RCGS: Egypt Nile Cruise with Charlene Bearhead

Discover ancient temples and tombs and travel by Nile cruise boat with fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Charlene Bearhead

Follow in the footsteps of the ancient pharaohs and ride the sands of time back thousands of years on this classic Egypt Nile cruise led by an expert local guide and hosted by Indigenous education advocate and author, Vice President – Learning and Reconciliation at Canadian Geographic ,and a fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Charlene Bearhead. With ancient tombs and mysteries around every bend, unrivalled legacy and mind-blowing history await! 

This trip allows you to visit all the major sites and attractions along the Nile in comfort. Boarding our cruise boat at Luxor we travel upstream, watching local life pass, while also visiting the spectacular Edfu and Kom Ombo temples along the way. The lush banks and beautiful sunsets over the Nile, together with the excellent on-board facilities, make this an unforgettable way to travel.

Your Guide to RCGS Quests

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• There are options to have a Nubian dinner in an Aswan village or a home cooked meal in Cairo, where clients can have an authentic meal, interact socially and directly see who their money is going to.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for re-usable bottles.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological sites generates income which is used for upkeep and development of these important sites. In this trip we enter numerous ancient sites.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices regarding working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We support A.C.E (Animal Care in Egypt) by giving our guests the opportunity to visit their centre. A.C.E. is a charity dedicated to stopping the suffering of animals in the most deprived communities in Luxor by providing free veterinary care and education to their owners.
• We rewild 100 square metres per passenger to compensate for all trip and flight emissions.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: we do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: please bring a re-usable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Visa

Egypt

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Egypt. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/africa/egypt
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/egypt
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Egypt.html

If you are obtaining your visa online, please ensure you have a scan of your passport ready. The file size should be small and ideally saved as a JPEG or PDF otherwise you might not be able to load it on the visa application.

You will need to provide your host’s information on the application – please use the following details:

South Sinai Travel
79 Merghany Street
Cairo
Egypt
Telephone: +20 22418 7310
www.southsinai.com
salwa.ibrahim@southsinai.com

Please note, Egyptian officials have requested tourists carry a copy of their passport with them while in the country. Please also note, some prescribed medicines are controlled substances in Egypt.

Vaccination

There are no mandatory vaccination requirements; however, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis A vaccines are recommended. Although not usually advised, other vaccinations to consider include rabies and hepatitis B.

Eating and Drinking

All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners included.

In the itinerary, we state which meals are included on which day. For meals not included, we suggest you allow approximately 235 Egyptian pounds (US$12) for lunch and 350 pounds (US$18) for dinner. Food in Egypt involves such things as kebabs, chicken, stews, pitta-bread, falafel, beans, vegetables, pickles and salads. Dishes tend to be simple and wholesome and vegetarians can be catered for, though the options may be somewhat limited.

Weather

Rain is very rare in all parts of Egypt and most days are sunny and clear. Summer temperatures often near 40C (104F) but this is particularly true for the period between June and September. The winter months can be surprisingly cold, especially on the Nile or at night. The average daytime maximum in Cairo in January is 20C (68F), night time minimum is 8C (46F). In the summer, these temperatures are 35C (95F) and 22C (72F) respectively. Daytime temperatures are slightly higher on average in Aswan.

Is this trip for you?

This trip has been graded Activity Level 1 (Leisurely), suitable for all clients with average health and fitness. No experience of any activity involved is necessary. Most days involve early starts (especially Day 3 when we catch an early flight to Luxor) but this allows us to get the most from our time in Egypt and avoid the worst of the heat. Egypt can get hot, which can cause discomfort while travelling. The hottest months tend to be June to September when temperatures can hit 40C (104F) in the south of the country. Care should be taken to keep hydrated. The hotels and cruise boat we use on this trip are of a high standard, providing excellent levels of comfort.

Please note, the new Egyptian Museum is scheduled to open in November 2022 but that this is subject to change. We will change to the new museum when it is open.

Please note, Ramadan is expected to run from 22 March-21 April 2023 and 10 March-10 April 2024. Ramadan, one of the most important events in the Muslim calendar, is a special time to visit Egypt. Each evening, the streets empty as people head home to break the fast, before refilling with an air of festivity upon their return.

Our leaders and drivers choose to work at this time, so we continue to run trips. Please be aware, however, that their energy levels may be slightly lower than normal.

Tourist sites are still open, but may close earlier than usual. Restaurants may close during the day, but this is accounted for in meal arrangements for your group. Shops are typically open, though their hours may vary and they will definitely be closed during the breaking of the fast.

Your leader will know how timings need to be adapted to allow all the trip inclusions to run during Ramadan. To fully enjoy your holiday experience at this unique time of year, we suggest patience and flexibility.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as not suitable for full wheelchair users, but it may be suitable for other persons of reduced mobility. Please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.