RCGS: Egypt Nile Cruise with Charlene Bearhead
RCGS: Egypt Nile Cruise with Charlene Bearhead
RCGS: Egypt Nile Cruise with Charlene Bearhead
9 Days Starting in Cairo and ending in Aswan
Visiting: Egypt
Tour operator:
Tour code:
AENR
Group size:
4 - 16
Age range:
16-99
Trip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Embark on an unforgettable journey through the heart of Egypt on the RCGS: Egypt Nile Cruise with Charlene Bearhead. This luxurious tour offers a unique blend of ancient history and modern comfort, taking you from the iconic Great Pyramids to the treasures of King Tut and the mystical Valley of the Kings. Spend your days exploring ancient temples and tombs, and your nights relaxing in a combination of four and five-star accommodations, including a memorable four-night cruise on the Nile aboard the elegant M/S Nile Style cruise boat. With highlights including luxury hotels with views over the Pyramids of Giza, sophisticated onboard amenities, and the serene landscapes of the Nile, this tour promises a perfect mix of cultural immersion, historical exploration, and unparalleled luxury.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Cairo
Welcome to Cairo, the capital of Egypt, where the ancient and modern worlds connect seamlessly. There’s plenty packed into this holiday, but today is all about settling in.
Accommodation: Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel or similar
Day 2 : Visit The Pyramids At Giza, The Egyptian Museum, El Azhar Mosque And Cairo's Lively Bazaar
Meals Included: Breakfast
We begin our day with a welcome briefing with your leader (usually at 7:00 or 7:30 am) and a chance to meet the other members of your group.
Please have your breakfast before the briefing and be sure that you bring your insurance details as the leader needs to gather this information.
First on our sightseeing is a visit to Giza, home to the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus and the mysterious Great Sphinx. Only the throng of sightseers milling around their huge foundations keep you in the 21st century.
We next pay a visit to the incredible Egyptian Museum of Antiquities, which contains relics dating back to 4,000 BCE, including the fantastic riches of Tutankhamun's tomb. Here is a unique opportunity to survey the many fabulous treasures of Egypt in one place and to set the scene for the rest of the adventure. For the remainder of our tour we experience modern Cairo with visits to Al Azhar mosque (the oldest mosque and university in Cairo and still very much in use) (could be closed without prior notice according to authorities) and the small alleyways and streets that make up the bazaar. Please note that we will need to cover up at the mosque (long sleeves and trousers, long skirt for women) and women will also need to cover their hair with a scarf.
Accommodation: Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel or similar
Day 3 : Fly To Luxor; Visit Karnak And Luxor Temples. Board Cruise Boat; Free Afternoon To Explore
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We typically transfer to Cairo airport before sunrise for our flight to Luxor (flight times can vary but we need to be at the airport three hours before the flight so expect a wake up around 2am). A breakfast box will be provided. On arrival, we visit Luxor Temple and the huge Karnak Temple complex on the east bank of the Nile. Built more than 1,500 years, Karnak is a mixture of pylons, courtyards, halls and sanctuaries. The Hypostyle Hall has 134 columns, some of which are more than 75ft (23m) high. We arrive at our cruise boat in time for lunch on board before free time in the afternoon to relax or explore Luxor.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Style or similar
Day 4 - 5 : Valley Of The Kings; Two Days On The Nile With Visits To Edfu And Kom Ombo En Route
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
This morning we leave our boat very early morning (this timing is to ensure we are back at the boat for the commencement of the cruise time) for a 30-40 minute bus ride to the the Valley of the Kings on the west bank of the Nile. The Valley contains the once-hidden tombs of more than 62 pharaohs, including Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramses III and IV. A discreet entrance in the hillside takes visitors underground; a series of corridors and ante-chambers leads us down to the burial chamber and sarcophagus. The walls are covered in brightly painted images and hieroglyphs – a map of the afterlife to ensure the king's safe passage. One ticket allows us to see three tombs. The ticket usually allows entry into what are regarded as the most impressive tombs, but, if you have time, a visit to the tomb of Ramses VI (extra ticket), entry to Tutankhamun’s tomb (extra ticket), payable locally are recommended. Seti I is another option but in terms of size and decoration, it is not as impressive as many of the other tombs, but is of course historically very interesting.
Visits to tombs are now strictly controlled to halt further deterioration of wall paintings – each tomb is periodically closed for a number of weeks.
On crowded days, make sure to have a quick visit to each of the included tombs if you want to add extra tombs as your leader will give a fixed meeting time in order to return to the cruise boat before it sails.
On return to our cruise boat we begin our voyage along the Nile, travelling upstream from Luxor to Aswan. Exact sailing and excursion times cannot be guaranteed for each individual trip but we will visit the temples of Edfu, famed for its roofed inner temples and huge Pylon, in the morning of day 5. In the late afternoon on day 5, we visit Kom Ombo temple, before setting sail for Aswan where we will overnight.
The cruise boat has good facilities: a sundeck with loungers, bar and small pool, restaurant, gift shop and library. These can all be taken advantage of when the cruise boat is docked or during sailing. The sunsets over the Nile are truly stunning and travelling from Luxor to Aswan, enjoying the beauty of the verdant landscape, makes this journey special.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Style or similar
Day 6 : Continue Nile Cruise; Optional Visit To Abu Simbel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today there's the option of a visit to Abu Simbel 186mi (300km) to the south through the Nubian Desert. The optional bus tour starts at 3.30am/4am in the morning when we get picked up from the boat. A breakfast box is provided. We arrive at the destination around 8am, where we are given approximately two hours in the area to visit the temples. Built by Ramses II, the two temples are certainly some of the most spectacular in Egypt. Originally on the banks of the Nile, the temples were raised to a new site above the lake in the late 1960s, as the waters from the new Lake Nasser rose behind the Aswan High Dam. The four great seated statues of Ramses II stare east towards the rising sun. We will be back in Aswan around 1.30 pm before lunch. For those flying to Abu Simbel, please note that timing will be different.
Accommodation: M/S Nile Style or similar
Day 7 : Disembark Cruise; Tour Of Bazaar Or Optional Excursion To Philae Temple, Aswan High Dam And Cleopatra's Unfinished Obelisk
Meals Included: Breakfast
After breakfast on board, we disembark and have a full day in Aswan. This is a laid-back town that reflects the character of its largely Nubian inhabitants, known for being friendly and hospitable. By virtue of its position on the old caravan route, it has always been a trading centre and we thoroughly recommend visiting the packed bazaar today, where merchants display spices, carpets, leather goods and countless other wares. There is also the option to visit the Nubian Museum, situated opposite our usual hotel in Aswan (please ask your tour director if you are interested and when it can be arranged).
Opened in April 1998, the museum chronologically charts the history and culture of the Nubian people. Alternatively, we can arrange an optional visit to Philae Temple. In the 1970s it was relocated by Unesco to Aglika Island after it became evident that the original site of Philae would submerge on completion of the Aswan High Dam. It represents a magnificent and enduring testament to both ancient and modern engineering. During this excursion we will also visit Aswan High Dam and Cleopatra's Unfinished Obelisk.
Accommodation: Basma Hotel or similar
Day 8 : Optional Visit To Nubian Museum; Afternoon Felucca Ride
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today’s our last day in Aswan. Our morning is free to relax or book an optional excursion to St Simone Monastery or a nearby Nubian museum. In the afternoon we explore the Nile by felucca, the traditional Egyptian sailing boat. Using the felucca, we can truly savour the tranquillity of the Nile and the beauty of the surrounding landscape, where the vast desert almost reaches the water's edge. (The timings of the felucca sailing might be changed according to weather conditions). We end the day with our final dinner together, at one of this historic city’s restaurants.
