Highlights of Ancient Egypt
Group Tour
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Overview
As one of the world's oldest and most captivating tourist destinations, Egypt needs few introductions. Historical sights date back thousands of years, transporting travellers through an array of fascinating civilisations - from the ancient Pharaohs to the Greeks and Romans, the Mamluks and today's modern Egyptians - all the while being sustained by the mighty Nile. This highlights tour takes us from the great Pyramids of Giza and the archaeological delights of the Grand Egyptian Museum on to ...
As one of the world's oldest and most captivating tourist destinations, Egypt needs few introductions. Historical sights date back thousands of years, transporting travellers through an array of fascinating civilisations - from the ancient Pharaohs to the Greeks and Romans, the Mamluks and today's modern Egyptians - all the while being sustained by the mighty Nile. This highlights tour takes us from the great Pyramids of Giza and the archaeological delights of the Grand Egyptian Museum on to Old Cairo, a treasure trove of Mamluk architecture and age-old traditions.
Venturing to Upper Egypt we then explore the Sahara and take in the Nubian culture of Aswan along with the island Temple of Philae. Following the Nile, we visit grand temples and ancient sites, before our final stop in Luxor. Here we can savour the archaeological delights of this fascinating city with its tombs and temples adorning both banks of the Nile. Modern Egypt is never far away, however, and we will take time to explore the markets and bazaars, meet local families and immerse ourselves in the culture and communities of this timeless destination.
HIGHLIGHTS
At a glance
MEALS
TRANSPORT
Minibuses, train, felucca and tuk tuks.
GROUP SIZE
EXPERT TEAM
ACCOMMODATION
ENTRANCE FEES
FITNESS RATING
WILD MILES
ACCOMMODATION
Wherever possible we aim to use characterful accommodation that enhances the overall travel experience. This can obviously vary greatly across both countries and tours. On this particular trip we will be in hotels and guesthouses, as well as spending one night on an overnight train. Please note that the accommodation mentioned in the itinerary is intended as a guide only and is always subject to availability.FITNESS RATING
LOW: You should be comfortable walking around towns and cultural sites. May include some optional walks (typically 1-2hrs).LOW/MODERATE: May be of a long duration and/or involve numerous border-crossings. May include easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-3hrs/day). You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle.
MODERATE: May include several easy/moderate day walks (up to 2-5hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You should be relatively fit and lead a generally active lifestyle. Previous experience of similar trips helpful.
MODERATE/HIGH: May involve several days of moderate hiking (up to 3-6 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.
HIGH: May involve several days of moderate/strenuous trekking (up to 4-7 hrs/day) possibly at altitude. You must be a very fit and active traveller with appropriate trekking experience.
Wild Miles Club
When you book a trip with Wild Frontiers you are awarded points, which are based on the return distance from London to the arrival city of your trip. Points are awarded for all our holidays, including both our escorted group tours and tailor-made trips. When you accrue points, you will qualify for the following discounts on all future bookings:
| Blue | More than 10,000 points | 2.5% discount |
| Bronze | More than 30,000 points | 5% discount |
| Silver | More than 45,000 points | 7.5% discount |
| Gold | More than 60,000 points | 10% discount |
Map & Itinerary
Individual departures may vary so please refer to the information in the tour specific links in the Dates and Prices section below
Day 1 Tour starts in Cairo
Day 1 Tour starts in Cairo
The tour begins at our Cairo hotel, located in Giza near the pyramids. The suggested group flights arrive in the evening and there are no meals or activities included today.
Day 2 Cairo: Pyramids, Sphinx & GEM
Day 2 Cairo: Pyramids, Sphinx & GEM
We wake this morning and enjoy our first Egyptian breakfast before starting our tour of Egypt with the most iconic of all sights. The three Pyramids of Giza, built around 2500BC to an astonishing level of accuracy, dominate the landscape and are instantly recognisable. We learn about the building and purpose of these great structures, built as tombs for the great Pharaohs Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure of the ancient capital of Memphis. As we stroll around the area there may be the opportunity to go inside one of the pyramids (at own expense). We’ll spend the afternoon at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) where we will see many of the incredible artefacts found by archaeologists in Egypt covering thousands of years from Pharaonic times to the Romans and Greeks. The museum will provide a great background for us in the coming days as we visit the various sites. (If the GEM has not yet opened we will instead visit Saqqara. The site at Saqqara is home to around a dozen pyramids and many smaller tombs, the oldest pyramid in Egypt and the Stepped Pyramid can be found here. We will then include the Egyptian Museum in Cairo on Day 3)
Day 3 Cairo: Old City Monuments & Trades
Day 3 Cairo: Old City Monuments & Trades
We’ll head into Cairo today to experience this busy city. Our first stop will be the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization which houses the Royal Mummies as well as a large textile exhibition, dating not just from the earliest Egyptians civilisations but through the more recent history, including some Islamic textiles, clothing and jewellery. Next we delve into Old Cairo, visiting the Citadel, built by Saladin in the 12th Century and occupied by Egypt’s rulers for 700 years. A number of additions were made by the Mamluks and we’ll visit the mosques and gaze out on the views across Cairo. Our visit today won’t just take in the historical buildings but will look into some of the traditional medieval industries that grew up in the backstreets of Khan el Khalili, each with their own quarter. We’ll see en-Nahaseen, the brass makers, crafting intricate homewares, el-Khayamya, the tent makers who create bright fabrics for celebrations as well as intricate embroidered cloth and the glass makers. At each we will learn how their craft has played an important role in the city. As we walk the alleyways we will also stop to see the traditional process of baking bread, making sweets and preparing local snacks such as falafel and koshari. We’ll be taking the overnight train to Aswan tonight so we will make our way to the railway station and board the sleeper train, enjoying a simple dinner on board in our cabins.
