International airfare or required visas

Additional meals, excursions and activities not listed

Tips to your local guide, Traverse guide, drivers, etc.

Alcohol, unless specified

Required travel insurance

Arrive by mid afternoon in Cairo at the Cairo International Airport (CAI) and transfer to your boutique desert hotel. If you’d like to arrive a day early for explorations we can arrange that!

Enjoy a special welcome dinner: An Egyptian feast with the famous Giza pyramids as our backdrop and the evening light show from our hotel terrace.

Meals: D

We’ll start with one of Egypt’s most iconic sites: The Giza pyramids. The complex has monumental importance as a UNESCO site and one of the original Seven Wonders of the World. After we’ve had our fill, we’ll head a much lesser known complex in the Dahshour countryside, where we’ll explore King Farouk lake, enjoy an organic farm lunch, see papyrus and handicrafts and learn about Egyptian agricultural life.

You’ll have the evening free and can either relax at our desert hotel or go out into the city!

Meals: B, L

We’ll hop an early flight to Aswan, where we’ll explore several ancient sanctuaries, including the Temple of Philae—an island temple devoted to Isis, celebrated for its luminous carvings, harmonious architecture, and remarkable rescue from rising Nile waters. Philae is the modern day name is Greek but the ancient Egyptians called the island P-aaleq which amongst other definitions has the dual meaning of "end" and "creation." It is believed that the various structures contained on Philae Island took 800 years to build (mostly during the Roman period).

You’ll also see the High Dam of Aswan, one of the most important achievements of the in the last century in Egypt. For many years it was a symbol of the New Era of the Revolution of 1952. It provided Egypt with water and electricity and secured the country of the risk of the destructive inundation.

After we’ll visit a Nubian village on Sohail Island, known for its warm hospitality and cuisine distinctly different than Egyptian fare – which we’ll enjoy with a local family as we learn about Nubian heritage and culture.

Meals: B, D

Enjoy some down time before we transfer to our dahabiya, a traditional Nile wooden river sailboat, home for the next three nights. Settle into your private cabin as we set cruise to Kom Ombo, a double temple dedicated to the crocodile god of fertility Sobek and falcon-headed god Horus who rules the skies.

We’ll have dinner together on our dahabiya, prepared by our on-board chef. We’ll enjoy the views of the banks of the Nile as we feast together!

Meals: B, D

After breakfast on board, we’ll disembark to visit one of Egypt’s best-preserved shrines, the Temple of Horus atEdfu, continuing our learning about the deity Horus, known for his healing and protective qualities.

We’ll spend the afternoon at the first women-led restaurant in the region for an afternoon of cooking up favorite Egyptian Upper Nile foods followed by a feast, laugh and share stories together!

Meals: B, L, D

Today we’ll cross the Esna Lock into the Luxor East Bank where we’ll continue our mythological journey at the Temples of Karnak, Luxor and local tombs. On entering the Temples of Karnak you will see each legacy left by the various pharaohs as the complex grew even larger. The deeper you go into the complex, the further back in time you will travel, with the oldest ruins dating back over 3,000 years.

The Luxor Temple which was once joined to the Temples of Karnak by a two-kilometer long Avenue of the Sphinx, a portion of which marks the entrance to the temple. Dominated by statues of the great warrior pharaoh Ramses II, the Luxor Temple has survived Nile floods, foreign invasion and thousands of years exposed to the elements.

Later, we’ll stroll through a local market for snacks and spices, and this evening you’ll have the option of attending the spectacular Karnak Sound & Light show.

Meals: B, D

Add-on options: Karnak Sound & Light Show

This morning, consider a hot air balloon ride over Luxor – truly an impressive site! After breakfast, we’ll visit to visit the necropolis of the ancient city of Thebes on Luxor’s West Bank. You’ll see the ancient and well-touristed Valley of the Kings – where the famous King Tutankhamun is buried with an option to visit his tomb (entrance not included but can be purchased on site).

Next, we’ll visit the Temple of Hatshepsut, the first female pharaoh of Kemet. Aside from its architectural significance, this site highlights the Queen’s two-decade rule in the 15th century BC. Her legacy was largely omitted from history until the early 1900s when her temple was excavated. There is free time to explore at your leisure as you wander the large courtyards and admire the intricate hieroglyphic decorations.

Returning to Luxor we’ll make a brief stop at the Colossi of Memnon, which marks the site of the funerary temple of Amenhotep III. These two giant statues standing tall and proud on the West Bank are all that remain of the ancient complex.

Tonight, we’ll fly back to Cairo and enjoy a free evening.

Meals: B

Add-on options: Luxor Hot Air Balloon

Now that we have a foundation of Egyptian ancient culture, we’ll explore its modern side! We’ll walk through significant districts of Cairo including Tahrir Square and Coptic & Islamic Cairo while we learn about this vibrant city – and of course snack our way through!

We’ll then transfer to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which recently re-opened and is the world’s largest museum for a single civilization with impressive modern architectural design. It has recently reclaimed myriad artifacts from plunders of the 19th and 20th century. We’ll enjoy a curated visit before some afternoon down time and a Farewell Dinner feast together!

Meals: B, snacks, D

Depart any time today from the Cairo International Airport (CAI). Check out is at 11:00 and if you depart late you can leave your bags at the hotel before your transfer according to your flight schedule.

Consider adding on of our add-ons, including the Wadi Delga hike, Red Sea Excursion or 5-day Saudi Arabia itinerary. See details in the pricing section below!

Meals: B

Saudi Arabia Add-On: Immerse yourself in nature and culture in the breathtaking beauty of Saudi Arabia’s ochre deserts and lush oasis. This itinerary is designed to be an easy add-on to our Taste & Trails of Jordan, to provide a contrast between the two cultures that are both linked through their Nabatean history and distinctly different in their culture, food, history and architecture.

You'll be paired with a roommate of your same gender unless you request your own room.

STARTING at $6495 per person double occupancy

+$1595 'My own room' option

Saudi Arabia Add-On:

Minimum 2 people required to confirm departure.

$2695 per person, double occupancy

$2995 per person, single occupancy

See all trip details and inclusions here.

STARTING at $6995 per person - double occupancy, minimum 2 people

Pricing provided upon request

Day 6 Karnak Sound & Light Show $75 per person

Day 7 Luxor Hot Air Balloon - $185 per person

Day 9 Wadi Delga full day hike, a beautiful oasis outside of Cairo. Pricing to come, requires an extra night. Please indicate if interested.

Red Sea Excursion Day 9 Wadi Delga hike followed by 2-3 nights at the Red Sea. Pricing to come. Please indicate if interested.

Extra nights, pricing on request

Saudi Arabia 5-day add on, details here

This is an active Egypt itinerary and most of our explorations are done by foot - a bit by bike, too! While your fitness level doesn't have to be like an athlete, you should be able to walk multiple hours throughout the day, with climbs up temple steps and through ancient streets. We would estimate 10-20,000 steps per day most days of the tour.

We're quite adept at tailoring to your needs. Whether gluten free, vegetarian or vegan, dairy or lactose free, or if you have a specific allergy or intolerance we can work around your needs and provide fresh, locally sourced meals that will keep you nourished and satisfied. We’ll provide you with Egypt-specific tips to suit your dietary needs.