12 Days Cairo, Alexandria, Nile Cruise & El Bahariya Oasis

After breakfast at the hotel, your certified Egyptologist guide will meet you to begin your exploration of Giza’s legendary monuments.

Your first stop is the Giza Plateau, home to the timeless Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Stand before the Great Pyramid, one of the last surviving wonders of the ancient world, and admire the enigmatic Sphinx with its lion body and royal visage. You’ll also visit the Valley Temple, linked to ancient funerary practices and mummification ceremonies.

Enjoy lunch at a well-rated local restaurant.

Continue your tour at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), one of the world’s largest archaeological museums, showcasing thousands of ancient treasures in a state-of-the-art setting. Discover monumental statues, royal relics, and everyday artifacts from Egypt’s extensive timeline, including items from the Old, Middle, and New Kingdoms.

After your visit, return to your hotel for the evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Cairo

Optional: Attend the captivating Sound & Light Show at the Pyramids—an evening experience that brings ancient stories to life under the stars.

After breakfast, transfer to Cairo Airport for your flight to Luxor—once ancient Thebes and the capital of the New Kingdom.

Upon landing, meet your local guide and explore the East Bank. Begin with the Karnak Temple, an immense religious complex devoted to Amun-Ra, featuring soaring columns, ceremonial lakes, and hieroglyphs.

Next, visit the riverside Luxor Temple, famous for its grand pylons and the Avenue of Sphinxes that once connected it to Karnak.

Later, board your Nile cruise ship and relax in your cabin as you prepare to sail through Egypt’s timeless heart.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Nile Cruise

Cross the Nile to discover Luxor’s West Bank, beginning with the Valley of the Kings—home to elaborately decorated tombs of pharaohs, including the famed burial of King Tutankhamun.

Continue to the majestic Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, beautifully integrated into the surrounding cliffs.

Conclude the morning with a visit to the Colossi of Memnon, two towering statues that once guarded the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.

Return to your cruise for lunch, followed by a relaxing afternoon sailing the Nile.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Nile Cruise

Optional: Begin the day with an early morning hot air balloon ride over Luxor for panoramic views of its temples and tombs.

Start your day with a visit to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, an impeccably preserved sanctuary from the Ptolemaic era, dedicated to the falcon god.

Sail onward to Kom Ombo, where you’ll explore the dual temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. 

The symmetrical layout and unique carvings here are truly captivating. Don’t miss the Crocodile Museum, featuring mummified reptiles and religious artifacts.

Later, enjoy a festive Galabeya Party onboard with music, local dress, and dancing.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Nile Cruise

After breakfast, I set out to explore Aswan’s top sites, starting with the High Dam, an engineering wonder that controls Nile flooding and generates electricity.

Next, take a boat ride to the enchanting Temple of Philae, once threatened by rising waters and now relocated to Agilkia Island. This beautiful complex honors Isis, goddess of motherhood and magic.

Return to your cruise ship for lunch and an afternoon at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Nile Cruise

Enjoy your final breakfast onboard, then transfer to Aswan Airport for your return flight to Cairo. After landing, you’ll be driven to your hotel where you can unwind or explore the capital independently.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Cairo

Optional: Take a day trip to Abu Simbel, one of Egypt’s most iconic archaeological sites, known for its colossal temples built by Ramses II.

After an early breakfast, journey north to Alexandria, the historic city by the Mediterranean Sea known for its Hellenistic heritage.

Begin at the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, an underground necropolis blending Pharaonic, Greek, and Roman styles. Then, see Pompey’s Pillar, a massive Roman triumphal column, and the remains of the Serapeum Temple.

Stop for lunch at a trusted local restaurant.

Continue to the Citadel of Qaitbay, a medieval fortress built atop the ruins of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria. Then visit the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a sprawling library and cultural complex inspired by the ancient world-renowned library.

Return to Cairo after the tour.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Cairo

Note: The Alexandria Library is closed on Fridays and public holidays.

Start your day with a visit to the Salah El-Din Citadel, an imposing fortress offering sweeping views of Cairo. Within its walls stands the striking Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali, showcasing Ottoman architecture at its finest.

Then, journey into Old Cairo to explore its rich religious heritage. Visit the Church of Abu Serga, believed to shelter the Holy Family during their time in Egypt, and the Hanging Church, perched above a Roman gate tower.

Round out the day with a stop at the Ben Ezra Synagogue, one of the oldest in Egypt, reflecting the city's diverse spiritual tapestry.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Cairo

Today, venture deep into Egypt’s Western Desert to El Bahariya Oasis, a fertile green basin surrounded by golden dunes.

Explore a traditional desert village, see the mud-brick homes, and relax by natural hot springs. Visit archaeological sites such as the Valley of the Golden Mummies and the Greek-Roman necropolis, shedding light on life in ancient desert communities.

Enjoy an authentic dinner and overnight stay in a desert camp beneath a starlit sky.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Overnight: Desert Camp

After an early start, set off for the remarkable landscapes of the White Desert, filled with wind-carved limestone formations resembling mushrooms and animals.

Next, drive through the Black Desert, characterized by volcanic cones and basalt-strewn sands.

Witness a dramatic desert sunset before returning to Cairo in the evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Overnight: Cairo

Savor a final breakfast at your hotel before being transferred to Cairo International Airport for your onward flight.

Thank you for exploring Egypt with us—we hope to see you again!

