Egypt Dream Time Tour
12 Days | Cairo to Cairo, Egypt | Seasonal
Spend 12 days tracing the legacy of ancient Egypt, from the iconic Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum's treasures of Tutankhamun to the atmospheric temples of Luxor. A dedicated day trip to Dendera reveals one of Egypt's best-preserved temple complexes before you board a four-night Nile cruise through Upper Egypt. Visit the Valley of the Kings, the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, and the island sanctuary of Philae at Aswan. The journey ends at Abu Simbel, where the colossal temples of Ramses II and Nefertari leave a lasting impression. An expert Egyptologist guide accompanies you throughout.
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Arrive in Cairo, where thousands of years of history are waiting to be explored. Your guide will meet you on arrival and ensure you're settled and ready for the days ahead.
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Stand before the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. Today you'll visit the iconic Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, before heading to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid of King Zoser, one of the oldest stone structures on earth.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Explore the Grand Egyptian Museum, home to the extraordinary treasures of Tutankhamun and thousands of artefacts spanning 5,000 years of history. The afternoon takes you to the Citadel of Saladin and the striking Alabaster Mosque of Mohammad Ali, before finishing the day at Khan El Khalili, Cairo's famous bazaar.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Fly to Luxor and check in for two nights before an evening visit to Luxor Temple. After dark, the ancient columns, statues of Ramses II and detailed hieroglyphs are lit dramatically against the night sky — a completely different experience to seeing it by day.
Meals: Breakfast
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Today's excursion heads north to the Temple of Dendera, one of the best-preserved temple complexes in all of Egypt. Dedicated to Hathor, the goddess of love and music, the temple retains much of its original colour and detail, including a famous ceiling depicting the night sky as the ancient Egyptians understood it. Return to Luxor in the afternoon.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
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Board your Nile cruise ship for four nights of sailing through Upper Egypt, with all meals, sightseeing and entry fees included. Your first stop is Karnak Temple, an enormous complex of sanctuaries, obelisks and towering columns built over more than 2,000 years.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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This morning, descend into the Valley of the Kings to explore the elaborately decorated tombs of the pharaohs. You'll also visit the impressive Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two massive seated statues that have guarded the Theban plain for over 3,000 years. In the afternoon, relax on the sun deck as the ship sails south to Edfu, watching village life pass slowly along the riverbanks.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Visit the Temple of Edfu, one of Egypt's best-preserved temples and dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god. Continue sailing to Kom Ombo to explore the unusual twin temple, dedicated to both the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris. The ship then continues south to Aswan.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Spend the morning at the Aswan High Dam, an engineering achievement that transformed Egypt's agricultural landscape. Then visit the Temple of Philae, beautifully situated on an island and dedicated to Isis, the goddess of love and healing. The setting on the water makes it one of the most atmospheric sites of the entire journey.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
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Disembark and transfer to Aswan Airport for a short flight to Abu Simbel. Here you'll find the twin temples of Ramses II and his beloved wife Nefertari, carved directly into the rock face and relocated piece by piece in the 1960s to save them from rising floodwaters. Fly back to Aswan for your final night on the tour.
Meals: Breakfast
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Fly back to Cairo for your final night. A good opportunity to pick up any last souvenirs or simply reflect on an extraordinary journey through one of the world's great civilisations.
Meals: Breakfast
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Transfer to Cairo Airport for your onward flight home.
Meals: Breakfast
Tour Highlights
Pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza
The Grand Egyptian Museum including the treasures of Tut Ankh Amen
Hathor Temple in Dendera
Valley of the Kings, in Luxor
Ramses II temple in Abu Simbel
Small group or individual tours
Local English-speaking Egyptologist
Entry visa to Egypt
All transfers in modern airconditioned vehicles with English speaking representative