Day 4 Aswan: Philae Temple & Dam
Day 4 Aswan: Philae Temple & Dam
We arrive into Aswan this morning, Egypt’s southern city set on the banks of the Nile and the gateway to Nubia. We’ll have breakfast before alighting the train and then see some of Aswan’s highlights, including the 42m-long unfinished obelisk still lying in a quarry, as well as the High Dam. We then board a boat on the Nile to take us to the Temple of Isis, known as Philae Temple, moved from Philae Island when the Aswan Dam was built and the Temple submerged. Philae had long been sacred to the Goddess Isis and the cult continued through Roman and Greco times before some temples were turned into churches and Coptic and Christian inscriptions added to the walls. Our guesthouse is on another of Aswan’s islands and we will arrive by boat to check-in before having an afternoon at leisure to relax and enjoy the views. In the early evening we will venture into Aswan to explore the lively markets and have dinner in the town.
Day 5 Aswan: Desert Walk, Nile Sailing & Culinary Delights
Day 5 Aswan: Desert Walk, Nile Sailing & Culinary Delights
We’ll head to the west bank of the Nile today where the mighty Sahara Desert starts. We take a walk on a track through the desert visiting one of the villages before returning to the hotel by boat. This afternoon we set sail on a felucca, the traditional Nile sailing boat, and enjoy a relaxed afternoon taking in the vistas of the Nile and watching life on the river, from the ferry boats crossing to Aswan, traders selling their wares and the children who make the river their playground. We’ll be earning our dinner this evening in a family home where we will learn a few Egyptian recipes, as well as helping to make the dinner whilst enjoying chats with the family about life in Aswan.
Day 6 Aswan – Kom Ombo – Edfu – Luxor: Nile Valley Temples
Day 6 Aswan – Kom Ombo – Edfu – Luxor: Nile Valley Temples
A drive north through the Nile Valley today will take us via two impressive temples - Kom Ombo and Edfu. Standing on the bank of the Nile and dedicated to two gods, Sobek, the crocodile god and Horus, Kom Ombo temple has beautiful symmetry and here we can also visit the crocodile museum. Continuing on, we reach Edfu and the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus. This vast temple lay for centuries buried beneath so much sand that a village was built on top of it, and it is now one of the best-preserved temples in all of Egypt. Later this afternoon we arrive in to ancient Thebes, or modern day Luxor, and check in to our hotel.
Day 7 Luxor: The Open Air Museum
Day 7 Luxor: The Open Air Museum
The West Bank of the Nile in Luxor is home to vast necropolises, ancient temples and colossal statues, all set amongst the fertile fields and rocky hills lying between the Nile and the desert. We will take a boat over the Nile to visit some of the most colourful and best-preserved tombs which once housed the sarcophagi of the ancient Thebans. We’ll take in the famous Valley of the Kings as well as the Valley of the Queens, as well as the beautiful Temple of Hatshepsut, sitting at the base of the 300m high cliffs. This afternoon we will head to the lesser-visited Valley of the Workers, home to the tombs of many of those who worked on the Valleys of the Kings and Queens. We finish the day at the Tombs of the Nobles.
Day 8 Luxor: Epic Temples
Day 8 Luxor: Epic Temples
An early start sees us arriving at Karnak Temple around sunrise to take in the large site and wander amongst the immense hypostyle hall while it is quiet and peaceful, bathed in the soft early-morning light. Returning to the hotel for breakfast the rest of the morning and early afternoon are at leisure. We will visit Luxor Temple in the late afternoon when the stones glow in the late sunshine. After the visit we will have some time in the city's markets before a final dinner in the town.
Day 9 Tour ends in Luxor
Day 9 Tour ends in Luxor
This morning those on the suggested group flight will be transferred to the airport.
