Compare Classic Egypt by Travelous vs Cairo to Abu Simbel Tour by Memphis Tours

Day 1: Cairo - Airport Assistance & Visa Service

Accommodation: The Mena House Palace Hotel - Premier Garden Pyramid View

Welcome to Cairo! Upon your arrival, you will be met at the end of the tunnel by an airport representative who will aid and facilitate you through the Visa process (cost included). You will then be escorted through customs, immigration, and assisted with baggage claim before being introduced to your Travelous representative who will be awaiting your arrival at passenger pick up and on call throughout your entire stay.

Cairo - Airport Transfer (Arrival)

Transfer in private vehicle with English speaking driver from the Airport to your hotel for overnight.

Day 2: Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, & Memphis Tour (Lunch Included)

Meals: Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: The Mena House Palace - Premier Garden Pyramid View

Spend a full day with your private certified Egyptologist who will provide fascinating insight to each of the three famed pyramids of Giza. Wander about these inspiring pyramids and visit the Solar Boat Museum which houses the intact solar ship vessel from Ancient Egypt. Continue to the feet of the Sphinx, the enigmatic symbol of Egypt for thousands of years. Enjoy a delicious lunch at the Mena House before continuing to Saqqara, the vast, ancient burial ground, which served as the necropolis for the Ancient Egyptian capital, Memphis. Visit the famous step Pyramid of Zoser. Your final stop is Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt. Here you will see artifacts from many of the great rulers of Egypt, including the huge fallen statue of Ramses II.

Sunset Camel Ride (Dinner Included)

This evening set out before dusk towards the Ancient Pyramids of Giza for a Sunset Camel Ride. Take in the incredible sights set against a fiery sky as your camel gently paces through the golden sand dunes. Enjoy dinner at a traditional Bedouin restaurant before returning to your hotel for the night.

Day 3: Cairo - Airport Transfer (Depart)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Movenpick Royal Lily Nile Cruise - Deluxe Cabin

Transfer in private vehicle with full assistance from your hotel to Cairo Airport.

Flight: Cairo - Luxor (1 hr)

Flight from Cairo to Luxor. Duration is 1 hour. Flight times TBD.

Luxor - Airport Transfer (Arrival)

Welcome to Luxor. Transfer provided in private vehicle with English speaking driver from the Airport to your hotel.

Luxor is often characterized as the "world's greatest open-air museum", as the ruins of the temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor stand within the modern city. Across the Nile River lie the monuments, temples and tombs on the West Bank, which include the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens. Archeologically, Luxor is the most important site in all of Egypt and a rare gem of a city, unlike any other in the world.

Luxor East Bank Tour (Lunch Included)

Your private tour takes you through the East Bank of the Nile to visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak, largely the work of Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, whose colossi and obelisk stand at the entrance. Walk along the Avenue of Sphinx as you enter the complex while your guide explains how the massive facade was constructed and explore the Karnak Open Air Museum that features an amazing array of statuary and reconstructed temple structures.

Day 4: Luxor - West Bank Tour (Lunch Included)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Movenpick Royal Lily Nile Cruise - Deluxe Cabin

Visit the Valley of the Kings where you will see the intact royal tombs of the Pharaohs. Continue to Tombs of Princes in the Valley of the Queens. Stop at the magnificent temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir El-Bahri. Visit the Colossi of Memnon, two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. For the past 3,400 years, they have stood in the Theban necropolis, across the Nile River of modern Luxor. Your last stop will be at the Theban Necropolis, which was used for ritual burials during Pharaonic times.

