The complete Egypt circuit — history, river, and sea.

Ten days is when an Egypt trip transitions from efficient to genuinely comfortable. The essential sites — Cairo, the Nile cruise, Aswan — get the time they deserve, and the addition of two days at Hurghada on the Red Sea provides a genuine contrast at the end: beach, reef, and no itinerary.

This package covers the full Egyptian arc: Cairo for the museums and pyramids, Luxor for the Valley of the Kings and Karnak, a 4-night Nile cruise for Edfu and Kom Ombo, Aswan for Philae and Abu Simbel, then Hurghada for two days of Red Sea before departure. Private Egyptologist throughout the historical sites. 5-star hotels and cruise ships throughout.

Highlights

• Grand Egyptian Museum — Tutankhamun collection, Royal Mummies, private Egyptologist
• Giza Plateau — the three pyramids and Sphinx with morning light
• Saqqara — the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world's oldest monumental stone structure
• Valley of the Kings and the full Luxor West Bank
• Karnak Temple — the largest religious complex ever built
• 4-night Nile cruise: Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan — all private-guided
• Philae Temple by motorboat · Abu Simbel day trip from Aswan
• 2 nights at Hurghada — Red Sea snorkelling, reef, no schedule

Who This Tour Is For

• Travelers who want Egypt's full historical circuit without compressing the pace
• Those who want the Nile cruise experience plus the Red Sea — one trip covering both, without planning two journeys
• First-time visitors with ten days who want to see everything that matters
• Families and couples who want the monuments done properly and a genuine decompression at the end

What Makes This Tour Different

• Saqqara on Day 3 — the Step Pyramid of Djoser predates Giza by several decades and is where Egyptian architecture was invented. It sits 30 kilometres from Cairo and is included properly, not as an optional add-on or a rushed morning visit.
• Abu Simbel is built into the itinerary — not listed as optional and forgotten. Day 9 is Abu Simbel day: an early-morning flight from Aswan, both temples with your Egyptologist, and return to Aswan by afternoon.
• Hurghada as decompression — two full days at the Red Sea resort with no schedule, no guide, no sites. After eight days of monuments, this is intentional and correct. The reef at Hurghada is accessible by boat, and the snorkelling is genuinely good.
• 4-night Nile cruise — not the compressed 3-night version. Edfu and Kom Ombo each get a proper day, and Aswan gets a full day of its own with Philae and the High Dam.

A Note on Itinerary Sequencing

Nile cruise ships operate on fixed departure schedules set by the operator. The sequence of cruise days shown may adjust to match your specific sailing's calendar. All sites listed are always covered — the order may vary. We confirm the exact sequence before departure.

What You'll Experience

Day 1 — Arrive Cairo 

Private airport transfer to your 4-star hotel. Evening at leisure — dinner recommendation provided by your Egyptologist. 

Day 2 — Cairo: Grand Egyptian Museum 

The Grand Egyptian Museum occupies the full morning with your private Egyptologist. The Tutankhamun collection in full — the golden death mask, the gilded shrine, the canopic chest, four thousand objects from a single tomb. This is the historical context for everything you will see for the next eight days. Afternoon at leisure. 

Day 3 — Cairo: Giza Plateau & Saqqara 

Early start at Giza — the three pyramid complexes, the Sphinx from the south angle, and the Solar Boat Museum. Your Egyptologist explains the construction as a matter of logistics rather than a mystery. Saqqara in the afternoon: the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world's oldest monumental stone structure, predating Giza by several decades. The painted mastaba tombs of the Old Kingdom viziers — Mereruka and Ti — where the wall reliefs record daily life with remarkable specificity and warmth. Saqqara is the site most repeat visitors say they wish they'd given more time on their first trip. 

Day 4 — Fly to Luxor · Karnak · 

Board Cruise Morning domestic flight to Luxor. Karnak Temple in the afternoon with your Egyptologist: 2,000 years of construction by thirty pharaohs, the hypostyle hall with its 134 columns, and the political logic explained room by room. Board your 5-star Nile cruise ship in the evening. Dinner on board as the boat prepares to sail. First of four nights on the Nile. 

Day 5 — Luxor West Bank from Cruise · Sail South 

The cruise is docked in Luxor this morning. Private vehicle from the dock to the West Bank: Valley of the Kings (three tombs), Hatshepsut's Temple at Deir el-Bahari, the Colossi of Memnon. The same Egyptologist who took you through the GEM two days ago now explains the royal tombs — by now the iconography is legible rather than abstract. Back to the cruise ship and sailing south through the afternoon.

Day 6 — Edfu Temple 

The boat docked overnight near Edfu. Morning visit to the Temple of Horus by horse-drawn carriage — the best-preserved temple in Egypt. Your Egyptologist reads the sanctuary reliefs in sequence: the full mythological cycle of Horus and Set, carved in extraordinary detail. Return to the cruise and sail south through the afternoon toward Kom Ombo. 

Day 7 — Kom Ombo · Sail to Aswan 

Kom Ombo Temple in the morning — the dual temple for Sobek and Horus, two sanctuaries inside one symmetrical building. The crocodile mummy museum is attached to the site. The boat continues south toward Aswan. The Nile narrows, the granite outcrops of Upper Egypt appear in the water, and the landscape changes. Dinner on board as Aswan comes into view. 

Day 8 — Aswan: Philae Temple · High Dam. Disembark· 

Disembarkation in Aswan. Philae Temple by motorboat — the island sanctuary of Isis, relocated stone by stone before the Aswan reservoir rose. The High Dam in the afternoon: your Egyptologist explains the engineering, the political history, and the cost — 90,000 Nubian people relocated, ancient sites submerged, and the UNESCO rescue operation that saved Philae and Abu Simbel as a direct result. Check in to your Aswan hotel. Evening at leisure on the corniche.

Day 9 — Abu Simbel · Fly to Hurghada 

Early morning departure for Abu Simbel — by vehicle (depart 04:30, arrive 07:30) or by charter aircraft (45 minutes, depart 06:00). The two rock-cut temples of Ramesses II: the Great Temple fronted by four 20-metre colossi, and the Temple of Nefertari. Your Egyptologist is with you at the site — the astronomical alignment of the sanctuary, the political significance of temples at the edge of empire, the 1968 UNESCO operation that dismantled both into 1,036 blocks and reassembled them 60 metres uphill before the reservoir rose.

Return to Aswan by mid-morning. Afternoon domestic flight to Hurghada. Check in to your Red Sea resort. First evening at the beach — no schedule, no guide, no agenda.

Day 10 — Hurghada · Red Sea · Departure

 Full day at the resort. Snorkelling on the coral reef — the Red Sea off Hurghada has warm, clear water with accessible reef within a short boat trip of the hotel. Optional diving through the hotel dive centre. Or simply the beach and pool. Private transfer to Hurghada Airport for your international departure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Abu Simbel included or optional? 

Included — Day 9 is Abu Simbel day. It is not an optional extra. The vehicle or charter aircraft option depends on your preference and is discussed when booking. The charter aircraft (approximately USD 120–280 per person, depending on the season) offers a later departure and a more relaxed morning; the vehicle option is the lower-cost alternative with an early start.

Can we end in Aswan rather than flying to Hurghada? 

Yes. If the Red Sea component doesn't appeal, the tour ends naturally in Aswan after Abu Simbel on Day 9. You depart from Aswan Airport for Cairo to connect to your international flight, and the tour is effectively 9 days. Let us know at the time of booking, and we will adjust the Day 9 routing.

Is this tour suitable for families with children? 

Yes — this is one of the best-structured Egypt itineraries for families. The pace is comfortable; the Nile cruise provides a base that children engage with well; and the Abu Simbel drama on Day 9 tends to be the highlight children talk about most. For families specifically, see our Egypt Family Tour Packages, which have itinerary adjustments for younger children, including specific age-appropriate site visits.