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

Egypt saves its biggest sights for the opening act. Within two days, you’ll see the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, then move through Saqqara, Memphis, the Egyptian Museum, Saladin’s Citadel, and Khan Al-Khalili. After that, the trip shifts south for temples, royal tombs, and a Nile cruise, ending with the long but rewarding trip to Abu Simbel.

I like the way this tour handles Egypt’s great distances, using domestic flights and a private setup rather than leaving you to arrange each transfer. I also like the mix of famous icons and less obvious stops, especially Saqqara, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Philae. The tradeoff is pace: ten days is efficient, not leisurely, and several sightseeing days begin early or involve long drives.

Key points to know before booking

• Giza, Saqqara, and Memphis arrive together: You get Egypt’s most famous pyramid, its earliest major stone pyramid, and a small open-air museum in one full day.
• The Nile section covers Luxor to Aswan: Temples at Karnak, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Philae form the backbone of the cruise portion.
• Abu Simbel requires a full day: The temple visit is planned as a seven-hour excursion from Aswan.
• Domestic flights save valuable time: Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan are connected by included flights rather than overland journeys.
• The private format allows flexibility: Only your group participates, and the company has adjusted start times and added requests for some past groups.
• Meals are partial, not total: Breakfast is included daily, along with seven lunches and four dinners, but drinks and tips are extra.

A practical look at the $2,795 price

At $2,795 per person, this is not a bare sightseeing package. The cost includes nine nights of accommodation in hotels and on the cruise, a trained Egyptologist guide, three domestic flight segments, airport pickups, seven lunches, four dinners, and daily breakfasts.

That bundle matters in Egypt. You are covering long distances between Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan, and the included flights remove a major planning job. Airport assistance is also arranged around the clock, which can make arrival and departure days much easier.

Still, I would not call every meal included. You’ll pay for drinks, four dinners, and two lunches, along with tips for guides and drivers. Khan Al-Khalili also lists admission as not included, so keep a little spending money ready for that stop and for personal purchases.

The value is strongest if you want the major ancient sights without arranging hotels, domestic flights, river transport, and local transfers yourself. If you prefer a slow trip with long unplanned afternoons, the schedule may feel too full for the price.

Day 1: A supported arrival in Cairo

Your first day is deliberately simple. A representative meets you on arrival, helps with formalities, and transfers you to your Cairo hotel.

That assistance is useful after an international flight. You do not need to find your own way through the airport or arrange the first ride into the city. The day is mainly for arrival and rest, so do not expect sightseeing unless your flight schedule leaves you with spare time.

Day 2: Giza, Saqqara, and the Memphis connection

The Giza visit gives you about three hours at the plateau, including the Great Pyramids and Sphinx. This is the essential Egypt stop, but the experience is more than a quick photo. You have time to take in the scale of the pyramids, understand how the plateau is arranged, and photograph the Sphinx from the main viewing areas.

The itinerary does not promise entry into a pyramid, so confirm that point if going inside matters to you. Pyramid interiors can be tight and physically demanding, while the plateau itself involves exposure to sun and walking on uneven ground.

Saqqara follows for about two hours. Its main prize is the Step Pyramid of Djoser, built for the Third Dynasty ruler Djoser and linked to the architect Imhotep. It is an important contrast to Giza because you can see an earlier stage in pyramid design, when the familiar smooth-sided form was still developing from stacked mastabas.

The day ends at Memphis, where the open-air museum includes a large statue of Ramses and an alabaster sphinx. Memphis is less grand in scale than Giza, but it helps connect the monuments to the ancient capital that once controlled much of Egypt.

Three major sites in one day is efficient, but it is also a lot of information. Your Egyptologist guide matters here. The company has used guides including Ibrahim Draz in the Cairo and Giza area, though the assigned guide can vary.

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

You get about three hours at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. Its collection contains roughly 120,000 ancient objects, with only part of the collection displayed at any one time. That number tells you what to expect: the museum is not a quick visit, and the guide’s explanations help you decide which rooms deserve your attention.

The museum can feel dense rather than polished, but that is part of its character. You are seeing an enormous collection in an older setting, not a short, neatly arranged exhibit.

Next comes the Citadel of Saladin, with about two hours on Mokattam Hill. The fortress offers a historic setting and broad views over Cairo. It is a useful change of rhythm after the museum, with open air and a stronger sense of the medieval Islamic city.

Khan Al-Khalili fills the final two hours. You can browse the souk, watch the flow of local commerce, and shop for small gifts. Admission is not included, although the market itself is free to enter. Go prepared to browse without feeling you must buy.

Day 4: Karnak and Luxor Temple on the east bank

The southern part of the trip begins with flights from Cairo toward Luxor, followed by visits to Karnak and Luxor Temple. Karnak receives about two hours, which gives you time to see the massive precinct and its famous columns without trying to cover every corner.

Karnak was built over many centuries and dedicated mainly to Amun. Its size can make the site hard to grasp at first, so listen for the guide’s explanation of how the courtyards, pylons, and sacred areas fit together.

Luxor Temple follows for another two hours. Unlike Karnak, it sits within the modern city, making the contrast between ancient stone and present-day Luxor especially clear. The temple was built around 1400 BCE and was known in ancient Egyptian times as the southern sanctuary.

This is a strong first day in Luxor, but the schedule leaves little room for wandering beyond the planned visits. If you want long free time in the city, you may need to request adjustments in advance.

