Salaam aleikum! Welcome to Egypt. Your adventure begins in Cairo – Egypt's chaotic capital, with a welcome meeting at 6 pm. Cairo is one of the great ancient cities and its history can be symbolised by two imposing landmarks – the Pyramids of Giza (one of the famed Seven Wonders of the World) and the Mosque of Mohammed Ali. If you have time, why not jump on a quick felucca ride or head out to explore the markets. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle, the Christian Coptic sector is well worth a visit. Tonight, maybe hit the local nightlife and celebrate the start of an epic adventure. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information 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.  We have listed the total price including transportation and local guides (where applicable) for these optional activities wherever possible. This is to help you budget for any additional excursions you might like to do on your trip. Some activities require minimum numbers to operate. If you prefer to do your own thing, taxis are available and your leader can assist in organising.

After breakfast, set out to see some of Egypt’s most renowned sights. Visit Giza’s pyramids – one of the Seven Wonders of the World – and the Sphinx. Explore these structures that have stood tall for 4500 years. You may even be able to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu for an additional charge. After, maybe make your way to the Egyptian Museum – home to one of the world's great collections of antiquities. Perhaps wander the treasure-filled halls of the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Later, meet your leader and travel to Giza train station, where you’ll board a sleeper train to Aswan. Your travel time on the overnight train will be approximately 13 hours. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is occasionally closed to visitors. The complex can be very hot in the summer months, so be prepared for little available shade and pack appropriate clothing, sun protection and water, and be ready to walk. The overnight train is air-conditioned, and bedding is provided. There are toilets in each carriage but consider bringing additional toilet paper. General cleanliness of the train may vary. An included dinner and breakfast are served on board; however, you may want to stock up beforehand, particularly if you have dietary requirements. In rare circumstances you may be paired with a traveller of another gender, depending on the configuration. On other occasions, you may be sharing with others who are not part of our group.

The Nile, Elephantine Island and white-sailed feluccas – welcome to Aswan, Egypt's southernmost city. Today is a free day so take the opportunity to see the sites, like the unfinished obelisk or the High Dam. The Nubian Bazaar is a must, and the Nubian Museum is at the top of many visitors’ lists. Maybe visit the Temple of Isis (goddess of health, marriage and wisdom), which was rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated to Philae Island. It's a marvel of decorative pylons featuring some of Egypt's finest carvings. Stop at the waterfront promenade for a mint tea and maybe watch the waterfront come alive at dusk, with families out strolling, socialising and relaxing along the corniche.

This morning is your best chance to head out of Aswan and visit Abu Simbel, if that’s on your list. With the four gargantuan statues of Ramses guarding the Great Temple, this is one of Egypt's most memorable sights. Otherwise, the day is free for you to make your own discoveries. A popular afternoon option is a sailboat ride around the islands in a traditional felucca, stopping off at the botanical gardens on Kitchener's Island. Your local leader will be on hand to help you get the most out of your day. You may prefer to just relax and take in the beauty of the Nile or do some shopping in the vibrant bazaar. Your leader will offer to organise the optional excursion to Abu Simbel for your group. This excursion will be limited to your group members only. If you would like to fly to Abu Simbel or join another excursion, please discuss options with your leader. The Abu Simbel optional activity has a very early start – departure will be between 5 am and 6 am. You can get there by flying or by the cheaper option of renting a minivan with a group and leaving very early (flights do not operate daily). The journey by land is 3 hours each way. It's best to visit at sunrise to avoid the heat. Speak to your group leader earlier in the trip for more information.

This morning, jump on a traditional Egyptian sailboat (or felucca) for a morning sail. After lunch on board the felucca, arrive at a Nubian homestay on the west bank of the Nile. Here, you’ll learn about the local way of life with a walk through the surrounding countryside and agriculture fields to reach the homestay. The house is in traditional Nubian style, with a sandy courtyard in the middle where the family gathers for meals. Get into the swing of Egyptian life by lending a hand in the kitchen to help cook dinner, or maybe kick around a football in the courtyard with the kids. There are few better ways to understand a country and its people than with a local homestay, and you’ll have the chance tonight to soak it all up.

Board another felucca today and enjoy a day out on the river, seeing rural Egyptian daily life play out on the banks before spending a night under the stars. Your sailing crew will provide all your onboard meals. The felucca is a traditional wooden boat with broad canvas sails, offering some shade and protection from the elements, but there is no cabin or enclosed section – watching the sun setting over the Nile in the evening from an open deck is an experience you won't forget.

