cTour Itinerary Egypt Cultural Tour in 10 Days:
Egypt Cultural Tour in 10 DaysDay 1: Arrival in Egypt – 5* Hotel Check-In: When you arrive at Cairo Airport, Egypt Fun Tours will help you with completing all of your passport control requirements, as well as all of your baggage identification and carry. After that, they will drive you to your 5-star hotel reservation in a private air-conditioned vehicle for check-in and relaxation. In the evening, you will board a Nile River Dinner Cruise to see a memorable colorful belly dance display with a folklore band, complete with a fascinating Tannoura spin in the style of Egypt’s whirling dervishes, before returning to your hotel for the night.
Day 2: Visit the Pyramids and Memphis before flying to Luxor: On the second day, you will enjoy a lovely breakfast and check out of your Cairo hotel before joining your tour guide to discover the pinnacle of ancient Egyptian culture and visit some of Egypt’s most popular tourist destinations, including:
Giza Pyramids Complex
The Giza pyramids complex represents the pinnacle of ancient Egyptian civilization’s glory, having lasted over 4000 years. The Giza complex includes three major pyramids, six smaller pyramids, the Great Sphinx, and the Everlasting Valley Temple.
Pyramid
The Great Pyramid is the final surviving construction of the ancient world’s seven wonders when the sky became within grasp. The Great Pyramid has erected about 2580 BC in 20 years with a workforce of roughly 100,000 free-skilled craftsmen, utilizing 2,300,000 chunks of limestone each weighing 2.5 tonnes. The pyramid rises to a height of 147 meters (481 feet), making it the world’s highest structure for 3800 years, until the construction of the Lincoln Cathedral in England in 1311. Its sophisticated intricate interior and enigmatic origin have piqued the interest of everyone on the planet to this day.
The Great Sphinx of Giza
The Great Sphinx was originally known as “Hor-Em-Akhet,” meaning “Horus of the Horizon,” but is now called Abu al-Hawl, which translates to “The Father of Terror” in modern Arabic. Shaped like the sphinx, a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head of a man, it is thought to represent King Khafre, demonstrating his might and intelligence. Carved from a single massive limestone rock, the sphinx stands 73 meters (240 feet) tall and 19 meters (66 feet) wide.
The Valley Temple
The Valley Temple was built within the complex where the ancient Egyptians performed the mummification process during Egypt’s Old Kingdom (2686–2134 BC). Thanks to the ancient Egyptians’ construction skills, the valley remains a well-preserved archaeological site. It has provided important information about the mummification process and mortuary rituals of ancient Egypt.
After a great lunch at a restaurant with a view of the pyramids, your tour guide will take you on a fantastic tour of:
Memphis City
Memphis was the first formal capital of ancient Egypt, built by King Menes in 2925 BC. Renowned as the Land of Endurance, Art, Craftsmen, and Beauty, it was guarded by the deity Ptah, the patron of creativity and artwork. The area housed the Hut-Ka-Ptah temple, meaning “Enclosure of the Ka of Ptah,” which the Greeks translated as Ai-Gy-Ptos, forming the etymological basis for the name Egypt.
Step Pyramid of Saqqara
The Saqqara Step Pyramid was a massive structure that ushered in the golden age of pyramid construction in ancient Egypt.
Renowned as the Land of Endurance, Art, Craftsmen, and Beauty, it was guarded by the deity Ptah, the patron of creativity and artwork. The area housed the Hut-Ka-Ptah temple, meaning “Enclosure of the Ka of Ptah,” which the Greeks translated as Ai-Gy-Ptos, forming the etymological basis for the name Egypt.
After you’ve finished your day, we’ll drive you to Cairo Airport for a direct flight to Luxor, where you’ll spend the night on a Nile cruise.
Day 3: Visit West Bank Landmarks in Luxor – Return to the Cruise: After breakfast on board the cruise, accompany your tour guide to see some of Luxor’s most magnificent tourist sites, such as:
The Kings’ Valley
The Valley of the Monarchs is a gateway to the reed fields for Egypt’s finest kings and queens (1570-1070 BC). The valley has 63 tombs with remarkable captivating riches, artifacts, sculptures, charming décor, and the bones of pharaohs like Rameses (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X), Amenhotep I, Hatshepsut, and Tutankhamun, the most visited tomb alongside Ramses the Great. In 1979, the Valley was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Temple of Hatshepsut
Hatshepsut Temple, also known as Djoser-Djeseru’s “Holy of Holies,” is a stunning tribute to Queen Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt’s most successful monarchs.
