Cairo to Abu Simbel by Road

Tour overview

Witness the beauty and splendor of Egypt’s past and present in this 8-day tour across road and rail. You’ll begin your journey in Cairo, where you’ll encounter the magnificent Pyramids of Giza – the last remaining of the original seven wonders of the ancient world. From Cairo, you’ll venture onward via sleeper train, traversing a sea of sand overnight as you head south. You’ll spend several days exploring ancient ruins and temples in Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel before you return to Cairo to visit important Islamic and Christian historical sites.

Note: Egyptian trains are designed and maintained according to standards of quality determined by the Egyptian Railway Authority. The sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan takes about 14 hours, and the journey from Luxor to Cairo takes about 11 hours. To reduce your travel time, you can upgrade your trip package for about $165 per person to travel by domestic flight instead (about 1.5 hours).

Included

Skip the airport line with our Fast Track service upon arrival at Cairo International Airport.
Airport pickup/dropoff and assistance upon arrival and departure
All transfers via private air-conditioned vehicle
Accommodation for 3 nights in Cairo, including daily breakfast
Accommodation for 1 night in Luxor, including daily breakfast
Accommodation for 1 night in Aswan, for including daily breakfast
Accommodation for 2 nights on sleeper train (half board basis)
Private sightseeing tours in Cairo, Luxor & Aswan
Sightseeing tour to Abu Simbel Sharing our group in air-conditioned vehicle
English-speaking tour guide
Entrance fees to all sites specified on the itinerary
All meals specified on itinerary
Bottled water during outings outside of hotel or cruise ship
Portage as needed
All service charges and taxes
30 minutes of local calling (5 minutes international) and a mobile phone loaned for the length of your stay or an Egyptian SIM card for your unlocked mobile device

Not Included

International airfare.
Entry visa to Egypt.
Any optional tours.
Personal spending.
Tipping

Download pdf brochure

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo - Welcome to the Land of the Pharaohs

Welcome to Cairo, Egypt (around the clock)
Your tour manager will meet and assist you at Cairo International Airport (Arrival Procedures) and will then escort you to your hotel in an air-conditioned deluxe vehicle. At the hotel, your tour manager will assist you with a smooth check-in and review your budget vacation itinerary with you to establish and confirm pick-up times for each tour. Overnight in Cairo.
Welcome drink included.

Day 2: Pyramids Tour / Train to Luxor

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel in Cairo before checking out, then your personal tour guide will accompany you to Giza Plateau to visit one of the seven wonders of the ancient world: the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chefren, and Mykerinus, along with the famous Sphinx and Valley Temple. Then, head out to the Egyptian Museum where the treasures of the boy king Tutankhamen await you. Continue to Islamic Cairo, where you will explore Khan el Khalili, Cairo’s oldest and most alluring bazaar. Later, you will be transferred to the gorgeous Giza railway station to catch the sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor. Dinner will be served on board. Overnight accommodations inside your compartment.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Day 3: Luxor Sightseeing

Upon your arrival at the Luxor train station, you will be met and assisted by a Memphis representative, and then you’ll begin your Luxor excursion. Get ready for some of the most interesting tombs of the West Bank of the Nile River in the Valley of the Kings, explore the Temple of Hatshepsut, the female pharaoh who changed the course of Egypt’s history, and stop by the towering Colossi of Memnon. Then you will visit the splendid Luxor Temple, which is considered one of the world’s most remarkable open-air museums and the second most-visited historical site in Egypt. Onward to the majestic Karnak Temple complex. Back to your hotel, where you’ll stay overnight in Luxor.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 4: Luxor / Aswan Sightseeing

After breakfast, board your air-conditioned, wifi-enabled vehicle and head to Aswan. The drive will take about a 3 and a half hours. Upon arrival, you will be met by a Memphis rep and taken to your hotel for check-in. You’ll see the world-famous High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in the granite quarries, then on to the beautifully preserved Temple of Philae on Isis Island, dedicated to the goddesses Isis and Hathor. Then, sail around Elephantine Island on a felucca boat. Later, you’ll head back to the hotel and overnight in Aswan.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 5: Abu Simbel Temple Group Tour / Train to Cairo

You’ll start your day early with a breakfast box at 4:30 am, and then begin your Group tour to Abu Simbel Temples, about 3.5 hours away by car. Upon your arrival, you’ll encounter the remarkable temples built for Ramses II and his beloved queen Nefertari. These temples near the Sudanese border are iconic for their beauty, but remarkable for their modern history as well -- they were completely relocated in 1968 to avoid submersion by the massive Lake Nasser. After your time spent exploring the temples, you’ll return to Aswan and board the sleeper train for an overnight trip back to Cairo.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

Day 6: Back to Cairo

Enjoy breakfast aboard the train before your arrival at the train station in Giza, where you’ll be greeted by a Memphis Tours representative, who will check you into your hotel in Cairo. You’ll have a day of leisure time, or enjoy an optional trip to visit the step pyramids of King Zoser in Sakkara and Memphis. Overnight stay at your hotel in Cairo.
Meals: Breakfast.

Day 7: Optional trip to Alexandria

Enjoy a free day in Cairo, or take an optional trip to the glittering seaside city of Alexandria in the north, where you can see majestic Qaitbay Fort, built in by a powerful sultan in the 15th century on the site of Alexandria's ancient lighthouse, then move on to the new and much-acclaimed Library of Alexandria. You’ll also visit the Catacombs, a sunken Roman cemetery carved into the bedrock. Return for overnight in Cairo.
Meals: Breakfast.