Egypt family holiday
| country: | Egypt |
| location: | Pyramids, Luxor |
| departures: | 2009: 25 Jul, 1 Aug |
| price: | From £730 (13 days) excluding flights. Includes local payment US $170. We can arrange flights from the UK. Children welcome over the age of 6. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
read 17 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
Journey back in time in the land of the Pharaohs. There cannot be many places that excite the imagination as much as Egypt. We uncover the secrets of the Ancient Pharaohs on a tour that takes us from the massive Pyramids at Giza to the deep tombs cut into the earth at the Valley of the Kings. We ride donkeys in Luxor, snorkel in the Red Sea with its fantastic coral and marine life and haggle in the markets for souvenirs. An adventure not to be missed!
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Cairo. Arrive and check into your hotel. No meals. |
| Day 2: | Cairo. See the treasures in the Egyptian Museum including the beautiful death mask of the boy king Tutankhamun. We also explore the Citadel and the labyrinthine alleys of the exotic Khan El Khalili Bazzar. (B) |
| Day 3: | Cairo. We start our day with a guided visit to the five thousand year old Pyramids & Sphinx at Giza. We then enjoy a camel ride in the desert before heading back to Cairo for the comfortable overnight sleeper train to Aswan. (BD) |
| Day 4: | Aswan. A free day to explore this vibrant Nubian city. We stay in a smart 4 star hotel with a lovely pool for two nights so you can either relax at the hotel or wander through the friendly bazaars to haggle over souvenirs. (B) |
| Day 5: | Felucca cruise. A free morning gives you the chance to arrange a visit to the magnificent temples at Abu Simbel which were taken apart and rebuilt to prevent them being flooded by the building of the Aswan High Dam. Alternatively you can relax by the pool. In the afternoon we board our traditional feluccas and sail on the river Nile before we head to a Nubian Village where we have dinner in a traditional nubian home. (BLD) |
| Day 6: | Aswan - Luxor. Transfer by bus to Luxor. En route we have the chance to visit the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu. We spend three nights in a four star hotel with a great pool.(B) |
| Day 7: | Luxor. Free morning for you to either relax at the hotel or wander through the friendly bazaars. In the afternoon we ride in horse drawn carriages to the amazing Karnak temple complex. (B) |
| Day 8: | Luxor. Rise before dawn for a donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings. Our route back offers magnificent views of the Nile Valley and passes the Colossi of Memnon. This afternoon is free (B) |
| Day 9: | Red Sea. A journey east through the desert to El Gouna on the Red Sea coast. We stay for three nights in a hotel with a pool near the beach (B) |
| Day 10: | Red Sea. A wonderful day cruising in The Red Sea stopping to snorkel amid shoals of colourful fish. (BL) |
| Day 11: | Red Sea. A free day to relax on. (B) |
| Day 12: | Cairo. Drive back to Cairo for our final evening. (B) |
| Day 13: | Cairo. Tour ends after breakfast. (B) |
travellers' tales
For a family holiday this has to be one of the best. None of our three male teenagers complained about being bored - a first in 15 years. I would absolute recommend this trip to anyone with older children. (more)
small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family adventure' - typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. The trips are great value and a great way for you and your children to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age 6) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Who better to lead the way in responsible travel than children? Curious without being intrusive, children bring new ideas, far fewer demands and no preconceptions to off the beaten track destinations. This trip combines all the major sites and the fascinating history of ancient Egypt with an unforgettable insight into Egyptian life – both past and present. Fun activities like sailing on the Nile, riding a donkey and snorkelling in the Red Sea mean there are plenty of laughs but also plenty of exciting ways to be environmentally and socially responsible.
We spend an afternoon aboard a traditional felucca crewed by Nubian villagers from the West Bank of the Nile with whom we have a long standing relationship. There is also an opportunity to visit a Nubian village to join a family for a traditional dinner. While in the village, the Nubian women generate revenue by selling jewellery and painting henna tattoos. In Egypt we employ many local guides and representatives as well as a mix of foreign and local tour leaders – who all receive the SAME wages for the same job. Plus by working directly with the 'donkey men' and carriage drivers our horse drawn carriage ride to Karnak and donkey ride to the Valley of the Kings involve no 'middle men' ensuring all revenue goes directly to the locals (who in both cases live in smaller villages outside Luxor). We also have long term relationships with some of the best local Egyptologists whose services are included at every ancient site on all Egypt trips. This provides long term employment (even during lulls in tourism) and fair wages. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |