| country: | Egypt |
| location: | Nile Cruises, Pyramids, Luxor |
| price: | From £782 - £866 (10 days) including flights from the UK, from £375 excluding flights |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
This classic adventure includes a 3-day sail through Upper Egypt by traditional 'felucca' sailboat. We explore the great temples of Karnak and Edfu, and enjoy a donkey trek to the Valley of the Kings.
Pyramids & Aswan
Beginning in Cairo, we visit the Great Pyramids at Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx. Then travel by overnight train to the colourful and easy-going town of Aswan, located on the first Nile cataract. From here you can take an optional excursion to the famous rock-cut temple of Abu Simbel, 3000 years old and dedicated to the pharaoh Ramses II.
3-Day Felucca Sailtrek
Setting sail at a relaxed pace we continue by Nile felucca, the ideal way of getting to know the river and its people. As well as observing life in the many small villages and farms along the way, we stop to visit the monumental temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu. The pace of our sailtrek is dictated by wind and river conditions, so our nightstops are flexible.
Luxor - Ancient Thebes
We drive to Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, to discover the richest concentration of archaeological wonders in the western world - and a place where the sky is always pure blue! We explore the Great Temple of Amun at Karnak and organise a donkey trek along an ancient route to the Valley of the Kings - the painted gallery of pharaohs' tombs.
Pyramids & Aswan
Beginning in Cairo, we visit the Great Pyramids at Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx. Then travel by overnight train to the colourful and easy-going town of Aswan, located on the first Nile cataract. From here you can take an optional excursion to the famous rock-cut temple of Abu Simbel, 3000 years old and dedicated to the pharaoh Ramses II.
3-Day Felucca Sailtrek
Setting sail at a relaxed pace we continue by Nile felucca, the ideal way of getting to know the river and its people. As well as observing life in the many small villages and farms along the way, we stop to visit the monumental temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu. The pace of our sailtrek is dictated by wind and river conditions, so our nightstops are flexible.
Luxor - Ancient Thebes
We drive to Luxor, the site of ancient Thebes, to discover the richest concentration of archaeological wonders in the western world - and a place where the sky is always pure blue! We explore the Great Temple of Amun at Karnak and organise a donkey trek along an ancient route to the Valley of the Kings - the painted gallery of pharaohs' tombs.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Fly London/Cairo. |
| Day 2: | In Cairo; visit Pyramids and Egyptian Museum; overnight train Aswan. |
| Day 3-4: | In Aswan; optional visits to Philae Temple and Abu Simbel. |
| Day 5: | Optional camel trek to St Simeon's monastery; board felucca. |
| Day 6-7: | Journey on Nile aboard felucca via Kom Ombo to Edfu. |
| Day 8: | Arrive Edfu; visit temple; drive Luxor, visit Karnak Temple. |
| Day 9: | In Luxor; trek by donkey to Hatshepsut Temple & Valley of the Kings visit. |
| Day 10: | Fly London. Note: Certain departures may operate on an alternative itinerary. |
travelling in your own group
To classify as a group, we usually require a minimum of 8 clients. Though there is no maximum, we may be limited by the size of our accommodation or transport. We will always endeavour to accommodate your group wherever possible.. If you wish to make any changes to the suggested itinerary, we are happy to discuss and tailor a tour to suit your needs. All trips are individually quoted and competitively priced.award winner
This tourism business won an Award in our 2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Daily Telegraph, World Travel Market, Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society and BBC World News.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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This is the classic adventure trip, which epitomises all that is good about tourism! Not only are our groups small, limiting the impact we make, but we discover the Nile by traditional felucca sailboat with local Nubian crew, travelling whilst creating very little pollution. The resulting interaction helps break down cultural barriers as well as providing vital employment. Indeed employment is one of the biggest benefits of our visits - our groups provide employment through the money they spend the length and breadth of Egypt, from restaurateurs to bellboys, calesh and donkey drivers, local guides etc - the list is almost endless.
All accommodation is locally owned and in which you experience great food, most of which is sourced locally. This not only provides direct employment within the hotel, but also has the effect of distributing money beyond to small businesses that supply the hotel and in this way money is spread throughout the region we visit. The feluccas of course use only the wind for power - perhaps the most environmentally friendly way one can travel, whilst our focus on responsible tourism gets local people talking about it, which leads to a greater understanding of the reason it is so important. Our Tour Leaders for example are all trained by us in the importance of responsible tourism with guidance given on how they can make a difference. This then percolates down through those they deal with. This trip also allows time to visit the Sunshine Project in Luxor - a home set up to provide care and schooling for orphaned children. A portion of every customer's holiday price is donated by the operator to this excellent charity - and whilst visiting the project individuals may also choose to give, whether financially or through other means. As well as the above, we support a variety of charities and projects worldwide which support vulnerable communities and habitats including Friends of Conservation, Hope Worldwide and Send A Cow. We are also actively engaged with UK travel industry bodies which promote best practice in responsible tourism, such as Tourism Concern, The Travel Foundation and AITO. Our commitment to responsible tourism is not limited to our overseas operation and we have measures to ensure our UK office operates according to our responsible tourism policy. Carbon offsets for all flights booked with us are included in the tour cost. |
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. |









