Cairo and the Nile by cruise!
In summary
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Sports
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Duration11 days
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LevelIntermediate
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DestinationEgypt / Cairo
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AgeFrom the age of 18
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CO₂-Emissions2055.42 kg CO2
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Type of stayIn a group
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Languages
French
In a few words
The highlights
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The discovery of the brand new Grand Museum of Cairo.
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An Egyptologist guide who can immerse you in the history of ancient Egypt.
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The encounters facilitated by the descent of the Nile and the hikes in the villages.
Photos
Sport
Level
Hiking / Trekking
The expert's opinion
3 to 5 hours of walking or physical activity per day, with little elevation gain. You walk occasionally.
In figures
Hiking
- Average duration/day: 3h30
Management
Upon arrival in Cairo, you will be met by your tour guide who will accompany you around the city. He will then hand over to another tour guide in the South: you will travel by sleeper train between Cairo and Luxor on your own, but you will be seated on the train and met at the station. During the cruise, your tour guide will be assisted by a cook and a full crew (captain, sailor, and cook).
Our tour guides are all graduates in Egyptology. Our Egyptian team is passionate: Nagueh, Mohamed, and the others know their country intimately, having explored it extensively for many years. They are committed to helping you discover "their" Egypt in the best possible conditions.
Based in Egypt for many years, our local agency guarantees a successful active travel experience, thanks to our guides and logistical infrastructure. During your trip, you'll be accompanied by our adventure guides, fully committed to helping you discover unique places in the heart of nature. Let us guide you…
Program
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Flight to Cairo
- Transportation Plane - 03h30 - 3216km
- Accommodation 3-star hotel
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
Upon arrival in Cairo, the tour guide will be waiting at the airport. Transfer to the hotel.Day 1 -
Visit to the Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 4h
- Accommodation 3-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
A day of sightseeing and exploration of Pharaonic Cairo. First, we'll discover the famous Giza pyramids and the Sphinx. After lunch, we'll delve into the heart of the brand-new Grand Egyptian Museum, a timeless testament to the riches of ancient Egypt. Dinner will be served in the city's vibrant shopping district.Day 2 -
Visit to Old Islamic Cairo and the Coptic Quarter - overnight train to Luxor
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 4h
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
This day is dedicated to visiting Cairo's religious monuments. We begin in Old Islamic Cairo with a visit to the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, founded by this Turkish king of the Ottoman Empire. Next, we visit the Sultan Hassan Mosque before strolling through the Islamic Quarter. After lunch, we head to Cairo's Coptic Quarter: discovering the Hanging Church of St. Mary, so named because it is built above palm tree trunks that support it like stilts. These trunks date back to the 4th century and still support the church today. We'll enjoy a walk and dinner in the Khan El Khalili souks before boarding the sleeper train to Luxor.Day 3 -
Valley of the Kings and Nobles - Temple of Edfu - Boarding the Dahabieh
- Transportation TGV - 02h30 - 120km
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 1h30
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
This morning, we visit the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Nobles, located on the west bank of Luxor, where the necropolis of the New Kingdom is situated. Then, we travel to Edfu. Lunch is served en route. We visit the Temple of Edfu before boarding our dahabieh: we settle in comfortably before setting sail, with all sails unfurled.Day 4 -
Sailing in a Dahabieh - Tour and discovery of the villages and quarries of Djebel Silsila
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 4h30
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
A walk along the Nile's heights, between the river and the desert on the west bank, followed by a return to the boat for lunch. We then sail to the quarries of Jebel Silsila, which date back to the Pharaonic era. There, we will discover the coronation chamber of General Horemheb, the last pharaoh to reign during the 18th Dynasty. Dinner and overnight stay on board. Please note that the walking times mentioned in the day-by-day itinerary (days 3, 4, 5, and 6) include visits to sites and temples throughout the day. This tour prioritizes the observation of remarkable sites, cultural discoveries, and the pleasure of walking rather than strenuous physical exertion.Day 5 -
Sailing in a Dahabieh - Stroll and discovery of the village of Farès
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 4h30
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
In the morning, explore the village of Fares with its colorful houses and mango groves, meet the farmers, and stroll along the irrigation canals. Lunch on the boat. In the afternoon, enjoy a boat trip along the Nile to Maniha Island.Day 6 -
Sailing in Dahabieh - Visit to Kom Ombo - Daraw Market
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 3h30
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
We resume our leisurely cruise on the Nile to the Temple of Kom Ombo. We'll visit this unique site, built for two deities: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon god. Lunch will be served on board. A short transfer takes us to the daily market in Daraw before we return to our boat, passing through gardens and palm groves. In the late afternoon, we'll enjoy an island-hopping excursion. Overnight on board.Day 7 -
Sailing by Dahabieh to Aswan - Philae Temple (Abu Simbel option)
- Activity Hiking
- Duration of the activity 2h
- Accommodation Sailing cruise ship
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
Early in the morning, we'll hike between the Nile and the nearby desert, then rejoin the river and cruise to Aswan. Lunch will be served on board, followed by a visit to the Temple of Isis at Philae. This temple is one of those saved from the rising waters of the Aswan High Dam. After a quick stroll through the souk, we'll return to our boat for dinner. Overnight on board. Optional: Visit to Abu Simbel, the temples saved from the waters (must be booked in France before departure; site entrance fees are paid on site). Those wishing to explore Abu Simbel depart very early in the morning by minibus (3:00 AM wake-up call for a 4:00 AM departure) and return for lunch. Your tour guide will then drop you off at the convoy departure point for Abu Simbel, and you will be accompanied during the journey by our representative in Aswan (English-speaking). Upon arrival at Abu Simbel, you will be met by a local French-speaking guide for the visit, and then returned with our representative. You will meet your tour guide upon arrival in Aswan.Day 8 -
Aswan - Luxor - Temples of Karnak and Luxor
- Transportation Minibus - 04h30 - 250km
- Accommodation 3-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner not included
We reluctantly leave our boat and crew to return to Luxor. After lunch, we visit the Karnak temple complex, followed in the evening by a visit to the illuminated Luxor Temple.Day 9 -
Luxor - Safaga and return flight
- Transportation Minibus - 04h - 280km
- Accommodation 3-star hotel
- Breakfast included
- Lunch included
- Dinner included
Early departure this morning to reach the Red Sea. Arriving in time for lunch, we'll settle comfortably into the hotel to enjoy a free afternoon of relaxation and swimming. Dinner is included. Transfer to Hurghada airport for the return flight, either overnight or the following morning, depending on availability.Day 10 -
Arrival in France
- Transportation Plane - 03h30 - 3216km
- Breakfast not included
- Lunch not included
- Dinner not included
Arrival in France.Day 11
Note
This itinerary is provided as a guide only: depending on weather and operational conditions, your tour guide may modify it for your safety and that of the group.
