12 Days Tour Planning – Exceptional Egypt
Day 1: Arrival in Egypt / Start Your 12-Day Tour Package
Upon arriving at Cairo International Airport, our company delegate will assist you step by step through your arrival procedures and official formalities. Afterward, you will be transferred to a 5-star hotel in a private deluxe A/C vehicle to check in and relax.In the evening, enjoy an atmospheric dinner cruise on the Nile River. Delight in captivating traditional shows, including local belly dancing and Tannura spinning. After the cruise, we will drive you back to your hotel for the night.
Day 2: Giza Pyramids & Museum Tour
Start your day with breakfast, then meet your private tour guide. You will travel in a modern air-conditioned vehicle to visit:
- Giza Pyramids Complex: Experience the majestic Pyramids of Giza, including the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the last remaining wonder of the ancient world. The complex features three iconic pyramids: Cheops, Chephren, and Menkaure.
- The Sphinx: Marvel at this ancient Egyptian sculpture, carved from a single limestone block. The Sphinx symbolizes strength and wisdom, with its head dedicated to King Khafre.
- The Valley Temple: Explore this impressive structure, built during the Old Kingdom for mummification and purification ceremonies. It also served as a funerary temple for rituals and religious festivals.
After a delicious lunch at a quality restaurant, you will proceed to visit:
- The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities: Located in the heart of Tahrir Square, this museum showcases the treasures of ancient Egypt from various periods, including the Old Kingdom and the Greco-Roman Period.
In the evening, return to your hotel for a restful night.
Day 3: Travel to Fayoum and El Minya
In the early morning, we will pick you up from your hotel in a private air-conditioned car for a drive of approximately 60 km to Fayoum.
- Fayoum: Upon arrival, your professional tour guide will take you to visit Lake Qaroun, the world’s first natural lake, covering around 53,000 acres. Next, explore the National Park of Wadi Rayan, where you can enjoy the Fayoum Waterfalls, Gabal El Modawara, and Wales Cemetery.
After a delicious lunch, you will continue your journey to El Minya. Upon arrival, check in at a 5-star hotel to spend the night.
Day 4: Explore El Minya Highlights
After breakfast, you will visit:
- Necropolis of Tuna El Gabal: Explore this ancient Egyptian archaeological site, home to tombs such as the tomb of the priest Pet-Osiris, the Ibis Catacombs, and Isadora’s Tomb, dating back to the 2nd century AD.
- Al Ashmunien: Discover this ancient city that belonged to Hermopolis, featuring an open museum with colossal sculptures and the remnants of a basilica.
- Beni Hassan: Enjoy the impressive rock-cut burial tombs that date back to the Middle Kingdom.
After lunch, return to your hotel in El Minya for the night. This day is one of the highlights of your 12-day tour.
Day 5: Witness Tel Al Amarna and Assuit
Accompanied by your Egyptologist, you will visit:
- Tel Al Amarna: Explore this archaeological site, once the city of Akhenaton and Queen Nefertiti, where you can admire royal tombs, temples, and palaces.
Next, travel to Assuit to discover:
- Al Muharraq Monastery: Located 327 km from Cairo, this well-preserved Coptic site is where the Holy Family stayed for six months and ten days.
- Meir Village: Visit this ancient cemetery for the nomarchs of the City of Cusae, constructed during the 6th and completed in the 12th dynasty.
Finally, you will be transferred to Abydos for an overnight stay.
Day 6: Visit Dendara & Abydos Temple
After breakfast, you will be guided to visit:
- Abydos Temple: This magnificent temple, dedicated to Seti I, was completed by his son Ramses II. It was a pilgrimage site for ancient Egyptians seeking to enter the afterlife.
Enjoy a lovely lunch before heading to:
- Dendara: Visit this largely Ptolemaic and Roman temple dedicated to Hathor, honoring one of Egypt’s most revered deities.
We will then transfer you to Luxor, where you will check in at a 5-star hotel for the night.