They dedicated the temple to the creator deity Amun and Hatshepsut’s eternal legacy. Builders erected it in 1479 BC during the New Kingdom, and it took 15 years to complete. The temple’s architecture is extremely captivating, based on the new kingdom’s Classical Architecture style, and it houses some of ancient Egypt’s most exquisite antiquities and sculptures.
Memnon’s Colossi
The Huge Colossi of Memnon consist of two colossal stones made of quartzite sandstone, each weighing 720 tonnes, built in the likeness of Pharaoh Amenhotep III (1386-1350 BC). A major earthquake in 27 BC destroyed them, and they underwent repairs in 199 AD. The Vocal Memnon phenomenon, induced by the singing sound at dawn, which was nothing more than the sound of the wind blowing through the statue, made the sculptures immensely famous throughout the Greco-Roman era. After that, you’ll return to your cruise.
Then you’ll return to your Nile Cruise for lunch and the remainder of the evening.
Day 4: Visit Edfu and then sail to Aswan: Day four of your trip will begin when you get up and prepare to see one of Egypt’s most stunning temples, which is:
Edfu temple
Edfu Temple is one of the last temples built during the Ptolemaic period, between 237 BC and 57 BC, serving as the official worship house of the sky deity Horus. According to the Osiris Myth, they erected it on the same site where the battle between the demon god Set and Horus took place.
The Edfu Temple’s architecture and interior are stunning, masterfully combining Greek and Egyptian styles.
After that, you’ll return to the Nile Cruise for lunch before continuing your journey to Aswan, the eternal city.
Day 5: Aswan Landmarks Tour: After breakfast, you’ll begin your 10-day cultural trip by seeing some of Aswan’s most spectacular tourist destinations, including:
The High Dam
The High Dam is a testament to Egypt’s eternal will and genius; it was built between 1960 and 1970 as a collaboration project with the Moscow-based Hydro Project Institute to better regulate Nile floods, generate hydroelectricity, and enhance water storage for agriculture.
The Unfinished Obelisk
The unfinished obelisk, also known as “Tekhenu,” meaning “to pierce the sky,” stands at the entrance to the Karnak temple, erected by Queen Hatshepsut (1508-1458 BC). It shows how obelisks were formed, as it would have reached 42 meters tall and weighed 1200 tonnes if construction had not halted due to the cracks. Unfortunately, the obelisk remains in the same spot today, still fractured from its construction.
The Temple of Philae
The famous “Myth of Isis & Osiris” tells the story of how Set, the desert god and Osiris’ brother, kills Osiris out of hatred. Osiris is then resurrected to become the ruler of the underworld. Horus, the falcon sky god and son of Isis and Osiris, defeats Set, ushering in a new era of prosperity and justice, celebrated at Philae Temple. In the 1960s, they moved the temple to the island of Agilkia as part of a UNESCO-led rescue effort.
You’ll return to your 5* Nile Cruise for the night and prepare for another exciting day ahead.
Day 6: Visit the Temples of Abu Simbel: Early in the morning, after eating your breakfast boxes, you will meet your tour guide and travel to the southwest of Aswan to visit:
Temples of Abu Simbel
Ramses the Great built the Abu Simbel temple, known as “Temple of Ramesses, cherished by Amun,” on the southern border to defend the gates of heaven. This grand temple has stood as a symbol of attraction since 1279-1213 BCE. Each year, on the 22nd of February and the 22nd of October, the sun festival occurs, shining on the faces of the four seated statues of Ramses II, Ptah (God of Creation), Amun (The Creator God), and Ra (Sun God). The second, smaller temple is dedicated to his beloved wife, Queen Nefertari.
In the mid-1960s, the temple was the focal point of a UNESCO-led rescue effort.
Then we’ll take you back to Aswan to spend the night on a Nile Cruise.
Visit the Kom Ombo Temple on day 7: After breakfast on board your Nile Cruise, you’ll meet up with your tour guide to see the impressive:
Temple of Kom Ombo
Kom Ombo, which means “Golden Hill,” was built during the Greco-Roman era, between 205 and 180 BC, under the reign of Ptolemy V. The temple’s remarkable twin design, split into two similar sections” one for the crocodile deity Sobek, patron of fertility, and the other for the falcon sky god Horus, emblem of triumph and guardian of kings and queens, is intriguing.
