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Middle East
Egypt & the...
 

Egypt & Nile River Cruise

12 days |  16 days with Jordan extension
12 days |  16 days with Jordan extension
Group size1535 travelers
Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

774
Physical activity
Best seller
a mummified cat from ancient egypt
freshly baked bread at a stall in cairo
the pyramids of giza in egypt on a sunny day
OverviewItineraryDates & pricesReviewsTraveler photosHotels, flights & FAQ
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Pharaohs and pyramids, sultans and souks, temples and tombs.

Descend into a world of ancient wonders to discover the lands behind the legends. Walk past towering stone icons, through avenues of sphinxes, and into royal valleys amid the desert sands. Then, cruise down the Nile and anchor at remote islands and beside the Theban Hills. End your adventure in Cairo, where historic mosques mingle with today’s modern bustle.

Your tour package includes

  • 6 nights in handpicked hotels
  • 4 nights aboard a Nile River cruise ship
  • 10 breakfasts
  • 5 lunches
  • 9 dinners with beer or wine
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Included highlights

  • Pyramids of Giza
  • Great Sphinx
  • Grand Egyptian Museum
  • Temples of Karnak and Luxor
  • Valley of the Kings
Read more
Start planning today

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Day-by-day itinerary

Print itinerary
Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day

Board your overnight flight to Cairo today.

Giza3 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Cairo & transfer to Giza
Included meal: Dinner

Welcome to Egypt! Arrive in Cairo and transfer to Giza. 

This evening, enjoy an included dinner.

Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Cairo
Included meals: Breakfast, Welcome dinner

Spend the day exploring Cairo on a sightseeing tour lead by your Egyptologist.

  • Visit the citadel that was built in the 12th century by mighty Salah el-Din and originally used as a fortress before it became the residence of the Sultans until 1850
  • Stop at Mohammed Ali Mosque, also known as the Alabaster Mosque

Gather with your group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

Please note: Travelers are required to remove shoes when entering the Alabaster Mosque.

Day 4: Sightseeing tour of Giza & the Grand Egyptian Museum
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Set off on a guided tour of Giza alongside your Tour Director.

  • Uncover the Pyramids of Giza, the only Wonder of the Ancient World to have survived the modern era
  • Visit the enigmatic Great Sphinx, the largest monolith statue in the world
  • Enjoy an included lunch at a local restaurant
  • Enter the Grand Egyptian Museum, the world’s largest museum, and explore the vast collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts alongside your Egyptologist

Please note: If the Grand Egyptian Museum is not yet open to the public, a visit to the Egyptian Antiquities Museum will take its place.

Spend a free afternoon in Giza or add an excursion.

Cairo Home-Hosted Dinner

From $129 per person

Nile River Cruise4 nights
Day 5: Flight to Luxor & cruise embarkation
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Please note: Some cruise departures will follow days 5–9 in reverse.

Fly to Luxor where you’ll board your cruise ship this afternoon and enjoy an included lunch before seeing the painstakingly excavated Temple of Karnak and Luxor, once connected by an avenue of sphinxes.

  • Enter Karnak Temple for a walking tour through the complex to see the Precinct of Amun Re, walls of hieroglyphics, and the Temple of Khonsu
  • Take an early evening walking tour through Luxor Temple, located on the banks of the Nile River
  • View obelisks, statues, and the Abu Haggag Mosque

Sit down for an included dinner aboard the ship this evening.

Day 6: Sightseeing tour of the Nile's West Bank
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a free morning aboard the ship or add an excursion.

Spend the day touring the Nile’s West Bank with your Egyptologist as your guide.

  • Explore the Valley of the Kings, a series of tombs hidden in the Theban hills
  • Enter King Tut’s tomb, famous for the ancient Egyptian treasures found inside the complex tomb

This afternoon, enjoy an included lunch before sailing toward Edfu. Then, sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Nile River Hot Air Balloon Ride

From $169 per person

Day 7: Sightseeing tour of Temple of Kom Ombo
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend a free morning while docked in Edfu or add an excursion.

Later, continue your exploration of the wonders of Egypt today.

  • Enjoy an included lunch aboard the ship
  • Dock in Kom Ombo to visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, built during the Greco-Roman period and noted for its twin deities, Sobek and Horus

Later today, arrive in the busy market city of Aswan and sit down for an included dinner aboard the ship.

Edfu & the Temple of Horus

From $75 per person

Day 8: Felucca sailboat ride
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a free morning on board the ship or add an excursion.

Please note: Depending on flight schedules, the Abu Simbel optional excursion may be offered on day 9 instead of day 8.

Later, enjoy an included lunch before climbing aboard a felucca, a traditional sailboat, to ride past Elephantine Island.

  • See the dark granite rocks that resemble a herd of elephants bathing in the river
  • Take in panoramic views of the water from the Mausoleum of Aga Khan

Sit down for an included dinner aboard the ship this evening.

Abu Simbel

From $389 per person

Aswan1 night
Day 9: Disembarkation & sightseeing tour of Aswan
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Disembark your cruise in Aswan and set off on a sightseeing tour of the city led by your Egyptologist.

  • Board a boat and visit the temples at Philae, located on an island in the Nile River
  • Enjoy a walking tour of the island and visit sites like the Temple of Isis, which features scenes of Isis’s life carved along the walls
  • Walk through the local market and enjoy free time to peruse the various shop stalls

Spend a free afternoon in Aswan or add an excursion.

Sit down for an included dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

Nubian Village Visit

From $65 per person

Cairo2 nights
Day 10: Flight to Cairo
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Fly to Cairo this morning and spend free time exploring the city at your leisure.

After sitting down for an included dinner, enjoy a free evening in Cairo.

Day 11: Sightseeing tour of Cairo
Included meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner

Spend today in the oldest part of Cairo as you explore the labyrinth like alleys, ancient churches, and ornate mosques as you learn more about Egypt’s history.

  • Enter the Hanging Church, one of the oldest churches dating back to the 3rd century
  • Step inside the Ben Ezra Synagogue and view its ornate Turkish style interior that is a place of pilgrimage for North African Jews

Then, transfer to the Gayer-Anderson Museum, once a classic Islamic home now showcases Egyptian art, carpets, other unique/rare collectables.

Celebrate your trip with your fellow travelers during tonight’s farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

Flight Home
Day 12: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)

Transfer to the airport to board your flight home. If you are continuing your tour in Jordan, fly to Amman today.

Extension to Jordan
Jordan is one of the most welcoming countries in the world. The striking landscapes are only rivaled by the UNESCO sites (both outmatched by the hospitality of the locals). Fly to Amman to tour the lost city of Petra and float in the Dead Sea.
Petra2 nights
Day 12: Flight to Amman
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Fly to Amman, Jordan this morning and transfer to Petra. Then, sit down for an included dinner.

Day 13: Sightseeing tour of Petra
Included meal: Breakfast

Head to the city of Petra, which was carved into the red rocks of Mount Hor, and embark on a guided tour.

  • Learn about Petra’s unique architecture, one of the reasons it was named to the list of modern world wonders
  • Walk through the UNESCO World Heritage Site to the famous Al-Khazneh temple
  • See the intricately carved pillars and columns that make up the Palace Tomb
  • Stroll through the winding gorge known as the Siq

Please note: In order to enter Petra, customers should be able to walk two miles round-trip in hot weather over uneven terrain. Other modes of transportation may be available for you to book upon your arrival at an additional cost.

Spend a free evening in Petra or add an excursion.

Levantine Cooking Class & Dinner

From $75 per person

Amman1 night
Day 14: Amman via Madaba & Mount Nebo
Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today, further explore the history and culture of Jordan on guided tours before continuing on to Amman, the capital city.

  • Visit Madaba to tour the City of Mosaics and visit St. George’s Church
  • Stop at Mount Nebo, Moses’ burial site, and Wadi Mujib

Sit down for an included dinner this evening.

Overnight Flight1 night
Day 15: Sightseeing tour of Amman, the Dead Sea & departure
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Spend your last day in Jordan getting to know the city of Amman and relaxing in the therapeutic waters of the Dead Sea.

  • Take a guided tour of the Jordanian capital, entering the citadel and Roman theater
  • Travel to the Dead Sea for time to float in the salty water and share a farewell lunch with your fellow travelers

Later, return to Amman to board your late-night flight home.

Arrive Home
Day 16: Travel day

Arrive home after your overnight flight.

Show full itinerary
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Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars

Overall rating 4.6 out of 5

Based on 774 authentic traveler reviews
Sort by

    4 out of 5 stars

    Flights to Egypt
    2/20/24 by 1st-time traveler Rosalinda

    The guides were absolutely wonderful very knowledgeable especially Hala and I would definitely request her as a guide again, however the flight schedule was horrible and for the price of the ticket we should not have been in economy we should have had a better seat. Also the hotel accommodations...

    Read more +

    5 out of 5 stars

    Understanding & Appreciating the Ancients of Egypt
    2/20/24 by 5th-time traveler Gerald

    Our trip to Egypt & Jordon with Go Ahead was very special and successful. This was our fifth GA trip. There were 21 in our group and they "gelled" nicely together. A key item is always the Tour Guide and Hala in Egypt was excellent in all aspects of her position. Well organized and no issues rega...

    Read more +

    5 out of 5 stars

    Trip if a Lifetime
    2/20/24 by 1st-time traveler Danielle

    This was a trip I had planned to make for years, and EF Tours made it so memorable! Our guide, Hala, was fabulous! She was so knowledgeable and brought ancient Egypt to life with her thorough explanations! The people were kind, helpful and a pleasure to talk to. Our side trip to Jordan was equally w...

    Read more +
    Show more reviews

    Traveler photos

    Hotels, flights & FAQ

    Here's the nitty-gritty—where you’ll stay, how you’ll get there, and what to know about your destination before you go.

    Hotels

    We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
    Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo
    Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo

    This modern hotel is located outside of Giza. Guests enjoy an outdoor swimming pool, fitness area, restaurant, and bar options. Nearby you’ll find the...

    Read more +
    Steigenberger Legacy
    Steigenberger Legacy

    This modern cruise ship features a bar and lounge, restaurant, sundeck, outdoor pool, spa, and gym.

    Movenpick Resort Aswan
    Movenpick Resort Aswan

    This resort-style hotel is located on Elephantine Island in Aswan. Guests enjoy a pool, tennis courts, and laundry services. Nearby, you’ll find Kitch...

    Read more +
    Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino
    Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino

    This classic hotel is located in the Zamalek Island district of Cairo. Guests enjoy 15 restaurant options to choose from, outdoor pool, and fitness ce...

    Read more +
    The Old Village Hotel & Resort
    The Old Village Hotel & Resort

    This unique, rustic-chic hotel is located in the town of Wadi Musa, Jordan. Guests enjoy a swimming pool, sauna, restaurant, and bar. Nearby, you’ll f...

    Read more +
    Intercontinental Amman
    Intercontinental Amman

    This contemporary hotel is located in Amman's Diplomatic Area. Guests enjoy the outdoor and indoor pools, homemade morning cakes and pastries, and spa...

    Read more +

    Flights

    Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
    Add our airfare package and you'll get:
    • Round-trip flight for your tour
    • Airport transfers at your destination
    • A great price locked in today
    • 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
    • Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
    • Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
    • Find out more about flights

    FAQ

    Print FAQ

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