Package 7-Days 6-Nights Cairo Pyramids, Nile Cruise&Alexandria by Sleeper Train

The most striking feature of this seven-day Egypt journey is how much ground it covers without requiring you to arrange a separate hotel, guide, train ticket, and transfer at every stop. You move from the pyramids and Saqqara to a Nile cruise, then finish with Alexandria, using air-conditioned transport and guided visits throughout.

I like the chronological start at Saqqara and Giza, and I like the three-night cruise, which gives you time to watch the river pass instead of rushing from one ancient site to the next. The tradeoff is the pace: two overnight sleeper trains, an early arrival in Aswan, and a very long Alexandria day make this better for energetic sightseers than for anyone seeking a slow holiday.

Key points to know before booking

• Saqqara comes before Giza, giving you a useful look at how pyramid building developed.
• Three nights on a five-star Nile cruise include full-board meals and guided stops at major temples.
• Sleeper trains connect Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor, but each journey takes roughly 12 to 14 hours.
• Alexandria is a full 12-hour day, with catacombs, Roman remains, Qaitbay Citadel, and the New Alexandria Library.
• Entrance fees are extra, and you’ll need to pay the sightseeing admissions by card, except for the High Dam and the motorboat to Philae.
• The group limit is 20 people, with pickup available from Cairo International Airport or hotels in Cairo and Giza.

Why this route works for a first visit to Egypt

This tour is built around Egypt’s essential sights. In one week, you see Cairo’s ancient monuments, Alexandria’s Greek and Roman remains, the Nile Valley temples, the tombs of Luxor, and the major sights of Aswan.

That range is the main reason to consider it. You are not spending the entire week in one city, and you do not need to coordinate the complicated links between Cairo, southern Egypt, and Alexandria yourself. The tour provider handles airport pickup, train transfers, cruise check-in, sightseeing transport, and local guides.

The cost is $1,200 per person. That includes one night in a four-star Cairo hotel, three nights on a five-star cruise, three cruise meals each day where specified, round-trip sleeper train travel, guides, and air-conditioned transfers. It does not include entry tickets, visa fees, tips, drinks, WiFi on the cruise, or optional meals on land.

So the price is reasonable if you value convenience and want a guided route. It is less attractive if you are comfortable booking trains, hotels, and day tours independently. Add the entrance fees and tipping to your budget before deciding.

Cairo arrival and your first evening

Your arrival begins with a pickup at Cairo International Airport. A representative takes you to your hotel, and a welcome meeting explains the week ahead.

The first day is intentionally light. That matters after an international flight, especially if your arrival is late. If you land early, optional activities include a sound and light show at the pyramids or a Nile dinner cruise with a show in central Cairo.

These extras are not part of the main price, so treat them as add-ons rather than required stops. I would keep the first evening flexible. Cairo traffic can make even a short transfer tiring, and the next day includes both Saqqara and Giza before an overnight train.

Saqqara first, then the pyramids at Giza

Day two begins after breakfast and hotel checkout. Your Egyptology guide takes you to Saqqara, the ancient capital area where King Djoser built the Step Pyramid around 4800 years ago.

The Step Pyramid is important because it marks an early stage in pyramid construction. Its stepped form looks very different from the smooth-sided pyramids at Giza, so seeing both sites on the same day gives you a clearer sense of how Egyptian building methods changed.

The visit is scheduled for about 90 minutes. Entrance is not included, and the tour notes say sightseeing fees are paid by card. Keep that detail in mind because the admission cost is separate from the advertised package price.

From Saqqara, you continue to the Giza Plateau. Here you see the pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycrenos, along with the Sphinx. The planned visit lasts about two hours.

Your guide explains the monuments and helps with the usual photo stops. The description specifically emphasizes the guides’ enthusiasm for Egyptian history and Egypt itself. One guide named in connection with the cruise portion is Ismail Haroun, who is described as especially attentive and helpful.

Lunch is optional. You should clarify the cost and timing with your guide before the day begins, since the main package does not list a Cairo lunch as included.

After Giza, the schedule turns practical. You are picked up and taken to Cairo railway station for the overnight sleeper train to Aswan. The ride takes about 12 to 14 hours. You will need to provide passport copies when booking because they are required to purchase the sleeper train tickets.

