Best of Egypt & Nile Cruise
Timeless Cairo & the Pyramids, plus a Nile cruise through the temples & history of Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo & Aswan; optional extension to Petra
| Style | Small Group Tour Dedicated tour escorts & guides throughout | ||
| Departures | July 2025 – December 2026 | Group Size | 16 travelers max |
| Themes | History & Culture, Grand Tours, River Cruises | ||
| Activity Level | |||
| What to Expect | This fast-paced, escorted tour includes a reasonable amount of walking or hiking and requires an average level of physical fitness. Expect early wake up times and very long days in order to fit in all included visits. The Nile cruise portion of this tour can total up to 100 passengers.Travel safely and confidently with our new health & safety protocols. | ||
| Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. | ||
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Join us to celebrate the land of ancient wonders and modern miracles on our Best of Egypt & Nile Cruise tour. Enjoy 11 wonderful days, including airfare from JFK, 5-nights in high-quality Cairo hotels, 4-nights aboard a deluxe Nile cruise, many meals, transfers, and plenty of included touring.
Once again, Friendly Planet is defying skyrocketing travel prices to bring you a fantastic, truly first class Egypt vacation deal fit for a pharaoh. You'll see the famous Sphinx and pyramids at Giza, the temples at Luxor and Edfu, King Tut's tomb, old Cairo, and much more.
Extend your stay with a post-tour to Jordan, including the spectacular lost city of Petra and Amman.
Package includes
- Flights
- Cruise
- Coach
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Guides
- Round trip flights from New York (JFK) via EgyptAir, including taxes & fees
- Arrival & departure transfers with meeting, assistance and porterage
- All intra-Egypt flights and ground transportation
- 4 nights Deluxe hotel accommodations in Cairo
- 1 night Deluxe hotel accommodations in Luxor
- 4 nights aboard a 5-star Nile cruise ship in an outside, middle deck, cabin
- 21 meals: 9 breakfasts, 6 lunches & 6 dinners, including welcome and farewell dinners
- All shore excursions on Nile Cruise
- Comprehensive touring program including entrance fees
- Professional English-speaking Egyptologist tour director and local guides
Optional add-ons
- Exciting optional excursions in Cairo
- Optional tour to Abu Simbel
- Post-tour extension to Jordan and the lost city of Petra
Why you'll love it
- Enjoy a free upgrade to a middle deck cabin aboard the 5-star MS Tulip.
- Browse the Egyptian Museum's extensive collection of ancient treasures.
- See the Sphinx and the Pyramids of Cheops and Chephren.
- Visit the Temple of Karnak, one of the most significant monuments of the Pharaonic legacy.
- Explore the Valley of the Kings, once a royal burial ground for pharaohs.
- Tour the Temple of Hatshepsut, an architectural wonder built beneath a looming cliff face.
- Discover the ancient mysteries of King Tut on an included tour of his tomb in Luxor.
- Marvel at the towering sandstone walls of the Temple of Horus, one of Egypt's best-preserved temples.
- Sail aboard a felucca to The Terrace in the Old Cataract Hotel for a traditional High Tea experience.
- Visit Aswan's High Dam and learn about the dam's many purposes, such as controlling flooding and generating power.
Itinerary at a Glance
- 1 Depart USA
- 2 Cairo, Pyramids & Sphinx
- Optional Excursion: Inner Chamber of the Great Pyramid at Giza (purchased locally) , $35
- 3 Cairo
- Optional Excursion: Memphis & Sakkara , $90
- Optional Excursion: GEM (Grand Egyptian Museum) , $90
- 4 Cairo & Luxor
- 5 Luxor
- 6 Luxor, Esna & Edfu
- Optional Excursion: Hot Air Balloon Ride (purchased locally) , $170
- 7 Esna, Edfu & Kom Ombo
- 8 Aswan
- Optional Excursion: Abu Simbel , $350
- 9 Aswan & Cairo
- 10 Cairo
- Optional Excursion: Walking Tour of El Moez Street with lunch , $85
- Optional Excursion: Cairo's Old City , $80
- 11 Cairo/USA
Videos
Dates & Prices
Detailed Itinerary
To see full details, click the button to the right.
