20-Day Grand Egypt Adventure & Red Sea Retreat

After breakfast your private Egyptologist collects you for a full day on the Giza Plateau. Standing at the foot of the Giza Pyramids, you'll grasp the sheer scale of the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the last surviving wonder of the ancient world, before walking down to meet the Great Sphinx and the granite-columned Valley Temple that once served the pharaoh's funerary rituals. Next you'll explore the Grand Egyptian Museum, the vast new home of Tutankhamun's complete treasure collection and thousands of artifacts, framed against a window that looks out to the pyramids themselves. After lunch you'll continue to Saqqara, where the Step Pyramid of Djoser rises in six great tiers as humankind's oldest large stone monument. Your guide unpacks the engineering leap that connects Saqqara to Giza, giving real context to everything you see. You'll return to Cairo in the late afternoon for an evening at leisure.

• Giza Pyramids — The three great pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure on the Giza Plateau.
• The Great Pyramid — Khufu's pyramid, the last standing wonder of the ancient world.
• The Great Sphinx — The colossal lion-bodied guardian carved from a single limestone outcrop.
• The Valley Temple — The granite mortuary temple linked to Khafre's pyramid complex.
• The Grand Egyptian Museum — The world's largest archaeological museum, holding Tutankhamun's full collection.
• Saqqara Step Pyramid — Djoser's six-tiered pyramid, the oldest large-scale cut-stone monument on earth.

This morning you'll delve into the medieval heart of Islamic Cairo on a private guided tour of the capital's most magnificent mosques. You'll begin at the towering Sultan Hassan Madrassa-Mosque, a fourteenth-century masterpiece whose soaring stone walls and vast courtyard rank among the finest Mamluk architecture in Egypt. Directly opposite stands the Al Rifai Mosque, royal burial place of King Farouk and Egypt's last dynasty. After lunch you'll ascend to the Salah El Din Citadel, the mighty hilltop fortress built by Saladin that commands sweeping views across the city. Crowning it is the Mohamed Ali Mosque, its alabaster walls and cascading domes earning it the nickname the Alabaster Mosque. Your Egyptologist illuminates the centuries of dynasties, sieges and faith woven into these walls. You'll return to your hotel in the afternoon, with the evening free to relax before tomorrow's flight south to Aswan.

• Sultan Hassan Madrassa-Mosque — A monumental 14th-century Mamluk mosque and religious school.
• Al Rifai Mosque — The royal mausoleum housing King Farouk and Egypt's last royals.
• Salah El Din Citadel — Saladin's medieval hilltop fortress overlooking Cairo.
• Mohamed Ali Mosque — The Ottoman-style Alabaster Mosque crowning the Citadel.

After an early breakfast you'll transfer to Cairo airport for the short flight to Aswan, Egypt's serene southern city on the banks of the Nile. On arrival your local Egyptologist begins your city tour at the Aswan High Dam, the colossal 1960s engineering feat that tamed the river's floods and created Lake Nasser. Nearby you'll visit the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying in its ancient granite quarry, offering a rare window into how the Egyptians carved their giant monuments. After lunch a short motorboat ride carries you to the island Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis and famously rescued stone by stone from the rising waters. In the afternoon you'll embark on your Nile cruise, settling into your cabin as the boat becomes your floating hotel for the next three nights. Dinner is served on board as Aswan's lights shimmer across the water.

• Aswan High Dam — The vast dam that controls the Nile's flow and formed Lake Nasser.
• The Unfinished Obelisk — A giant abandoned obelisk still attached to its granite quarry bed.
• Philae Temple — The island temple of the goddess Isis, relocated to Agilkia Island.

Today brings one of the undisputed highlights of any Egypt journey: the temples of Abu Simbel, near the Sudanese border. Rising early, you'll travel south to stand before the four colossal seated figures of Ramses II that guard the entrance to his Great Temple, each carved more than twenty metres high from the living rock. Inside, vivid reliefs celebrate the pharaoh's victory at the Battle of Kadesh. Beside it, the smaller temple honours his beloved queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. Your guide explains the astonishing 1960s rescue operation that saw both temples cut apart and lifted above Lake Nasser to save them from flooding. Returning to your cruise, you'll enjoy lunch on board as the vessel prepares to sail downstream, with the timeless scenery of the Nile Valley drifting past your window and a relaxed dinner ahead.

• Abu Simbel Temples — Ramses II's rock-cut Great Temple and the adjacent temple of Nefertari, relocated above Lake Nasser.

