9-Day Egypt Solar Eclipse Tour 2027: Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan

After breakfast, make your way to the Giza Plateau, where the famous pyramids have been standing for thousands of years. You’ll see Cheops’ Pyramid, Chephren’s Pyramid, and Mykerinus’ Pyramid, followed by the Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple. There’s something about seeing the pyramids up close that photographs simply don’t capture. The scale is enormous, and you’ll probably find yourself stopping more than once just to take it all in.

The day continues at the Grand Egyptian Museum, where ancient Egyptian history is presented in a much more modern setting. The museum houses an impressive collection of artifacts, including treasures associated with King Tutankhamun, as well as objects from different periods of ancient Egypt. After the museum, head back to your hotel in Cairo. The rest of the evening is yours. 

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight in Cairo

A change of scenery is on the plan today. After breakfast, leave Cairo behind and head north to Alexandria, the Mediterranean city with a history shaped by Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and later cultures. The drive takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours. Once you arrive, you’ll start at the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, an underground necropolis dating back to the Roman period. The tombs are particularly interesting because you can spot a mixture of Egyptian, Greek, and Roman styles in the same place.

Next up is Pompey’s Pillar, one of the few major ancient monuments still standing in this part of Alexandria. You’ll then head toward the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The modern library was built as a tribute to the famous ancient Library of Alexandria, and its unusual circular design makes it one of the city’s most recognizable buildings.

The last major stop is the Citadel of Qaitbay, sitting right on the Mediterranean. The fortress was built in the 15th century on the site traditionally linked to the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria. It’s also a good spot to pause for a moment and enjoy the sea views. There’ll be time for lunch at a local restaurant, and if the timing works out, you can take a short walk along the Alexandria Corniche before leaving. By evening, you’ll be back in Cairo after a long but rewarding day by the sea.

Overnight in Cairo

After breakfast, you’ll check out of your Cairo hotel and head to the airport for your domestic flight to Luxor. Once you land, our representative will meet you and assist with the transfer into the city. Your first stop will be Luxor Temple, right in the heart of Luxor.

Take a walk through the temple and look closely at the statues, columns, and ancient inscriptions. Unlike some of the huge temple complexes you’ll visit later, Luxor Temple feels closely connected to the modern city around it. After the visit, you’ll check in to your Nile Cruise and have some time to settle in. 

Then comes the part of the day that makes this trip particularly unusual. At around 12:00 PM, the total solar eclipse will begin, reaching its maximum at approximately 1:00 PM. You’ll have the opportunity to watch this rare event from Luxor, surrounded by the landscape and monuments of ancient Egypt.

A total eclipse is not something most people get the chance to see more than once in their lifetime. Experiencing one during an Egypt trip, with the Nile and ancient temples nearby, is certainly going to make this day stand out from the rest. Once the eclipse is over, continue to the Karnak Temple Complex.

Karnak is enormous, so there’s plenty to explore. Walk among the giant columns, see the towering obelisks and ancient courtyards, and learn about the temples built in honor of the Theban Triad. After the sightseeing, return to your Nile cruise for the evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight onboard the Nile cruise.

After breakfast onboard, head toward the Valley of the Kings, where the tombs of many New Kingdom pharaohs were carved into the desert mountains. Instead of looking for huge monuments above ground, you’ll enter the mountains to discover the decorated burial chambers inside. The visit includes the Tomb of Tutankhamun and the Tomb of Ramses VI.

From there, continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. The temple rises against the cliffs and has a distinctive, almost layered design. It was built for Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt’s most important female rulers. Before heading back, stop at the Colossi of Memnon. These two giant statues are all that remain of a much larger ancient temple complex.

After the tour, return to the Nile cruise. You can relax onboard while the cruise continues its journey south.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight onboard the Nile cruise.

After breakfast onboard, the first stop is Edfu. Once you arrive, take a traditional horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus. The temple is remarkably well preserved, and it’s easy to see why it has become one of the most popular temple visits in Egypt. Its huge entrance, detailed reliefs, and massive columns give you a good idea of how impressive ancient Egyptian temples must have looked when they were in use.

Once you’ve finished exploring Edfu, return to the cruise and continue sailing toward Kom Ombo. Later in the day, visit Kom Ombo Temple, one of the more unusual temples on the route. It was dedicated to two gods Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus the Elder. You’ll notice that the temple’s design and decorations reflect both of these deities.

Spend some time walking around the site before returning to the cruise. The journey then continues toward Aswan.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight onboard the Nile cruise.

Start with the Aswan High Dam, one of Egypt’s most important modern projects. The dam had a major effect on the Nile and led to the formation of Lake Nasser.

Next, visit the Unfinished Obelisk. The massive granite monument was left where it was being carved, so you can actually see the marks and techniques used by the ancient workers. It’s an interesting stop because it shows the practical side of how some of Egypt’s enormous stone monuments were made.

You’ll cross the Nile to Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis. The temple stands on an island, and the boat ride across the water is a nice change after spending so much time walking through archaeological sites. Once you arrive, explore the temple, its columns, courtyards, and reliefs before returning to the cruise.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Overnight onboard the Nile cruise.

If you’re up for an early start, today offers the chance to visit Abu Simbel on an optional excursion. The Abu Simbel Temples were built by Ramses II, with the second temple dedicated to Queen Nefertari. The enormous statues carved into the rock face are hard to miss and are among the most impressive monuments in southern Egypt.

There’s also a fascinating modern story behind the temples. They were moved from their original location during the 1960s when the construction of the High Dam threatened to leave them underwater. The relocation was a huge international effort, and the temples were carefully rebuilt at their new location.

Later, you’ll transfer to Aswan Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Once you arrive, you’ll be transferred to your hotel and have some time to relax.

Overnight in Cairo.

Your final morning in Egypt has arrived. After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Cairo International Airport for your flight home.

Over the past nine days, you’ve covered quite a lot: the old streets and churches of Coptic Cairo, the Pyramids of Giza, the collections of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Mediterranean coast of Alexandria, and the temples and tombs of Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan

You’ve also traveled along the Nile and, if you joined the optional excursion, stood in front of the incredible temples of Abu Simbel

It’s been a trip filled with ancient history, different landscapes, and plenty of time to see Egypt beyond just Cairo.

Meals: Breakfast