You’ll return to your Nile Cruise for lunch and then continue cruising until you reach Luxor.
Day 8: Tour to Luxor East Bank Attractions: After eating your breakfast, accompany your tour guide for a tour of some of Luxor’s most popular tourist sights, including:
Karnak Temple
When builders constructed the Karnak temple over 4000 years ago, they named it Ipet-isu, meaning “The Most Selected of Places,” and later Pr-Imn, or “House of Amon,” indicating it was the birthplace of ancient Egyptian religion. This temple stands as one of the world’s largest religious structures and has served as a worship center for many deities for over 1500 years, including Osiris, Ptah, and Isis. However, the complex primarily dedicated itself to the Theban triad, which included God Amun, his wife, the Goddess of Justice Mut, and their son, the moon god Khnsou.
After that, you’ll return to the Nile Cruise for lunch, and then spend the evening with your tour guide visiting:
Temple of Luxor
Luxor Temple is where a lunar miracle occurs every night when the moon lights the whole temple, revealing its hidden mystery and charm. It was built in 1400 BCE during the reign of Pharaoh Amenhotep III and was called “Ipetresyet,” which means “southern sanctuary.” The temple’s architecture is stunning, complete with pillars and vast decorations that become more attractive at night. It was dedicated to the God Amun of the Theban Triad, who represents the regeneration of royalty.
After that, you’ll return to your ship for the night.
Day 9: Fly to Cairo and Visit the Attractions of Old Cairo: On day nine, you will have breakfast and check out of the Nile Cruise, then board your aircraft to Cairo, where you will continue your 10-day cultural trip by seeing the wonderful attractions of ancient Cairo, including:
The Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Museum houses all of ancient Egypt’s mystery and magical characteristics; the museum’s artifacts and monuments stretch back over 4000 years, spanning all of Egypt’s ancient eras. The museum features over 120,000 authentic rare items made from magical elements like gold, silver, and precious stones, as well as everyday materials like wood and stone. Visitors can explore sculptures, jewelry, and funeral artifacts across the two floors, along with a handful of exhibited mummies.
Following your visit to the museum, you will have lunch at an excellent restaurant and see some of Cairo’s main tourist sites, including:
The Hanging Church
The Virgin Mary’s Holy Church, also known as The Hanging Church, lies in the core of Cairo’s Coptic legacy, as it is one of Egypt’s oldest, most significant, and most well-known churches, and it has long functioned as the residence of the Coptic patriarch. Builders erected it in the 5th century AD on the southern wall of a Roman fortification named Babylon, where the Holy Family took refuge. The church is 30 feet tall, and both the outside and interior of the hanging church are extremely magnificent, combining aspects of creative architecture from the 7th to the 13th centuries.
Mosque of Amr Ibn Al Aas
Egypt’s Islamic history began at this site, making it one of the country’s most important and renowned Islamic locations. Builders constructed the Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque in 641 AD, and it remains an active place of worship to this day. Restorations have taken place numerous times throughout the ages, allowing the mosque to serve as a living art museum of Islamic architectural advancement.
Synagogue of Ben Ezra
The Ben Ezra Synagogue, which dates from the 19th century, is a unique tourist destination.
It functioned as a church until 882 AD, when they converted it into a synagogue. They found the synagogue in excellent condition, showcasing magnificent Jewish patterns and decorations.
For many years, until the 1950s, the location was the center of Jewish worship.
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) serves as the long-awaited miracle that enables everyone to discover Egypt’s cultural and historical treasures, represented by rare and captivating artifacts and monuments.
Bazaar of Khan El Khalili
The Khan El Khalili Bazaar stands as a beautiful relic from a bygone era. Builders constructed the street around 970 AD, and it remains in use today. People often call it the Middle East’s “Golden Brick Road” because it offers everything a visitor could desire in its vibrant market and shops, along with a few antique cafés that showcase the vintage charm and sophistication of ancient Islamic culture. The entire street features magnificent Islamic architecture and decorations.
We will transport you to a 5* hotel in Cairo where you will spend the night.
Day 10: Your 10-day Egypt cultural Tour comes to an end with a flight back home: On your last day in Egypt, you will have your farewell breakfast before heading to Cairo airport to return home safely with the best memories, bringing your 10-day cultural tour vacation to a close.
