12-Day Cairo, Aswan, Luxor by Train, Nile Cruise and Alexandria Itinerary

Your Egyptologist guide meets you at Cairo International Airport and accompanies you to your hotel. After a brief rest, head to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square — the original home of Tutankhamun’s golden mask, his throne, and the Royal Mummies Room holding 22 pharaohs including Ramesses II. Two to three hours is the minimum; plan for more. In the evening, walk the lantern-lit alleys of Khan El Khalili Bazaar — copper workshops, spice stalls, and Al-Fishawy coffeehouse, open continuously since 1773. Overnight Cairo.

Early departure for the Giza Plateau before the day-trip crowds arrive. Visit the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, and Pyramid of Menkaure — the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World — then stand before the Great Sphinx, carved from a single limestone outcrop. Drive 30 minutes south to Saqqara for the Step Pyramid of Djoser (ca. 2670 BC), the first large-scale stone structure in history, designed by Imhotep. Continue to the open-air ruins of Memphis, including the colossal fallen statue of Ramesses II. Return Cairo. Overnight Cairo.

Morning at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) on the Giza Plateau — the world’s largest archaeological museum. Tutankhamun’s treasures fill 20 dedicated display cases: the golden death mask, the innermost coffin, the golden throne, and more than 5,000 objects from his tomb. After lunch, enter Islamic Cairo for the Citadel of Saladin (12th century), the Muhammad Ali Mosque (Alabaster Mosque) with panoramic views over the city, and the medieval streetscape of Al-Muizz Street. Late afternoon, private transfer to Cairo Airport for your domestic flight to Aswan. Overnight Aswan.

Board a motorboat to reach the island temple of Philae, dedicated to Isis — entirely relocated block by block after the 1971 dam flooded its original island. The hypostyle hall reliefs and the Sanctuary of Isis are among the finest Ptolemaic carvings in Egypt. Continue to the Aswan High Dam (1971), which formed Lake Nasser and required the relocation of Abu Simbel. Visit the Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries — 3,500 years of chisel marks are still visible where the 42-metre obelisk cracked before completion and was abandoned. Afternoon felucca sailing around Elephantine Island. Overnight Aswan.

Option A (recommended): Early morning drive or short flight to Abu Simbel, 280 km south of Aswan near the Sudanese border. The twin temples of Ramesses II and his queen Nefertari (ca. 1265 BC) were cut from the cliff, dismantled into 1,041 blocks, and rebuilt 65 metres uphill in one of UNESCO’s greatest engineering rescues. The Great Temple’s solar alignment — sunlight reaching the inner sanctuary twice yearly — was preserved exactly. Return Aswan by early afternoon.

Option B: Spend the morning visiting the Nubian Museum (documenting culture from ancient Nubia through the dam era), followed by a Nubian village visit by boat and optional cooking class. Overnight Aswan.

Drive or fly 215 km north to Luxor, then cross the Nile to the West Bank — the ancient city of the dead built into the Theban hills. Your ticket to the Valley of the Kings covers three of the 63 royal tombs; your Egyptologist selects the best open tombs on the day. Tutankhamun, Ramesses IV, and Seti I are among the options. Drive along the cliff edge to Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahri, its three colonnaded terraces rising against the golden limestone face. End at the Colossi of Memnon — two 18-metre sandstone statues of Amenhotep III, still standing after 3,400 years. Overnight Luxor.

Full morning on the Luxor East Bank. Karnak Temple Complex: enter through the Avenue of Sphinxes, cross into the Great Hypostyle Hall — 134 columns, the tallest reaching 24 metres — then explore the Sacred Lake, obelisks of Hatshepsut and Thutmose I, and the Festival Hall. Walk the Avenue of Sphinxes south to Luxor Temple, built by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramesses II, dramatically lit after dark. Brief visit to Luxor Museum if time allows. Late afternoon: your guide accompanies you to the Luxor cruise dock. Board your Nile cruise ship, settle into your cabin, and watch Luxor’s temples recede as you sail south. First night on the Nile.

