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Treasures of Egypt - Pyramids and a Nile Cruise

From £2,524
Duration 8 Days
Departures from: Feb 2025 - Nov 2026
Book now
From £2,524
Duration 8 Days
Departures from: Feb 2025 - Nov 2026

Tour Overview

Prepare to be astonished at the Pyramids of Giza, discover bustling Cairo and relax on a 4 night cruise along the Nile where island temples, ancient kingdoms and Egyptian hospitality await.

  • Great Adventures
  • Sail Away
  • Cultural Immersion

Your Holiday Includes

  • Return flights from Heathrow with Egyptair (via Cairo on return)
  • 3 nights in a 4-star hotel in Cairo and 4 nights on board 5-star ship Steigenberger Minerva
  • 16 meals: 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
  • Daily Afternoon Tea on board the cruise
  • Holiday Director/Specialist Local Guide
  • Overseas transfers, internal flights, other transportation and porterage

Included Holiday Highlights

  • Visit to see the pyramids and Sphinx
  • Egyptian themed lunch including feteer meshaltet with honey for dessert
  • Visit to the Egyptian Museum
  • Tour of Islamic Cairo and visit to Khan El Khalili bazaar
  • Tour of Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple
  • Tour of the West Bank of the Nile including Valley of the Kings
  • Horse-drawn carriage ride to Edfu
  • Visit the temple of Kom Ombo
  • Visit Aswan including the Aswan Dam and Temple of Isis at Philae

Itinerary

Day 1 UK - Cairo

You will fly to Cairo from the UK today. On arrival, you'll be transferred to your hotel in the pyramids area.

Day 2 Cairo - Pyramids & Sphinx, Egyptian Museum

Breakfast will be served in the hotel. Be amazed on the start of your Egyptian journey by the only remaining wonder of the ancient world, the Pyramids of Giza, and the mysterious Great Sphinx, which is more than 4,000 years old. For the afternoon we will return to the hotel at leisure. In the evening, you can choose to join an optional excursion to see the famous Sound and Light show, where the pyramids are illuminated at night.

Meals included: B

Day 3 Cairo

After breakfast depart for downtown Cairo and a tour of Islamic Cairo, discover the citadel of Salah El Din and the famous mosque of Mohamed Ali. The tour ends as you walk through the exotic streets of Cairo, including Islamic El Moez Street, with its ancient mosques. After lunch you will travel to the Egyptian Museum which houses the largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities in the world. One of the most treasured is the collection of Tutankhamun. Afterwards, on a stroll through Khan el-Khalili, Cairo's buzzing bazaar, you can practise your haggling skills.

Meals included: B,L

Day 4 Cairo - Luxor

After breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and be transferred to the airport for your flight to Luxor. On arrival, you'll explore the awe-inspiring Karnak Temple complex with its Avenue of Sphinxes before transferring to your ship where you will enjoy lunch on board. This evening enjoy a tour of Luxor Temple, which formed part of the ancient city of Thebes, before taking a stroll around Luxor with your Holiday Director. You'll return to the ship for dinner. Meals included: B,L,D

Day 5 Luxor - Edfu

Today you'll explore the West Bank of the Nile. The first excursion is to the Valley of the Kings, another of Egypt's must-see sites, where you'll go inside some of the tombs that are covered in hand-painted hieroglyphics. Then, you'll visit the astonishing Temple of Hatshepsut which is carved into huge limestone cliffs. Finally, you'll visit the Colossi of Memnon, two 60-ft-high statues which mark the entrance to the funerary temple of Amenophis III. After all that, it's time for a well-earned rest on board the ship. Lunch will be served as you sail south to Esna, followed by Afternoon Tea on the sun deck. In the evening enjoy dinner on board as you arrive in Edfu.

Meals included: B,L,D

Day 6 Edfu - Kom Ombo

Today is another day packed full of fascinating sights. After breakfast on board, you'll enjoy a horse-drawn carriage ride to the temple complex of Edfu, one of the most well-preserved Egyptian temples in existence today. In the afternoon, the ship will sail south to Kom Ombo and there will be time to observe life on the Nile during Afternoon Tea on the sundeck. On arrival, you'll visit the temple of Kom Ombo, a mysterious temple on the riverbank dedicated to the crocodile god, Sobek. Enjoy dinner on board this evening.

Meals included: B,L,D

Day 7 Kom Ombo - Aswan

If you would like to visit the Temples of Abu Simbel, some of the most spectacular monuments in Egypt, join our optional excursion departing early this morning. You'll visit this amazing site and tour its highlights before returning in the early afternoon for lunch.
This afternoon visit the Temple of Philae, the Aswan High Dam, an engineering marvel that took ten years to build and the Unfinished Obelisk.
Later, enjoy a trip in a traditional Felucca on the Nile at sunset. Dinner onboard.

Meals included: B,L,D

Day 8 Aswan - UK

After breakfast disembark the ship early this morning and transfer to the airport for your flight to Cairo. On arrival at Cairo, you'll board your flight to the UK.

Meals included: B

Additional Information

Please note that for 2025 departures your Nile cruise will be Iberotel Crown Emperor.

Accommodation (as specified or similar)

Helnan Dream Hotel & Conference Centre

Located close to the pyramids area, Helnan Dream Hotel is an excellent choice. Hotel rooms feature flat-screen TV, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. Other hotel amenities include two swimming pools, a gym and a spa. There is a restaurant offering a wide range of international cuisine to suit all tastes whilst the pool bar offers a selection of snacks and drinks.

Located close to the pyramids area, Helnan Dream Hotel is an excellent choice. Hotel rooms feature flat-screen TV, air conditioning, and free Wi-Fi. Other hotel amenities include two swimming pools, a gym and a spa. There is a restaurant offering a wide range of international cuisine to suit all tastes whilst the pool bar offers a selection of snacks and drinks.

Iberotel Crown Emperor

With well appointed, comfortable cabins across four decks, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the vistas of the Nile on this wonderful cruise. An extensive sundeck with pool and pool bar is welcome for relaxing on return from sightseeing excursions whilst a lounge, bar and restaurant serving Egyptian and international cuisine make this Nile experience even more unforgettable.

With well appointed, comfortable cabins across four decks, you can sit back, relax and enjoy the vistas of the Nile on this wonderful cruise. An extensive sundeck with pool and pool bar is welcome for relaxing on return from sightseeing excursions whilst a lounge, bar and restaurant serving Egyptian and international cuisine make this Nile experience even more unforgettable.

Optional Excursions

Experience even more of your destination by adding one or more optional experiences to your holiday before you set off. Take a look below at the extra trips you can enjoy on this tour

Egypt - Visit to the Spectacular Temples of Abu Simbel

Egypt - Visit to the Spectacular Temples of Abu Simbel

The Abu Simbel temple complex is truly one of the greatest sights in Egypt. The grand and imposing external façade is matched only by the historic beauty you will find within the temples. These temples are all the more impressive as they were relocated and rebuilt stone by stone in the late 1960's due to the creation of Lake Nasser to save them from being submerged. It should be noted that this optional excursion will involve an early - but completely worthwhile - start to the day for your 3-hour coach journey to Abu Simbel. After your memorable time here, you’ll have returned to Aswan by the early afternoon.
The Abu Simbel temple complex is truly one of the greatest sights in Egypt. The grand and imposing external façade is matched only by the historic beauty you will find within the t...

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Egypt - Cairo - Sound and Light show at the Pyramids in Giza

Egypt - Cairo - Sound and Light show at the Pyramids in Giza

Enjoy a different experience of this impressive historical site with an evening at the Sound and Light Show. Learn about the history of the pyramids and Sphinx whilst the laser and lights illuminate these amazing structures. A return transfer from your hotel is included. This show lasts approximately one hour.
Enjoy a different experience of this impressive historical site with an evening at the Sound and Light Show. Learn about the history of the pyramids and Sphinx whilst the laser an...

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Read more

Further Information

Deposit information

When you book a holiday, you will be asked to pay a deposit, this will be made clear at the time of booking. In most cases we will charge the following deposit amount;

  • European Holidays - £200 Per person
  • Worldwide Holidays - £250 or 10% whichever is the greater
  • Ocean Cruises - £250 or 10% whichever is the greater

On some holidays we may charge a slightly higher deposit, to cover any costs we have to pay immediately to secure your booking with our suppliers. This will be made clear at the time of booking.

If you choose a tour that is within 84 days of departure you will need to pay the full balance when you book.

Our cancellation policy

If you decide to cancel your confirmed booking you must notify us (or your travel agent) in writing, as soon as possible. Since we incur costs in cancelling your arrangements, you will have to pay the applicable cancellation charges up to the maximum shown below.

  • More than 75 days before departure - Loss of deposit only
  • 43 - 74 days - 50% of tour price
  • 29 - 42 days - 75% of tour price
  • 15 - 28 days - 90% of tour price
  • Day of Departure - 14 days - 100% of tour price

Our full cancellation policy can be found in our booking terms and conditions, section 8.

How do I find out Entry and Health Requirements for my holiday?

We have partnered with Sherpa, an on-line self service tool that allows you to search up-to-date information regarding travel entry requirements for all countries and also allows you to apply for eVisas or eTAs via their on-line portal. Just click on this link to find out more – Travel Requirements & Visa Service

You can also refer to the Foreign Travel Advice section on the gov.uk website: Foreign travel advice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). Click on your destination and then click on 'Entry Requirements'. For Health Requirements, the Department of Health also offers travellers health advice on www.travelhealthpro.org.uk, click on country information to locate your destination.

It is important to remember that passport, visa and health requirements can change before departure; therefore, we recommend you regularly familiarise yourself with the latest requirements before you travel. If you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport/entry/immigration requirements, we are unable to accept any responsibility.

For some destinations, it is not always discernable that a visa is required for entry at the border.  For example, for some customers, to travel to the United States, an ESTA may be required. For Canada, an ETA and to India, an e-visa may be needed. Please do check your requirements to avoid any unnecessary cost and delays.

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Prices shown are based on twin occupancy of a double or twin bedded room with private facilities unless otherwise stated. Single occupancy supplements will apply. Travelsphere have made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the hotel images provided on this website and images of room types displayed may vary to those offered on your tour. Therefore due to the possibility of inadvertent errors we do not guarantee their accuracy. Accommodation, airlines used and flight times are subject to change and will be confirmed in your final documents.

Reasons to book with Travelsphere

  • 60 years of touring
  • Expert direction & local flavours
  • Carefully-crafted holidays
  • A service you can count on
  • Book with confidence

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