Day 5: Royal tombs and Hatshepsut’s temple

The west bank day begins in the Valley of the Kings. The tour includes visits to three tombs, within a three-hour stop. The valley is famous for its painted burial chambers, but the tombs vary, and the open chambers can be hot and enclosed.

The ticket covers three tombs, but special tombs may require separate arrangements. Ask your guide what is open and which three are planned on your date.

The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut takes about an hour. Its terraces rise beneath the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari, creating one of Luxor’s most memorable settings. The visit is shorter than the Valley of the Kings, but the architecture and location make it a necessary stop.

You then pause at the Colossi of Memnon for about 30 minutes. These two statues of Amenhotep III require little time, but they give you an easy photo stop and a direct look at the scale of royal monuments.

Days 6 to 8: The Nile cruise and Aswan temples

The cruise portion brings a different rhythm. Instead of packing and unpacking for every ancient site, you have onboard accommodation and meals while the route links Luxor with Aswan. The schedule remains active, but the river provides a calmer backdrop between stops.

At Edfu, you spend about two hours at the Temple of Horus. Built during the Ptolemaic period, it is among Egypt’s best-preserved temples, with much of its roof intact. That preservation makes it easier to picture how a temple interior once looked.

Kom Ombo follows with another two-hour visit. This unusual double temple honors both Horus and Sobek, the crocodile god. Its divided design gives your guide a good chance to explain how different deities could share one sacred complex.

Day 7 is set aside for Abu Simbel, with about seven hours devoted to the excursion. The two temples were cut into rock near Lake Nasser, about 230 kilometers southwest of Aswan and close to the Sudanese border. Their scale and setting justify the long outing, but you should treat this as a full day rather than a quick add-on.

A useful practical point: the company has accommodated requests for a later Abu Simbel start in some cases. That does not guarantee a particular departure time, but it is worth asking if the standard schedule is difficult for you.

Day 8 includes Philae, one of Nubia’s major sacred sites. The temples were dedicated mainly to Isis and were moved block by block from Philae Island to Agilika Island during a UNESCO rescue project. You reach the site by the arranged tour operation, and the three-hour visit gives you time to see the temples and understand why the relocation was necessary.

After Philae, the published schedule sends you to Aswan airport for the flight back to Cairo. A tour leader meets you in Cairo and transfers you to your hotel. This is a long transition day, so keep your evening light.

Day 9: A useful free day in Cairo

The ninth day is listed as free time in Cairo. That is valuable after a tightly planned week, but the tour does not specify a guided activity or included attraction for this day.

You could use it to rest, return to a favorite part of the city, shop at Khan Al-Khalili, or arrange an optional visit through the operator. Because no specific activity is included, ask before booking if you want this day filled with sightseeing.

Day 10: A straightforward departure

After breakfast, a representative escorts you to the airport according to your flight time. This final transfer is included as part of the airport assistance, so you can finish without arranging your own ride.

Guides, transport, and the private format

The tour uses an Egyptologist guide throughout the major sightseeing sections. Names connected with the company’s Egypt programs include Ibrahim Draz, Ahmed Abdul, Mohamed El Sadek Amin, Ahmed, Randa, Amina, and Mohammed, but your assigned guide is not guaranteed in advance.

The private format means only your group participates. That gives you a better chance to ask questions, adjust the pace, or request a change than you would have on a large fixed coach tour. The operator has handled family groups, including a group with a toddler, and has made last-minute requests work for some parties.

Airport pickups are offered around the clock, and the package includes Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan flights. You still need to confirm exact flight times and hotel names before departure, since the accommodation is listed as named hotels and cruise accommodation or similar.

Who should book this 10-day Egypt trip?

I would choose this tour if you want Egypt’s major ancient sights in one carefully connected package. It suits first-time visitors who value help with airport transfers, domestic flights, hotel changes, and local transport.

It also fits families and private groups that want a guide and driver arrangement without joining strangers. The company has handled larger parties as well as couples and small groups, and the private structure gives you more control than a standard group departure.

I would hesitate if you dislike early starts, long sightseeing days, or scheduled meals. Abu Simbel alone takes seven hours, and the entire trip moves quickly from Cairo to Luxor, down the Nile, to Aswan, and back to Cairo.

The cancellation terms are worth noting before you pay. You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least six full days before the local start time. A cancellation two to six full days ahead receives 50 percent, while cancellations less than two full days before departure are not refunded.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if your goal is to see the classic Egypt route with as little logistical work as possible. The best features are the private format, included domestic flights, daily airport support, a real Nile cruise segment, and access to Abu Simbel, which many shorter Egypt trips leave out.

Think twice if you want a slow cultural holiday. This is an ambitious checklist of pyramids, temples, tombs, museums, and flights. At $2,795, the package offers solid value for the amount of transport and guiding included, but you should budget for drinks, tips, some meals, and personal spending.

FAQ

How long is the Treasures of Egypt tour?

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

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Are domestic flights included?

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

Is a Nile cruise included?

Yes. The package includes cruise accommodation or a similar arrangement as part of the nine nights, and the route includes stops between Luxor and Aswan.

Which meals are included?

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

Is Abu Simbel part of the tour?

Yes. Abu Simbel is scheduled as a day trip lasting about seven hours, with admission included.

Is an Egyptologist guide provided?

Yes. A qualified Egyptologist guide is included for the tour.

Is hotel pickup available?

Yes. Airport pickup and assistance are offered around the clock. The tour also includes the final airport transfer according to your flight time.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least six full days before the experience starts. Cancellations made two to six full days ahead receive a 50 percent refund. Cancellations less than two full days before the start time are not refunded.