Classic Egypt & Nile Cruise
Tour Package
Visit the Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel & Edfu — plus 4 nights sailing the Nile on a luxury cruise ship.
8 Day Classic Egypt & Nile Cruise Tour
Prepare to be astonished by a place of magic, mystery, and amazing temples and monuments — our nine-day Classic Egypt tour is one of the most comprehensive Egypt experiences available.
Spend three nights in Cairo visiting the Giza Pyramids, the Great Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities with its golden treasures of Tutankhamun, the medieval Citadel of Saladin, Old Cairo and the Hanging Church, and the ancient cities of Memphis and Saqqara.
Then board your Nile cruise ship for three nights sailing the largest river in the world. Visit the Valley of the Kings (including Tutankhamun’s tomb), the magnificent Temple of Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Temple of Edfu dedicated to Horus, the Kom Ombo Temple, and the stunning Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple.
Tour Includes- 9 days / 7 nights fully escorted Egypt tour — departs every Thursday, arrives Friday in Cairo
- 3 nights at 5★ or 4★ hotel in Cairo
- 4 nights on a luxury Nile River cruise ship (full board)
- Daily lunch in Cairo at local restaurants
- Full board on Nile cruise: buffet breakfast, lunch & dinner daily
- Licensed Egyptologist guides throughout — certified by the Egyptian Tourist Authority
- Air-conditioned private transportation throughout Cairo
- All entrance fees: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, Memphis, Saqqara, Citadel, Old Cairo, Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Luxor Temple, Hatshepsut Temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Abu Simbel, Aswan, Philae Temple
- Cairo airport arrival & departure transfers
- No added fees for credit card payment
Tour Itinerary
This comprehensive 8-day itinerary covers the greatest sites of Egypt in two distinct phases — Cairo (3 nights) and the Nile Cruise (4 nights sailing Luxor to Aswan via Abu Simbel).
Arrive Cairo → Airport Transfer → Hotel Check-In
Arrive at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday evening and be met by our representative. Transfer to your hotel for check-in. The evening is free to relax after your journey.
Giza Pyramids → Great Sphinx → Egyptian Museum
After breakfast, your Egyptologist guide meets you at the hotel. Drive to the Giza Plateau to see the Great Pyramid of Khufu (one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), the Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, and the legendary Great Sphinx. In the afternoon, visit the world-renowned Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in Tahrir Square — home to over 120,000 artifacts including the golden treasures of Tutankhamun.
Lunch at a local restaurant. Return to hotel for dinner.
Memphis → Saqqara → Citadel → Old Cairo
After breakfast, drive south to ancient Memphis (once the capital of Egypt, founded 3100 BC) to see the colossal statue of Ramesses II. Continue to Saqqara for the Step Pyramid of Djoser — the world’s oldest stone building. Return to Cairo for lunch, then visit the medieval Citadel of Saladin and the stunning Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali. Explore Old Cairo — the Coptic quarter — and the historic Hanging Church.
Return to hotel for dinner.
Cairo → Fly to Luxor → Board Nile Cruise → Valley of the Kings
After breakfast, transfer to Cairo Airport for your flight to Luxor — the world’s greatest open-air museum. Upon arrival, board your Nile cruise ship and enjoy lunch on board. After lunch, visit the famous Valley of the Kings on the West Bank — where 63 royal tombs are carved into the cliffs, including the tomb of Tutankhamun. Visit the magnificent Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Return to the cruise for dinner and sail south.
Karnak Temple → Luxor Temple → Sail to Edfu
After breakfast on board, visit the colossal Temple of Karnak — the largest religious complex ever built, with its breathtaking Great Hypostyle Hall of 134 massive columns. Then tour the elegant Luxor Temple on the east bank of the Nile. Return to the cruise for lunch as the ship sets sail south toward Edfu.
Temple of Edfu → Kom Ombo Temple → Aswan
After breakfast, visit the magnificent Temple of Edfu — dedicated to the falcon god Horus, the best-preserved temple in all of Egypt, built between 237 and 57 BC. Continue sailing south to the remarkable Kom Ombo Temple — a unique double temple dedicated to both Horus the Elder and the crocodile god Sobek, with a display of crocodile mummies. Sail on to Aswan. Return to cruise for dinner.
Abu Simbel Day Trip → Philae Temple → Aswan High Dam
An early morning departure by air to Abu Simbel — one of Egypt’s most spectacular and remote archaeological sites. The two rock temples of Abu Simbel were built by Ramesses II around 1264 BC and are carved directly into the mountainside. In one of UNESCO’s greatest engineering achievements, they were relocated block by block between 1964 and 1968 to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. The colossal seated statues of Ramesses II at the entrance to the Great Temple are among the most iconic images in the ancient world.
Return to Aswan. Take a motorboat to the island of Agilkia to visit the beautiful Philae Temple — dedicated to the goddess Isis, also relocated to save it from Lake Nasser. Then visit the Aswan High Dam — one of the world’s great engineering feats, built between 1960 and 1970. Return to the cruise ship for dinner.
Aswan → Fly to Cairo → Hotel
After breakfast on the cruise, disembark and transfer to Aswan Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Check into your Cairo hotel for the final night. The evening is free to explore Cairo, visit the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, or relax.
Cairo → Airport Departure Transfer
After breakfast, check out of your Cairo hotel and transfer to Cairo International Airport for your departure flight home. Tour ends.
