A value-packed adventure through ancient Egypt in 8 days. Travelling from Cairo, home of the legendary Pyramids of Giza, to Aswan with its colourful souqs and Luxor, famed for its awe-inspiring temples and incredible Valley of the Kings.
Trip Highlights
Included
Not Included
Itinerary
Cairo
Saturday. You will be met upon arrival at Cairo Airport and transferred to our start hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax or those arriving early can opt to join our optional Backstreets of Cairo tour which departs the hotel at 10am.
If you'd like to extend your stay in Egypt we offer a Day Trip to Alexandria. pre tour on Thursday and Saturdays or post tour on Sundays.
Overnight: Cairo
Pyramids of Giza
Cairo - Aswan. Our tour begins with a visit to one of the world's most famous sights this morning - the legendary Pyramids of Giza and the iconic Sphinx. Built over 4500 years ago, the three great pyramids are sole survivors of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World.
This afternoon we take a guided tour of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which contains an incredible array of relics and antiquities including the treasures of King Tutankhamun and his spectacular gold funerary mask. Our sightseeing today also includes a visit to a government supervised Papyrus Museum. This evening we board the night train to Aswan.
Please Note: the Grand Egyptian Museum is scheduled to open in late 2024, though an official opening date has yet to be released. If travelling prior to the opening of the new facility we'll visit the Egyptian Museum instead.
Overnight: Sleeper Train | Breakfast
Aswan & the Philae Temple
Our train pulls into Aswan early this morning and we check into our hotel. Then we take a scenic boat ride out to Agilika Island for a guided tour of the beautiful Philae Temple, which is dedicated to the goddess Isis. Travelling back to Aswan we visit a perfume oil emporium before spending the rest of the day at leisure. Relax by the hotel pool, explore Aswan's colourful souks and watch a beautiful sunset over the Nile.
Overnight: Aswan | Breakfast
Optional Abu Simbel
Today these in an early morning optional excursion to the magnificent Temple of Abu Simbel. The gargantuan rock-cut temple at Abu Simbel was created to revere the mighty pharaonic ruler King Ramses II. Guarding the entrance to the temple, the four colossal statues of Ramses II sit majestically, staring out across the desert.
The rest of the day is free to relax, enjoy the hotel facilities and independently explore this attractive riverside city. Time can easily be spent strolling along the broad Corniche watching felucca sailboats tack, ambling around the city's souk - renowned as the best outside of Cairo, sitting in floating restaurants listening to Nubian music.
Overnight: Aswan | Breakfast
Kom Ombo Temple & Luxor
Aswan - Kom Ombo - Luxor. This morning we bid farewell to Aswan and drive to the ancient temple of Kom Ombo, which is dedicated to the crocodile headed god - Sobek. After a guided tour of the temple we travel on to Luxor. Home of the legendary Valley of the Kings and Temple of Karnak, 4000 year-old Luxor is ancient Egypt at its best! Spend the rest of the day at leisure.
Overnight: Luxor | Breakfast
Karnak Temple
This morning is free to relax by the pool or independently explore the ancient city of Luxor, which is often referred to as the world's greatest open-air museum. This afternoon we enjoy a guided tour of the Temple of Karnak, a magnificent religious complex, dedicated to the Theban gods and built on a gigantic scale. In evening there's an optional tour of the beautiful Temple of Luxor (book and pay locally). This remarkable temple and the Avenue of Sphinxes which leads to it, are most spectacular at night when they're illuminated by hundreds of atmospheric lights.
Overnight: Luxor | Breakfast
Valley of the Kings
Luxor - Cairo. We travel to Luxor's West Bank this morning for a guided tour of the legendary Valley of the Kings, which is home to an array of beautifully decorated pharaohs' tombs, three of which you can enter. Arriving at the West Bank we will be greeted by the towering 18m-high Colossi of Memnon and after the Valley of the Kings we enjoy a tour of the beautiful Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Returning to the hotel the afternoon is free to relax by the pool. This evening we board the overnight train to Cairo.