Meals: Breakfast

How much you pay upfront to lock in a Min Travel booking comes down to what you are reserving, so our terms are grouped by service type:

• Day Tours & Excursions: the entire cost (100%) is settled at the moment you book, which confirms your spot.
• Multi-Day Tour Packages & Nile Cruises: a 30% deposit holds your reservation, with the remaining balance due no later than 15 days before you arrive.
• Christmas, New Year & Easter Bookings: these high-demand windows call for a larger 50% deposit to secure your place.

The instant your payment goes through, we email you a written confirmation, a personalized itinerary, and your travel documents, and every payment you make comes with its own receipt.

Life doesn't always go to plan, and we get that. Here is how a cancellation is handled, measured against your arrival date:

• 30 days or more before arrival: you get everything back, less whatever your bank or the transaction charges
• 15 to 29 days before arrival: a fee of 25% of the total tour cost applies
• 7 to 14 days before arrival: the cancellation fee rises to 50%
• Fewer than 7 days before arrival, or a no-show: the full 100% is charged

Where money is owed back to you, expect it within 14 business days from the day we receive your cancellation in writing. Do keep in mind that individual hotels and certain cruises enforce tougher rules of their own, and any such condition will be spelled out plainly in your itinerary.

Families are always welcome aboard our tours, and we price younger travelers on a sliding scale:

• Infants under 2 years: travel free
• Children 2–5 years: pay 25% of the adult rate
• Children 6–11 years: pay 50% of the adult rate
• Children 12 years and above: charged the full adult rate

These reduced rates hold only where a child shares a room with two adults who are each paying in full. Bear in mind that a handful of luxury hotels and Nile Cruises set their own conditions for younger guests, and any such restriction that touches your trip will appear in your itinerary.

Beyond the standard package there are a number of extra experiences you can choose to add. Reserve them ahead of time or sort them out on the spot once you are there, availability permitting. A few of the favorites travelers pick up:

• Stepping inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu and other tombs
• Evening Sound & Light Shows at the Giza Pyramids, Karnak, or Philae Temples
• A sunrise hot air balloon flight above Luxor
• Camel rides or a horse-drawn carriage through the old quarters
• Private photography sessions at the great landmarks

You can pay for these add-ons in either USD or Egyptian pounds (EGP). Booking early is wise, all the more so when you are traveling in the busy season.

Our packages cover a great deal, but a few costs fall outside them and are worth setting money aside for:

• Anything you buy for yourself, from souvenirs to snacks
• Drinks at mealtimes, unless your plan states otherwise
• In-hotel extras such as the minibar, room service, or laundry
• Your Egyptian entry visa, which is normally paid when you land
• SIM cards or internet access, unless we've arranged it for you
• Tips and any optional experiences you decide to add

It helps to keep a little Egyptian currency (EGP) on hand as you go, particularly for tipping and for picking things up in the local markets.

In Egypt, tipping (known as "baksheesh") is simply how good service is acknowledged. No one is obliged to tip, but the gesture goes a long way and is warmly received. As a rough guide:

• Tour guide: $15–$20 per day for the group
• Driver: $5–$10 per day for the group
• Nile Cruise crew: $5–$10 per person each night, pooled among the staff
• Hotel porters and housekeeping: modest tips of $1–$2

Gratuities sit outside your package price, so it's worth keeping a few small USD or EGP notes within easy reach for the moments they're called for.

Before you arrive, make sure the following are sorted:

• Passport: must remain valid for a minimum of six months from your entry date.
• Visa: requirements hinge on your nationality; some travellers arrange one ahead of time, others obtain it on arrival, and certain nationalities qualify for an e-visa.
• Travel Insurance: not compulsory, but strongly advised to cover medical emergencies and other surprises.
• Vaccinations: none are mandatory for entry, though it's sensible to ask your healthcare provider about any recommended shots.

By and large, yes. Egypt puts considerable effort into protecting visitors, particularly at major attractions and in the larger cities, so tourists are generally well looked after. As with any trip abroad, it's still smart to review your government's current travel advisories and keep an eye on local news before and during your visit.

Pulling an Egypt trip together is straightforward once you work through it step by step:

• Set your dates and budget: pin down when you'd like to travel and what you're comfortable spending; this shapes your choices for flights, hotels, and tours.
• Map out your itinerary: from Cairo and the Pyramids of Giza to Luxor, Aswan, a Nile Cruise, Alexandria, and the Red Sea resorts, decide which places make the cut and how long you'll linger at each.
• Pick a trustworthy operator: whether that's a local Egyptian company, an international agency, or a specialist online platform, lean on reviews and ratings to confirm they're reliable.
• Choose a package or build your own: ready-made packages bundle flights, hotels, transport, and guided tours, or you can tailor everything to your own interests and budget.
• Reserve your spot: once you've settled on a plan, contact the operator to confirm availability, share your details, and pay either a deposit or the full amount as their policy requires.
• Get your documents in order: check your passport's validity, apply for an Egyptian visa if you need one, and print your itinerary, hotel vouchers, and tour confirmations.
• Pack smart: dress for the weather and your planned activities, and don't overlook comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, and travel adapters.
• Enjoy the journey: once you land, follow your itinerary, stay in touch with your guide or agency, and soak up Egypt's history and culture.

No, gratuities aren't built into the tour price. Tipping, known locally as "baksheesh," is woven into everyday life in Egypt, and it's customary to reward guides, drivers, and hotel staff directly. A sensible approach is to let the quality of service guide you, generally in the region of 10-15% of the bill or service cost.