's full collection.

Today reveals Cairo's layered soul on a private guided tour through its Islamic and Coptic quarters. You begin at the mighty Salah El Din Citadel, a medieval fortress crowning the city, then step inside the alabaster-clad Mohamed Ali Mosque, its domes and slender minarets soaring overhead. Descending into old Coptic Cairo, you visit the beautiful Hanging Church, suspended above a Roman gateway, and the ancient Ben Ezra Synagogue, a moving reminder of Egypt's rich religious tapestry. After lunch at a local restaurant, you stroll historic Al Muizz Street, lined with exquisitely restored medieval architecture, before losing yourselves in the buzzing lanes of Khan El Khalili Bazaar. Here the whole family can hunt for handmade souvenirs, sip sweet mint tea and soak up centuries of trading energy. You return to your hotel with bags of treasures and a head full of colourful memories.

• Salah El Din Citadel — A medieval fortress built by Saladin, crowning Cairo with panoramic views.
• Mohamed Ali Mosque — The soaring alabaster mosque at the heart of the Citadel.
• The Hanging Church — An ancient Coptic church suspended above a Roman fortress gate.
• Ben Ezra Synagogue
• Al Muizz Street
• Khan El Khalili Bazaar — Cairo's legendary medieval market, a maze of crafts, spices and cafes.

Swap the desert for the sea on a full-day private excursion to Alexandria, Egypt's elegant coastal city founded by Alexander the Great. The drive north brings you to the atmospheric Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, a three-tiered underground necropolis where Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles blend in fascinating ways. Nearby rises Pompey's Pillar, a towering granite column that has watched over the city for seventeen centuries. After a seafood lunch overlooking the harbour, you explore the handsome Qaitbay Citadel, a fifteenth-century fortress built on the very site of the legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the ancient world's greatest wonders. Sea breezes, sweeping views and open promenades make this a refreshing, easy-paced day for families. In the late afternoon you begin the scenic journey back to Cairo, arriving in the evening to rest ahead of your flight south to Aswan.

• Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa — A three-level Roman-era necropolis fusing Egyptian and Greco-Roman art.
• Pompey's Pillar — A towering red granite column, Alexandria's tallest ancient monument.
• Qaitbay Citadel — A seafront fortress raised on the ruins of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria.

An early flight carries you south to Aswan, Egypt's serene Nubian gateway where the Nile flows sapphire-blue between golden dunes. Your private guided tour opens at the mighty Aswan High Dam, an engineering marvel that tamed the river's annual floods, before you visit the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying in its ancient granite quarry and revealing exactly how pharaonic monuments were carved. You then sail to the enchanting island Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis and rescued stone by stone from the rising waters. As the afternoon softens, you glide across the Nile aboard a traditional felucca, its white sail catching the breeze, and step ashore in a colourful Nubian village to meet welcoming locals known for their warm hospitality. This evening you embark your Nile cruise ship, settling into your cabin as the timeless river drifts by beneath the stars.

• Aswan High Dam — The vast modern dam that created Lake Nasser and tamed the Nile floods.
• The Unfinished Obelisk — A colossal obelisk abandoned in its granite quarry, revealing ancient carving methods.
• Philae Temple — The graceful island temple of Isis, relocated to save it from rising waters.
• Felucca Ride — A gentle sail on the Nile aboard a traditional white-sailed boat.
• The Nubian Village — A vibrant riverside village famed for its colourful houses and hospitality.

Wake to breakfast on board as your Nile cruise glides through timeless riverside scenery, palm groves and farming villages sliding past your window. Your first stop is the striking Temple of Kom Ombo, unusually dedicated to two gods, the crocodile deity Sobek and the falcon-headed Horus, with a small museum of mummified crocodiles that delights curious children. Sailing onward, you moor at Edfu, where a horse-drawn carriage carries you to the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in all of Egypt, its towering pylons and carved walls still vivid after more than two thousand years. Between visits you can relax on the sun deck, watch the ever-changing banks and enjoy full-board dining as the vessel makes its unhurried way toward Luxor. It is a wonderfully gentle day that blends discovery with the soothing rhythm of life on the river.

• Kom Ombo Temple — A rare double temple honouring the gods Sobek and Horus, with mummified crocodiles.
• Edfu Temple — The magnificently preserved Temple of Horus, reached by horse-drawn carriage.

Luxor, the world's greatest open-air museum, awaits on a full day of private guided touring across both banks of the Nile. On the West Bank you descend into the Valley of the Kings, exploring the vividly painted tombs where pharaohs including Tutankhamun were laid to rest. Nearby, the elegant terraces of Hatshepsut's Temple rise dramatically against the cliffs, honouring Egypt's most powerful queen, while the towering statues known as the Colossi of Memnon stand guard over the plain. After lunch you cross to the East Bank and the vast Karnak Temple, where a forest of giant columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall leaves every visitor, young and old, gazing upward in wonder. Your Egyptologist brings each site to life with stories of gods and dynasties, then you return to your cruise ship for a final relaxing night aboard.

