Almost everyone in Egypt lives on a thin green strip along the Nile. Away from the river there is only desert. You see this clearly from the deck of the cruise boat: palm trees and farms on both banks, and bare sand hills just behind them. The ancient Egyptians built their temples on the river for the same reason.

In Cairo you see the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, and the even older Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara. From Aswan you spend three nights on a Nile cruise, sailing north past the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu to Luxor. Day 7 is the big one: the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs were buried in tombs cut into the rock, then Karnak Temple. Day 8 is a day trip to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast.

This is a full sightseeing trip, not a slow holiday. Day 3 ends with a long train ride south to Aswan, Day 7 has five stops before a flight back to Cairo, and the Alexandria day means a lot of time on the road. But you travel as a group with everything planned. Transport between cities, most meals and tips are covered, and there is free time at Khan El Khalili Bazaar before you fly home.

Quick facts

Duration: 10 days, 8 nights
Route: Cairo, Aswan, Nile cruise (Kom Ombo, Edfu), Luxor, Cairo, Alexandria
Package type: group tour on fixed departure dates
Flights: from KLIA Terminal 1 to Cairo, with a transit in Dubai each way
Getting around Egypt: train from Cairo to Aswan, Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, domestic flight from Luxor to Cairo

Highlights

The Great Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx and the Step Pyramid of Djoser
Three nights on a Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, with stops at Kom Ombo and Edfu
A ride on a felucca, the traditional Nile sailing boat, in Aswan
The Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and Karnak Temple in Luxor
The Grand Egyptian Museum and the old churches of Coptic Cairo
A day in Alexandria: Qaitbay Citadel, the Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi and Montazah Palace gardens

Itinerary

Day 1: Kuala Lumpur – Dubai – Cairo

Meet the group at KLIA Terminal 1 for the flight to Cairo, with a transit in Dubai. In Cairo, visit the Citadel of Saladin, a medieval hilltop fortress over the city, and the Mohamed Ali Mosque inside its walls, with its large domes and tall, thin minarets.

Meals: lunch, dinner. Overnight: Cairo.

Day 2: Cairo, Saqqara and Giza

Visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, built in six large steps. It is one of the oldest stone buildings in the world. Then there is free time to shop for perfume oils at a local producer. In the afternoon, see the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx of Giza.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Cairo.

Day 3: Cairo – Aswan

Start in Coptic Cairo, the old Christian quarter. Visit the Hanging Church, built over the gate of a Roman fortress, the Church of St Sergius and Bacchus, and the Coptic Museum. Next, stop at the Papyrus Institute to see how papyrus paper is made.

Then visit the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza, which holds the treasures of Tutankhamun. Later, board the train south to Aswan.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Day 4: Aswan – Nile cruise

Visit the Aswan High Dam, which holds back Lake Nasser, and the Unfinished Obelisk, a giant stone needle that cracked while it was still being cut from the granite. Check in to your Nile cruise boat. In the afternoon, take a felucca ride on the river and see the Aga Khan Mausoleum on the west bank.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Nile cruise.

Day 5: Nile cruise – Kom Ombo – Edfu

Free time on board in the morning. The boat sails to Kom Ombo, where you visit the Temple of Kom Ombo on the riverbank. It is a double temple, shared by two gods. Then the boat sails on towards Edfu.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Nile cruise.

Day 6: Edfu – Luxor

Visit Edfu, home of the Temple of Horus, one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. The boat continues to Luxor, where you visit Luxor Temple in the centre of town.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Nile cruise.

Day 7: Luxor – Cairo

Check out of the cruise and cross to the west bank of Luxor. Visit the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs were buried in tombs cut deep into the hills, and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, built in terraces against a cliff. Stop at an alabaster factory to see the stone being carved, then at the Colossi of Memnon, two huge stone statues of a seated pharaoh.

Back on the east bank, visit Karnak Temple, a huge complex with a hall of giant stone columns. In the evening, fly back to Cairo on a domestic flight.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Cairo.

Day 8: Cairo – Alexandria – Cairo

A day trip to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast. Visit the Citadel of Qaitbay, a stone fort at the edge of the harbour, and the Mosque of Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi, the city's best-known mosque. Then walk in Montazah Gardens, around the old royal Montaza Palace, before returning to Cairo.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Cairo.

Day 9: Cairo – Dubai – Kuala Lumpur

Free time to shop at Khan El Khalili, Cairo's old covered bazaar. Then board the flight home to Kuala Lumpur, with a transit in Dubai.

Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

Day 10: Kuala Lumpur

Arrive at KLIA.

What's included

Group flights from Kuala Lumpur to Cairo and back, via Dubai, with airport taxes
Checked luggage on the flights
Meals on board
Hotel accommodation, and three nights on the Nile cruise
Train from Cairo to Aswan and domestic flight from Luxor to Cairo
Meals as listed in the itinerary
Gratuities (tips)

Good to know

The perfume shop, Papyrus Institute and alabaster factory are shopping stops. There is no need to buy anything.
Aswan and Luxor are very hot from May to September, often over 40°C in the afternoon. Bring a hat, sunglasses and a water bottle.
The temples, Valley of the Kings and Giza involve a lot of walking on sand, stone and uneven ground. Wear comfortable shoes.
Egypt is a Muslim-majority country, so mosques are easy to find and halal food is common.

FAQ

Are flights included?

Yes. The group flies together from KLIA Terminal 1 to Cairo with a transit in Dubai, and returns the same way. Airport taxes are included.

How many nights are on the Nile cruise?

Three nights, from Day 4 to Day 7. The boat sails from Aswan to Luxor and stops at Kom Ombo and Edfu.

Are meals included?

Yes, most of them. You get lunch and dinner on Day 1, and breakfast, lunch and dinner from Day 2 to Day 9.

Is this a private tour?

No. It is a group tour on fixed departure dates. See the dates and prices on this page.

How do we travel between Cairo, Aswan and Luxor?

By train from Cairo to Aswan, by Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, and by domestic flight from Luxor back to Cairo.