The Essentials of Egypt — 8 Days
Private tourSmall groups
Eight days to see the essentials of Egypt with a French-speaking guide: Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, at a sensible pace.
from €85 per day
Overview
Eight days lets you do this properly, without rushing: two to three days in Cairo and Giza, then Luxor and Aswan, with enough slack to avoid stacking sites back to back. It's the format we recommend most often to travellers seeing Egypt for the first time.
The programme covers the big names — the Pyramids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Philae — but also leaves room for Coptic and Islamic Cairo, which shorter circuits usually sacrifice. The exact split (days per city, an optional cruise between Luxor and Aswan) gets worked out with you at the quote stage.
The same guide stays with you from the first day to the last. The fee below covers the guiding work only — domestic flights, hotels, an optional cruise, and meals are billed separately, with no hidden margin on our part on any of those.
This price covers the guide's fee
This price covers the guide's fee. It does not include entrance tickets, transport or meals. You buy your own tickets at the official price: we take no cut on them, and we never take you into a shop.
Highlights
- The Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, and the Grand Egyptian Museum
- Coptic and Islamic Cairo, often missing from shorter circuits
- Karnak and Luxor Temple on the East Bank
- The Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple on the West Bank
- Philae and the High Dam in Aswan, with Abu Simbel as an option
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Cairo
Welcome and settling in; a walk-through of the eight days ahead.
- Day 2
Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum
The three great pyramids, the Great Sphinx, then the collection at the Grand Egyptian Museum.
- Day 3
Coptic and Islamic Cairo
Old Cairo, its churches and its citadel — a day for the city itself, between the two pharaonic highlights.
- Day 4
Flight to Luxor, East Bank
Karnak and Luxor Temple, with time to actually take each one in rather than rushing between them.
- Day 5
Luxor's West Bank
The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, and the Colossi of Memnon, starting early to beat the heat.
- Day 6
Toward Aswan
Travel or sailing to Aswan, with a first look at the Temple of Philae.
- Day 7
Aswan, optional Abu Simbel
The unfinished obelisk and the High Dam, or a full day at Abu Simbel, depending on what you choose.
- Day 8
Return and departure
Flight back to Cairo and transfer for your departure.
What's included / What's not included
What's included
- Guide fee for the French-speaking Egyptologist for the 8 days of the circuit
- Daily guiding, from Cairo to Aswan
- In-depth historical explanations at every site
- An itinerary built together with you, with no forced shopping stop
What's not included
- Entrance tickets to every site visited
- Domestic flights Cairo–Luxor and Aswan–Cairo
- Nile cruise boat, if you choose that option between Luxor and Aswan
- Hotels and accommodation
- Ground transport / private vehicle between sites
- Meals and drinks
- Tips and personal expenses
The stops on the map
Meeting point
Meeting point
Cairo International Airport or your hotel in Cairo — confirmed when your quote is prepared.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the tour begins. No deposit is required at booking: you settle on site, on the day of the tour.
Frequently asked questions about this tour
from€85 per day
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