Day 7: Start Nile Cruise / Visit Karnak & Luxor Temple
After breakfast, your Nile cruise adventure begins. First, visit the highlights of Luxor’s East Bank:
- Karnak Complex: One of Ancient Egypt’s holiest religious sites, featuring numerous additions by different pharaohs over centuries. Don’t miss the grand entrance known as the “Avenue of Sphinxes.”
After checking into your 5-star deluxe Nile cruise and enjoying a delicious lunch, you will visit:
- Luxor Temple: Unlike most temples, Luxor Temple was not built to honor a god. Instead, it served as a site for kingship rejuvenation and the annual Opet festivals.
You will spend the night on board your Nile cruise ship.
Day 8: Explore Highlights of West Bank
After breakfast, your personal Egyptologist will pick you up to explore Luxor’s West Bank:
- Valley of the Kings: This vast burial site was used from 1539 to 1075 BC. More than 60 tombs for kings and pharaohs from the 17th and 18th dynasties have been discovered, adorned with intricate decorations.
- Hatshepsut Temple: Known as “Deir El Bahari,” this temple is Queen Hatshepsut’s monumental contribution, built with the assistance of architect Senimut to honor her achievements.
- Colossi of Memnon: These two monumental stone statues symbolize security for the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III, which has since vanished.
After your explorations, return to your cruise ship for sailing and spend the night on board.
Day 9: Edfu and Kom Ombo Trip
Upon your arrival in Edfu, your adventure begins with a horse carriage ride accompanied by your personal Egyptologist to visit:
- Edfu Temple: This remarkable Ptolemaic temple was constructed between 237 and 57 BC. Dedicated to Horus, the avenging son of Isis and Osiris, Edfu Temple is renowned for its grandeur and excellent preservation, showcasing stunning decorations and ornaments.
After exploring Edfu Temple, enjoy a lovely lunch on the Nile cruise. Following lunch, you will board the cruise to Kom Ombo to witness:
- Kom Ombo Temple: Located at a bend in the Nile, this temple is one of the finest in the Valley. It features twin dedications to two local gods: the crocodile god Sobek and Horus. The site holds great historical significance, as crocodiles once basked on the riverbank here.
After your visit, return to your cruise ship and continue sailing to Aswan.
Day 10: Trip to Abu Simbel Temples
Today begins with an early departure. Enjoy breakfast boxes as you join your tour guide for a drive in a private A/C vehicle to Abu Simbel, where you will visit:
- Abu Simbel Temples: These legendary temples, built by Pharaoh Ramses the Great between 1264 BC and 1244 BC, are a true marvel. The site, known as “Temple by Ramses, Beloved by Amun,” commemorates Ramses II’s victories and honors his beloved Queen Nefertari.
After exploring the temples, we will transfer you back to your Nile cruise, where you can spend the rest of the day onboard, relaxing and enjoying the views.
Day 11: Tour to the Best of Aswan
After breakfast, check out from your cruise and meet your professional tour guide. Today, explore Aswan’s historical landmarks, including:
- Aswan High Dam: This engineering marvel marked Egypt’s entry into the industrial age and controlled the Nile floods. Standing 111 meters high and 3830 meters long, it houses six turbines producing approximately 2.1 million kilowatts.
- The Unfinished Obelisk: Discover the largest obelisk ever erected, created from red granite during the 18th dynasty by Queen Hatshepsut. This impressive monolith weighs 1200 tons and showcases remarkable ancient engineering.
- Philae Temple: Established between 380 BC and 362 BC, this temple was built for the worship of Isis. It was constructed on a rocky island and has undergone various additions by Ptolemaic rulers over the years.
After a day of exploration, enjoy a delicious lunch at a deluxe restaurant. Later, you will fly to Cairo and check in at a 5-star hotel for an overnight stay.
Day 12: Final Departure & Fly Home
On your final day, enjoy breakfast at the hotel and check out. We will transfer you to Cairo International Airport for your flight back home. Take with you unforgettable memories from this amazing 12-day tour package through the wonders of Egypt!
