Private 12 Day Cairo, Nile Cruise And Red Sea Stay

The best thing about this 12-day private Egypt tour is its range. You move from Cairo’s pyramids to Abu Simbel, then drift down the Nile past temples before ending with quiet time beside the Red Sea. It covers the big sights without making you plan every transfer yourself.

I like the mix of transport, especially the sleeper train and Nile cruise, and I like having a private English-speaking Egyptologist guide rather than being folded into a large coach group. A possible drawback is the pace: Cairo sightseeing, long road journeys, rail travel, and several early starts can leave you tired before Hurghada gives you time to rest.

Key points at a glance

• Giza, Saqqara, and a camel ride: See the famous pyramids, the Sphinx, and older pyramid sites in one full day.
• Abu Simbel from Aswan: Visit Ramses II’s huge rock-cut temples, one of the most striking stops in southern Egypt.
• A classic Nile cruise: Sail from Aswan toward Luxor, stopping at Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Esna.
• Private guiding throughout: Your own group travels with an English-speaking Egyptologist and private transport.
• Two flexible days in Hurghada: Rest by the Red Sea or arrange snorkeling, scuba excursions, sailing, windsurfing, or fishing.
• A bundled price: At $1,350 per person, the package includes accommodation, most meals, transport, entry fees, and guiding, but not the Egyptian visa or gratuities.

Cairo to Abu Simbel, with Egypt’s greatest sights in one trip

This is a sightseeing-heavy holiday with a beach finish. You begin and end in Cairo, travel south by sleeper train, spend nights on a Nile cruise, and reach Hurghada for two days without scheduled touring.

That structure works well if you want Egypt’s major landmarks but do not want to arrange trains, hotels, drivers, cruise connections, and admission tickets one by one. You also get the benefit of private touring, so your schedule belongs to your group rather than a busload of strangers.

The trade-off is that this is not a slow trip. You will pack and unpack, ride for long stretches, and spend full days outdoors at ancient sites. I would choose it for a first visit when seeing the headline sights matters more than lingering in one city.

Days 1 to 3: Cairo, the pyramids, and the Egyptian Museum

Your first day is intentionally light. A guide and driver meet you at Cairo International Airport, take you to a five-star hotel, help with check-in, and review the next day’s plans. The remaining time is free.

That welcome matters after an international flight. You can rest, ask questions, and confirm pickup times instead of trying to decode Cairo on your own. The stated arrival service takes about four hours, though much of that is airport transfer and hotel assistance rather than sightseeing.

Day two is devoted to Giza and Saqqara. You will see the three famous pyramids at Giza, the Sphinx, and the wider pyramid field, including the smaller pyramids connected with queens. A camel ride around the pyramids is included.

I like that Saqqara is included alongside Giza. The Giza monuments are the icons, but the older pyramid site gives the day more context and keeps it from becoming a single photo stop. Your Egyptologist guide can explain how the sites fit into the development of royal tombs and ancient Egyptian building.

Allow for heat, dust, and uneven ground. The visit is listed as about eight hours, so comfortable shoes, sun protection, and water are sensible. A camel ride is part of the program, but the available information does not specify its length or exact timing, so ask your guide when you meet.

Day three turns to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities. The collection is described as holding about 120,000 objects, including material connected with Tutankhamun and a Royal Mummy Room. You will also see ancient inscriptions, walls, and objects that help put the monuments into a broader setting.

The museum visit is another full eight-hour day, which suggests it may include more Cairo sightseeing or transfers beyond a quick museum walk-through. Ask for the day’s exact plan at your hotel briefing. The museum can be overwhelming because of its size, so a private guide is especially useful here. You can ask to focus on the objects that interest you rather than simply moving from room to room.

The schedule then shifts south toward Aswan by sleeper train. The package includes first-class sleeper rail from Cairo to Aswan, although the exact departure time and cabin arrangements are not provided. Treat this as part of the adventure, not as a hotel night with wheels. Confirm the rail details before departure and keep essentials in a small overnight bag.

Days 4 and 5: Abu Simbel, Aswan, and the island temples

Abu Simbel is one of the tour’s strongest reasons to book. The two temples were built by Ramses II between about 1260 and 1240 BC. Their huge seated statues and rock-cut design are impressive, but the modern story is just as striking: the monuments were moved and rebuilt during the creation of Lake Nasser.

