Discover ancient temples and tombs and travel by Nile cruise boat with fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Charlene Bearhead
Follow in the footsteps of the ancient pharaohs and ride the sands of time back thousands of years on this classic Egypt Nile cruise led by an expert local guide and hosted by Indigenous education advocate and author, Vice President – Learning and Reconciliation at Canadian Geographic ,and a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Charlene Bearhead. With ancient tombs and mysteries around every bend, unrivalled legacy and mind-blowing history await!
This trip allows you to visit all the major sites and attractions along the Nile in comfort. Boarding our cruise boat at Luxor we travel upstream, watching local life pass, while also visiting the spectacular Edfu and Kom Ombo temples along the way. The lush banks and beautiful sunsets over the Nile, together with the excellent on-board facilities, make this an unforgettable way to travel.
Accommodation: 6 Superior nights (2 hotel, 4 Nile cruise boat), 2 Classic nights (hotel)
Travel by minibus, cruise boat and one internal flight
Group normally 6 to 20, plus local leader. Minimum age: 16
What's Included
All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners
All accommodation (see accommodation section)
All transport and listed activities
What's Not Included
Travel insurance
Single accommodation (available on request)
Visas or vaccinations
People, Places & Planet
We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice hereand find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.
Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:
People
How this trip helps improve life for local communities.
Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
There are options to have a Nubian dinner in an Aswan village, where clients can have an authentic meal, interact socially and directly see who their money is going to.
How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.
By travelling in a small group we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for re-usable bottles.
The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological sites generates income which is used for upkeep and development of these important sites. In this trip we enter numerous ancient sites.
Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices regarding working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
We support A.C.E (Animal Care in Egypt) by giving our guests the opportunity to visit their centre. A.C.E. is a charity dedicated to stopping the suffering of animals in the most deprived communities in Luxor by providing free veterinary care and education to their owners.
With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.
Planet
How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.
Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.
Tips for sustainable travel on this trip
Leave no trace: we do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
Plastic waste reduction: please bring a re-usable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.
Itinerary
Cairo
Aswan
Fly to Cairo
Fly to Cairo.
Accommodation: Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel or similar
Day
1
Start Cairo
Welcome to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where the ancient and modern worlds connect seamlessly. There’s plenty packed into this holiday, but today is all about settling in.
Accommodation: Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel or similar
Day
2
Visit the Pyramids at Giza, the Egyptian Museum, El Azhar Mosque and Cairo's lively bazaar
We begin our day with a welcome briefing with your leader (usually at 7:00 or 7:30 am) and a chance to meet the other members of your group.
Please have your breakfast before the briefing and be sure that you bring your insurance details as the leader needs to gather this information.
First on our sightseeing is a visit to Giza, home to the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus and the mysterious Great Sphinx. Only the throng of sightseers milling around their huge foundations keep you in the 21st century.
We next pay a visit to the incredible Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which contains relics dating back to 4,000 BCE, including the fantastic riches of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Here is a unique opportunity to survey the many fabulous treasures of Egypt in one place and to set the scene for the rest of the adventure. For the remainder of our tour we experience modern Cairo with visits to Al Azhar mosque (the oldest mosque and university in Cairo and still very much in use) (could be closed without prior notice according to authorities) and the small alleyways and streets that make up the bazaar. Please note that we will need to cover up at the mosque (long sleeves and trousers, long skirt for women) and women will also need to cover their hair with a scarf.
Accommodation: Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
3
Fly to Luxor; visit Karnak and Luxor temples. Board cruise boat; free afternoon to explore
We typically transfer to Cairo airport before sunrise for our flight to Luxor (flight times can vary but we need to be at the airport three hours before the flight so expect a wake up around 2am). A breakfast box will be provided. On arrival, we visit Luxor Temple and the huge Karnak Temple complex on the east bank of the Nile. Built more than 1,500 years, Karnak is a mixture of pylons, courtyards, halls and sanctuaries. The Hypostyle Hall has 134 columns, some of which are more than 75ft (23m) high. We arrive at our cruise boat in time for lunch on board before free time in the afternoon to relax or explore Luxor.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Style or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Days
4 - 5
Valley of the Kings; two days on the Nile with visits to Edfu and Kom Ombo en route
This morning we leave our boat very early morning (this timing is to ensure we are back at the boat for the commencement of the cruise time) for a 30-40 minute bus ride to the the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile. The Valley contains the once-hidden tombs of more than 62 pharaohs, including Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramses III and IV. A discreet entrance in the hillside takes visitors underground; a series of corridors and ante-chambers leads us down to the burial chamber and sarcophagus. The walls are covered in brightly painted images and hieroglyphs – a map of the afterlife to ensure the king’s safe passage. One ticket allows us to see three tombs. The ticket usually allows entry into what are regarded as the most impressive tombs, but, if you have time, a visit to the tomb of Ramses VI (extra ticket), entry to Tutankhamun’s tomb (extra ticket), payable locally are recommended. Seti I is another option but in terms of size and decoration, it is not as impressive as many of the other tombs, but is of course historically very interesting.
Visits to tombs are now strictly controlled to halt further deterioration of wall paintings – each tomb is periodically closed for a number of weeks.
