On arrival in Cairo you will be met at the airport and a transfer will be provided to your hotel in the city. The rest of the day can be spent exploring Africa’s biggest city, perhaps wandering through the ancient bazaars of Khan-el-Khalili and sampling a hibiscus tea. Overnight in Cairo. (Hotel)

Today you will visit one of the most famous sites on earth, a site which contains the last remaining wonder of the ancient world. The morning will be spent at the Pyramids in Giza, learning about how and why these amazing tombs came into existence. From Giza you will return to downtown Cairo and visit the incredible Egyptian Museum, literally crammed full of antiquities, it would take you three months to look around this building if you were to spend three minutes looking at each item. Here you will find the exquisite treasures taken from the tomb of King Tutankhamen, the tomb itself will be visited later in your tour. Overnight in Cairo. (Hotel)

You will leave the sprawling city of Cairo early and take the train along the Nile to the city of Luxor. Luxor is in Upper Egypt where life is more traditional and the weather significantly hotter. Luxor is a treasure trove of archaeological discovery, it is here that Howard Carter discovered the lost tomb of Tutankhamen in the awe-inspiring Valley of the Kings. On arrival you will board your Nile Cruise boat and have dinner. Overnight in Luxor. (Cruise)

Early in the morning there is the opportunity to take a hot air balloon flight. The weather conditions in Upper Egypt are perfect allowing you to glide silently over the houses and sugar cane fields and passed the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Having landed safely on the West Bank, you will enter the Valley of the Kings. The Egyptian pharaohs had learnt from previous experience that the grander your tomb looked from the outside, the more quickly it was looted. The new kingdom pharaohs therefore hid their tombs deep inside a secret valley.  The tombs are beautifully painted and your guide will advise you as to which tombs are the best to enter. From the Valley of the Kings you may walk or drive to the stunning temple of Queen Hatsheput. After a relaxing lunch over-looking the Nile you will depart to the second most important site on the West Bank – the Queen’s Valley, we have also included a trip to the nearby Worker’s Tombs, this site is not so famous and is not visited by many but for me it is one of the highlights of Luxor. Overnight in Luxor. (Cruise)

In the morning you will set off by calesh (horse carriage) through the bustling streets of the city to the magnificent temple of Karnak. This temple complex took around 1300 years to build and the arid conditions of Upper Egypt have preserved it beautifully. Once you have returned to the ship you will set sail up the Nile. Overnight in Esna (Cruise)

In the morning you will disembark to visit Egypt’s best preserved cult temple. The Temple of Edfu was built on the site where the Falcon-headed god Horus triumphed over evil by defeating Seth. The temple was completely buried beneath a sand dune until its discovery in 1860. The rest of the day can be spent relaxing on board as you continue your journey until you arrive at KomOmbo. The delightful little temple of KomOmbo is perfectly sited on the bend of the river, inside you will see some of the original colours remain on the ceiling and you may also find a mummified crocodile or two. Late in the evening the boat will arrive in Aswan. Overnight in Aswan. (Cruise)

Very early in the morning, before first light, you will drive out through the desert south toward the border with Sudan. The early start is well worth it when you arrive at the awesome monument of Abu Simbel. Four enormous seated statues of Ramses are set into the hill side, looking out over the blue waters of Lake Nasser. You will return to the boat for lunch before transferring to the hotel. The rest of the day is free. Aswan is a wonderfully relaxing place, the people are laid back and friendly and the Nile is at its most beautiful. In the afternoon you may wish to take a felucca (tradition sailing boat) around the islands in the Nile, drive out to see the famous Aswan High Dam or take a stroll along the Corniche. In the evening their is the opportunity to take a boat out to Agilika Island to see the Sound and Light show at Philae Temple.  Overnight in Aswan. (Hotel)

This morning you will take the train back to Luxor. The rest of the day is free to explore the sites of Luxor not yet visited. Luxor has two very worthwhile museums, the Luxor Temple situated right in the heart of the city or you may wish to take a calesh ride out of the city and tour the surrounding countryside. Overnight in Luxor. (Hotel)

This morning you will leave the Nile Valley behind and drive out to the Red Sea (3 hours) Safaga is a lively seaside resort offering a wide range of water sports. The Red Sea is one of the best dive spots in the world and certified divers can spend the afternoon exploring the underwater delights. Other activities in Safaga include snorkelling, kayaking, para-sailing or just relaxing on the beach or around the pool.

Today you will have the full day to relax in Safaga.

In the morning you will fly back to Cairo. Depending on the time of your onward flight there may be time for some additional sightseeing in Cairo such as a tour of Islamic or Coptic Cairo. Alternaively you could drive out to see the pyramids at Saqqara and Dashur. Fly from Cairo.