In supplier order. Some entries may cover multiple days; optional experiences are described by the supplier.
Sample itinerary. Choose a departure for its exact itinerary and hotel plan.
Day 1 — UK - Cairo
Our nationwide shared chauffeur service collects you from home for your flight to Cairo. On arrival, transfer to your hotel for a three night day in a spectacular location on an island in the Nile, yet still in the heart of Cairo. It was originally a palace, built for the French Emperor Napoleon III and his wife Empress Eugenie when they visited for the opening of the Suez Canal. Today it’s one of Cairo’s most celebrated hotels. Dinner is included on arrival.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 — Cairo
After lunch at a local restaurant, visit Cairo’s Egyptian Museum (2026 departures only), home to one of the world’s finest collections of ancient Egyptian masks, jewellery and artefacts. Many of these items were discovered by Howard Carter following the excavation of the boy-king’s tomb in 1922, more than 3,000 years after it was sealed. Please note: entry to Tutankhamun’s room is at your own expense.
For 2027 departures, you visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, located near the Giza Pyramids. Opened in late 2025, this landmark museum is the largest in the world dedicated to a single civilisation and presents an extraordinary overview of ancient Egyptian history, including the full collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures displayed together for the first time.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 3 — Cairo
Today is free to relax. You might want to explore independently or enjoy the hotel’s gardens and outdoor swimming pool. Or join an optional excursion to see the Step Pyramid at Sakkara. The first of all the ancient Egyptian pyramids, it was constructed an astonishing 4,700 years ago.
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4 — Cairo - Luxor
This morning fly to Luxor, and transfer to your hotel on the banks of the Nile.
This afternoon head out to Luxor’s East Bank where two landmark monuments await: Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple. The temples were once linked by the Avenue of Sphinxes, 3km of paved yellow sandstone lined on both sides by over 1,000 statues. Although some have been lost to time or damage, most remain, and it’s still an impressive sight. Karnak Temple is vast, a labyrinth of honey-stoned temples, colossal columns and hieroglyphic-covered walls, and it’s a testament to the power and vision of the ancient Egyptians. Visit Luxor Temple after sunset, when atmospheric lighting illuminates the high walls, ancient reliefs and giant statues to great effect. Please note: depending on your flight time, your visit to Karnak Temple may take place the following day.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5 — Luxor
The Valley of the Kings is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. Walking through this dry desert ravine where pharaohs including Tutankhamun as well as queens, high priests and other elites were buried in elaborate tombs and mausoleums, is an unforgettable experience. Leaving the valley behind we visit the extraordinary mortuary temple of Hatshepsut and the massive, seated statues known as the Colossi of Memnon.
Returning to Luxor, stop at the rarely visited house where Howard Carter lived during his search for Tutankhamun. It’s a poignant place, just as he left it, complete with his original furniture, books, handwritten notes and décor. After a free afternoon, you have the chance to return to Karnak Temple this evening for a Sound and Light show.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6 — Esna - Edfu - Al Fawaza Island
Start early and drive the short distance to Esna where our dahabiya, Queen Farida, and her crew will be waiting. Stepping onto a dahabiya is like stepping into the past, and soon ropes, rigging and sails are being pulled, trimmed and tied as we set off serenely for our River Nile cruise. For lunch sit down to enjoy your first meal on board all prepared by the resident chef.
Cruise to Edfu and visit one of the best-preserved monuments in Egypt - the Temple of Horus. Once buried by desert sand and with its roof almost intact, its columns, carvings and hieroglyphics have filled many historical gaps since excavations began in the mid-19th century. Tonight, moor by Al Fawaza Island.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7 — Al Ramady - Gebel el-Silsila - Al Fares Island
Take a leisurely sail to the village of Al Ramady. Head ashore to witness day-to-day life on the banks of the Nile. After lunch on board, continue south to little visited Gebel el-Silsila, where steep sandstone cliffs on both sides channel you through the narrowest point on the Nile. On land, explore the rock-cut shrines of Seti I, Ramses II, Merenptah and Horemheb, and see quarries which once produced massive blocks that were floated down the Nile to build temples and complexes in Luxor. Back on board, afternoon tea is served on the canopied top deck as you sail to Al Fares Island to moor overnight.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8 — Al Fares Island - Kom Ombo - Herdiab Island
The Nile is the lifeblood of Egypt, sustaining the rich fertile soil along its riverbank that has been farmed for thousands of years. This morning’s stroll around Al Fares Island offers a glimpse of local life and farming methods today. Sailing on to the island of Kom Ombo, step off to walk through the spectacular twin temples of Haroeris and Sobek. Sobek was the god of crocodiles, and over 300 mummified crocodiles have been unearthed here. Returning to the dahabiya, sail on to Herdiab Island to moor overnight. Tonight’s dinner will be extra special - an Egyptian banquet-style barbecue served under a starlit Nile sky.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9 — Herdiab Island - Aswan - Temple of Philae
Rise early for a walk around Herdiab Island, chatting to locals and seeing daily life unfold. Or perhaps go for a swim off the island’s sandy beaches, a rare opportunity to take a dip in the Nile. After, sail to Aswan, a laid back and languorous city where Agatha Christie penned Death on the Nile.
Lunch is followed by a visit to Philae Temple. This lovely, classical Egyptian temple was taken stone by stone from its original island setting in 1971, when rising Nile waters threatened to wash it away. From here, head to Aswan High Dam, a staggering feat of engineering that shows Egypt can also build modern constructions on a monumental scale.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10 — Aswan
The last day is at leisure - one last chance to enjoy the ship's sunbeds and sunshades on the top deck, or maybe take a peek inside the hotel where Agatha Christie and Winston Churchill stayed. Alternatively, join one last excursion to the temples of Abu Simbel. It’s a long drive - three hours each way - but the rewards are worth it. Abu Simbel showcases the skill and ambition of the ancient Egyptians and is second only to the Pyramids of Giza for its visual impact and scale.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11 — Aswan - UK
Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the UK where your chauffeur will be waiting for you.
Meals: Breakfast
