10 Day Treasures of Egypt Tour Giza Pyramids & Cairo & Nile Cruise & Abu Simbel

The big draw is simple: this 10-day Egypt itinerary covers an enormous amount of ground without asking you to arrange hotels, domestic flights, airport transfers, or a Nile cruise yourself. You move from Cairo’s pyramids and museums to Luxor’s temples, then south by boat and road to Aswan and Abu Simbel.

I like the strong mix of famous sights and less predictable stops. Saqqara gives you the Step Pyramid, Edfu offers one of Egypt’s best-preserved temples, and Philae sits on an island reached by boat. I also like the hands-on arrival service, with airport assistance from the first day and transfers throughout the trip.

The trade-off is pace. This is an action-packed tour, not a slow Egypt holiday. Several days involve long sightseeing blocks, early movement, or a seven-hour Abu Simbel excursion, and the included meals are not completely all-inclusive because drinks and tips cost extra.

Key points before you book

• Giza, Saqqara, and Memphis arrive together: Day two gives you three major archaeological stops in one sweep.
• The Nile section links Luxor and Aswan: You see Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Philae without repeatedly changing hotels.
• Abu Simbel takes a full day: The seven-hour visit is one of the tour’s biggest highlights, but it requires stamina.
• Domestic flights save long overland transfers: Flights connect Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan, with airport pickup and drop-off included.
• The tour is private: Only your own group participates, and the company has shown flexibility with timing and itinerary changes.
• The price covers major essentials: At $2,795 per person, nine nights, flights, meals listed in the package, guides, and transfers are included.

Why this 10-day route works so well

Egypt can be awkward to plan because the main sights are spread across a long north-south corridor. Cairo sits far from Luxor, Luxor sits far from Aswan, and Abu Simbel lies well beyond Aswan near the Sudanese border.

This tour solves much of that problem with a sensible sequence. You begin in Cairo, fly to Luxor, travel south on the Nile, visit Abu Simbel, then fly from Aswan back to Cairo. That means you spend more time seeing monuments and less time arranging transport between them.

The private format matters, too. The tour is not an open group departure where you are tied to strangers. Only your group participates, and the operator has accommodated requests such as a later start for Abu Simbel. That kind of flexibility is useful if you are traveling with children, need a gentler morning, or want to adjust the rhythm of a long sightseeing day.

The itinerary is still tightly planned. You will not have much free time on the main sightseeing days, and some stops are measured in hours rather than leisurely half-days. I would choose this trip if your first goal is to see the essential ancient sites in one visit.

Days 1 and 2: Cairo arrival and the Giza pyramid circuit

Your first day is deliberately light. An airport representative meets you, helps with arrival formalities, and transfers you to your Cairo hotel. After a long international flight, that assistance can be worth a lot. You are not left to negotiate the first taxi or find the hotel on your own.

Day two is the archaeological heavyweight. You spend about three hours at the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, with admission included. The Great Pyramid, the remaining ancient wonder of the original Seven Wonders, is the obvious star, but the Sphinx gives the visit a second visual anchor.

Three hours is enough for the main plateau visit and photographs, but it is not designed for a slow, independent exploration of every corner. If entering a pyramid is important to you, confirm whether that ticket is included, since the package only states admission to the Giza visit.

From Giza, the route continues to Saqqara for about two hours. The Step Pyramid of Djoser is a different kind of achievement from the smooth-sided pyramids at Giza. It developed from earlier mastaba tombs and rises in six stepped levels, making it an important point in the story of pyramid design.

The final stop is Memphis, where you spend about an hour at the open-air museum. The colossal statue of Ramses and the alabaster sphinx give you a compact look at the old capital. This is a full day of ancient Egypt, and the drawback is clear: Giza, Saqqara, and Memphis can feel like a lot of stones, tombs, and royal names before dinner.

Your Egyptologist guide is important here. The monuments make a stronger impression when someone explains how the Step Pyramid differs from the later pyramid form, and why Memphis mattered beyond the remains visible today.

Day 3: Cairo’s museum, citadel, and old market

The Egyptian Museum receives three hours, which gives you time for a useful introduction to the country’s vast collection. The museum holds about 120,000 ancient objects, though only a portion is displayed at any one time.

Do not expect to absorb everything. I would treat this as a guided orientation rather than an exhaustive museum study. Focus on the pieces your guide identifies and save some energy for the afternoon.

The Cairo Citadel follows, with about two hours at the medieval Islamic fortification on Mokattam Hill. The site is not another pharaonic temple. Its value comes from the shift in period and setting, plus the elevated city views and preserved fortifications.

Khan Al-Khalili provides a very different finish. You have about two hours in the historic bazaar district, but admission is not included. There is no entrance fee in the usual sense, yet purchases, food, and any optional activity are your responsibility.

This is a good place to practice polite bargaining and browse without rushing. Keep your wallet and phone secure in crowded areas, and decide in advance how much shopping time you really want. The contrast between museum cases, military history, and market life gives this Cairo day a better balance than another schedule of monuments would.

Day 4: Karnak and Luxor Temple on the Nile

The tour then shifts south to Luxor. The included local flights are a major practical advantage, since you avoid spending much of a day crossing Egypt by road.

Karnak receives about two hours. This huge temple complex was dedicated mainly to Amun and grew over many centuries. Its scale is the point: broad courts, columns, pylons, and layers of construction show how successive rulers added to an already important religious center.

Later, you visit Luxor Temple for another two hours. It sits in the modern city on the Nile’s east bank and was built around 1400 BCE. Karnak feels expansive and ceremonial, while Luxor Temple is easier to read as a connected monument in an urban setting.

I like the pairing because the guide can explain how the two sites relate to one another. It is also a demanding first day in Luxor, especially after a flight and transfers. Wear shoes with good support and bring water. The included admission removes one common source of hassle, but the heat and walking remain yours to manage.

Day 5: Three west-bank sights near Luxor

Day five crosses to Luxor’s west bank, where you visit three of Egypt’s most memorable sites. The Valley of the Kings takes about three hours and includes entry to three tombs.

That detail matters. The valley contains many tombs, but the standard visit does not mean every tomb is open or included. Three tombs give you a solid sample of the painted burial chambers, corridors, and careful planning beneath the desert hills.

Next comes the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. You have one hour here. The temple’s terraces rise against the cliffs, creating a very different visual experience from the enclosed tombs. Hatshepsut’s reign also gives your guide a chance to explain the unusual story of a woman who ruled as pharaoh.

The Colossi of Memnon require only 30 minutes and have no admission charge. These giant statues of Amenhotep III are a brief but worthwhile roadside stop. Do not expect a long visit. Think of it as a chance to stretch, take photographs, and see two massive survivors from the Theban Necropolis.

This day is more varied than the schedule may look. You move from underground tombs to an open temple and then to monumental statues. Still, the heat can build, and the three-hour Valley of the Kings visit may feel long if you are not especially interested in tomb decoration.

Day 6: Edfu and Kom Ombo by cruise

The Nile cruise becomes the organizing thread as you continue south. At Edfu, you spend about two hours at the Temple of Horus, built during the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BCE.

Edfu is prized for preservation. Desert sand helped cover the temple after the ancient cult ended, leaving substantial walls and a roof that make the interior unusually atmospheric. The temple is dedicated to Horus, the son of Isis and Osiris, and its reliefs are easier to understand with an Egyptologist’s explanation.

Kom Ombo takes another two hours. This is an unusual double temple, with one side dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the other to Horus the Elder. The divided plan gives you a clear example of how different religious traditions could share one monumental site.

The cruise format is valuable here because you see the Nile between visits instead of packing and unpacking every night. Accommodation is included on the cruise or at listed hotels, or similar properties, but the exact ship and hotel names are not specified in the tour details. I would ask for those names before paying if cabin quality or location matters to you.

Meals include seven lunches and four dinners, along with nine breakfasts. That covers much of the touring day, but not every meal, and drinks are excluded. Budget for beverages and tips separately.

Day 7: Abu Simbel is worth the long outing

Abu Simbel is the tour’s longest single excursion, listed at about seven hours. The two temples were cut into rock near the western shore of Lake Nasser, around 230 kilometers southwest of Aswan and close to the Sudanese border.

The temples were built for Ramses II and his queen, Nefertari, and the enormous seated figures at the entrance are among Egypt’s most recognizable sights. The scale is impressive, but the trip is not a quick add-on. You need to be comfortable spending most of the day on this outing.