Dates & Rates
Classic Egypt & Nile Cruise tours depart every Thursday. All prices are land package rates per person in USD based on double occupancy, inclusive of all taxes. No added fees for credit card payments.
or Conrad Cairo
or Nile Dolphin
or Safir Hotel Cairo
or Solaris II
Le Passage or Radisson Blu
or M/S Nile Bridge
Prices are land package rates based on double occupancy, per person in US dollars, inclusive of all taxes. *Stay at the mentioned hotels/cruise ships or similar category accommodations. Internal flights Cairo–Luxor and Aswan–Cairo are at additional cost.
Accommodations in Cairo & the Nile
Three tiers of carefully selected 5★ and 4★ hotels in Cairo and luxury Nile cruise ships for 4 nights. All accommodations provide exceptional service and privileged locations.
Fairmont Nile City Cairo
Ultra-luxury 5-star hotel rising above the Nile with breathtaking river views. Exceptional dining, spa, and rooftop pool. Centrally located for all Cairo attractions.
M/S Ti-yi · M/S Tu-ya · Nile Dolphin
5-star deluxe Nile cruise ships with spacious cabins, sun deck, swimming pool, bar, and restaurant. First-class service throughout the 4-night Luxor to Aswan sailing.
Ramses Hilton or Safir Hotel Cairo
Superior 4-star hotels in prime Cairo locations with Nile or city views, multiple dining options, and excellent amenities. Conveniently positioned near the Egyptian Museum and Tahrir Square.
M/S Radamis II or Solaris II
Superior 4-star cruise ships with comfortable air-conditioned cabins, sun deck, pool, bar, and restaurant. Excellent service for a memorable 4-night Nile sailing experience.
Le Meridien Pyramids · Le Passage · Radisson Blu
Standard 4-star hotels with excellent amenities and strategic locations around Cairo. Le Meridien Pyramids offers views of the Giza Plateau; Radisson Blu Heliopolis is adjacent to Cairo Airport.
M/S Nile Delta or M/S Nile Bridge
Comfortable standard cruise ships with clean cabins, sun deck, and restaurant. All the essential amenities needed for a pleasant 4-night Nile sailing between Luxor and Aswan.
*Stay at the mentioned hotels/cruise ships or similar category accommodations subject to availability.
Included in Tour
- 9 days / 7 nights — 3 nights in Cairo hotel + 4 nights on Nile cruise + 1 final night in Cairo hotel
- Daily lunch in Cairo at local restaurants
- Full board on Nile cruise: buffet breakfast, lunch & dinner
- Licensed Egyptologist guides certified by the Egyptian Tourist Authority
- Private air-conditioned transportation throughout Cairo & Upper Egypt
- All entrance fees: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Egyptian Museum, Memphis, Saqqara, Citadel, Old Cairo, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Karnak, Luxor Temple, Temple of Edfu, Kom Ombo, Abu Simbel Temples, Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple
- Cairo airport arrival & departure transfers
- No added fees for credit card payments
Additional Costs
- International airfare to/from Cairo
- Internal flights: Cairo–Luxor and Aswan–Cairo (recommended, at additional cost)
- Egypt entry visa fee (approx. $25 USD, available on arrival)
- Tips to guides, drivers, cruise crew & hotel staff
- Personal extras or optional excursions
Tour Highlights
Giza Pyramids
The last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World — three colossal pyramids and the iconic Great Sphinx on the Giza Plateau.
Egyptian Museum
Over 120,000 ancient artifacts including Tutankhamun’s golden death mask, royal mummies, and monumental pharaonic statues.
Memphis & Saqqara
Egypt’s ancient capital with the colossal Ramesses II statue, and the Step Pyramid of Djoser — the world’s oldest stone building.
Valley of the Kings
63 royal tombs carved into the cliffs of the West Bank at Luxor, including the tomb of Tutankhamun discovered by Howard Carter in 1922.
Temple of Karnak
The largest religious complex ever constructed — the Great Hypostyle Hall with 134 massive columns remains one of the world’s greatest architectural achievements.
Luxor Temple
An elegant Nile-side temple built by Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, illuminated at night and connected to Karnak by the Avenue of Sphinxes.
Temple of Edfu
The best-preserved temple in Egypt, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, built in the Ptolemaic era between 237 and 57 BC.
Philae Temple
The stunningly beautiful island temple of Isis at Aswan, relocated block by block to save it from Lake Nasser’s rising waters.
Nile River Cruise
Four nights sailing the world’s longest river on a luxury cruise ship — watching the timeless Egyptian landscape glide past as you sail from Luxor to Aswan.
Kom Ombo Temple
A unique double temple dedicated to two gods — Horus and the crocodile god Sobek — with a fascinating display of ancient crocodile mummies.
Abu Simbel Temples
The monumental rock temples of Ramesses II — relocated block by block in UNESCO’s greatest engineering feat to save them from Lake Nasser. Arguably Egypt’s most dramatic ancient site.
Optional Tour Extensions
Add extra days before or after your Egypt Highlights tour to see even more of this incredible country. Ask your specialist for pricing and availability.
Luxor West Bank Extra Day
Spend an extra day on Luxor’s West Bank visiting the Colossi of Memnon, the Tombs of the Nobles, the Ramesseum, and Deir el-Medina — the village of the tomb builders.
Alexandria Day Trip
Visit Egypt’s Mediterranean port city — see the Library of Alexandria (Bibliotheca Alexandrina), the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, and Pompey’s Pillar.
Nile Dinner Cruise
A traditional felucca or dinner cruise on the Nile in Cairo with Egyptian cuisine, live music, and belly dancing — a magical Cairo evening experience.
Jordan + Israel Extension
Combine this Egypt tour with our Jordan & Petra Tour or our Israel Holy Land pilgrimages. Ask about our “Where It All Began” 15-day Egypt, Jordan & Israel combination tour.
Ready to Explore Classic Egypt & the Nile?
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