On crowded days, make sure to have a quick visit to each of the included tombs if you want to add extra tombs as your leader will give a fixed meeting time in order to return to the cruise boat before it sails.
On return to our cruise boat we begin our voyage along the Nile, travelling upstream from Luxor to Aswan. Exact sailing and excursion times cannot be guaranteed for each individual trip but we will visit the temples of Edfu, famed for its roofed inner temples and huge Pylon, in the morning of day 5. In the late afternoon on day 5, we visit Kom Ombo temple, before setting sail for Aswan where we will overnight.
The cruise boat has good facilities: a sundeck with loungers, bar and small pool, restaurant, gift shop and library. These can all be taken advantage of when the cruise boat is docked or during sailing. The sunsets over the Nile are truly stunning and travelling from Luxor to Aswan, enjoying the beauty of the verdant landscape, makes this journey special.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Style or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day
6
Continue Nile cruise; optional visit to Abu Simbel
Today there’s the option of a visit to Abu Simbel 186mi (300km) to the south through the Nubian Desert. The optional bus tour starts at 3.30am/4am in the morning when we get picked up from the boat. A breakfast box is provided. We arrive at the destination around 8am, where we are given approximately two hours in the area to visit the temples. Built by Ramses II, the two temples are certainly some of the most spectacular in Egypt. Originally on the banks of the Nile, the temples were raised to a new site above the lake in the late 1960s, as the waters from the new Lake Nasser rose behind the Aswan High Dam. The four great seated statues of Ramses II stare east towards the rising sun. We will be back in Aswan around 1.30 pm before lunch.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Style or similar
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day
7
Disembark cruise; tour of bazaar or optional excursion to Philae Temple, Aswan High Dam and Cleopatra's Unfinished Obelisk
After breakfast on board, we disembark and have a full day in Aswan. This is a laid-back town that reflects the character of its largely Nubian inhabitants, known for being friendly and hospitable. By virtue of its position on the old caravan route, it has always been a trading centre and we thoroughly recommend visiting the packed bazaar today, where merchants display spices, carpets, leather goods and countless other wares. There is also the option to visit the Nubian Museum, situated opposite our usual hotel in Aswan (please ask your tour director if you are interested and when it can be arranged).
Opened in April 1998, the museum chronologically charts the history and culture of the Nubian people. Alternatively, we can arrange an optional visit to Philae Temple. In the 1970s it was relocated by Unesco to Aglika Island after it became evident that the original site of Philae would submerge on completion of the Aswan High Dam. It represents a magnificent and enduring testament to both ancient and modern engineering. During this excursion we will also visit Aswan High Dam and Cleopatra’s Unfinished Obelisk.
Accommodation: Basma Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
8
Optional visit to Nubian museum; afternoon felucca ride
Today’s our last day in Aswan. Our morning is free to relax or book an optional excursion to St Simone Monastery or a nearby Nubian museum. In the afternoon we explore the Nile by felucca, the traditional Egyptian sailing boat. Using the felucca, we can truly savour the tranquillity of the Nile and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, where the vast desert almost reaches the water’s edge. (The timings of the felucca sailing might be changed according to weather conditions). We end the day with our final dinner together, at one of this historic city’s restaurants.
Accommodation: Basma Hotel or similar
Meals included: Breakfast
Fly to London via Cairo.
Fly to London.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day
9
End Aswan
You’ve marvelled at the Great Pyramids, gazed at King Tut’s treasures and journeyed down the Nile. Now, however, it’s time to start your return journey home. Of course, if you’re not quite ready for the adventure to end, talk to your sales representative about extending your stay at the hotel – Egypt has a lifetime of wonders to discover.
Meals included: Breakfast
Essential Info
Is this trip for you?
This trip is graded Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.
It is suitable for all clients with average health and fitness. No experience of any activity involved is necessary. Most days involve early starts (especially Day 3 when we catch an early flight to Luxor) but this allows us to get the most from our time in Egypt and avoid the worst of the heat. Egypt can get hot, which can cause discomfort while travelling. The hottest months tend to be June to September when temperatures can hit 40C (104F) in the south of the country. Care should be taken to keep hydrated. The hotels and cruise boat we use on this trip are of a high standard, providing excellent levels of comfort.
Please note,Ramadan is expected to run from approximately 28 February-29 March 2025. Ramadan, one of the most important events in the Muslim calendar, is a special time to visit Egypt. Each evening, the streets empty as people head home to break the fast, before refilling with an air of festivity upon their return.
Our leaders and drivers choose to work at this time, so we continue to run trips. Please be aware, however, that their energy levels may be slightly lower than normal.
Tourist sites are still open, but may close earlier than usual. Restaurants may close during the day, but this is accounted for in meal arrangements for your group. Shops are typically open, though their hours may vary and they will definitely be closed during the breaking of the fast.
Your leader will know how timings need to be adapted to allow all the trip inclusions to run during Ramadan. To fully enjoy your holiday experience at this unique time of year, we suggest patience and flexibility.
Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as not suitable for full wheelchair users, but it may be suitable for other persons of reduced mobility. Please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start hotel: Cairo Pyramids Hotel, Cairo – Alexandria Desert Rd, Kafr Nassar, Pyramids, Giza Governorate 3515011 Phone: +20 2 33772555 Recommended arrival time: Hotel check-in is from 2pm Airport: Cairo (CAI)
Getting to the start hotel
The start hotel is approximately a one-hour drive from the airport. Your options for this journey are:
Take an Exodus transfer
Exodus provides one group arrival transfer from the airport, which is timed to coincide with the arrival of a chosen flight from London, UK. You may join this transfer at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the group arrival transfer times. (For the group transfer you need to know that you will be waiting for other travellers arrival and luggage, otherwise you can prebook a private transfer).
Make your own way
It’s possible to reach the start hotel by public transport, but the journey is complicated. We therefore recommend joining the group transfer where possible or arranging a private transfer with us at additional cost. If not, a cab from the airport to the start hotel costs 100 Egyptian pounds (US$5) and should take an hour. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Catching your return flight
There’s a group departure transfer to Aswan International Airport (ASW) for customers who Exodus booked onto a chosen flight to London, UK. Please speak to your sales consultant if you wish to join. If the group departure transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales consultant to arrange an alternative transfer.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Cairo Location end: Aswan
Vaccinations and Health
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements; however, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A vaccines are recommended. Although not usually advised, other vaccinations to consider include rabies and hepatitis B.
Passport
Remember to check the expiration date of your passport if travelling internationally. Many countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after the date of your scheduled return.
Visa
Egypt
Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Egypt. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
If you are obtaining your visa online, please ensure you have a scan of your passport ready. The file size should be small and ideally saved as a JPEG or PDF otherwise you might not be able to load it on the visa application.
You will need to provide your host’s information on the application – please use the following details:
South Sinai Travel
79 Merghany Street
Cairo
Egypt
Telephone: +20 22418 7310
www.southsinai.com
salwa.ibrahim@southsinai.com
Please note, Egyptian officials have requested tourists carry a copy of their passport with them while in the country. Please also note, some prescribed medicines are controlled substances in Egypt.
Food & Drink
All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners included.
In the itinerary, we state which meals are included on which day. For meals not included, we suggest you allow approximately US$15 for lunch and (US$20) for dinner (this differs according to the type of restaurant you are looking for). Food in Egypt involves such things as kebabs, chicken, stews, pitta-bread, falafel, beans, vegetables, pickles and salads. Dishes tend to be simple and wholesome and vegetarians can be catered for, though the options may be somewhat limited. Drinks and water at hotels & on the cruise boat are not included.
Weather
Rain is very rare in all parts of Egypt and most days are sunny and clear. Summer temperatures often near 40C (104F) but this is particularly true for the period between June and September. The winter months can be surprisingly cold, especially on the Nile or at night. The average daytime maximum in Cairo in January is 20C (68F), night time minimum is 8C (46F). In the summer, these temperatures are 35C (95F) and 22C (72F) respectively. Daytime temperatures are slightly higher on average in Aswan. For accurate info you can visit one of the weather websites to get full forecast during your trip.
Cruise boat and hotels
We stay in four-star hotels (local rating) and spend four nights navigating the Nile on a cruise boat. Below are the places we typically stay during our time in Egypt.
Cairo: Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel (nights 1-2)
With views over the Pyramids of Giza from the outdoor swimming pool, this elegant property is the ideal place to begin your Egyptian adventure. The pool also has a swim-up bar. Rooms are spacious, a perfect spot to rest after your day’s adventure. Why not ask your sales representative about upgrading to a Pyramids view room?
Nile: M/S Nile Style cruise boat (nights 3-6)
Climb aboard this stylish cruise boat for an unforgettable journey on the longest river in the world. It has 77 air-conditioned cabins, each with a view over the waters while sailing, allowing you to relax in peace and watch the world drift past.
Much of your free time may well be spent on the spacious sundeck, which has a dipping pool and plenty of cushy loungers (shaded and unshaded). Elsewhere, there’s a gym, sophisticated lounge bar and elegant restaurant.
Aswan: Basma Hotel (nights 7-8)
On the highest hill in Aswan, directly opposite the Nubian Museum, the Basma occupies a privileged spot. Rooms come in a mixture of styles, many with views over the city or the Nile, and you can spend your free time cooling off in the expansive pool.
The property is also home to The Lotus restaurant, which serves an eclectic mix of international and local cuisines, plus the Vienna Cafe, where you can enjoy light bites, hot drinks and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Worth knowing
In common with all Nile cruises, the M/S Nile Style moors next to other boats at night, meaning you may only have a view of the river from your cabin while sailing.
The accommodation shown has been booked and agreed in advance, however we may need to make changes to a property of similar or higher standard after you have booked. We will endeavour to inform you of any changes in advance which could, on rare occasions, be at late notice.
This departure is guaranteed to go ahead and is now fully booked, although we may have people holding spaces without payment. Please contact our Sales team for further information.
*Please note any date & price adjustments will be displayed on the next step of booking. You will be able to revert back to booking without flights if the options aren't suitable for you.