14-Day Small Group Luxury Egypt Tour Private Nile Cruise & Temples
14 Days / 13 Nights
Duration
8-12
Group Size
8
Destinations
Daily
Departures
The Experience
Egypt reveals itself slowly to those who travel well and this is not a tour so much as a passage through it. Limited to a handful of fellow travelers, never a coach of forty, the journey moves at the pace of genuine curiosity: unhurried mornings among the Pyramids before the crowds arrive, private evenings inside tombs sealed to the public for three thousand years, and golden afternoons on the Nile where the only itinerary is the one the river sets. Wander the Pyramids of Giza and the treasures of the Grand Egyptian Museum before tracing the Nile to Luxor's Valley of the Kings and Karnak. Aboard a deluxe five-star cruise, private balconies frame the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, while Abu Simbel rises, unforgettably, from solid rock. Every practical detail five-star hotels, your Egyptologist, skip-the-line access, internal flights is already settled, so nothing stands between you and Egypt itself.
Your Journey
Day 1 | Cairo – Arrival & Welcome Reception
Arrive at Cairo International Airport, where your VIP representative meets you at the gate to fast-track visa and customs procedures. Enjoy a private, luxury transfer to the historic Marriott Mena House, a hotel offering stunning views of the Pyramids of Giza from its landscaped gardens. This evening, meet your fellow small-group travelers (maximum 8–12 guests) and your expert Egyptologist guide at a welcome reception, where you'll learn about the 14-day journey ahead in this iconic setting one that offers views of the pyramids illuminated at night from your hotel. Overnight: Marriott Mena House, Giza (5-star luxury) — Meals: Welcome dinner included
Day 2 | Saqqara & Giza – Pyramids & Sphinx
Begin at Saqqara, Egypt's oldest necropolis and home to the Step Pyramid of King Djoser, the world's first pyramid. Explore ancient tombs and burial chambers featuring remarkably preserved hieroglyphics and colorful reliefs. After lunch, experience exclusive VIP access at the Giza Plateau, including private entry to Great Pyramid chambers closed to regular visitors, special access between the paws of the Great Sphinx, and a visit to Khafre's Valley Temple. Conclude the day with sunset viewing from a private, panoramic spot as golden light bathes the ancient monuments. Overnight: Marriott Mena House, Giza — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 3 | Cairo - Grand Egyptian Museum
Step into the Grand Egyptian Museum, a masterpiece of modern architecture housing over 50,000 artifacts spanning 7,000 years of history. Stand before the complete Tutankhamun collection, displayed together for the first time, including his golden death mask, ornate throne, gilded chariots, and precious burial treasures. Admire the monumental Khufu Boat, a 43-meter cedar vessel built to carry the pharaoh into the afterlife. The evening closes with a private curator-led walkthrough of the museum's royal mummy hall, an intimate introduction to the kings and queens whose footsteps you will follow throughout your journey. Overnight: Marriott Mena House, Giza — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 4 | Beni Hassan - Ancient Rock Tombs
Travel south into Middle Egypt — the two days almost no visitor to Egypt ever experiences. At Beni Hassan, explore rock-cut tombs from the Middle Kingdom, their walls alive with scenes of daily life: wrestling matches, musicians, harvests, and feasts, preserved in color for four thousand years. The drive south unfolds through a rural Egypt largely untouched by tourism palm groves, water wheels, and villages that rarely see a foreign face. Overnight: House of Life, Abydos — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 5 | Tell el-Amarna - Akhenaten's Lost City
Begin at Tuna el-Gebel, its catacombs devoted to Thoth, god of wisdom, stretching for miles beneath the desert. Continue to Tell el-Amarna, the lost capital of the rebel pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti, where a brief and radical revolution reshaped Egyptian art and religion in a single generation before vanishing almost without trace. Walk among tombs decorated with strikingly naturalistic reliefs of the royal family a style unlike anything else in three thousand years of Egyptian art, and one most travelers never know exists. Overnight: House of Life, Abydos — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 6 | Abydos & Dendera - Sacred Temples
Visit the magnificent Temple of Seti I in Abydos, where delicate carvings still shimmer with traces of their original color. This temple is considered among Egypt's finest artistic achievements, with incredibly detailed hieroglyphics covering its walls and columns. Continue to Dendera Temple, dedicated to the goddess Hathor, and marvel at the famous astronomical ceiling featuring zodiac constellations and celestial deities ranking among Egypt's most exquisite treasures. Transfer to Luxor and check in at the historic Sofitel Winter Palace, where European aristocrats and distinguished Egyptologists once stayed during Egypt's golden age of discovery. Overnight: Sofitel Winter Palace, Luxor — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 7 | Luxor - Valley of the Kings (Private Access)
Explore the awe-inspiring Karnak Temple Complex, its forest of colossal papyrus columns unfolding along an avenue of sphinxes. Continue to Luxor Temple, its statues of Ramses II glowing gold as evening falls. Then comes the day's defining moment: private, after-hours access to the Valley of the Kings, when the gates close to every other visitor on earth. Alone among the royal tombs — including that of Tutankhamun — you'll stand in a silence few travelers ever experience here. Overnight: Sofitel Winter Palace, Luxor — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 8 | Valley of Queens - Board Nile Cruise