The temple visit itself is listed at about two hours. That is enough for a focused look, especially with a guide explaining the carvings and the temples’ purpose. It is not a full day at the site, so expect the main value to come from the monuments and the journey rather than a long, unhurried museum-style visit.

Day five brings a concentrated tour of Aswan. The city is known here for its old border-town role, islands, sunshine, spice markets, and river setting. You will visit the Unfinished Obelisk, where a crack in the granite left the enormous stone in the quarry. The site shows the marks and methods of ancient stonework in a direct, physical way.

You then take a motorboat to Philae Temple on an island. The temple was dedicated to Isis and remained in use until the sixth century, when Emperor Justinian closed it. Its island setting makes the arrival part of the experience, not just a transfer.

The High Dam is also included in the Aswan touring sequence, though the supplied schedule does not give a separate visit duration. Your guide can connect the dam with the relocation of monuments and the creation of the reservoir that changed this part of the Nile.

Later, a felucca carries you around Elephantine Island before you return to the cruise ship for dinner. This is a pleasant change from temple interiors and formal sightseeing. A felucca is a traditional sailing boat, but the schedule does not promise wind or a specific sailing route, so think of it as a river outing rather than a guaranteed long sail.

Days 6 to 8: Sailing north through Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor

The cruise portion is the trip’s natural center. You wake aboard ship, eat breakfast on board, and reach the sights without changing hotels every night. That alone makes the southern route easier than completing each stop by road.

At Kom Ombo, you visit the temple of Sobek and Haroeris. The unusual feature is its dedication to two gods, with the building arranged around their shared worship. The visit takes about three hours, giving your guide time to explain the reliefs and the temple’s layout.

You continue to Edfu for the Temple of Horus, described as one of Egypt’s best-preserved cult temples. This is a valuable stop because the surviving structure makes it easier to understand how a temple worked as a complete sacred complex, rather than as scattered ruins.

Lunch and dinner are served aboard the cruise, with afternoon tea while sailing toward Esna. The schedule lists two nights on the water, with the final sailing toward Luxor. Meals are an important part of the package: seven lunches and eleven breakfasts are included, along with the cruise dinners mentioned in the daily plan. Ask what is covered for evening meals outside the cruise, since the inclusions do not clearly promise every dinner.

Luxor is split across two days. The first focuses on the west bank, including the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut. You will enter three royal tombs, where painted decoration survives underground. Tomb access can vary, and the schedule does not identify the three tombs in advance, so ask your guide which ones are open that day.

The Valley of the Kings is not just a place for grand entrances. The tombs were designed for the afterlife, and their painted scenes show the spiritual journey expected to continue after death. A guide adds much-needed order to what can otherwise feel like a series of dark corridors and names.

The Temple of Hatshepsut is built into the cliffs and reflects the rule of one of Egypt’s most important female pharaohs. The tour listing dates its construction to the 15th century BC and connects it with New Kingdom architecture. It is a broad, open site, so expect sun and walking.

Day eight covers Karnak and Luxor Temple. Karnak is a huge temple complex rather than one single building, with around 20 temples and major additions made by successive rulers. Its scale is the point. You need time to look up, walk between columns, and notice how each ruler added to an already important religious center.

Luxor Temple offers a different experience. It was built by Ramses II and Amenhotep III and dedicated to Amun-Ra and his divine family. Seeing it after Karnak helps you compare a vast religious complex with a more focused temple setting.

Both Luxor days are listed at about eight hours. That is a lot of time on your feet, but the split prevents Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, and Luxor Temple from being squeezed into one exhausting day. I would still plan for strong sun, sturdy shoes, and a slower evening afterward.

Days 9 and 10: Two open days in Hurghada

Hurghada changes the rhythm. There are no scheduled sightseeing stops on these two days, so you can rest after the monuments and long transfers. This free time is not filler. It gives you room to enjoy the Red Sea rather than treating the coast as a quick overnight before returning to Cairo.

Optional activities include snorkeling, scuba trips, windsurfing, sailing, and deep-sea fishing. The information also points to coral reefs and the chance to see unusual fish. These activities are not included in the package price, so budget separately and arrange them locally through the tour provider or your hotel.

Day ten mentions Hurghada Marina and lists the day as an included activity, but no specific marina program is described. Confirm what is planned before assuming a boat trip or excursion is part of the price. The clearest promise is two days of free time with optional water activities available.