Aswan, Philae, and the first night aboard ship

After arriving in Aswan, a guide meets you at the railway station and transfers you by air-conditioned vehicle to the cruise boat. Check-in is scheduled before lunch, though an early arrival may allow sightseeing before the official noon check-in time.

The first stop is the Aswan High Dam, completed in 1960 to control flooding and generate electricity. The visit lasts about 45 minutes. Admission is not included, but the High Dam is one of the exceptions to the card payment rule listed for the other sightseeing fees.

Next comes Philae Temple, reached by small motorboat. The temple is dedicated to Isis and has Graeco-Roman features. Its setting on an island makes the boat ride part of the experience, not just a transfer.

You return to the cruise for dinner, a folkloric show, and your first night aboard. The cruise includes full-board meals, beginning with lunch and ending with breakfast. Drinks and water are extra, and WiFi is available only for an additional charge.

An optional early morning trip to Abu Simbel is offered from Aswan. It is one of the most impressive ancient sites connected with the Nile, and the temple complex was dismantled and rebuilt when Lake Nasser rose. This excursion is not included, so ask about its schedule and cost before committing. Adding it may make the first cruise day very early after the sleeper train.

Kom Ombo and a relaxed morning on the Nile

Day four gives you a slower rhythm. You have breakfast aboard ship and free time on the deck before lunch and afternoon sailing toward Kom Ombo.

That open time is valuable. After the Cairo to Aswan train and the first day of sightseeing, sitting on deck and watching the river pass may be the most restful part of the week. The cruise is not only a place to sleep between temples. It gives you a moving view of the Nile Valley.

At Kom Ombo, you visit the unusual temple dedicated to two gods, Horus and Sobek. Horus is shown as a falcon god, while Sobek has crocodile associations. The nearby Crocodile Museum adds context to the site.

The temple visit lasts about an hour. You then return to the boat for dinner and continue sailing to Edfu for the night. Again, the entrance fee is separate.

Edfu Temple and the approach to Luxor

After breakfast, you take a horse carriage with your guide to the Temple of Horus at Edfu. The temple is considered one of the best-preserved Egyptian temples, so its carved walls and strong architectural form are especially rewarding.

The scheduled visit lasts about two hours. The horse carriage is included in the planned visit, but the details of the ride and any local tipping should be confirmed with your guide.

Back on the boat, the day returns to cruise time. You can relax on deck, watch the Nile scenery, have lunch, and take afternoon tea while the boat sails toward Luxor. The route passes through the Esna lock, a reminder that this is both a sightseeing cruise and a working river journey.

Late in the afternoon, you arrive at Luxor and visit Luxor Temple. Because it sits in the center of town, it is an easy site to reach from the harbor. The temple is lit at night, and the complex shows layers of Egyptian, Christian, and Islamic use.

Dinner and a belly dancing show take place aboard the cruise. You spend the night in Luxor before checking out the next morning.

Luxor’s West Bank and the Valley of the Kings

Day six is the tour’s strongest ancient-sites day. After breakfast and checkout, you cross to the West Bank to visit the Valley of the Kings.

The pharaohs of the New Kingdom carved tombs into these hills to protect their burials and treasures. The visit is scheduled for about 90 minutes. Your entry ticket is not included, and the exact tombs open to you can vary according to the admission arrangements.

You continue to the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Hatshepsut was one of Egypt’s most famous female rulers, and the temple’s terraces fit tightly against the cliffs behind it. The planned visit lasts about an hour.

The West Bank circuit ends with a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two huge statues that once guarded a temple entrance. Lunch at a local restaurant is optional, so budget separately if you want a sit-down meal.

In the afternoon, you visit Karnak Temple. This is a large complex, not a single compact monument, and the scale can be hard to grasp until you reach the Great Hypostyle Hall. Its 134 columns carry carved scenes and inscriptions, giving your guide plenty to explain.

The Karnak visit lasts about 90 minutes. Afterward, you transfer to Luxor railway station for the overnight sleeper train back to Cairo. This second overnight ride is the biggest comfort concern in the program. It saves the cost and time of a separate domestic flight, but it also means another night without a normal hotel bed.

