Essential Egypt

9 Days
From $824 Was $1,030

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Trip Type
Small Group

Activity Level
Light

Rating

(21 reviews)

Experience Overview

Ancient history, golden sands and crowded souqs – Egypt is the ultimate destination for any adventurous traveller. This nine-day trip is the perfect mix of blockbuster wonders and intimate moments, with loads of planned activities and plenty of time to wander at your own pace. Your local leader will take you to bucket list icons like the Pyramids of Giza (one of the Seven Wonders of the World) in Cairo and the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, then guide you off the beaten path to eat koshari in a local downtown joint, or into a bazaar to meet a perfume merchant. Kayak along the Nile, spend a night on a traditional felucca under starry skies and drink your body weight in mint tea. The best part? You’ll do it all with like-minded travellers your own age.

Highlights

Spend a night cruising the Nile in a traditional felucca boat (a bit like a floating living room) stopping at colourful villages and temples by day and stargazing by night.
Witness some epic sights in Cairo, like the mysterious Sphinx and one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the Great Pyramids of Giza. Maybe even learn how to spell your name in hieroglyphics!
Kayak along the Nile, paddling through ancient landscapes and getting a glimpse into local life along the shores.
Discover the Valley of the Kings with a tour through three burial sites of ancient Pharaohs and the option to check out the fascinating lost tomb of Tutankhamun.
Squeeze between stalls at an Aswan bazaar and discover the open-air museum of Luxor with loads of free time to see the sights at your own pace and a local leader with all the hot tips.

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Trip Details

Product Code: 3027

Tour Type: Small Group

Accommodation: Basic

Transport: Private vehicle,Felucca,Overnight sleeper train

Guide Language: English

Tour Operator: Intrepid Travel

Supplier Code: XEYE

Starts: Cairo, Egypt

Finishes: Cairo, Egypt

Duration: 9 days

Departures: Not Guaranteed

Physical Rating: Light

Includes

Meals: Breakfasts (8), Lunch (1), Dinner (4)
Accommodation: Hotel (5 nights),Overnight train (2 nights),Felucca (1 night)

Price

Price per person: (Double Occupancy) $824 ($92 /day)

Itinerary

Day 1: Cairo

Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to Egypt. If you arrive in Cairo with time to spare, maybe immerse yourself in the madness of the bazaars, embrace the kitsch world of Dr Ragab's Pharaonic Village or wash down the dust with a sahlab (sweet, hot custard drink with nuts). Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. After, put your tastebuds into overdrive as you head out with your new travel buddies for some koshari (vegetarian Egyptian chilli often with fresh lemon juice). Later tonight, maybe explore Cairo’s nightlife – your trip leader will know all the best spots!

Optional Activities:

Cairo - Saqqara and Memphis Afternoon Tour (82 USD)
Cairo - Sufi Dance Khan al-Khalili (entrance fee) (125 EGP)
Cairo - Coptic Museum (entrance fee) (230 EGP)
Cairo - Islamic Art Museum (entrance fee) (270 EGP)
Cairo - The Citadel (entrance fee) (450 EGP)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 2: Cairo/Pyramids/Sphinx

After breakfast this morning, it’s time to tick something huge off your bucket list. Drive out to the edge of the desert and explore the Great Pyramids of Giza – one of the famed ancient Wonders of the World – and the nearby Sphinx (nobody's quite sure how it lost its nose). A guy called Khufu was responsible for building the Great Pyramid – it’s 4500 years old, 146 m tall, and made from 2.3 million blocks weighing around 2.5 tonnes each. He even got a 9 cm statue to commemorate him – lucky him! You can marvel at their size up close or take an epic pic from a distance, with Cairo in the background. Later, you’ll have free time to continue exploring how you’d like – maybe visit the Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world's greatest collections of ancient artefacts, or head to the Valley Temple of King Khafre (Chephren). In the evening, it's time for your sleeper train to Aswan where you’ll spend the night.

Included Activities:

Cairo - Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx

Optional Activities:

Cairo - The 3rd Pyramid of Menkawre (entrance fee) (220 EGP)
Cairo - The Great Pyramid of Cheops (entrance fee) (900 EGP)
Cairo - The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization & The Royal Mummy Room (entrance fee) (500 EGP)
Cairo - The Egyptian Museum (40 USD)

Accommodation:

Overnight Sleeper Train (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 3: Aswan

Hit the bazaar this morning on a tour with your leader. Among the friendly shouts of ‘welcome’ and ‘where are you from’ coming from the vendors, you’ll visit an oil and perfume merchant to learn how aromatic botanicals have been used in Egypt throughout the ages. Later, choose whether to join an optional tour to the Philae Temple Complex, where you can see the Temple of Isis (the goddess of health, marriage and wisdom) that was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated in the 1960s. In the afternoon, grab a paddle for a kayaking adventure as you navigate the Nile. Float along the historic waters as you see the sights from a new perspective. For dinner, you can head to a Nubian village for an optional dinner with a local family.