Waking aboard your Nile cruise, you'll enjoy breakfast on deck as palm-fringed banks and working feluccas glide by. Your first stop is the unusual double Temple of Kom Ombo, perched right at the river's edge and dedicated jointly to Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, the falcon-headed elder Horus. Its perfectly symmetrical twin sanctuaries and a small museum of mummified crocodiles make it unlike anywhere else in Egypt. Sailing on to Edfu, you'll take a traditional horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus, the most complete and best-preserved temple in the country, its towering pylon and falcon statues standing almost as they did two thousand years ago. Between visits you'll savour full-board dining and unhurried hours watching rural Egypt slip past. You'll spend the night aboard as the cruise continues its gentle passage toward Luxor.

• Kom Ombo Temple — A rare symmetrical double temple honouring Sobek and Haroeris beside the Nile.
• Edfu Temple — The remarkably intact Temple of Horus, Egypt's best-preserved temple.

This morning your cruise reaches Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes and the world's greatest open-air museum. After breakfast and disembarkation you'll begin exploring the East Bank with your private guide. First comes the immense Karnak Temple, a sprawling complex built and enlarged over two thousand years, where the forest of giant columns in the Great Hypostyle Hall never fails to astonish. After lunch you'll visit the elegant Luxor Temple in the city centre, once linked to Karnak by an avenue of sphinxes and beautifully floodlit as evening falls. Your Egyptologist brings the pharaohs Amenhotep, Ramses and Tutankhamun vividly into the story of these sacred sites. Afterward you'll check in to your comfortable Luxor hotel, your base for the next four nights, with time to unwind and perhaps watch the sun set over the Nile from the terrace.

• Karnak Temple — A vast temple city famed for its towering Great Hypostyle Hall of columns.
• Luxor Temple — The graceful riverside temple in the heart of the city, stunning when floodlit.

Today you'll cross to Luxor's West Bank, the realm of the dead where the pharaohs built their eternal resting places. Your day centres on the legendary Valley of the Kings, where you'll descend into several elaborately painted royal tombs, their walls still glowing with the hieroglyphs and vivid colours meant to guide the kings into the afterlife. Nearby rises the striking Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, its clean colonnaded terraces built into the cliffs for Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh. After lunch you'll pause before the Colossi of Memnon, two weathered seventeen-metre statues that have watched over the plain for more than three thousand years. Your guide weaves together the beliefs, artistry and intrigue behind these monuments. You'll return to your Luxor hotel in the afternoon, the rest of the evening yours to relax after a rich day among the tombs of kings.

• Valley of the Kings — The royal necropolis of the New Kingdom, with lavishly decorated rock-cut tombs.
• Hatshepsut Temple — The dramatic terraced mortuary temple of Egypt's greatest female pharaoh.
• Colossi of Memnon — Two towering seated statues of Amenhotep III guarding the Theban plain.

Beyond Luxor's famous sites lie quieter treasures, and today you'll seek them out with your private Egyptologist. You'll begin at the Valley of the Queens, where the exquisitely decorated tombs of royal wives and princes await, including some of the finest painted chambers in all of Egypt. Next you'll explore the vast, wonderfully preserved Medinet Habu, the mortuary temple of Ramses III, whose brightly coloured reliefs and towering walls see far fewer visitors than they deserve. After lunch you'll continue to Deir el-Medina, the remarkable village where the artisans who carved the royal tombs lived, worked and built their own jewel-like chapels. These lesser-known sites reveal the everyday lives behind the grand monuments. You'll head back to your Luxor hotel in the afternoon, with a free evening to enjoy the city's relaxed pace at your leisure.

• Valley of the Queens — The burial ground of royal wives and children, with beautifully painted tombs.
• Habu Temple — Medinet Habu, the well-preserved mortuary temple of Ramses III.
• Deir El-Medina — The village and tombs of the artisans who built the royal necropolis.

Today's excursion ventures north of Luxor to two of Egypt's most beautifully preserved temples, often missed by shorter tours. You'll drive first to the Temple of Dendera, dedicated to Hathor, goddess of love and joy, where recently cleaned ceilings blaze with astonishing colour and the famous Dendera zodiac adorns the halls. After lunch you'll continue to the sacred site of Abydos, one of the oldest religious centres in the country. Here the Temple of Seti I holds some of the most refined relief carving ever produced, along with the celebrated King List that records the pharaohs who came before. Your guide explains why Abydos was revered as the burial place of the god Osiris and a place of pilgrimage for millennia. It's a full and rewarding day through the Nile Valley countryside, returning to your Luxor hotel by evening for a restful final night in the south.