Day 5: Nile - Edfu Private Tour

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Movenpick Royal Lily Nile Cruise - Deluxe Cabin

Enjoy a privately guided exploration of the Temple of Edfu. This archaeological treasure beautifully dedicated to the falcon god Horus and built over a period of two thousand years. The inner walls of the building reveal the mysterious legends of Horus, born upon the death of his father, Osiris, the god of the underworld who was killed by his brother, Seth. The much beloved goddess Isis brought Horus into life from a piece of Osiris’ flesh. Horus later battled Seth and won the battle but lost an eye in the process. Hence, the eye of Horus has important religious symbolism in ancient Egyptian mythology. The Temple of Edfu was abandoned as a religious monument following Theodosius I edict banning non-Christian worship within the Roman Empire. Many of the temple's carved reliefs were destroyed in the process. The blackened ceiling of the hypostyle hall, visible today, is believed to be the result of arson intended to destroy religious imagery.

Nile - Kom Ombo Private Tour

Continue to the Temple of Kom Ombo, remarkable for its double design. As you walk through the temple complex, notice that the courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms are duplicated for two sets of gods. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world. The northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris, also known as Horus the Elder. A few of the three hundred crocodile mummies discovered in the vicinity are displayed in The Crocodile Museum. Make sure to visit the strange instruments resembling surgical tools, located in the southeast corner of the complex!

Day 6: Aswan - High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae Temple

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Movenpick Royal Lily Nile Cruise - Deluxe Cabin

Explore Aswan with a stop at the High Dam, a modern architectural project containing more than 18 times the material used to build the Great Pyramid of Khufu! From a pavilion perched over the enormous rock and clay dam, you can admire the Temple of Kalabsha and one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, the impressive Lake Nasser. Continue to the Unfinished Obelisk, which was ordered by the longest reigning female pharaoh, Hatshepsut, who ruled for over 22 years. The Obelisk was carved out of bedrock, but it was quickly abandoned when large latent cracks were discovered on either side. This abandoned monument gives great insight into the stone-cutting techniques and tools used by the skilled ancient Egyptian workers. Continue to the fascinating Temple of Philae, moved to the Island of Agilkia after the waters of Lake Nasser flooded its original location. Dedicated to the greatly-revered goddess Isis, the Temple attracted thousands of pilgrims yearly during ancient times. Now encircled by crystal blue waters and adorned with lush foliage, the Temple will reveal the secrets of a bygone era.

Aswan - Kitchener Island by Felucca & Botanical Garden

Explore Aswan by traditional felucca and sail to Kitchener Island. Take a stroll through the peaceful gardens that display an array of colorful species of plants and trees. Visit the botanical gardens and learn about plants that have been imported from the most remote and exotic places in the world.

Day 7: Aswan - Airport Transfer (Depart)

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Kempinski Nile Hotel - Nile Superior Room

Transfer in private vehicle with English speaking driver from your accommodations to the airport.

Flight: Aswan - Cairo (1.5 hr)

Flight from Aswan to Cairo. Duration is 1.5 hours. Flight times TBD.

Cairo - Airport Transfer (Arrival)

Transfer in private vehicle with English speaking driver from the Airport to your hotel for overnight.

Day 8: Egyptian Museum Private Tour (Lunch Included)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Kempinski Nile Hotel - Nile Superior Room

Today your private tour of the Egyptian Museum awaits. Built in 1891, The Egyptian Antiquities Museum is the second most visited attraction in Cairo. From the prehistoric era to the Greco-Roman period and housing more than 165,000 artifacts, the museum is home to the famous collection of King Tutankhamun and the Royal Mummies. Lose yourself in the many rooms and galleries where history is yours to discover. Enjoy a delicious lunch at the Citadel Restaurant in Al Azhar Park.

Day 9: Cairo - Airport Transfer (Depart)

Unfortunately, we say goodbye to you today. Transfer in private vehicle with full assistance to Cairo Airport for your flight home. Keep the memories alive and we hope to see you in Egypt again soon. Stay Travelous!

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo - Welcome to the Land of the Pharaohs

Overnight in Cairo

Welcome drink included

Your tour manager will meet and assist you at Cairo International Airport (arrival procedures) and will then escort you to your hotel in an air-conditioned deluxe vehicle. At the hotel, your tour manager will assist you with a smooth check-in and review your budget vacation itinerary with you to establish and confirm pick-up times for each tour.