This section suits couples, families, and anyone who knows they need a break during a packed cultural trip. If you want every day filled with guided visits, Hurghada may feel too open. If you value a few unscheduled hours, it is well placed.

Day 11: Returning to Cairo by coach or optional flight

After breakfast, you have free time before transfer to the bus station. The included first-class coach to Cairo takes about six hours. A flight is available for an additional fee if you prefer to reduce the road journey.

The bus keeps the listed price lower, but it uses much of the day. A private tour does not mean every transfer is private, and this is an important distinction. Ask exactly how the bus transfer works, when you depart, and whether you will be met on arrival.

Back in Cairo, you check into a five-star hotel for the final night. This last night is useful protection against a same-day airport rush. It also gives you a final chance to rest before your departure.

Day 12: A simple airport transfer

Your representative meets you at the hotel and transfers you to Cairo International Airport in time for your flight. The transfer is listed at about four hours, which allows plenty of room for the airport process, though your actual pickup time will depend on your flight.

The tour ends back at the original meeting point area, Cairo International Airport. Check that your departure details are recorded correctly before the final evening.

What the $1,350 price really covers

At $1,350 per person, this package offers solid value if you intend to visit Cairo, southern Egypt, and Hurghada in one trip. You are paying for 12 days of accommodation, private guiding, modern air-conditioned transport, sleeper rail from Cairo to Aswan, the Hurghada to Cairo coach, the Nile cruise, entrance fees, breakfasts, seven lunches, and airport transfers.

The private format is a major part of the value. You are not just buying tickets. You have a private English-speaking Egyptologist, a driver, and someone responsible for moving the plan along. That can save time and reduce the stress of handling Egyptian rail, road, and cruise connections yourself.

Still, $1,350 is not an all-inclusive figure. You must pay for the Egyptian entry visa, extras not named in the program, and gratuities. Optional Red Sea activities cost extra, and the flight from Hurghada to Cairo also carries an additional fee.

Two guide names appear in the available feedback: Ibrahim Rashad and Casper. Ibrahim is specifically praised for making history informative and funny, while Casper is associated with a well-organized day involving Cairo Tower, a felucca ride, Mokattam, Khan el-Khalili, and Al-Muizz Street. Those details suggest the company can arrange extra Cairo experiences, but they do not guarantee that either guide will lead your particular departure.

Who should book this Egypt tour

I would recommend it to a first-time visitor who wants the major monuments with one organized plan. It is also a good match for a private group that values an Egyptologist guide, prefers included transfers, and likes ending a demanding cultural route with two beach days.

You should think twice if you dislike overnight rail, long coach rides, early starts, or tightly scheduled sightseeing. The package gives you private touring, but it does not make Egypt small. Cairo to Aswan, Abu Simbel, Luxor, Hurghada, and Cairo again is a substantial route.

The strongest feature is the combination of Abu Simbel and the Nile cruise. The main caution is to confirm the details that are less clear: sleeper train timing, the exact Cairo museum program, which meals are included on non-cruise nights, what happens at Hurghada Marina, and the transfer arrangements for the six-hour coach ride.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want a high-value first look at Egypt and prefer one company to handle the major logistics. The route includes the pyramids, Saqqara, the Egyptian Museum, Abu Simbel, Aswan, Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak, Luxor Temple, and the Red Sea.

Skip it if you want a relaxed city break or a beach holiday with only a few ruins. For everyone else, the plan is ambitious but sensible: intense Cairo and temple days first, then a Nile cruise and two days in Hurghada to catch your breath.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at Cairo International Airport in Cairo, Egypt. The listed start time is 8:00 am.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately 12 days, ending with an airport transfer in Cairo.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the private tour or activity.

What transport is included?

Transport includes a sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan, a first-class coach from Hurghada to Cairo, modern private vehicles, airport transfers, and the Nile cruise. A flight from Hurghada to Cairo is available for an extra fee.

Are meals included?

The package includes 11 breakfasts and seven lunches. Cruise meals listed in the schedule include breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner on sailing days. The inclusion details do not clearly state that every dinner outside the cruise is covered.

Are entrance fees included?

Yes. Entrance fees listed as part of the tour are included. The Egyptian entry visa is not included.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund.