Essential Egypt

Cairo, Giza, Saqqarah, Valley of the Kings, Luxor, Aswan, Philae, Edfu, Kom Ombo(9 days) Start and end in Cairo Itinerary Start and end in Cairo! With the In-depth Cultural tour Essential Egypt, you have a 9 days tour package taking you through Cairo, Egypt and 8 other destinations in Egypt. Essential Egypt includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more. Introduction Soak in all the marvels and wonders of Egypt in this packed 9-day Essential Egypt tour. Witness the last remaining ancient wonder of the world, the Pyramids. Discover breathtaking ancient temples while you dig deep into history and mythology, and barter your way through chaotic Bazaars. Day 1 Cairo Welcome to Egypt! At the Cairo terminal keep your eyes peeled for the Travel Talk sign for your transfer to the hotel. Freshen up and meet in the lobby around 6:00pm for an informal meeting with your guide and other tour members. Afterwards you have free time to start exploring vibrant Cairo or board a cruise for an optional group dinner. Accommodation Sonesta Hotel Tower & Casino – 5 Star Included Activities Welcome Meeting Optional Activities Group Dinner on Cruise - 30 USD Day 2 Cairo City Tour, Overnight Sleeper Train Set your alarms for 7.30am and fill up on plenty of breakfast before a big day exploring Egypt’s iconic Ancient Wonder of the World – the Pyramids and Sphinx! Follow your guide for a tour across the ancient site to learn about the 4,600-year-old wonders. After everyone has had their dose of awe, we’ll head out to Sakkara to see the iconic step pyramid built in 2700 B.C. Later in the afternoon, board an overnight sleeper train to Aswan. Accommodation Overnight Sleeper Train Meals Included Breakfast, Dinner Included Activities Sightseeing of Giza Pyramids Sightseeing of Sphinx Sightseeing of Sakkara Pyramid Entrance Fees Giza Pyramids/Sphinx - 360 EGP Sakkara Pyramid - 300 EGP Day 3 Aswan Wake up in Aswan, ready to explore on a city tour with your local guide. Visit the Unfinished Obelisk for a look into the incredible building methods used to create the four-sided, hallmark monuments that are placed at the entrances of Egyptian temples. Take some time to walk along the 42-metre long lying bed of granite and learn about its significance from your guide. Visit the Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, divine mother of the pharaohs. The temple is set beautifully on an island in the middle of the Nile. We will then arrive at the hotel for check in at 5.30pm with the option to join a traditional Nubian dinner in the evening. Accommodation Tolip Hotel - 5 Star Meals Included Breakfast Included Activities Aswan City tour Sightseeing of Philae Temple Sightseeing of Unfinished Obeliks of Aswan Optional Activities Nubian Dinner - 32 USD Entrance Fees Philae Temple - 300 EGP Day 4 Aswan Enjoy a free morning to explore Aswan and the banks of the Nile River at your own pace. If you are feeling up to it in the afternoon, join the optional trip to the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Abu Simbel. It is a must-do for all keen historians! Accommodation Tolip Hotel - 5 Star Meals Included Breakfast Optional Activities Abu Simbel - 94 USD Day 5 Daily Felucca cruise on the Nile Time to relax and enjoy the cool breeze of the Nile. Jump on-board a traditional Felucca sailboat, bound for the Elephantine and Kitchener Islands on the Nile. After our river excursion, the rest of the day is yours to wander around Aswan as you wish. Accommodation Tolip Hotel - 5 Star Meals Included Breakfast Included Activities Sailing on the Felucca Day 6 Edfu, Kom Ombo, Luxor As we hop back onboard the coach and drive north towards Kom Ombo. Visit the Kom Ombo Temple, dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. Next stop will be Edfu, home to one of the largest and best-preserved temples in Egypt. Dedicated to the falcon god Horus, the temple was built over 180-years from 237 BC to 57 BC. We’ll arrive in Luxor in the late afternoon, before checking out the Luxor Temple in the evening. Explore the dim-light temple after dark and learn from your guide of the temple complexes ancient history, dating back to the 14th century B.C. Accommodation Steigenberger Nile palace Hotel – 5 Star Meals Included Breakfast Included Activities Sightseeing of Edfu Temple Sightseeing of Komombo Temple Sightseeing of Luxor Temple Entrance Fees Edfu Temple - 300 EGP Komombo Temple - 240 EGP Luxor Temple - 160 EGP Day 7 Luxor, Overnight Sleeper Train The West bank of the Nile River awaits you! Follow your guide to the Valley of the Kings, also known as the ‘City of the Dead’, home to fancy royal tombs carved into desert rocks and filled with treasures for the Pharaoh afterlife. Next up, the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and Colossi of Memnon. Not to forget, a visit to the vast Karnak Temple Complex, one of the most important religious centres of ancient Egypt with its marvellous temples. Your Egyptologist guide will enlighten you with the most intriguing stories and mythologies from the temple complex. Feeling adventurous? Take to the skies on an optional hot air balloon ride over Luxor. In the evening, board an overnight sleeper train to Cairo. Accommodation Overnight sleeper train Meals Included Breakfast, Dinner Included Activities Sightseeing of Karnak Temple Sightseeing of Hatshepsut Temple & Colossi of Memnon Optional Activities Hot Air Balloon - 124 USD Entrance Fees Valley Of The Kings - 400 EGP Hatshepsut Temple - 240 EGP Karnak Temple - 300 Day 8 Cairo City Tour The journey continues with one of the most important museums dedicated to the ancient world. Egyptian Museum of Cairo houses around 120,000 ancient Egyptian relics and antiquities. Then roam around Cairo stopping by the Citadel of Saladin, Mosque of Mohammed Ali, the Hanging Church and the world-famous Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Make sure to wear your haggling hats and brace for the mayhem! Accommodation Sonesta Hotel Tower & Casino – 5 Star Meals Included Breakfast Included Activities Sightseeing of Cairo Sightseeing of Egyptian Museum Sightseeing of Citadel of Saladin Sightseeing of Mohammed Ali Mosque Sightseeing of Hanging Church Sightseeing of Bazaar Khan El- Khalili Entrance Fees Egyptian Museum - 330 EGP Citadel of Saladin - 300 EGP Day 9 Cairo What's Included - Accommodation 5 and 4 star hotels - Guide Services of experienced Eqyptologist guides COVID-19 Health & Safety Measures For any tour departing from February 1st, 2023, we won’t be requiring travelers to be vaccinated. However, we strongly recommend that all travelers and staff are vaccinated to protect other tour members as well as the communities visited. Some countries and airlines may still request travelers to be vaccinated, so please make sure to check travel and entry requirements thoroughly. - Meals 8 Breakfasts This tour offers Jain, Vegetarian, Halal and Kosher food options on request. Simply let Travel Talk know the food option that you prefer. Vegan is not available for this tour. - Additional Services Arrival and Departure transfers on first and last day of the trip Services of experienced Eqyptologist guides Overnight train from Cairo to Aswan, and from Luxor to Cairo (Private 2 berth) Transport A/C coach or mini-bus, Felucca sailboat NOT INCLUDED X Flights International flights not included. X Insurance Insurance not included. X Optional Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost. X Additional Services Meals not stated in the itinerary Items of a personal nature Tips & gestures Visa fees Entrance fees to the sights and museums Optional activities Other services not stated in the itinerary