Northern Africa
Egypt, and the case for the Nile
Giza, Saqqara and the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, then Luxor and Aswan with a cruise between them. History on a scale nothing else matches.
We hold no photography of our own for this destination yet, so this page is set in type rather than dressed in pictures that are not ours. We also publish no fixed rate card here: it is quoted to order.
In short
Eight to ten days, October to April. Summer in Upper Egypt is genuinely severe.
Cairo first for Giza, Saqqara and the museum built beside the plateau to hold the Tutankhamun collection in full. Then fly south to Luxor for Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s temple.
From Luxor a three or four night cruise takes you to Aswan via Edfu and Kom Ombo, reaching the temples from the water, which is how they were meant to be approached. Abu Simbel is a day trip from Aswan.
Guided days are worth paying for here more than almost anywhere else, and cruise boats vary enormously, so we name the boat rather than a star rating.
Signature
Pyramids and the Nile
Core cities
Cairo, Luxor, Aswan
Best months
Oct to Apr
Trip length
8 to 10 days
Why go
Four reasons travellers choose Egypt
01
Giza and Saqqara
The pyramids, plus the older step pyramid at Saqqara that most itineraries skip and should not.
02
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Built beside the plateau to hold the Tutankhamun collection in full.
03
A Nile cruise
Edfu and Kom Ombo reached from the water, and no road transfers between Luxor and Aswan.
04
Abu Simbel
Ramses II carved into a cliff face, and moved stone by stone when the dam was built.
Practical
Getting there, and how we quote it
Travel and access
Cairo connects directly with Nairobi on several carriers.
Visas are available on arrival or as an e-visa for most nationalities.
Domestic flights between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan are frequent and inexpensive.
How we handle this destination
We arrange Egypt as an outbound tour and quote to order rather than from a fixed rate card.
Cruise boats vary widely. We will name the boat in your itinerary.
July and August in Upper Egypt regularly exceed forty degrees.
How we work
Quoted to order, with the camps named
We do not publish a rate card for Egypt because the prices move by season and by availability, and a number on a page that we cannot hold is not useful to you. Send us your dates, your group and a rough budget, and we will come back with named properties, a routing and a total. For destinations outside our own operating area we work with vetted local operators, and we will tell you when that is the case.
Quoting
To order
Properties
Named before you pay
Office
Westlands, Nairobi
Registration
Kenya and TRA
Questions
Egypt Tours questions
Do you have set Egypt packages?–
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Not published. Egypt is an outbound destination for us, quoted once we know your dates, group size and how much of the Nile you want.
Is a Nile cruise necessary?+
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Not necessary, but it is the most enjoyable way between Luxor and Aswan and it removes several road transfers.
When should I avoid?+
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July and August in Luxor and Aswan, unless heat above forty degrees does not trouble you.
Kenya registered tour operator
TRA registered
Our own 4×4 safari vehicles
In-house driver guides
Westlands, Nairobi
Start planning
Send your dates, group size and rough budget, and we will build a Egypt itinerary rather than send you a brochure.