Overnight: Sleeper train | Breakfast
Cairo
Saturday. This morning we arrive back into Egypt's bustling capital. We return to our start hotel which marks the end of our tour. Day use rooms can be purchased at an additional cost or you may wish to purchase extra nights and extend your stay. You could also do some last minute souvenir shopping we offer an optional visit to Cairo's bustling Khan el Khalili bazaar. There is an included departure transfer to Cairo airport.
Please note flights should not be booked to depart before 2pm. Cairo post tour accommodation can be arranged on request.
Breakfast
Prices & Dates
All dates are guaranteed to operate when there are 4 persons booked on the tour. 'Twin/Double' prices are per person when there are 2 people on the same booking sharing a room. 'Single' prices are applicable to solo travellers and anyone wanting the privacy of their own room. Room sharing is not available on this tour.
Extra Prices
Hotels
The hotels listed below are ones which we frequently use on this tour. We reserve the right to substitute these hotels to ones of a similar standard.
Pyramids Resort by Jaz, Cairo
Just a stone's throw from the Pyramids, the Pyramids Resort (formerly the Oasis Hotel) is a classic Egyptian hotel with beautiful expansive gardens. Rooms are very spacious with comfortable beds and fantastic en suite facilities. Wi-Fi is available and the buffet breakfast offers a good spread. In the evening the outdoor pool and fountains are lit up making the restaurant and bar the perfect place to spend an evening sipping on a cold glass of beer.
Sleeper Train, Cairo
When travelling on an overnight train in Egypt, sleeper carriages offer the highest level of comfort. Cabins are equipped with two beds (one above the other), a basin, electric points and air conditioning. Freshly laundered bedding is provided and in the early evening an attendant will come round and make up your bed for you. The carriages have toilets at each end and there is a club car which serves snacks and beverages. In the morning a very basic breakfast is provided.
Citymax Hotel Aswan, Aswan
Located right on the banks of the river Nile, the Citymax Aswan offers an outdoor pool with fantastic views across the water. Connected to a nearby shopping centre, you're also just a short walk from the beautiful Feryal Gardens. All rooms are spacious with private bathrooms and modern amenities including a television and air conditioning. Free WiFi is available in the public areas and a restaurant serves meals throughout the day.
Aracan Eatabe Luxor Hotel, Luxor
Offering a prime location in the centre of Luxor, this 4-star hotel is close to top attractions including the Luxor Museum and Luxor Temple. Surrounded by manicured gardens, the contemporary-style guestrooms are well-equipped with air conditioning, a minibar and a balcony overlooking the garden or River Nile. Guests can enjoy a rich breakfast, lunch and dinner in the sun-lit restaurant or outdoors by the resort style pool. There you’ll also find a poolside bar and sun deck, so you can enjoy a cocktail or two as you soak up the rays.
As a solo Traveller, I was reluctant on choosing Egypt as my destination. But I was blessed to have Amir as my tour guide. He ensured the safety and well-being of each group member. at the same time he ensured, we had fun and bonded well.
I had a great time and I would definitely recommend anyone who's taking a trip to Egypt.
Go out, book and forget all your worries.”
You must visit Egypt at least once in your lifetime.
The website is straight forward. Every time I made a payment for additional tours or to pay off my balance I immediately got an email confirmation. They are easy and fast to communicate.This trip was a dream come true. Going to see history that still stands thousands of years later, it’s unbelievable. Even thought, we had to do some alteration, we did get to see everything that was on the itinerary. Our guide, Sherif, was very knowledgeable and tried to accommodate to everyone in our tour group. Just beware of the 9 hour drive from Cairo to Luxor...ours turn to 12 and it was brutal. The hotels were great too, Aswan hotel was very beautiful and by far my favorite. I’m glad I took a guided tour instead of going independent. You get to learn in depth about the history, people, customs and so much more ”
Tour was amazing, it was everything I wanted to see. Our tour guide Amir was incredible, I cannot find the words to describe what a unique, patient, kind, considerate and understanding man he is. He made the trip worth while and his knowledge on all the outings we took was impeccable. ”
Nader was excellent! We all liked him very much. He couldn't do enough to please us, he was so helpful, and funny, personable, responsible, efficient and knowledgeable.
As for the tour, I (and my two friends who came with me) really had a good time. The biggest problem, BY FAR, were some of the bus rides, particularly the NINE HOUR one from Cairo down to Luxor. It truly wastes an entire day, which is a lot, when your tour is only really seven days long. An overnight train down there would have been much better. Coming back on the train was great. I understand that this tour is very reasonably priced, but that one component should really be looked at; in addition, the bus we took down there wasn't a great bus, also - the seats did not recline at all, which made it difficult to sleep and there wasn't a whole lot of room to stretch out on this bus as well.
As for the tour, it was great. It really covered a lot of ground, and we feel like we got to see most of the sites we came for. Nader was also very flexible, so we adjusted for things like sleep, hunger, attention and focus, etc. The hotels were basically good although WiFi seems to be a real problem in Egypt (good access to it, that is); that could be improved as well.”
I did a fair bit of research between companies first and found that On The Go had an itinerary that included everything I wanted to do at the most competitive price.
The tour itself exceeded all of my expectations! Momo was extremely engaging, organised and energetic as a guide, really bringing Egypt's extensive history to life with his humour and knowledge.
The sites were incredible, not only the pyramids (which I had dreamed of visiting since I was a kid), but all of the other tombs and temples as well. I couldn't believe how well preserved some of it is. Abu Simbel was my favourite, we got there before most of the crowds so we really got to appreciate the colossal structures.
In terms of safety I never had any issues. The government and tourist companies seem to have made tourist safety a priority, with a lot of procedures in place to ensure this. I actually feel more unsafe in parts of London than anywhere in this beautiful country. Even in busy markets I never felt threatened, just amused at all of the compliments the stall owners give to try and make us buy things! ”
Over all it was fantastic experience. Our amazing guide explained the history very well and showed a great deal of passion in his profession. It was our guide that made a huge difference to our holiday.”
This was the trip of my life, absolutely awesome, from getting into the ancient pyramids, walking around the funerary temple of Saqqara, visiting the Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel, Karnak and all the amazing ancient temples plus viewing the mummies of the Great Ramses II or young Tuthankamun. But that was just half of the fun, we got an amazing group of people who made this double better thanks to our awesome guide and his people's skills making us bound like a family and getting us into the local areas on his spare time to smoke some shisha or meet the locals who were always so welcoming and nice, mostly the children waving at us with such enthusiasm and big smiles. I went there looking for ancient temples and I come back remembering its friendly people even more than the temples themselves. A great experience, definitely worth it.
Check when to travel though as I have the feeling summer may be a bit too hot for many, mainly if you are used to north Europe standards like me, but shoulder season (October) was great, not too hot and not cold at all.”
We have just ended the Essential Egypt Trip run by On The Go Tours in Egypt. I can highly recommend this trip. It was well organised from the moment we landed in Cairo. An On The Go Tours rep fetched us from the airport and guided us every step of the way. The hotels were great – especially since this was sold as a budget trip – far from it, the accommodation was excellent.
Momo our guide got the balance right between too much ancient history information and having lots of fun. All the stops were worthwhile and super interesting. The coaches used were air-conditioned and comfortable. The group we toured with were all great company. Special thanks to Momo who helped my Dad – who is 84 years and enjoyed the trip as much as everyone else, thanks to Momo’s patience and caring way. The overnight train on the last night was comfortable and although not upmarket and super modern- we enjoyed the adventure all the way. On The Go paid attention to small details like getting our baggage sorted at all hotels and even had a separate rep to help those that were on a different carriage, onto the train where needed.
Thanks On The Go for giving me and my dad some lifelong memories to savour. ”
A well conducted tour for all ages from the young to the old. Dino our guide catered for all our individual needs 24/7. I will be recommending On The Go and this particular tour to all my friends”
I really enjoyed the whole trip. It was well organised and informative. The tour guide had sound knowledge of all the sites visited and locations we passed through. The fact that we all were about to ask questions, and so many of them was great. All the On The Go crew were friendly, polite and willing to go the extra mile. Thank you for a wonderful holiday.”
At a Glance
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As a solo Traveller, I was reluctant on choosing Egypt as my destination. But I was blessed to have Amir as my tour guide. He ensured the safety and well-being of each group member. at the same time he ensured, we had fun and bonded well.
I had a great time and I would definitely recommend anyone who's taking a trip to Egypt.
Go out, book and forget all your worries.”