• Dendera Temple — The vividly coloured Temple of Hathor, famed for its restored ceilings and zodiac.
• Abydos Temple — The Temple of Seti I, home to superb reliefs and the Abydos King List.

After breakfast you'll bid farewell to Luxor and transfer to the airport for your flight to Sharm El-Sheikh, the sun-drenched resort city on the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. On arrival your representative meets you and transfers you to your Red Sea hotel, where the pace shifts entirely: after two weeks of temples and history, the rest of your holiday is about relaxation. The remainder of the day is free for you to settle in, unwind by the pool, or stroll down to the beach and dip your toes in the famously warm, clear waters of the Red Sea. You might wander into lively Naama Bay in the evening for dinner and a taste of Sharm's easygoing resort atmosphere. Your guide remains on call to help arrange any optional excursions you'd like over the coming days.

Today is entirely yours to enjoy at leisure in Sharm El-Sheikh. With no early starts and no itinerary to follow, you might simply stretch out on the beach, alternate between the sea and the pool, and let the warm Sinai sun work its magic. For the more active, the Red Sea offers some of the finest snorkelling and diving on earth, and your hotel's house reef or a short boat trip to nearby coral gardens reveals a dazzling world of tropical fish and vivid corals just beneath the surface. Alternatively you could indulge in a spa treatment, browse the local markets, or take a sunset camel ride along the shore. Should you wish, your Travel Joy guide can arrange optional activities such as a desert quad-bike safari or a glass-bottom boat trip. However you choose to spend it, this is your day to recharge.

Today you'll journey into the rugged mountains of the Sinai interior to visit the ancient Saint Catherine's Monastery, one of the oldest continuously inhabited Christian monasteries in the world. Nestled at the foot of Mount Sinai, where tradition holds that Moses received the Ten Commandments, this sixth-century Greek Orthodox monastery shelters an extraordinary collection of early icons and manuscripts, as well as the living Burning Bush of biblical fame. Your guide shares the layered history of this UNESCO World Heritage Site, sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews alike. You'll have time to explore the fortified walls and the mosaic-lined Church of the Transfiguration before the scenic drive back through the desert mountains. Returning to Sharm El-Sheikh in the afternoon, the evening is yours to relax at your resort. It's a moving contrast to the pharaonic wonders you've already seen, and a highlight of the Sinai.

• Saint Catherine Monastery — A 6th-century Greek Orthodox monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai, home to priceless icons and the Burning Bush.

Another full day of freedom awaits in Sharm El-Sheikh, yours to shape however you please. Perhaps you'll dedicate today to the underwater world: the reefs of Ras Mohammed National Park, at the very tip of the peninsula, are legendary among divers and snorkellers for their sheer coral walls and abundant marine life, and your guide can arrange a boat trip out to them. If you prefer to stay on dry land, you might relax with a book by the pool, treat yourself at the spa, or simply enjoy long, lazy meals overlooking the sea. As evening falls, Naama Bay's palm-lined promenade comes alive with cafes, shops and restaurants, perfect for an unhurried dinner. There's no pressure and no schedule today, only the gentle rhythm of Red Sea resort life to enjoy exactly as you wish.

This morning brings a memorable way to discover the Red Sea's marine splendour without ever getting wet. You'll board a genuine submarine that descends beneath the surface, its large viewing windows opening onto vibrant coral reefs, shoals of tropical fish and the occasional sea turtle that make these waters so celebrated. It's an ideal experience for all ages and for anyone who prefers to admire the underwater world in comfort, and your guide points out the marine life gliding past. The vessel drifts along the reef line while an informative commentary explains the fragile ecosystem you're exploring. Back on shore around midday, the rest of the day returns to leisure: relax at your resort, revisit the beach, or explore more of Sharm at your own pace. It's another gentle, rewarding day on the shores of the Red Sea before your holiday continues.

Your final full day in Sharm El-Sheikh is another chance to savour the ease of Red Sea living before you return to Cairo. Sleep in, linger over breakfast, and spend the day doing exactly as much or as little as you like. This is the perfect moment to revisit a favourite stretch of beach, squeeze in one last snorkelling session over the coral, or finally try that optional excursion you've been considering, whether a desert safari at sunset or a boat trip along the coast. Many guests simply choose to unwind completely, banking rest before the busy sightseeing days that close the tour. In the evening you might enjoy a farewell dinner in Naama Bay, toasting the Sinai and the remarkable two weeks behind you. Make the most of the sea and sun today, as tomorrow you fly back to the capital.

