Five thousand years of history, covered by private transfers and four nights on the Nile.
The tour starts off in Cairo with the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx before following the river south to Luxor where we visit the East and West banks. Spend four nights aboard a Nile cruise visiting Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel and other amazing sights along the way. The tour ends in Cairo again, with the Grand Egyptian Museum, Saqqara and Coptic Cairo as highlights before the flight home.
Your guide throughout is an Egyptologist who is also Bedouin — a rare pairing that brings history to life through local storytelling.
Highlights
- Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, with a camel ride included
- Grand Egyptian Museum — the world’s largest museum devoted to a single civilisation, which opened in late 2025
- Four-night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan on full board basis
- Karnak and Luxor Temples on the East Bank
- Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple and the Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank
- Abu Simbel — flights and entrance included, not an optional extra
- Philae Temple and the Unfinished Obelisk at Aswan
- Saqqara’s Step Pyramid and Coptic Cairo
- Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Guests wanting to extend the trip can ask their consultant about a four-night optional extension into Jordan.
Nine days through the land of the pharaohs, bookended by overnight flights — depart Johannesburg 12 March, land back 22 March.
Arrive Cairo
Early arrival into Cairo. Straight into a half-day tour of the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx — 73 metres long, cut from the same bedrock it still stands on. Camel ride included. Lunch at a local restaurant, then check-in and dinner at the hotel.
Cairo to Luxor
Fly to Luxor. Visit the East Bank: Karnak, the principal temple complex of Amun-Re and one of the largest religious sites ever built, followed by Luxor Temple, dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship rather than any one god.
West Bank & board the cruise
Visit the West Bank: the Valley of the Kings, the Colossi of Memnon and the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. An optional early balloon flight over the valley can be arranged before the group tour. Board the Nile cruiser in the afternoon; dinner on board.
Sailing toward Edfu
A day at leisure on board, sailing via the Esna Lock. Afternoon tea and a welcome cocktail reception, dinner on board.
Horus Temple Edfu & Kom Ombo
Visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the best-preserved shrines in Egypt. Sail on to Kom Ombo for its unusual double temple, built in mirror halves for the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. Continue to Aswan for dinner and a Galabeya party on board.
Abu Simbel
Early flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel to see Ramesses II’s twin rock temples, relocated in their entirety in 1968 to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Fly back to Aswan for lunch on board, then an afternoon Felucca on the Nile around Kitchener Island. Dinner on board, followed by a Nubian folkloric show.
Aswan to Cairo
Visit the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk — abandoned mid-carving after cracks appeared in the granite, at nearly one-third larger than any obelisk ever completed — and Philae Temple. Fly back to Cairo and check in at your hotel.
Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo
Half-day guided tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum with your Egyptologist. Lunch at a local restaurant, then the afternoon free to explore the Khan el-Khalili bazaar.
Saqqara & Coptic Cairo
Morning at Saqqara’s Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest complete stone building complex in history. Lunch, then an afternoon in Coptic Cairo — the Coptic Museum, the Hanging Church and St Serge Church — before transferring to the airport for the overnight flight home.
Arrive Johannesburg
Early morning arrival at OR Tambo.
Everything on the ground. Nothing you’d rather choose yourself.
Included
- Private transfers throughout, as per the itinerary
- 3 nights in Cairo (Kempinski Nile or similar)
- 1 night in Luxor (Sonesta St George or similar)
- 4 nights on the Nile cruise, full board (Sonesta Moon Goddess with balconies, or similar)
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- Half-day guided tour of the Pyramids and Sphinx, with camel ride
- Full-day Grand Egyptian Museum tour and Khan el-Khalili bazaar
- Full-day Coptic Cairo and Saqqara tour
- East Bank: Karnak and Luxor Temples
- West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon
- Edfu Temple and Kom Ombo Temple
- Abu Simbel Temple, including flights
- High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple
- Felucca ride around Kitchener Island
- Egyptologist guide (English-speaking) for the duration of the tour
- 2 small bottles of water per person on day tours
Not included
- International flights
- Domestic flights within Egypt (from ~USD 600pp)
- Travel, medical and luggage insurance (required)
- Visa fees
- All drinks
- Gratuities to guides, drivers, porters and restaurant staff
- Items of a personal nature
- Photography or video fees charged at sites
- Optional Great Pyramid interior entrance and hot-air balloon flight (pre-booking required, price confirmed on reservation)
USD 4,310 per adult sharing · one annual departure, 12–22 March 2027
One annual departure.
Per person sharing: USD 4,310 (± R77,580). Single supplement: USD 1,560 (± R28,080). Use a currency converter for an approximate figure in your local currency, noting that the final cost is determined by the exchange rate at the time of confirmation and payment.
This tour requires a minimum of 10 adults to run at the quoted price.
Estimated international flights (Johannesburg – Cairo – Johannesburg): from R14,000 per person, on EgyptAir or Ethiopian Airlines, subject to confirmation on the day of booking.
Domestic flights within Egypt (Cairo/Luxor – Aswan/Abu Simbel/Aswan – Aswan/Cairo) are not included: from approximately USD 600 per person.
South African passport holders require a visa, obtainable on arrival for USD 25 per person (subject to change). Passports must be valid at least 6 months beyond the tour dates with sufficient blank pages.
Comprehensive travel, medical and luggage insurance is a requirement of this tour.