Egypt's essential monuments, experienced without compromise. Five-star hotels throughout, a five-star cruise ship with full board, and a private senior Egyptologist giving you access that group tours simply cannot offer.
Your Journey Route
Nine days that place you inside Egypt's greatest monuments before the coaches arrive and after the crowds depart. Cairo in a five-star hotel with a private Egyptologist whose sole task is to tell you what matters most. An early flight to Aswan, an optional short flight to Abu Simbel at sunrise, then four nights aboard a five-star ship sailing the Nile's most spectacular stretch. Every visit is private. Every meal on the cruise is included. Nothing about this itinerary is rushed or shared.
You are met at Cairo International Airport with a private meet-and-greet and transferred to your five-star hotel. Your senior Egyptologist calls by to introduce the journey ahead, and the evening is yours to settle in.
A grand first day. You begin at Saqqara and the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the world's oldest stone monument, then continue to the Giza Plateau for the Great Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Valley Temple. Lunch is at a fine local restaurant, with the afternoon to enjoy the plateau at a private pace.
A morning domestic flight brings you to Luxor, where you board your five-star cruise ship and full board begins. In the afternoon you explore the vast temple complex of Karnak and the elegant Luxor Temple, glowing as the sun sets.
An optional sunrise hot-air balloon opens the day over the Theban hills. You then cross to the West Bank for the Valley of the Kings, the terraced Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon, before the ship casts off and sails south through the afternoon.
Two riverside temples today. At Edfu you visit the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved in Egypt, reached by horse-drawn carriage. As the ship sails on you arrive at Kom Ombo, the unusual dual temple of Sobek and Horus, explored in the golden light of late afternoon.
Aswan is the gentlest of Egypt's cities. You visit the island Temple of Philae by private motorboat, the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in its ancient quarry. The day ends with a sunset felucca sail around Elephantine and Kitchener Islands.
For the early risers, an optional excursion reaches the colossal rock temples of Abu Simbel, Ramesses II's monument to himself and Nefertari. After disembarking, a domestic flight returns you to Cairo, where you check back into your hotel for the final two nights.
A day in the living city. You explore Coptic Cairo with its Hanging Church and ancient synagogue, the Citadel of Saladin and the alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali, and a leading museum, before losing yourself in the lanes of the Khan el-Khalili bazaar.
After breakfast and any final free time, you are transferred privately to Cairo International Airport for your flight home.
Sunrise over the West Bank from a hot-air balloon: the temples, the Nile and the Eastern Desert spread out below in the early light. Pre-booked and weather-dependent.
One of the most beautifully painted tombs in the Valley of the Queens. Requires a special permit and strict timed entry. Among the finest examples of ancient Egyptian art.
A private decorated felucca for a candlelit dinner on the Nile in Aswan. The pink granite rocks, golden cliffs and stars above make for an evening to remember.
Two nights at a 5-star Alexandria hotel: Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Citadel of Qaitbay on the Mediterranean, and seafood on the corniche at sunset.
Three nights in the Western Desert at the oracle oasis beyond the Great Sand Sea. One of the most remote and spectacular places in Africa.
Petra and Wadi Rum added after Cairo, making a 14-day two-country journey. The rose-red city of Petra is the natural companion to an Egypt grand tour.
This tour is entirely five-star throughout, hotels and cruise. The Egyptologist is a senior specialist rather than a licensed guide. Abu Simbel is visited by a scheduled flight rather than a road convoy. Every temple visit is timed for exclusivity. It costs approximately 50% more but the experience quality is significantly higher.
Abu Simbel is offered as an optional early flight from Aswan (approximately 45 minutes each way), so you arrive before the large tour coaches that drive 3 hours from Aswan. You typically have 45–60 minutes at the temples before any other groups arrive. It is one of the genuinely extraordinary moments of this itinerary.
Your Cairo accommodation is a centrally located five-star hotel (brands such as Four Seasons, Kempinski, or equivalent). The Nile cruise ship is a genuine five-star floating hotel, not a floating bedroom with a restaurant. All transfers are in premium Mercedes or equivalent vehicles.
October to April for comfortable touring temperatures. November through February is the premium season, with crisp clear days at 20–25°C.
Yes, a Jordan extension (Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum) is available and pairs beautifully with this itinerary. It adds 5–6 days. Contact us for a combined quote.
The balloon is weather-dependent and cannot be 100% guaranteed. We pre-book it for Day 8 and have a backup full-day itinerary if conditions prevent it. Most October-to-April visits do operate. If cancelled due to weather, you will not be charged.
Entirely. You have a private vehicle, private guide, and private access arrangements at every site. On the cruise ship, you will be aboard with other guests (typically 16–40 passengers on five-star ships), but your shore excursions are always private.
A 20% deposit secures your dates. Balance is payable 45 days before departure. We accept international bank transfer and all major credit cards. Full payment terms are provided in your booking confirmation.
The Nile cruise at sunset, felucca under stars, VIP access. Romance at its highest expression.
Five-star everywhere. No compromises on comfort, quality or exclusivity at any point in the journey.
Milestone birthdays and anniversaries deserve a journey this carefully designed and this memorable.
Small board or leadership groups who need quality, efficiency and an impressive cultural immersion.
Every journey we build is private, guided and crafted around you. Tell us your travel dates and group size and we'll send you a personalised itinerary within 24 hours.