Note that the walking times mentioned in the day-by-day itinerary include visits to sites and temples accumulated over the day, as this tour prioritizes the observation of remarkable sites, cultural discoveries and the pleasure of walking rather than physical exertion.
On board the dahabieh, other travelers from our partner agency may join you. You will then share the boat, meals, and excursions.
Accommodation
Access
Go to the starting point
Travel within the country:
- In an air-conditioned minibus when the roads used are paved.
- On the Nile: private dahabieh, which adapts to the size of our small group.
Price details
The price includes
- The Paris/Cairo and Hurghada/Paris flight
- Entrance fees to the program sites (~ €170)
- Institutional tips (~ €37)
- Land, train and boat transfers
- Accommodations as indicated in the itinerary
- Full board except for meals on J01, J09 evening and J11.
- The local team on the Dahabieh, sailors and cook
- Two Egyptian French-speaking tour guides: one for Cairo and one for the South.
The price does not include
- The mandatory supplement if you are alone on the Cairo leg: €300
- Visa fees (~ €25, see "visa" section)
- Personal expenses
- Drinks
- A maximum of 5 meals are included, depending on flight schedules. Expect to pay around €10-12 per meal.
- A tip for your tour guide (~ €35 per person)
Options
- Flex fare and insurance
Practical information
Specific formalities
Specifics
Before your departure, check with the embassy or consulate regarding the entry and stay requirements for your destination country. You can also find this information on the France Diplomatie website ( https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/dossiers-pays/ ).
In the case of flights with stopovers operated by different airlines, also check the entry requirements of the countries you are transiting through.
It is your responsibility to ensure you are in compliance, particularly regarding the validity of your identity documents (for example, some countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months after your return) , visa requirements, necessary vaccinations, and health recommendations. And don't forget to consider any customs restrictions and other potential requirements of your destination or transit country.
ℹ️ Information may change up to the departure date, remember to regularly check official websites.
Equipment
Equipment to bring
- Earplugs or Hears, your choice.
- A notepad and pen, a good book, a deck of cards...
- A laundry bag so you can separate your dirty clothes from your clean clothes in your travel bag.
- Toiletries (opt for biodegradable products and 1 bar of Marseille soap)
- 2 insulated water bottles, CamelBak or thermos (no plastic bottles)
- 1 pair of sunglasses, high protection rating
- 1 Headlamp (with spare batteries and bulbs) for reading after lights out!
- High protection sunscreen
- Toilet paper + lighter to burn it after use
Bring a container to collect your hazardous waste (batteries, aerosols, tubes of ointment, film canisters, etc.) so you can take it back to France where recycling is well-organized and efficient. A tip: try to avoid bringing packaging from any equipment or supplies you may have purchased before leaving… that's one less thing you'll have to bring back to France.
Clothing to bring
Clothing, from head to toe:
- Footwear: some prefer walking sandals, others low hiking shoes: depending on the situation, this can be very comfortable, or not at all! We therefore advise you, in order not to risk ruining your holiday, to bring both, and choose when you arrive.
- Lightweight shoes (like sneakers) or sandals are suitable for walking through towns and villages, or for evenings at the campsite. Sandals are also well-suited for evenings, allowing for good ventilation (when the temperature permits).
- Socks: light for the day and warm (wool or looped) for the evening.
- Canvas trousers and/or shorts
- Swimsuit
- Cotton shirts or T-shirts
- Warm sweater or fleece: the latter has the advantage of being durable, warm, lightweight, and quick-drying, with the added benefit of being soft to the touch. The best-known fibers are Polartec, Carline, and Ulfrotté.
- Windbreakers on the feluccas.
- A hat or cap with neck protection, and/or a shemagh: the first two offer the advantage of also protecting your face from the sun, which the shemagh (long veil scarf) does not do: however, it is very useful for protecting yourself from the cold, the heat, the sand and the wind.
- Category 3 sunglasses.
For the coldest evenings in the heart of winter (December, January and February), and to fully enjoy the outdoor deck, you will also need:
- Warm jacket: down or Gore-Tex jacket. The most effective jackets against wind and rain are made of Gore-Tex or Micropore, "breathable" materials that allow for rapid wicking of perspiration while maintaining perfect insulation.
- Cap
- Gloves