Day 1 Depart USA
- Check in for your overnight flight for Cairo, Egypt
Day 2 Cairo, Pyramids & Sphinx
- Arrive in Cairo, Egypt and transfer to your hotel
- Tour the Pyramids of Cheops and Chephren
- Enjoy an evening panoramic tour of the city
- Get to know your fellow travelers during a welcome dinner at a local restaurant
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 3 Cairo
- Enjoy the day at leisure, or join an optional excursion to Memphis & Sakkara and/or the new GEM (Grand Egyptian Museum)
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino or similarBreakfast
Day 4 Cairo & Luxor
- Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Cairo
- Discover the treasures of the Egyptian Museum
- See the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque
- Experience the sights and sounds of the Khan El Khalili Bazaar
- Board your evening flight from Cairo to Luxor
Hilton Luxor Resort & Spa or similarBreakfast
Day 5 Luxor
- Embark on your Nile cruise and enjoy lunch aboard
- Tour the East Bank of the Nile and the Temple of Karnak
MS Tulip or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 6 Luxor, Esna & Edfu
- Tour the West Bank of the Nile and the Valley of the Kings via motor coach
- Visit the mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
- Discover the ancient tomb of King Tutankhamun
MS Tulip or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 7 Esna, Edfu & Kom Ombo
- Tour Edfu, including the Temple of Horus
- Sail along the Nile River to Kom Ombo
- Sail to Aswan overnight
MS Tulip or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 8 Aswan
- Join an optional early morning excursion to Abu Simbel
- Take a tour by felucca
- Enjoy High Tea at the Historic Old Cataract
- Enjoy a festive dinner on board
MS Tulip or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 9 Aswan & Cairo
- Visit Philae Temple, the former holiest site for Isis worshipers
- Admire Aswan's High Dam and the granite quarries
- In the early afternoon, board your flight to Cairo
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino or similarBreakfast & lunch
Day 10 Cairo
- Spend your day at leisure, or enjoy an optional excursion
- Meet with fellow travelers for a farewell dinner at your hotel on your last evening in Egypt
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino or similarBreakfast & dinner
Day 11 Cairo/USA
- Bid farewell to Egypt as you're escorted to the airport for your return flight
- Arrive in the USA later today
Jordan & Petra Optional Post-Tour Extension
Take advantage of your already-included international airfare to visit Jordan and the lost city of Petra. You'll return to the USA 4 days after the return dates listed.
Note: This extension requires a minimum of 4 passengers to operate at the listed price.
To see full details, click the button to the right.
Day 11 Cairo, Egypt/Amman & Petra, Jordan
- Board your morning flight to Amman, the capital of Jordan
- Drive to the lost city of Petra
- En route, visit Saint George Church and Mount Nebo
- Spend the remainder of the day at leisure
Old Village Resort or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 12 Petra
- Enjoy a half-day guided tour of Petra
Old Village Resort or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 13 Petra & the Dead Sea
- Relax at the Dead Sea
Hilton Dead Sea Resort & Spa or similarBreakfast, lunch & dinner
Day 14 Dead Sea, Amman & Cairo
- Enjoy an Amman city tour
- Transfer to airport for flight to Cairo
Hilton Heliopolis or similarBreakfast
Day 15 Cairo/USA
- Early this morning, transfer to the airport as you bid farewell to Cairo and board your return flight to the USA
- Your fascinating journey comes to an end as you arrive in the USA later today.
Breakfast
Hotels & Ships
Hotels
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
Cruise Ships
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Trip Details
- What should I know before I go?We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
- Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements?Travel visas are required for this package. Please review the visa & entry requirements.
- Can I make changes to my trip?Want to upgrade your seats? Something else? Just ask!
- Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions?To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 8 or older at the time of travel.
- Should I purchase travel insurance?Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
- What's the fine print?Review the terms & conditions for this package.
What should I know about Egypt?Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
What should I know about Jordan?Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.
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