Wake up to the Nile moving past. The ship passes through the Esna Lock — a working lock gate system that raises or lowers vessels; watch the walls rise around you. Arrive Edfu by midday. Horus Temple (237–57 BC) is one of the best-preserved Ptolemaic temples in Egypt, its outer walls completely intact and its inner sanctuary still darkened by ancient smoke. The reliefs along the outer corridor depict the mythological conflict between Horus and Seth in remarkable detail. Your Egyptologist guides you through both the myth and the architecture. Return to the ship for lunch as it continues south. Overnight aboard between Edfu and Kom Ombo.

Morning arrival at Kom Ombo, perched on a bend in the Nile where the current brings good fishing — which is why the town was sacred to Sobek, the crocodile god. The temple has an unusual double layout: every hall, every doorway, every sanctuary is duplicated — the left half for Sobek and the right half for Haroeris (a falcon-headed form of Horus). The adjacent Crocodile Museum holds 22 mummified crocodiles excavated from the site. Continue sailing south to Aswan. Arrive afternoon. Optional evening felucca or Nubian dinner aboard ship. Overnight aboard or Aswan hotel.

Disembark at Aswan after breakfast. Optional morning visit to the Nubian Museum, which chronicles Nubian civilization from its ancient origins through the displacement caused by the High Dam, including artifacts relocated from sites now submerged beneath Lake Nasser — the museum is one of the finest regional history museums in the country. Afternoon transfer to Aswan Airport for your domestic flight to Cairo. Check into your Cairo hotel. Evening free for a final Cairo dinner. Overnight Cairo.

Early morning departure northward by private vehicle — 220 kilometres on the desert highway, approximately 2.5 hours. Alexandria was Alexander the Great’s chosen capital in 331 BC; for centuries it held the ancient world’s largest library and its famous lighthouse. Today: the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa (1st–2nd century AD, Greco-Roman underground necropolis blending Egyptian and Hellenic burial styles), Pompey’s Pillar (30-metre Roman triumphal column, AD 297), and the Citadel of Qaitbay — built directly on the foundations of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders. Seafood lunch on the Mediterranean corniche. Optional Bibliotheca Alexandrina visit (contemporary library on the ancient site). Return Cairo evening. Overnight Cairo.

Hotel breakfast. Your guide assists with airport transfer to Cairo International Airport in time for your international departure. If your flight departs late, your Egyptologist can arrange a final Cairo neighbourhood walk or a morning market visit before the drive. No arrangements needed — EDT coordinates the exact departure time around your flight. Safe travels.

EDT built this 12-day pattern by extending the proven 8-day Cairo+Aswan+Luxor by train framework with a 4-day Nile cruise. Since no single source file covers all 12 days, the day structure and pricing are anchor estimates based on EDT’s operational experience with similar multi-destination packages. Actual routing depends on your travel dates, cruise ship availability, and group size.

The cruise adds four nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, stopping at Edfu (Horus Temple) and Kom Ombo (Sobek and Haroeris). These temples are among the best-preserved in Egypt and are only reachable comfortably by cruise. The cruise itself is also an experience — waking up to Nile temples at dawn, meals on the water, and a completely different pace from land-based travel.

In this 12-day framework, the cruise covers 4 nights: boarding at Luxor (Day 7 evening), sailing to Edfu (Day 8), Kom Ombo (Day 9), and disembarking at Aswan (Day 10). This is a standard 4-night Luxor-to-Aswan cruise. Some operators run it in 3 nights with a faster pace — EDT can adapt.

EDT’s anchor estimate starts at $2,150 per person in 3-star hotels for double occupancy, $2,340 in 4-star, and $2,580 in 5-star. The cruise component drives most of the increase from the 8-day base price. These are extrapolated estimates. WhatsApp Attarious at +20 100 680 88 57 for a confirmed quote tied to your exact travel dates.

Yes. The Aswan-to-Luxor direction (northward, with the current) is actually the more common cruise direction. EDT can adapt the day sequence to board at Aswan after Day 4 and cruise north to Luxor for the West and East Bank temples. Routing is fully customizable.

This 12-day pattern is better for travelers who specifically want both the train experience (overnight Luxor-to-Cairo railway — or in this version, boarding the cruise from Luxor) AND the cruise. If train travel does not appeal, a 10-day Cairo+Cruise+Alexandria is a more focused option. WhatsApp Attarious to compare the two options for your dates.