Salaam Aleikum! Welcome to Egypt. When you arrive at the Cairo airport, an included transfer will take you to your hotel. Your adventure officially begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, maybe get out and explore the busy streets, find a hole-in-the-wall eatery for a snack or relax at your hotel – the pool offers magnificent pyramid views! After your meeting, head out for an included dinner with the group. Your leader will introduce you to Egyptian cuisine, known for being fresh, delicious and unique to the country. Best enjoyed when shared, you’ll tuck into an array of traditional dishes like fatta (a dish made with rice, bread and meat in a garlic and vinegar sauce) and kushari (a delicious mixture of pasta, rice, lentils and fried onions). 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.

This morning, tour the mighty Pyramids of Giza – one of the famed Seven Wonders of the World –and the Sphinx with your leader and expert local guide. For an additional charge, you may be able to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops). After some time for lunch, your adventure continues to the Grand Egyptian Museum – home to one of the world's great collections of ancient artefacts recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamun. From jewellery to the famous golden death mask and his gilded sarcophagi, this pharaoh was certainly prepared for the afterlife. Your leader will take you through some of Egypt’s dynastic history and you’ll have plenty of time to explore on your own – home to almost 100,000 artefacts, there’s a whole ancient world to uncover! You will 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 lots of water. Inside the pyramids is very small and warm. For those suffering from claustrophobia, it is not recommended. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is occasionally closed to visitors without notice.

Catch a morning flight to Aswan – Egypt’s southernmost city. Check into your hotel, then travel to Philae Island and visit the Temple of Isis – the goddess of health, marriage and wisdom – rescued from the rising waters of the Nile and relocated here. Your leader will share stories of the history and changing landscape of the island. Then, take a boat to a Nubian village on an island in the middle of the Nile. Walk through the village before sitting down to dinner with a local Nubian family in their home. Enjoy traditional Nubian food, swap stories with your friendly hosts and gain a unique perspective into their way of life. Your travel time today will be approximately 1.5 hours.

After breakfast, you may like to take a stroll around Aswan or join an optional tour of Abu Simbel – a temple complex that was dismantled and moved to make way for the Aswan High Dam. Board a Nile riverboat – your Feature Stay accommodation for the next three nights! Travelling by riverboat allows you to get to the heart of each destination while ensuring the journeys in between are every bit as interesting. In the afternoon, board a traditional felucca sailing boat where you can sit back and relax with some drinks as the sun sets over your surroundings. Return to your riverboat for dinner. It’s possible to book a morning excursion from Aswan to Abu Simbel, where you can explore some magnificent temples. Abu Simbel can be reached by plane or by road. For the flight, please speak to your booking agent to arrange this in advance, as flights frequently sell out. Currently, flight times to Abu Simbel change frequently and may require a very early start. Abu Simbel visits by road can only be arranged locally, please speak with your leader at the welcome meeting if you are interested in arranging this. The price listed is indicative and will vary depending on the group size. Accommodation aboard the Nile riverboat is full board – breakfast, lunch and dinner are included. Drinks are offered from the bar area for an additional cost. An evening program is also available. Please note that you may sail on either the Amwaj Nile Cruise, Nile Premium, or Kahila Cruise depending on sailing dates.

Enjoy a peaceful morning on board your riverboat, then set out in the afternoon along the river, relaxing in the sun on deck and taking in the desert hills. Arrive at Kom Ombo Temple, where your leader will let you in on the secrets of this ancient sanctuary. Built in approximately 181 BC, Kom Ombo is dedicated to two gods – Horus (god of protection) and Sobek (god of fertility, linked to the Nile’s water). Each god has a dedicated section – north or south – and there have been recent discoveries of mummified crocodiles in the Sobek section. After, return to your riverboat and continue to Edfu where you’ll dock for the evening.

This morning, you’ll be moored near Edfu and may have the option to venture independently into town to see the nearby temple. Sail towards Luxor passing through the Esna Locks. Arrive at 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. Today you'll explore the Karnak Temple. One of the world's most celebrated temple complexes, Karnak is a house of the gods built over a period of some 200 years. You’ll also 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 only mode of transport to the Temple of Horus in Edfu is by locally managed horses and carriages. As a company committed to responsible travel, animal welfare is extremely important to us. Operators of this service have been found to be in breach of our animal welfare guidelines and, for this reason, we do not include this visit. In addition to animal welfare concerns, we have had a large amount of feedback suggesting that the visit itself is uncomfortable due to pushy vendors and suppliers at the site. Previously, some travellers have decided to walk to the temple. This takes approximately 30 minutes each way. Be aware the road is very busy and there have been instances of travellers getting hassled by the carriage drivers. If you choose to walk, inform your leader before you depart and ensure you are carrying water, hat and sunscreen and have comfortable shoes. If there is no time to visit the Karnak Temple today, this will take place tomorrow on Day 7.

Today you will leave your riverboat and travel to 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 the place 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 people and the significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics. Entry is included to three tombs of your choosing, as well as access to the tomb of Tutankhamun. The unearthing of the young Pharaoh’s resting place is one of the world’s greatest archaeological discoveries, and today you’ll explore the painted chamber that holds his famous golden sarcophagus. Continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut then view the Colossi of Memnon – two 17-m-high statues on Luxor's west bank. You can purchase a photo ticket that will entitle you to take photos in any of the tombs that you visit as part of your visit to the Valley of the Kings. The cost of the camera ticket is around EGP300. It’s possible to do a Valley of the Kings hot air balloon tour which your leader can reserve for you. Tuuur only uses providers that have been risk assessed. You will be picked up between 4.30 and 5am from your hotel. Balloon capacity is maximum of 25 people and cameras are prohibited in the basket (mobile phones are acceptable). This activity runs subject to weather conditions. Please speak to your leader on Day 1 if you would like to book this activity.

Board a flight to Cairo this morning. When you arrive, settle into your hotel then head out to the Al-Azhar neighbourhood to visit Khan al-Khalili Bazaar – a sprawling maze of alleyways including the gold market, cloth market, 'perfume street' and the spice market. For a glimpse of the vibrant street life and local culture of Old Islamic Cairo continue to the UNESCO World Heritage protected El Moez Street to admire the stunning architecture of historic mosques, palaces, and madrasas. Stop off in Cairo’s oldest coffeeshop for an Arabic coffee or mint tea as you watch the world go by. The best food in Cairo is made inside a local home – this afternoon, you’ll be welcomed into the home of a local family to sit down and enjoy a meal of traditional dishes as you gain an inside look at modern Egyptian life. Your travel time today will be approximately 1.5 hours. The meal in a family home may be lunch or dinner, depending on your flight time.

Your trip will come to an end today after breakfast and you’re free to leave at any time after check out. If you have arranged a private airport transfer, you’ll be advised of the pick-up time. If you would like to spend more time in Cairo, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time to organise additional accommodation.