Ahlan! Welcome to Egypt. Your adventure begins in Cairo with a welcome meeting at 4 pm, where you’ll meet your leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive early, get your bearings by walking around the neighourhood, or escape the hustle and bustle and explore the Christian quarter, known as Coptic Cairo. After the meeting, head out with your fellow travellers and discover Khan al-Khalili Bazaar, located in Cairo's Islamic centre. This traditional souk is a labyrinth of narrow alleys lined with local merchants, making it the perfect place to experience daily Egyptian life. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. If you’re interested in one of the Urban Adventures tours, check out

This morning, head to Giza – home to some of the world’s most iconic sights and one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Explore the structures that have stood tall for 4500 years and uncover the mysteries surrounding them with your leader. Head to a spot where you'll have a panoramic view of the three pyramids, before checking out the Great Sphinx of Giza. For lunch, follow your leader to a local restaurant to try a Koshary plate (a tasty and filling Egyptian take on pasta). After, make your way to the Egyptian Museum, which houses one of the world's greatest collections of antiquities. Wander through the treasure-filled halls while your leader highlights the true gems of the exhibits. Later, meet your leader and travel to the nearby train station, where you’ll board an overnight sleeper train bound for Aswan. Your travel time on the overnight train will be approximately 13 hours. The sleeper train includes a simple dinner and breakfast. Before boarding, you may wish to stock up on your favourite snacks. The inside thoroughfares of the Pyramids of Giza are very small and very warm, so for those suffering from claustrophobia it is not recommended. Please note that you'll be required to walk around the Pyramids complex. It can be very hot in the summer months, so be prepared for little shade and pack appropriate clothing, sun protection and carry lots of water. You might be able to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu for an additional charge, though it may occasionally be closed to visitors.

Travel to Aswan – Egypt's southernmost city, where the river Nile flows, white-sailed feluccas glide by and Elephantine Island awaits. Today is a free day, so take the opportunity to see some Aswan sites like the Unfinished Obelisk – an ancient monument that has remained unfinished for 3500 years – or the High Dam. Maybe see The Nubian Bazaar, the Nubian Museum or the beautiful Temple of Isis, dedicated to the goddess Isis on Philae Island. The waterfront promenade, or Aswan's Corniche, runs alongside one of the Nile's most appealing stretches and is the perfect place to pause for a mint tea. This evening you’ll experience modern Nubian culture first-hand by joining a local Nubian family for dinner in a nearby village.

Today is another free day in Aswan. Perhaps head out of the city and visit Abu Simbel this morning. With the four colossal statues of Ramses guarding the Great Temple, carved directly from the mountain on the west bank of the Nile, this is one of Egypt's most memorable sights. Alternatively, you could take a sailboat around the islands in a traditional felucca, stopping off at the botanical gardens on Kitchener's Island. Your leader will be on hand to help you arrange any excursions. Otherwise, simply relax and take in the beauty of the Nile or do some shopping in the local bazaar. Your group leader will offer to organise the optional excursion to Abu Simbel by minivan for your group. This excursion will be limited to your group members only. If you would like to fly to Abu Simbel or join an alternative excursion, please discuss options with your leader there are many join-in tours. Be aware group sizes may vary. Please note that the optional excursion to Abu Simbel has a very early start (but it’s totally worth it). The journey by land is approximately 4 hours each way.

With your free time this morning, perhaps hop on a motorboat out to the Tomb of the Nobles or stock up on snacks for your evening on the Nile. Board the felucca with your group just before lunch and spend the afternoon out on the river, watching Egyptian daily life play out on the banks, before spending a night under the stars. Your Nubian sailing crew provides all the meals, which are hearty and delicious, as well as some local entertainment. Being a traditional wooden boat with broad canvas sails, your felucca offers some shade and protection from the elements, however, there’s no cabin or enclosed section. Tonight, watch the sunset across the Nile for a sight you won't forget. Conditions will be basic during your felucca trip. You'll sleep on the deck of the felucca on a mattress. While blankets are provided, a sleeping sheet or sleeping bag is recommended. During the colder months (October to March) temperatures can get as low as 5°C at night. Slight alterations may have to be made to the Nile itinerary throughout the year, depending on winds and currents. As the felucca is a sailing craft without any outboard engine, if there's no wind, you won't travel very far. The felucca does have a shared bathroom facility onboard. While feluccas have mosquito nets, we also recommend insect repellent for your day on the Nile.

Say goodbye to your Nubian friends this morning and take a private van to the ‘open-air museum’ of Luxor. From the spectacular temple complex of Karnak to the Valley of the Kings, Luxor is full of wonderfully preserved reminders of the Pharaohs. On the way, there's the option to visit either the unique mirror-image design of the Temple of Kom Ombo, or the beautifully preserved Temple of Edfu. In the afternoon, explore the magnificent Karnak Temple, which is perhaps the most impressive of all the ancient Pharaohs' monumental works. One of the world's most celebrated temple complexes, Karnak is a house of the gods built over a period of 200 years. After, visit a local NGO, Animal Care in Egypt (ACE), our Tuuur Foundation partner, to learn about the work they do to care for wounded working animals in the region. The rest of the day will be free to relax, shop in the bazaar or chill out in a local teahouse. Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours. You’ll disembark your Felucca between Aswan and Luxor, depending on the sailing winds. It may not be possible to visit Edfu or Kom Ombo Temples due to wind and timing, so be sure to discuss options with your leader.

Today, discover some of the wonders of ancient Thebes via a private minivan. Your first stop is the Colossi of Memnon – two 17-m-high statues on Luxor's West Bank. Carved from granite blocks, they represent the Pharaoh Amenhotep III and were once part of an impressive colonnade. Continue to the royal burial site of the Valley of the Kings – here, buried under the arid hills, are over 60 richly decorated tombs of pharaohs. Your leader will explain the history and legends of these remarkable pharaohs and the significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics. After, join a local family for lunch and try some traditional home cooking. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore at your pace before boarding an overnight sleeper train from Luxor back to Cairo. Your travel time on the overnight train will be approximately 10 hours. You have the option to take a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings and the Temples of antiquities on the West Bank. Your leader can reserve this service for you. Pick up will be from your hotel between 4 am and 5 am.

Arrive in Cairo early this morning and have one last breakfast with your group. Your trip then comes to an end. If you'd like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time. You'll have day rooms available for use until midday today. Please don't book an onward flight before 3 pm today.