Visit the Valley of the Queens to step inside the breathtaking Tomb of Queen Nefertari, often called Egypt's Sistine Chapel for its stunning artwork and brilliantly preserved colors. Explore the Temple of Hatshepsut, a remarkable monument carved into limestone cliffs honoring Egypt's most successful female pharaoh. Board your deluxe Nile cruise vessel, the MS Le Fayan, featuring spacious cabins with private balconies, gourmet dining, and elegant public spaces. Enjoy the captain's cocktail reception and dinner under the stars, with traditional Egyptian entertainment, as you begin sailing south toward Aswan. Overnight: MS Le Fayan Nile Cruise — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 9 | Edfu & Kom Ombo Temples
Morning visit to the Temple of Edfu, one of Egypt's best-preserved sanctuaries, dedicated to the falcon god Horus. After lunch onboard, the afternoon slows — palm groves and river villages drift past from your private balcony. At Kom Ombo, a rare double temple honors both Horus and Sobek the crocodile god in perfectly mirrored halls. Dinner onboard closes the day with live Egyptian music beneath the stars. Overnight: MS Le Fayan Nile Cruise — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 10 | Abu Simbel & Aswan
At dawn, take a short flight to Abu Simbel, where four colossal, 20-meter statues of Ramses II rise from the cliffs in one of ancient Egypt's most breathtaking monuments. Visit the adjacent temple honoring Queen Nefertari, celebrating the pharaoh's great love for his queen. Return to Aswan to visit the High Dam, a modern engineering marvel that tamed the Nile's floods. Take a private boat to an authentic Nubian village, where local culture thrives with vibrant colors, traditional architecture, and warm hospitality. Enjoy aromatic hibiscus tea with village families and learn about Nubian customs and daily life. Overnight: MS Le Fayan Nile Cruise — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 11 | Philae Temple - Fly to Alexandria
Sail to Philae Island, home of the graceful Temple of Isis, goddess of magic and motherhood. This beautiful temple was rescued stone by stone by UNESCO and relocated to higher ground when the Aswan Dam was built. Walk through elegant colonnades featuring reliefs depicting ancient myths in one of Egypt's most romantic temple settings. Visit the Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries, revealing the secrets of how ancient Egyptians carved these massive monuments. Fly to Alexandria and check in at the elegant Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano, a seaside sanctuary overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Overnight: Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 12 | Alexandria - Greek & Roman Sites
Explore Alexandria at an easier pace, where Greek, Roman, and Egyptian civilizations once converged. Descend into the Catacombs of Kom ash-Shuqqafa, its multi-level chambers blending Egyptian and Greco-Roman styles. Visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern rebirth of the ancient Library, before an afternoon at leisure a rare unhurried moment before your final day in Egypt. As evening falls, walk the Citadel of Qaitbay, built on the site of the ancient Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Overnight: Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included
Day 13 | Taposiris Magna - Return to Cairo
Enjoy exclusive access to Taposiris Magna, a sacred temple site where ongoing archaeological excavations continue to reveal new mysteries. Some researchers believe this may be connected to Cleopatra's final resting place, making it one of Egypt's most intriguing active dig sites. Return to Cairo for your final night at the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence, overlooking the Nile with panoramic city views. Celebrate with a farewell gala dinner featuring live Egyptian music, traditional dancers, and a gourmet feast a fitting finale to your extraordinary journey through ancient and modern Egypt. Overnight: Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at The First Residence — Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and farewell dinner included
Day 14 | Cairo - Departure
After a leisurely breakfast with final views of the Nile, enjoy free time for last-minute shopping or rest at the hotel. Your private chauffeur escorts you to Cairo International Airport with time to spare, with seamless VIP assistance through check-in and security. You depart carrying Egypt with you not as a checklist completed, but as a country that let you in. Meals: Breakfast included
Included
- 13 nights in five-star hotels and a deluxe Nile cruise, including the Marriott Mena House, Sofitel Winter Palace, Four Seasons Alexandria, and Four Seasons Cairo
- All meals throughout (breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily)
- Expert Egyptologist guide accompanying your group throughout
- Private, after-hours access to the Valley of the Kings
- VIP skip-the-line entry to all sites, including closed pyramid chambers at Giza
- All gratuities for guides, drivers, and cruise staff
- Internal flights (Luxor–Alexandria–Cairo)
- Private transfers in air-conditioned vehicles throughout
- Dedicated trip concierge, available throughout your journey
Not Included
- International flights
- Egypt entry visa
- Travel insurance
- Personal expenses
- Optional activities not listed in the itinerary
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