Included Activities:

Aswan - Kayaking
Aswan - Orientation walk & bazaar visit

Optional Activities:

Aswan - Philae Temple (entrance fee) (450 EGP)
Aswan - Unfinished Obelisk (entrance fee) (200 EGP)
Aswan - Nubian Village Visit and Dinner (20 USD)
Aswan - Philae Temple Sound & Light Show Tour (minimum 2 persons) (entrance, guide & transport) (55 USD)
Aswan - Philae Temple Tour (minimum 2 persons) (35 USD)
Aswan - Philae Temple, High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk Tour (65 USD)
Aswan - Philae Temple Sound and Light Show (entrance fee) (40 USD)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 4: Aswan

This morning is yours to spend as you please in Aswan. If you can manage a (very) early start, the optional drive to the epic Abu Simbel is well worth the sleepy eyes – cut out of a solid rock cliff, this temple is a historic site built as a place of worship to Pharaoh Ramses II after his death. Renting a minivan with your fellow travellers is the cheapest option and it takes about 3 hours to drive there. You’ll want at least 2 hours to explore, before heading back to Aswan for a free evening to hit the best dinner and drink spots. Maybe try some ful wa ta’ameya (Egyptian falafel) with a warm pita and salad, followed by another cup of mint tea.

Optional Activities:

Aswan - Abu Simbel Tour (minimum 4 people) (110 USD)
Aswan - Nubian Museum (entrance fee) (300 EGP)
Aswan - Abu Simbel by Air - subject to availability - from (400 USD)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 5: Nile Felucca

This morning is yours to relax and recharge. Then you’ll board an overnight felucca – a bit like a floating tent, this traditional Egyptian vessel is the perfect way to explore the Nile. Spend the late afternoon amid tranquil scenery, either tucking into a good book or playing cards with your group. Stop at a colourful Nubian village nearby for a stroll and discover what life is like for people living along the Nile. Depending on your group’s vibe tonight, you might like to have a little beach party under the starry night sky. Tonight, fall asleep to the gentle rocking of the boat, the warm breeze on your cheeks and the blanket of constellations above (there are no walls on a felucca, so your view will be totally undisturbed!).

Included Activities:

Nile - Felucca overnight sailing trip
Nile - Dinner and Music Felucca

Accommodation:

Overnight Felucca (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 6: Luxor

Disembark your felucca this morning and head for the sweet release of a hotel shower. If you like, you can check out the Temple of Edfu along the way, where inscriptions give insight into life during the Hellenistic period when the temple was built. Continue to Luxor, where you’re free to explore this open-air museum at your own pace. Karnak Temple is a good first stop – wandering through this ancient village is a cool way to get a sense of what life was like here more than 3000 years ago. Legend has it that if you walk around the granite scarab west of the Sacred Lake seven times, you’ll meet your soulmate. Tonight, maybe kick back with some fiteer baladi (Egyptian pizza) or shawarma.

Optional Activities:

Luxor - Karnak Temple (entrance fee) (450 EGP)
Luxor - Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show (minimum 2 persons) (entrance, guide & transport) (45 USD)
Aswan - Kom Ombo Temple (entrance fee) (360 EGP)
Edfu - Edfu Temple (entrance fee) (450 EGP)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 7: Luxor / Valley of the Kings

This morning, travel the short distance to the West Bank. Check out three burial tombs in the Valley of the Kings, with the option to explore the formerly lost tomb of Tutankhamun. Continue to the Colossi of Memnon, where two huge statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III will have you pondering whether posting selfies twice a day is really the height of narcissism. You’ll also head over to Animal Care in Egypt (ACE), a local NGO dedicated to providing free veterinary care for wounded working animals in the region. If your fellow travellers are up for it, you can choose to finish your West Bank adventure with an optional visit to the tomb of Hatshepsut – she became pharaoh when she married her half-brother (not all that uncommon at the time). If you’ve got any energy left, there will also be time to squeeze in a visit to Luxor Temple before your overnight train to Cairo.

Included Activities:

Luxor - Valley of the Kings (entrance to 3 tombs)
Luxor - Visit to Animal Care in Egypt (ACE)

Optional Activities:

Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple (360 EGP)
Luxor - Tomb of Tutankhamun (entrance fee) (500 EGP)
Luxor - Luxor Temple (entrance fee) (400 EGP)
Luxor - Luxor Museum (entrance fee) (300 EGP)
Luxor - Dinner with a local family (20 USD)
Luxor - Hot Air Balloon over the Valley of the Kings (130 USD)

Accommodation:

Overnight Sleeper Train (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 8: Cairo

When you arrive in Cairo, you’ll head to your hotel to freshen up and drop your bags. Then, jump on the Metro with your leader to Bab al-Futuh – one of three remaining gates from the Old City. Walking past the old Islamic monuments that stand watch over the bazaars, you can join in on some good-natured haggling at the Kahan-el Khalili bazaar, then head to El Fishawy. This ramshackle 240-year-old cafe is perfect for a cup of tea or a glass of cold water with lemon and mint. Tonight, you’re free to find the perfect spot for a farewell dinner with your group or to hit the nightlife and celebrate a trip well-travelled.

Included Activities:

Cairo - Khan Al-Khalili Bazaar

Optional Activities:

Cairo - Sound & Light Show at the Pyramids Tour (55 USD)
Cairo - Sound & Light Show at the Pyramids (entrance fee) (20 USD)

Accommodation:

Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

Day 9: Cairo

After breakfast this morning, your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to explore Egypt further, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.

In Business Since 1989

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Reviews

Lily - Traveled, April 2024

This was a once in a life time trip! I experienced so many highlights - from kayaking in the Nile River to riding in a hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings! There is so much to do and see on this trip. The history was incredible! I learnt so much and gained so much life experience!

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/11/2024

Elena - Traveled, March 2024

If you go to Egypt make sure to get Sam as your tour guide the guy knows Egypt and is awesome

Source: Tour operator Submitted: 04/04/2023

Jun Qing Bryan - Traveled, March 2024

This tour is well organised and provides you with an extensive overview of Egypt. However, there is a lot of free time and additional add-ons. Budget 200 USD or more for the add-ons or be prepared to find some local tour alternatives.