After farewelling the felucca crew, take a private van to Luxor. Today, you’ll explore Karnak Temple, maybe the most impressive of all the ancient pharoahs' monumental works. One of the world's most celebrated temple complexes, Karnak is a house of the gods built over a period of some 200 years. Your guided tour of this vast temple of pylons, obelisks and chapels will reveal its finest sections, such as the Avenue of Sphinxes and the Great Temple of Amun. Then, head over to our Tuuur Foundation partner, Animal Care in Egypt (ACE), a local NGO dedicated to providing free veterinary care for wounded working animals in the region. The rest of the day will be free to relax, shop in the bazaar (open until quite late) or soak up the atmosphere of a local teahouse. Your travel time today will be approximately 3.5 hours.

Rise early this morning and head into the Valley of the Kings. Buried under the arid hills are over 60 tombs of pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. With your leader, explore where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (16th to 11th century BC) were secretly interred for all eternity, and where discoveries are still being made. Your leader will explain the history and legends of these remarkable people, their funerary rites and the significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics, still well-preserved in the deepest tombs. Visit three of the most interesting royal tombs and then continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut – a colonnaded building set against high cliffs that create a natural amphitheatre. Charges for the optional activities mentioned today are for entry only OR for organised tour programmes facilitated by your group leader. In the past we have found that this suits most of our travellers. If you prefer to do your own thing, transport to sites is available and your leader can assist with organising this. It’s possible to take a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings and the temples on the west bank, subject to weather conditions. There is an additional charge for this activity and your leader will be able to help book this for you. Pick-up will be from your hotel between 4.30 and 5 am. Balloon capacity is 16–25, and cameras are prohibited in the basket (cellphones are allowed).

This morning, farewell the Nile to drive east to the beachside town of Hurghada. The green Nile valley is soon left behind as you head out into the Eastern Desert. As you pass by rocky hills, the glittering waters of the Red Sea come into view and the rugged bulk of the Sinai Peninsula looms on the opposite shore. A vibrant beach resort, Hurghada is by no means a typical adventure destination. After checking in to your hotel, take a leader-led orientation walk to get your bearings and to scope out some of the local restaurants. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

Transfer to the Hurghada Marina and climb aboard your motor yacht for a trip around the Red Sea Marine Park, where you’ll have the opportunity to snorkel one of the most magnificent reefs in the Red Sea. Your captain will select three separate locations to maximise your experience and snorkelling gear is provided. Lunch will consist of a delicious feast of kofta, salads, fish and rice and soft drinks, tea and coffee will be provided throughout the day. Head back to Hurghada mid to late afternoon and transfer back to the hotel.

Make the journey back to Cairo by private vehicle. When you arrive, visit the Islamic parts of the city and the frenetic backstreets of the local Khan el-Khalili bazaar with your leader. The ‘Khan’ is one of the biggest and oldest markets in the world, sprawling around an old area known as Al-Azhar. You might explore the gold market, ‘Perfume Street’ and the spice market, where heady aromas hang in the air like a thick blanket of Damascene cloth (which can be purchased next door in the cloth market!). Your travel time today will be approximately 6 hours.

Jump in a private van today and follow the ‘desert road’ to the Mediterranean coastal city of Alexandria. Egypt's second largest city and main port, locals call this vibrant city the Bride of the Mediterranean Sea. When you arrive, take an orientation walk with your leader. The Greek architect Dinocrates built Alexandria in 331 BC under the orders of Alexander the Great. The city, immortalising Alexander's name, quickly flourished into a prominent cultural, intellectual, political and economic metropolis. Take some time to stroll along the corniche and take in some fresh Mediterranean air. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

Today, head back to a more recent period in Egyptian history with a visit to El Alamein and the war museum. The area was a turning point in the North African campaign, where the Allies held out against, and eventually pushed back and defeated, the Afrika Korps of Rommel. The area contains several memorials from the countries who lost soldiers here – Greece, South Africa, Australia, Italy – as well as a war cemetery that’s home to the graves and names of the thousands who lost their lives. In the museum, discover the story of the events that unfolded here, and then return to Alexandria. Alexandria is well known for its seafood, so don't forget to feast on some fresh fish while you're in town.

This morning, head underground and delve into the mysteries of the Kom Ash Shuqqafa catacombs. This Roman burial site is the largest of its kind in Egypt and was discovered, quite accidentally, by a donkey! The crypts are 20 m below street level and what probably began as a small family tomb grew into a labyrinth of chambers that could accommodate more than 300 bodies. Stop by the strikingly modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, inspired by the original great library of Alexandria and built to hold over 8 million books. After, head to El Morsi Abu El Abbas Mosque – the largest in the city. During your free time, maybe visit the Citadel of Qaitbay – a fortress overlooking the Mediterranean Sea where the famous lighthouse once stood. You’ll then leave Alexandria and return to Cairo. Tonight, why not gather your travel crew for a celebratory kebab, kofta or sheesha. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

Your trip finishes today after breakfast. There are no activities planned and you can depart the accommodation at any time following check-out. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.