ACCOMMODATION USED ON THIS TOUR
Anakato Hotel, Aswan
Situated on the west bank of the Nile, and guarded by a tree shrouded in legend, the traditional Anakato hotel is a gateway into the land of the Nubians. It consists of three brightly painted Nubian houses, with 5 simple, traditionally and tastefully decorated rooms and a terrace overlooking the Nile. The hotel offers the chance to buy local handicrafts with all proceeds going directly back to the residence of the village. Meals are provided for the guest and these consist of traditionally cooked food prepared from local produce.
Steigenberger Resort Achti, Luxor
The Achti Resort benefits from its location on the east bank of the Nile with a number of rooms with balconies overlooking the river, the perfect location from which to watch the sunset. Rooms are all large and well-appointed, others have views to the city and the gardens and some also enjoy a jacuzzi bath. There are plenty of choices available for dining with an international buffet, Italian and Middle Eastern restaurants as well as two pool bars and a cocktail bar. The swimming pool and gardens offer a perfect space to relax and take in the views of the Nile.
Hotel Rating
Hotel Rating
Accommodation displayed here should be taken as a guide only. *Please refer to the Detailed Itinerary of your individual departure for more information.
PRIVATE HOLIDAYS: DATES DON’T FIT?
All group tours can be taken on a private basis.
Additional Details
Responsible Travel
With local people, culture and eco-systems in mind, responsible travel and sustainable tourism are at the core of Wild Frontiers. We believe that a successful trip not only delivers a unique and unsurpassable journey for our travellers but also benefits the people and places we visit.
When designing our tours, we actively seek out experiences that have a positive impact on the communities and precious environments we visit - from supporting social enterprises; resting our heads in rural homestays; and eating at locally owned restaurants; to helping fund conservation projects that protect wildlife and their habitats.
Visit the Responsible Travel area of our website to read more, including the work of the Wild Frontiers Foundation through which we fundraise to aid community empowerment and education projects.
Reducing Single Use Plastic
We recognise the environmental issues and challenges around single-use plastic in many countries we visit and are actively working with our partners on the ground to reduce plastic waste on our tours and within the hotels and restaurants we visit. You can help to reduce your personal plastic waste by taking a refillable, filtered water bottle with you on your trip. Filtered water bottles can be refilled from water sources including your hotel room and restaurant taps, drinking fountains and refill stations. Every time you refill your bottle without the use of single-use plastic, you will be helping to reduce waste and protect the environment. Filtered Water Bottles | Wild Frontiers (wildfrontierstravel.com)
Getting There
If you would like us to send you a quote for the suggested tour flights or on any alternative flight that may suit you better, please let us know, noting that for our US clients, we will most likely refer you to one of our preferred partners. For this trip our suggested flights from the UK (subject to change) are shown below.
If you wish to arrange your own flights you are completely free to do so and in this case we can arrange any transfers or supplementary accommodation that you may require. However please note that if you are planning on making your own flight arrangements, we recommend that you first check with us to see if the trip is guaranteed. We then suggest that you purchase flights that are flexible and ideally refundable as due to the nature of adventure travel, itineraries and destination accessibility can change at any time. For more information, please refer to our booking conditions.
| Flight Code | Departing | Arriving |
|---|---|---|
| MS 778 | London Heathrow (LHR) 15:00 | Cairo International Airport (CAI) 21:50 |
| MS 761 | Luxor Airport (LXR) 11:05 | London Heathrow (LHR) 14:50 |
Visas & Vaccinations
VISAS
Visas are necessary for many of the destinations we travel to and while we aim to provide you with the most up-to-date information, requirements frequently change and as such for the latest advice we advise that you check with the relevant embassies or contact a reputable visa agency. More details can be found here - https://www.wildfrontierstravel.com/visa
For this tour UK passport holders currently require a visa for Egypt.
Passports should ideally be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the end of your tour.
Non-UK passport holders or non-UK residents should contact the relevant embassies for individual requirements.
VACCINATIONS & ADDITIONAL TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements for travellers to Egypt. For any clients transiting for more than 12 hours through an airport/country with a risk of yellow fever transmission you will require a yellow fever certificate.
For all destinations, please make sure you are up-to-date with any standard vaccinations (e.g. MMR, Hepatitis A, Tetanus) as recommended by your local health care provider.
For the most up-to-date information on all vaccination requirements and the most suitable anti-malarial tablets, we strongly suggest that you seek advice from your local travel centre or consult an official travel health website such as www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk or www.travelhealthpro.org.uk
Covid Testing: No mandatory testing is currently required for vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers.
If necessary further details will be sent out to you upon booking, however ensuring that correct and valid visas & vaccinations are obtained remains the sole responsibility of the client.
Extensions
If you have more time available, why not arrive early to adjust to a new time zone or just to get a feel for the country before your tour starts? Alternatively, you might choose to allow a few extra days after the tour to relax or to undertake some further exploration.