Day 2: Pyramids Tour / Train to Luxor

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight inside your compartment.

Visits: Great Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx, Valley Temple, Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo, Khan El Khalili.

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel in Cairo before checking out, then your personal tour guide will accompany you to Giza Plateau to visit one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chefren, and Mykerinus, along with the famous Sphinx and Valley Temple. Then, head out to the Egyptian Museum. Continue to Islamic Cairo, where you will explore Khan El Khalili, Cairo’s oldest and most alluring bazaar. Later, you will be transferred to the gorgeous Giza railway station to catch the sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor. Dinner will be served on board.

Day 3: Luxor Sightseeing

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight in Luxor

Visita: Valley of the Kings, Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple

Upon your arrival at the Luxor train station, you will be met and assisted by a Memphis representative, and then you’ll begin your Luxor excursion. Get ready for some of the most interesting tombs of the West Bank of the Nile River in the Valley of the Kings, explore the Temple of Hatshepsut, the female pharaoh who changed the course of Egypt’s history, and stop by the towering Colossi of Memnon. Then, you will visit the splendid Luxor Temple, which is considered one of the world’s most remarkable open-air museums and the second most-visited historical site in Egypt. Onward to the majestic Karnak Temple complex. Back to your hotel.

Day 4: Luxor / Aswan Sightseeing

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Overnight in Aswan.

Visits: High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae Temple, Elephantine Island

After breakfast, board your air-conditioned, wifi-enabled vehicle and head to Aswan. The drive will take about a 3 and a half hours. Upon arrival, you will be met by a Memphis rep and taken to your hotel for check-in. You’ll see the world-famous High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in the granite quarries, then on to the beautifully preserved Temple of Philae on Isis Island, dedicated to the goddesses Isis and Hathor. Then, sail around Elephantine Island on a felucca boat. Later, you’ll head back to the hotel.

Day 5: Abu Simbel Temple Group Tour / Train to Cairo

Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Overnight inside your compartment

Visits: Abu Simbel Temples

You’ll start your day early with a breakfast box at 4:30 am, and then begin your group tour to Abu Simbel Temples, about 3.5 hours away by car. Upon your arrival, you’ll encounter the remarkable temples built for Ramses II and his beloved queen Nefertari. These temples near the Sudanese border are iconic for their beauty, but remarkable for their modern history as well -- they were completely relocated in 1968 to avoid submersion by the massive Lake Nasser. After your time spent exploring the temples, you’ll return to Aswan and board the sleeper train for an overnight trip back to Cairo

Day 6: Back to Cairo

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight in Cairo.

Visits: Free day in Cairo, Optional tour to visit the Step Pyramid of King Zoser in Sakkara and Memphis

Enjoy breakfast aboard the train before your arrival at the train station in Giza, where you’ll be greeted by a Memphis Tours representative, who will check you into your hotel in Cairo. You’ll have a day of leisure time, or enjoy an optional trip to visit the Step Pyramid of King Zoser in Sakkara and Memphis.

Day 7: Optional trip to Alexandria

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight in Cairo.

Visits: Free day in Cairo, Optional trip to Alexandria (Visits in Alexandria: Qaitbay Fort, Library of Alexandria, Catacombs).

Enjoy a free day in Cairo, or take an optional trip to the glittering seaside city of Alexandria in the north, where you can see majestic Qaitbay Fort, built in by a powerful sultan in the 15th century on the site of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse, then move on to the new and much-acclaimed Library of Alexandria. You’ll also visit the Catacombs, a sunken Roman cemetery carved into the bedrock. Return back to Cairo.

Day 8: Final departure

Meals: Breakfast

You’ll be served breakfast at your hotel, and then you will be transferred to Cairo International Airport for final departure.