7-Day Egypt Tour Package: Cairo, Aswan & Luxor with Solar Eclipse

After breakfast, head out to the Giza Plateau.

This is where you’ll come face to face with the Pyramids of Giza, including the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the Pyramid of Chephren, and the Pyramid of Mykerinus. They are huge, and seeing them from close up gives you a much better idea of just how much work went into building them.

You’ll also stop at the Great Sphinx. The famous monument has the body of a lion and the head of a human, and it has been watching over the Giza Plateau for thousands of years.

If you want to add something a little different to the visit, you can choose an optional camel ride or horseback ride around the pyramids. It’s also a good opportunity to get some photos away from the usual viewpoints.

After lunch at a local restaurant, continue to the Grand Egyptian Museum.

The museum brings together a large collection of ancient Egyptian treasures, so there’s plenty to look at. You’ll see objects from different periods of Egyptian history, including the treasures of King Tutankhamun, as well as statues and other archaeological finds.

Once you’ve finished at the museum, head back to your hotel and take the rest of the evening off.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Cairo

After breakfast, travel south to Aswan.

The atmosphere changes quite quickly once you leave Cairo behind. Aswan is quieter, the pace is slower, and the Nile becomes much more noticeable as it winds between the desert and the green areas along its banks.

Your first stop will be the Aswan High Dam. Built to control the Nile and protect the surrounding areas from annual flooding, the dam is one of the most important modern projects in Egypt. It also created Lake Nasser, which stretches far to the south.

From the High Dam, continue by motorboat to Philae Temple.

The temple is dedicated to Isis and sits on an island in the Nile. Getting there by boat is part of the experience, and the setting is one of the reasons Philae is such a popular place to visit. Once you arrive, you can walk around the temple, look at the ancient carvings, and take in the views across the water.

Later, enjoy a felucca ride around Kitchener’s Island. These traditional sailing boats move slowly with the wind, so there’s no need to rush. You’ll be able to see the island’s Botanical Gardens and enjoy some quiet time on the Nile.

Afterward, return to your accommodation in Aswan.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Aswan

After breakfast, continue from Aswan toward Luxor.

Today is mostly about the journey along the Nile as well as the two important temple stops along the way. You’ll pass villages, farmland, palm trees, and desert scenery, with the river remaining close by for much of the route.

The first stop is Kom Ombo Temple.

There is something quite unusual about this temple. It was built for two gods rather than one: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus the Elder. You can still see the division in the temple’s layout, as well as detailed carvings and inscriptions on its walls.

After Kom Ombo, continue to Edfu.

Here you’ll visit the Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. The enormous entrance is difficult to miss, and once you walk inside, you’ll find large halls, columns, and walls covered with ancient inscriptions and reliefs.

After the visit, continue to Luxor.

Luxor is often called the world’s greatest open-air museum, and after seeing some of the monuments here, it’s easy to understand why. Once you arrive, check in to your hotel and enjoy a free evening.

Meals: Breakfast

Accommodation: Luxor

There’s an optional early morning activity today for anyone who wants to see Luxor from a completely different angle: a hot air balloon ride.

The flight takes place around sunrise, when the temperature is cooler and the light is just beginning to spread across the Nile Valley. From above, you can see the river, farmland, desert cliffs, and some of Luxor’s ancient sites all in the same view.

Afterward, continue to the West Bank.

The first major stop is the Valley of the Kings. Instead of large pyramids or temples above the ground, the pharaohs of the New Kingdom had their tombs cut deep into the desert mountains. Many of the chambers still contain colorful paintings and inscriptions.

You’ll visit the tombs of Tutankhamun and Ramses VI, where you can see some of these ancient decorations up close.

Next comes the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Built directly against the cliffs, the temple has wide terraces and a design that stands out from many of the other monuments in Luxor.

Before heading back, stop at the Colossi of Memnon. The two massive statues have survived for thousands of years and have become one of the familiar sights on Luxor’s West Bank.

After the tour, return to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day.

Accommodation: Luxor

Today is the highlight of the trip for many travelers.

After breakfast, start with Luxor Temple. The temple sits in the middle of the city, so you get an interesting mix of ancient Egypt and modern Luxor around you. Inside, you’ll see large statues, columns, courtyards, and inscriptions that tell part of the story of the temple and its role in ancient Egyptian religious life.

After the visit, there will be some free time before the eclipse.

At approximately 12:00 PM, the Total Solar Eclipse will begin, with the maximum phase expected around 1:00 PM.

Seeing a total solar eclipse is unusual on its own. Seeing one while you’re in Luxor, surrounded by the Nile Valley and some of the oldest monuments in the world, makes the experience even more unusual.

Once the eclipse has passed, continue to Karnak Temple Complex.

Karnak is a huge site, so there’s plenty to explore. You’ll walk among enormous columns, see ancient obelisks and courtyards, and learn about the temples connected with the Theban Triad.

When the sightseeing is finished, you’ll head to Luxor International Airport for your flight back to Cairo.

After landing in Cairo, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight in Cairo

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and prepare for your transfer to Cairo International Airport.

Your Egypt tour has taken you through some of the country’s best-known places, from the Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum to Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor.

You’ve seen ancient temples and royal tombs, spent time on the Nile, visited Philae Temple, and had the option to see Luxor from a hot air balloon. The Total Solar Eclipse also gives this particular trip something that most standard Egypt itineraries don’t include.

Now it’s time to leave Cairo and head to the airport for your flight home.

Meals: Breakfast

End of your Egypt Tour