The choice is completely yours and we can usually arrange anything from simply additional accommodation and transfers to full tailor-made itineraries*. Please contact the office for more details and to discuss your requirements.
*Please note bespoke, tailor-made itineraries need to be a minimum of 7 days and we can only offer them in countries where we have a tailor-made expert
Governmental Travel Advice
Many governments issue advice which highlights potential hazards their citizens might experience when travelling abroad. We strongly suggest you refer to your country’s particular advisory site before booking and contact us if you have any queries or concerns. Click to follow links to the advice of the British Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) or the US State Department.
Non-UK citizens should consult the travel advice of their respective governments.
Key Information
CLIMATE
Egypt has an almost perfect winter climate: dry, sunny, and not unpleasantly hot. The area gets very little rainfall and experiences a dry heat, with daytime averages of between 25ºC to 30ºC, dropping sharply as the sun disappears and night-time approaches.
IS THIS TRIP FOR ME?
It may sound obvious but Wild Frontiers tours are not always for everyone and it is important to us that the tour you choose is the most suitable. All our tours have a fitness rating as a guideline but you should check the day-by-day itinerary carefully. In certain instances we may ask you to complete a travel questionnaire before confirming your booking in order to ensure your suitability. Should you have any concerns about your ability to partake in any aspect of the tour then please contact the office.
KEY ASPECTS TO CONSIDER
Anyone in a reasonable state of health, with an open mind and a sense of adventure should be perfectly able to cope with this tour, however please note it does include an overnight train which requires shared facilities and for some can be a little bumpy at times but quite the adventure!
Please also be advised that on this trip vegetarians can be catered for but the selection and variety may be limited.
THE NATURE OF ADVENTURE TRAVEL
We feel that it’s worth pointing out that while we will always strive to stick as close to the stated itinerary as possible, it may be necessary from time to time to make changes to our itineraries or services (due to weather, political and religious influences etc.) and this can happen with little or no notice. This unpredictability can be one of the most exciting aspects of adventure travel and for many of our clients often leads to unexpected highlights as the tour-leader necessarily adapts the tour to the changing conditions. However we are aware that this lack of assuredness may not suit everyone. As such, with the greatest respect, if you are someone who needs to know that everything will happen exactly as planned, we would kindly suggest that perhaps our tours are not for you. Adventure travel can be infectious and once you’ve caught the bug, it is likely to never leave you, but especially if this is your first such tour we would strongly urge you to give us a call if you have any concerns whatsoever about your suitability for this trip.
TRAVELLING SOLO AND SINGLE SUPPLEMENTS
As a company approximately 70% of our clients are solo travellers, so it’s very unlikely you’ll be alone!
Our prices are typically based on twin-share accommodation but single supplements are not compulsory for any Wild Frontiers tour. If you prefer not to pay a single supplement we’ll pair you with someone else of the same sex for you to share with throughout the trip. On this trip, if you do opt to pay for a single supplement then please note that it will cover you for all nights of the tour apart from the overnight train, when you will need to share a cabin with one other person of the same sex.
Please note that paying a single supplement entitles you to lone occupancy of a single room. In many cases these rooms will be of the same size as a double/twin room, but in some cases they may be smaller.
INSURANCE
Insurance that provides cover for emergency repatriation in case of a medical emergency is compulsory for all tours. You should be aware that due to some of the geographical areas visited and some of the activities included on certain of our trips some standard insurance policies may not always provide adequate cover. As such we strongly recommend that you purchase a policy that adequately covers your trip. Please see the Insurance section for more details.
General Information
TOUR PRICE
All our tours are priced on a land-only basis, giving you maximum flexibility when deciding how to get to and from your tour.
DEPOSIT
A 10% deposit is required to confirm your booking.
PROTECTION FOR YOUR MONEY
For further details please see our travelling with peace of mind page
WILD MILES
This tour will earn you 4366 Wild Miles
WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED
We believe in a completely transparent approach to pricing with no hidden extras. As such, please note that the following are not included in the cost of the tour.
Visas & Travel Insurance: Visas will always be tour/nationality dependent but travel insurance is mandatory
Tips: Always optional but some guidance will be given in the pre-departure information documents
International Flights: Please ask us for an obligation-free quote for flights which originate in the UK
Airport Transfers: We include complimentary transfers if arriving/departing on the suggested group flights
Beverages & any costs of a personal nature: This will include items such as laundry and souvenirs
WILD FRONTIERS COMMUNITY
If you’re still not sure if this trip is right or just want to see get some different perspectives, then why not have a look at the wide variety of resources we have on our website? Browse our community section to read our blogs, watch videos and find out about our events.
WHY WILD FRONTIERS?
We are frequently asked what makes Wild Frontiers different from other tour operators. Visit our Why Wild Frontiers page to find out.