Itinerary Expand allCairo to Luxor Day 1 Welcome to EgyptWelcome to Cairo, the magnificent capital of Egypt. It’s a loud and proud place where raucous modern life meets an entrenched ancient history. You’ll check into the beautiful Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel & Spa, just outside of the city with views over to the pyramids. Day 2 Check off the headline spectaclesYou’ve got nine days in Egypt, and there’s a lot to cram in. Your first full day has blockbuster attractions in store. After breakfast, you’ll head straight out to the Pyramids of Giza, spending an hour on a quad bike with the pyramids as your movie-like backdrop. Then there’s a tour to understand the secrets of these intriguing structures better.Later, in downtown Cairo, you’ll visit the Egyptian Museum to see the riches of Tutankhamun’s Tomb and other Egyptian treasures. The day continues at the architecturally beautiful Al Azhar Mosque, one of the oldest examples in the city. Meals included: Breakfast Day 3 Kayak the Nile then get lost in the souksYou’ll board a kayak this morning and paddle the Nile for around two hours. Then it’s back to downtown Cairo for a food tour and the chance to sample koshary, molokhia, ful and falafel traditional Egyptian dishes. There’s an afternoon tour of Old Cairo to wander the narrow lanes of the Khan El-Khalili bazaar.Tonight, you’ll be rocked to sleep aboard a sleeper train bound for Aswan, the southern frontier of ancient Egypt. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Wake up in AswanThere’s a full day on the Nile today. You’ll board a traditional felucca and get to know this famous waterway a little better. As the boat’s lateen sails unfurl, there’s time to relax and enjoy the scenery as you pass rocky islets and glimpse the golden dunes beyond the west bank. Later, you’ll check into Anakato Hotel, traditional Nubian-style accommodation. Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 Marvel at the enigmatic Temples of Abu Simbel You’ll rise before the sun this morning to travel through the desert to Abu Simbel. It’s renowned for its colossal temples -- spectacular examples of ancient Egyptian art and engineering overlooking Lake Nasser. After, there’s some downtime back at the Anakato Hotel before your adventure continues in the late afternoon when you’ll take a desert walk with a Nubian guide. You’ll feast on a home-cooked Nubian meal and learn about the culture and history of this region. Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 6 Board the dunes This morning, you’ll be sandboarding across the dunes. It’s an extreme sport that’s sure to get your heart pumping. Buzzing with adrenaline, the rest of the day is yours to swim and kayak in the Nile, explore Aswan’s bazaar or take an optional tour of Philae Temple, the High Dam or a nearby Nubian village. Meals included: Breakfast Day 7 Explore LuxorIt’s on to Luxor today, taking the four-hour transfer to this one-of-a-kind destination. You’ll tour the ancient Karnak Temple and marvel at the sheer grandeur of the monuments that have survived here. After sunset, you’ll visit the Luxor Temple, built between 1390 and 1352 BC. Tonight, you’ll stay at the excellent Mercure Luxor Karnak on the Nile’s east bank. Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 Visit the Valley of the KingsAn early transfer this morning takes you to the Valley of the Kings, the site of 63 royal tombs. It was part of the ancient city of Thebes and the burial site of almost all the pharaohs of the 18th, 19th, and 20th dynasties. Then it’s onto the Colossi of Memnon, two giant and faceless stone statues guarding the entrance to the temple of Amenophis III.There’s lunch at the El Marsam restaurant and then a visit to ACE Luxor animal hospital, a charity dedicated to treating animals in the most impoverished communities of Luxor.Tonight, there’s a farewell dinner at El Sofra restaurant, dining on traditional Egyptian dishes. Meals included: Breakfast Day 9 Adventure completeAnd, just like that, a whirlwind exploration is complete. Today you’ll head to Luxor’s airport for your return flight home. Meals included: Breakfast
EgyptVisas are required by all non-Arab nationalities and currently cost approximately GBP20. It is recommended that you obtain your visa before you travel (although it’s still possible to get a tourist visa on arrival). You can get a visa online at Visa2Egypt or alternatively, the address of the Egyptian Embassy in London is 2 Lowndes Street, SW1. Tel: 020 7235 9777. Visas are now generally available for same day collection, although this should NOT be relied upon. Opening hours are 09.30 to 12.30 for applications, 14.15 to 16.00 for collection of passports after the visa has been issued. Postal applications direct to the embassy for visas are not recommended as the service takes 15 to 20 days.If you are obtaining your visa online then 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 Travel79 Merghany StreetCairoEgyptTel: +20 22418 7310www.southsinai.com[email protected]Please note that recently Egyptian officials have requested tourists carry a copy of their passport with them whilst in the country.
EgyptThere are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Tetanus, Typhoid, Hepatitis A. Although not usually advised, other vaccinations to consider include rabies and Hepatitis B.
Hotels Le Meridien Pyramids Hotel & SpaA large, modern resort hotel overlooking the Pyramids of Giza. There are two swimming pools with feature waterfalls and a choice of dining options.Anakato HotelAuthentic Nubian-style accommodation with views of the Nile. Rooms are brightly coloured and furnished in the local style.Mercure Luxor KarnakA large and contemporary hotel with an abundance of facilities on the Nile’s east bank.Please note that if the listed accommodation is not available then an alternative of a similar standard will be used.
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