After breakfast you'll transfer to Sharm El-Sheikh airport for your flight back to Cairo, where a full day of discovery awaits with your private Egyptologist. You'll begin at the historic Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, its crowded halls brimming with pharaonic masterpieces gathered over more than a century. Next you'll visit the beautifully designed National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, home to the Royal Mummies Hall where Egypt's greatest kings and queens now rest. Turning to Coptic Cairo, you'll step inside the graceful Hanging Church, suspended above a Roman gate and one of the oldest churches in Egypt. In the afternoon you'll wander medieval Al Muizz Street, a living museum of Islamic architecture, before losing yourself in the bustling alleys of the Khan El Khalili Bazaar, where you can sip mint tea and shop for spices, silver and souvenirs. You'll check in to your Cairo hotel in the evening.

• The Egyptian Museum — The century-old Tahrir Square museum packed with pharaonic treasures.
• The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization — Modern museum whose Royal Mummies Hall displays Egypt's greatest rulers.
• The Hanging Church — One of Egypt's oldest Coptic churches, suspended over a Roman gatehouse.
• Al Muizz Street — An open-air corridor of medieval Islamic architecture in old Cairo.
• Khan El Khalili Bazaar — Cairo's historic labyrinthine market of spices, silver and souvenirs.

Today you'll travel to the Mediterranean city of Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great and once home to the ancient world's greatest library and lighthouse. Roughly a three-hour drive north brings you to a city with an atmosphere all its own. With your guide you'll descend into the eerie Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, a multi-level Roman burial complex where Egyptian and Greco-Roman art blend in remarkable fashion. Nearby stands the lone red-granite Pompey's Pillar, towering above the ruins of the Serapeum temple. After lunch by the sea you'll visit the strikingly modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a soaring reimagining of the legendary library that once made this city the intellectual capital of the world. Finally you'll take in the waterfront Qaitbay Citadel, a fifteenth-century fortress built on the very site of the ancient Pharos lighthouse. You'll spend the night in Alexandria, breathing in the salt air of Egypt's Mediterranean coast.

• Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa — A multi-storey Roman-era necropolis blending Egyptian and Greco-Roman art.
• Pompey's Pillar — A towering red-granite column standing among the ruins of the Serapeum.
• Alexandria Library — The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a modern tribute to the legendary ancient library.
• Qaitbay Citadel — A 15th-century seafront fortress built on the site of the Pharos lighthouse.

You'll enjoy a final morning exploring Alexandria's gentler treasures before returning to Cairo. Beginning at the lush Montazah Gardens, you'll stroll the seaside grounds of the former royal palace, with its picturesque bridge and views along the coast. Nearby you'll visit Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox Church, seat of one of Christianity's oldest communities, and the graceful Morsi Abu Abbas Mosque, its cream-coloured domes and minaret a landmark of the city's Muslim quarter. After lunch you'll explore the Alexandria National Museum, whose thoughtfully arranged collection traces the city's story from pharaonic through Greco-Roman, Coptic and Islamic eras. With your sightseeing complete, you'll settle in for the scenic drive back to Cairo, where you'll check in to your hotel for the final night of your grand Egyptian adventure. Your guide confirms your departure transfer, leaving the evening free to rest or pack at your leisure.

• Montazah Gardens — The seaside gardens and palace grounds of Egypt's former royal family.
• Saint Mark's Church — A historic Coptic Orthodox cathedral in the heart of Alexandria.
• Morsi Abu Abbas Mosque — Alexandria's grandest mosque, with elegant domes and a soaring minaret.
• Alexandria National Museum — A museum tracing the city through pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic and Islamic eras.

Your twenty-day Egyptian odyssey comes to a close today. Depending on your flight time, you may have a chance to enjoy a final leisurely breakfast, pick up any last souvenirs, or simply reflect on the extraordinary journey behind you, from the pyramids of Giza and the temples of the Nile to the reefs of the Red Sea and the shores of Alexandria. At the appropriate time your private Travel Joy representative meets you at your hotel and transfers you in comfort to Cairo International Airport, assisting with the departure formalities before you check in for your onward flight. You'll leave Egypt with a camera full of memories, a deeper understanding of one of the world's oldest civilisations, and, we hope, every reason to return one day. Ma'a salama, and safe travels home.