This is one place where the private format can help. The operator has adjusted the Abu Simbel start time for some groups, so you can ask what flexibility is possible for your departure. Do not assume every request can be granted, but it is worth raising before the trip.

I would not skip Abu Simbel simply because it is tiring. If you have traveled this far south, the temples add something the Cairo and Luxor sites cannot: enormous rock-cut architecture in a remote setting. Just pack water, sun protection, and patience.

Day 8: Philae, Aswan, and the return flight

Philae takes about three hours and is reached on an island south of Aswan. The temple complex was devoted to Isis and remained important through the Pharaonic, Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods.

Its modern story is just as interesting as its ancient one. The monuments were moved block by block from Philae Island to Agilika Island during a UNESCO rescue project before rising water could cover them. That makes the visit a useful reminder that Egypt’s ancient sites have needed modern protection as well as ancient builders.

After Philae, your tour leader takes you to Aswan airport for the flight back to Cairo. An airport representative meets you in Cairo and transfers you to your hotel. This double handoff is practical, especially after a full morning of sightseeing, but keep your passport and flight details easy to reach.

Days 9 and 10: One free Cairo day and departure

Day nine is a free day in Cairo. The published schedule does not include a set excursion, so you can rest, revisit a favorite area, shop, or arrange your own activity. That free day is welcome after the dense Nile schedule.

It also gives you a buffer if a flight or transfer runs late earlier in the trip. I would use it for a low-pressure Cairo experience rather than adding another distant day trip.

On day ten, a representative escorts you to the airport according to your flight time. The tour ends with that transfer, not with a final guided visit.

What the $2,795 price really buys

At $2,795 per person, this is not a bare sightseeing package. The cost includes nine nights of accommodation, the Nile cruise or similar lodging, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and domestic flights, airport pickups, an Egyptologist guide, nine breakfasts, seven lunches, and four dinners.

That is a strong package for someone who values convenience. Booking the hotels, internal flights, cruise, transfers, and major entrance tickets separately would take time and expose you to more chances for missed connections.

The price does not cover drinks or tips for guides and drivers. Khan Al-Khalili also has no included admission, though that is not usually a major expense. You should also confirm the exact hotels, cruise ship, room category, and flight times before booking, since those details affect how comfortable the trip feels.

The company’s strongest service feature is the coordination. Airport assistance, smooth transfers, clean vans, patient drivers, and responsive staff are repeatedly associated with the operator. Named team members include Ahmed, Mahmoud, Amina, Ibrahim Draz, Ahmed Abdul, Randa, and Mohamed El Sadek Amin, though the guide assigned to your own departure may differ.

Who should book this Egypt tour?

You should book it if you want the major ancient sights handled in one package and you prefer private arrangements to a large mixed group. It suits first-time visitors, couples, families, and anyone who would rather have airport support than solve every transfer alone.

It is also a good fit if Abu Simbel, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Philae are high on your list. Many shorter Egypt trips stop at Cairo and Luxor, while this route continues farther south.

I would hesitate if you want long mornings, independent museum time, or a quiet cruise with few scheduled visits. The tour covers a lot, and the value comes from its reach. You will trade some freedom for the chance to see nearly all the headline sites in ten days.

The cancellation terms are worth noting before you commit. You can receive a full refund when canceling at least six full days before the start time, a 50 percent refund when canceling two to six full days before, and no refund for cancellations less than two full days ahead. Changes follow the same cutoffs.

FAQ

How long is the Treasures of Egypt tour?

The tour lasts approximately 10 days and includes nine nights of accommodation.

What places does the tour visit?

It visits Cairo, Giza, Saqqara, Memphis, Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Philae.

Are domestic flights included?

Yes. Round-trip local flights are included on the Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Cairo route.

Is the Nile cruise included?

Yes. Accommodation for the cruise, or a similar option, is included as part of the nine nights.

Are meals included?

The package includes nine breakfasts, seven lunches, and four dinners. Drinks are not included.

Is a guide included?

Yes. A qualified Egyptologist guide is included.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the private activity.

Is the Abu Simbel visit included?

Yes. The Abu Simbel Temple Complex is included, with approximately seven hours scheduled for the visit.

What is the cancellation policy?

Cancel at least six full days before the start time for a full refund. Cancel two to six full days before for a 50 percent refund. Cancellations less than two full days before the start time are not refunded.