• Valley of the Kings — The royal burial ground of the New Kingdom pharaohs, with richly painted tombs.
• Hatshepsut Temple — The dramatic terraced temple of Egypt's most powerful queen.
• Colossi of Memnon — Two towering seated statues that once guarded a vanished mortuary temple.
• Karnak Temple — A vast temple complex famed for its forest of giant columns.

After a leisurely breakfast you disembark your Nile cruise and bid farewell to the river, then travel by private vehicle across the Eastern Desert to the sparkling shores of the Red Sea. The scenic drive to Hurghada takes a few hours, the landscape shifting from Nile-side green to dramatic mountains and wide open desert. On arrival you check in to your beachfront resort, where the pace slows and the holiday takes on a relaxed, sun-soaked mood. The rest of the day is yours to unwind: sink your toes into the soft sand, take a first dip in the warm turquoise water, or simply lounge by the pool while the children play. Hurghada's family-friendly resorts offer everything you need for a restful few days on the coast after your action-packed journey through the wonders of ancient Egypt.

Today is entirely yours to enjoy at your own pace on the Red Sea Riviera. With no fixed schedule, you can sleep in, linger over a generous breakfast and let the whole family recharge. Spend the morning building sandcastles on the beach, floating in the calm, crystal-clear water or exploring your resort's pools and gardens. Optional excursions are easy to arrange should you wish to add a little adventure, from a desert quad-bike safari to a glass-bottom boat trip or a dolphin-watching cruise. Alternatively, simply do nothing at all, savouring the sunshine, the sea air and precious time together. Hurghada's laid-back charm makes it the perfect place to pause between the wonders of Cairo, the eternal Nile and Luxor, and there is no finer reward than a slow, restful day beside the water before more adventures.

The Red Sea hides one of the planet's most spectacular underwater worlds, and today you dive right in. After breakfast you set out on a snorkeling excursion to some of Hurghada's finest offshore reefs, where warm, gin-clear water teems with life. Slipping on your mask and fins, you drift above vibrant coral gardens alive with darting parrotfish, angelfish and clownfish and, if you are lucky, a gliding sea turtle. Attentive boat crews watch over swimmers of every ability, making it a safe and thrilling adventure for children and first-time snorkelers as much as seasoned swimmers. Between dips you relax on deck under the Egyptian sun, enjoy a freshly prepared lunch and soak up the sweeping sea views. It is an unforgettable family highlight that reveals a completely different, wonderfully colourful side of Egypt before you cruise gently back to shore.

• Red Sea Snorkeling Excursion — A guided boat trip to Hurghada's coral reefs, alive with tropical fish.

Enjoy one more unhurried day on the Red Sea coast with the itinerary entirely open. Perhaps you return to the beach for another lazy morning of swimming and sunbathing, or treat yourselves to a spa session while the children join the resort's activity club. This is the ideal moment to try any experience you have not yet had time for, whether that is a submarine tour, a spot of windsurfing or a leisurely wander through Hurghada's marina, lined with cafes and shops. Families with older children might venture out to a lively local market, while younger ones will happily spend hours in the pool. However you choose to fill it, this final full day in Hurghada lets everyone relax completely and store up energy before the journey home to Cairo begins tomorrow. Simply breathe in the sea air and enjoy Egypt at its most restful.

After breakfast you check out of your Red Sea resort and transfer to Hurghada airport for your short domestic flight back to Cairo. On arrival you are met once again by your Travel Joy Egypt representative and transferred in comfort to your hotel. Depending on your schedule, the rest of the day is free to enjoy at leisure, perhaps picking up last-minute souvenirs, savouring a final Egyptian meal or simply resting after your travels. If you would like to add a farewell experience, we can arrange an optional dinner Nile cruise with music and entertainment, or a return visit to the lively lanes of Khan El Khalili. Your comfortable Cairo hotel offers the perfect base to reflect on an extraordinary family adventure that has spanned pyramids, temples, the timeless Nile and the sparkling Red Sea.

Your remarkable thirteen-day journey through Egypt draws to a gentle close. Enjoy a final breakfast and, depending on your departure time, perhaps a last stroll or a little souvenir shopping before checking out of your hotel. At the appointed hour your private driver and Travel Joy Egypt representative collect you and transfer you in comfort to Cairo International Airport, assisting with the check-in formalities for your onward flight. You leave with a camera full of photographs and a lifetime of shared family memories, from standing before the Great Pyramid to snorkeling the Red Sea and sailing the eternal Nile. We wave you off with warm wishes and sincere thanks for travelling with us, and we hope to welcome you and your family back to Egypt very soon for your next unforgettable adventure.