8 Days Luxury Egypt Tour: Cairo, Nile Cruise, Abu Simbel

Your private Egyptologist guide takes you to the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple. Lunch is at a restaurant with pyramid views. After lunch you visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, where the complete Tutankhamun treasures are on display. Breakfast and lunch are included, and you spend the night in Cairo.

• Giza Pyramids — Explore the enduring 'Old Kingdom' necropolis, home to the three colossal pyramids built for Pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, symbols of ancient Egyptian ingenuity and power.
• Great Sphinx — Gaze upon the colossal limestone statue with the body of a lion and the head of a human, a guardian of the Giza Plateau for thousands of years, embodying wisdom and strength.
• Valley Temple — Discover this ancient mortuary temple, integral to the funerary complex of Khafre, believed to have been used for the purification and mummification rites of the pharaoh.
• The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) — Step into the world's largest archaeological museum, showcasing 5,000 years of Egyptian history. Experience its groundbreaking architecture and marvel at iconic artifacts, including the legendary King Tutankhamun collection, presented in an immersive, state-of-the-art environment.

After you check out of your Cairo hotel, a private transfer takes you to the airport for the domestic flight to Luxor. Your first stop in Luxor is Karnak Temple on the East Bank. You then board your 5-star Nile cruise for lunch and visit Luxor Temple in the afternoon. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, and you spend the night on board.

• Karnak Temple — Stroll through the largest religious complex in the world, a vast open-air museum encompassing pylons, courtyards, halls, temples, and obelisks dedicated primarily to the Theban Triad.
• Luxor Temple — Admire this grand temple complex situated on the east bank of the Nile, built largely by Amenhotep III and Ramses II, serving as a center for the Opet festival and a vibrant symbol of kingship.

Today you explore Luxor's West Bank, starting with the Valley of the Kings, where New Kingdom pharaohs were buried. The Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon follow. You return to the cruise for lunch while it sails. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included.

• Valley of the Kings — Descend into the desert hills where pharaohs such as Tutankhamun and Ramses II were laid to rest, their lavishly decorated tombs providing unparalleled insights into ancient Egyptian beliefs and artistry.
• Temple of Queen Hatshepsut — Behold the remarkably preserved mortuary temple of Egypt's most successful female pharaoh, built into the cliff face at Deir el-Bahari, showcasing innovative architecture and grand narratives.
• Colossi of Memnon — Stand before the two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, silent sentinels that once flanked the entrance to his now-vanished mortuary temple, echoing tales of ancient grandeur.

The cruise reaches Edfu, where a horse-drawn carriage takes you to the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the god Horus. Later you visit the Kom Ombo double temple. The cruise is your hotel for the night.

• Edfu Temple — Explore one of Egypt's best-preserved ancient temples, dedicated to the falcon-headed god Horus, offering a vivid glimpse into Ptolemaic-era religious practices and mythology.
• Kom Ombo Temple — Visit this unusual Ptolemaic temple, uniquely dedicated to two gods simultaneously: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris (Horus the Elder), featuring twin sanctuaries, halls, and inscriptions.

Your guide takes you to the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. In the afternoon, a felucca sail among the Nile's islands is optional, and the day ends at Philae Temple. Tonight is your last night on the cruise.

• High Dam — Witness this monumental engineering achievement, built across the Nile in the 1960s, which significantly impacted Egypt's agriculture and power generation.
• Unfinished Obelisk — Inspect the largest ancient obelisk known, still partially attached to its bedrock in an Aswan quarry, offering invaluable insights into ancient Egyptian stoneworking techniques.
• Philae Temple — Explore the elegant temples on Agilkia Island, painstakingly moved from their original site to protect them from submersion after the construction of the Aswan High Dam, dedicated to the goddess Isis.

After an early breakfast, you check out of the cruise and visit Abu Simbel, the UNESCO World Heritage site with the relocated temples of Ramses II. Back in Aswan, you have a local lunch before the flight to Cairo and a final night in a Cairo hotel. Breakfast and lunch are included.

• Abu Simbel Temples — Marvel at the awe-inspiring twin temples of Ramses II and his beloved queen Nefertari, carved directly into the rock during his reign, known for their immense statues and incredible rescue operation.

Breakfast at your Cairo hotel is the last meal of the tour. At the agreed time, a Travel Joy Egypt representative takes you to Cairo airport for your departure.