Accommodation: Basma Hotel or similar
Day 9 : End Aswan
Meals Included: Breakfast
You’ve marvelled at the Great Pyramids, gazed at King Tut’s treasures and journeyed down the Nile. Now, however, it’s time to start your return journey home. Of course, if you’re not quite ready for the adventure to end, talk to your sales representative about extending your stay at the hotel – Egypt has a lifetime of wonders to discover.
What's Included
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All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners
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All accommodation (see accommodation section)
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All transport and listed activities
What's Not Included
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Travel insurance
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Single accommodation (available on request)
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Visas or vaccinations
Food
All breakfasts, four lunches and four dinners included.
In the itinerary, we state which meals are included on which day. For meals not included, we suggest you allow approximately US$15 for lunch and (US$20) for dinner (this differs according to the type of restaurant you are looking for). Food in Egypt involves such things as kebabs, chicken, stews, pitta-bread, falafel, beans, vegetables, pickles and salads. Dishes tend to be simple and wholesome and vegetarians can be catered for, though the options may be somewhat limited. Drinks and water at hotels & on the cruise boat are not included.
Accommodation
We stay in a combination of four and five-star hotels (local rating) and spend four nights navigating the Nile on a cruise boat. Unsurprisingly, the accommodation on this trip is a highlight for many. Below are the places we typically stay during our time in Egypt.Cairo: Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel (nights 1 & 2)With views over the Pyramids of Giza from the outdoor swimming pool, this elegant property is the ideal place to begin your Egyptian adventure. The pool also has a swim-up bar, where you can order refreshing smoothies and more from in-house mixologists. Rooms come in a simple-yet-stylish mix of creams and browns, a perfect spot to rest after your day’s adventure.Nile: M/S Nile Style cruise boat (nights 3-6)Climb aboard this stylish cruise boat for an unforgettable journey on the longest river in the world. It has 77 air-conditioned cabins, each with a view over the waters while sailing, allowing you to relax in peace and watch the world drift past.Much of your free time may well be spent on the spacious sundeck, which has a dipping pool and plenty of cushy loungers (shaded and unshaded). Elsewhere, there’s a gym, sophisticated lounge bar and elegant restaurant.Aswan: Basma Hotel (nights 7 & 8)On the highest hill in Aswan, directly opposite the Nubian Museum, the Basma occupies a privileged spot. Rooms come in a mixture of styles, many with views over the city or the Nile, and you can spend your free time cooling off in the expansive pool.The property is also home to The Lotus restaurant, which serves an eclectic mix of international and local cuisines, plus the Vienna Cafe, where you can enjoy light bites, hot drinks and a selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.Worth knowing In common with all Nile cruises, the M/S Nile Style moors next to other boats at night, meaning you may only have a view of the river from your cabin while sailing. The accommodation shown has been booked and agreed in advance, however we may need to make changes to a property of similar or higher standard after you have booked. We will endeavour to inform you of any changes in advance which could, on rare occasions, be at late notice.
Check out our Q&As
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What countries does the tour visit?
The tour visits Egypt.
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What are the highlights of the tour?
The highlights of the tour include ancient temples and tombs, a cruise boat and luxury hotels, the Great Pyramids, treasures of King Tut, and the Valley of the Kings.
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What type of accommodations are included?
The tour includes a combination of four and five-star hotels and four nights on a Nile cruise boat. Specific accommodations include the Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel in Cairo, the M/S Nile Style cruise boat on the Nile, and the Basma Hotel in Aswan.
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What meals are included in the tour?
The tour includes all breakfasts, four lunches, and four dinners.
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Are there any exclusions I should be aware of?
Exclusions include travel insurance, single accommodation (available on request), and visas or vaccinations.
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What is the starting location of the tour?
The tour starts in Cairo.
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What is the ending location of the tour?
The tour ends in Aswan.
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.