Alexandria’s long final day

You arrive at Cairo railway station and meet your guide for the full-day drive to Alexandria. The day lasts about 12 hours, including the return to Cairo Airport.

Alexandria gives the tour a different side of Egypt. Instead of focusing only on pharaonic monuments, the route includes Greek and Roman remains, later fortifications, and the modern New Alexandria Library.

The National Museum provides a setting for Greek and Roman material. You also descend into the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, where underground chambers and carved decoration show the mixed cultural influences that shaped ancient Alexandria.

The Roman Theater adds another archaeological stop. At the Citadel of Qaitbay, you take in views from 15th-century fortifications near the water. The visit to the New Alexandria Library is more open-ended, allowing you to explore at your own pace.

This is an ambitious day after the overnight train from Luxor. I would not choose it if you need a quiet final day before flying home. On the other hand, it makes good use of a limited schedule and gives you a city experience that the Nile route alone cannot provide.

The tour ends with a drive back to Cairo Airport. You can also add extra Cairo nights and arrange more optional sightseeing if your flight schedule allows.

Meals, rooms, trains, and group size

The Cairo stay is one night at a four-star hotel. The cruise provides three nights in a five-star setting with full-board meals. The included cruise meal plan begins with lunch and ends with breakfast, and the package separately lists three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners.

Water and other drinks are not included. WiFi on the ship also costs extra. These are small additions, but they can add up over three nights.

The sleeper train is included in both directions. Room arrangements depend on your booking. If you want your own room, you must book as a single person. A group of three uses one triple room, while a group traveling together can book a separate single room for the person who wants private space.

The maximum group size is 20 people. That is small enough for a guide to manage without creating a huge procession at every temple, though the Cairo and Alexandria days also use private guiding and air-conditioned vehicles.

Pickup is available from Cairo International Airport and hotels in Cairo or Giza. Child pricing applies only when sharing with two paying adults. A child aged five to 11 traveling with one adult is treated as an adult for pricing.

Who should book this Egypt trip

I would recommend this tour if you want the major sights handled in one booking and you are comfortable with a firm schedule. It suits first-time visitors who want an English-speaking guide, coordinated transfers, and a mix of road, rail, and river travel.

It is also a good match for people who want the Nile cruise experience but do not want to build a custom itinerary. The combination of Saqqara, Giza, Alexandria, Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Luxor Temple, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings covers an impressive range.

I would hesitate if you dislike overnight trains, need frequent rest, or want admission fees included in the advertised price. You should also check the timing of your return flight, since the Alexandria day runs right up to the airport transfer.

Cancellation is free with at least 24 hours’ notice. A cancellation inside 24 hours is not refunded, and the operator may offer a new date or full refund if the minimum number of people is not reached.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if your priority is seeing Egypt’s headline sights with one organized plan, a three-night Nile cruise, and guides who can explain what you are looking at. The strongest features are the route, the cruise time, and the direct handling of complicated transfers.

Skip it if you want a relaxed holiday or prefer flying between Cairo and southern Egypt. At $1,200, it offers solid convenience, but you must add admission fees, tips, drinks, visa costs, and optional excursions. For an active first visit that puts pyramids, temples, tombs, Alexandria, and the Nile in one week, it is a practical choice.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts approximately seven days and six nights.

What cities and areas does the tour visit?

The route includes Cairo, Saqqara, Giza, Alexandria, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor.

Is airport pickup included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off are available from Cairo International Airport, as well as hotels in Cairo and Giza.

How many nights are spent on the Nile cruise?

The package includes three nights on a five-star Nile cruise.

Is the sleeper train included?

Yes. Round-trip sleeper train travel is included, with the outbound journey from Cairo to Aswan and the return journey from Luxor to Cairo.

How long does the Cairo to Aswan train take?

The sleeper train journey takes approximately 12 to 14 hours.

Are entrance fees included?

No. Entrance fees for the listed sightseeing stops are not included. The stated exceptions are the High Dam and the motorboat used to reach Philae Temple.

Are meals included?

Meals on the cruise are included on a full-board basis. The package lists three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners. Lunch in Cairo and lunch on the West Bank of Luxor are optional.

Is Abu Simbel included?

No. The early morning visit to Abu Simbel is optional and costs extra.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded.