Are you fascinated by the desert and its oases? Do you love culture and ancient history? Do you dream of sailing the mythical Nile River? Then we propose our circuit with the desert of Egypt, the famous Pyramids, Cairo and a cruise on Upper Egypt, among other attractions.
Its program includes unforgettable experiences such as touring the bustling and picturesque streets of the capital, visiting great pharaonic monuments or sleeping under the starry sky of the Western Desert, framed in the northeastern sector of the Sahara Desert. So take note of everything included in this circuit through the oases of Egypt and the Nile River, with first-class services.
Egipto Exclusivo is a receptive travel agency specialized in customized and private trips throughout Egypt. We design your itinerary putting all our heart and knowledge into a destination, which we love and know in depth. We will take into account your tastes and preferences so that you can live a unique experience that you will never forget.
Do not hesitate any longer and limit yourself to enjoying and let us do what we are most passionate about and what we do best, prepare all the details. And if you have any questions, you will always be attended and advised, before, during and after your trip.
Day 1: Arrival in Cairo
Day 2: Pyramids of Giza and Grand Egyptian Museum
Day 3: Full day in Cairo
Day 4: Start of the circuit through the oases of Egypt: El Fayum
Day 5: Continuation of the circuit through the oases of Egypt: El Fayum-Bahariya
Day 6: Safari through the Sahara Desert
Day 7: Return to the Bahariya oasis and trip to Cairo
Day 8: Flight to Aswan and Temple of Isis in Philae
Day 9: Abu Simbel
Day 10: Start of the cruise: Aswan-Kom Ombo-Edfu
Day 11: Full day in Luxor
Day 12: Excursion to Abydos and Dendera
Day 13: Flight to Cairo and return home
From the moment of landing at Cairo International Airport, our agency will give you full service. In the arrivals hall, an Egypt Exclusive assistant will greet you and help you with the visa procedures, which must be done at the terminal. After that, you will go to our private and air-conditioned vehicle, where our driver will be waiting to transfer you to the hotel.
Upon arrival, check-in will be carried out and a briefing to inform you of all the details of the circuit: the oases that Egipto Exclusivo will help you discover, the camp that is available in the desert, the boat in which the cruise will be carried out, monuments to whose interior will be accessed, etc. And depending on the schedule, you can have free time next to the hotel or go up to the room to rest on this first night of hotel.
On the second day, visits to the legendary monuments of Ancient Egypt begin. Before leaving, a full breakfast awaits you at the hotel, which is included in the package, as in the rest of the circuit’s accommodations (in the oases, the desert and the cruise, full board is included, with lunch and dinner also included). And after regaining strength, you will depart by road to the famous royal necropolis around Cairo, together with our guide and our driver.
The necropolis of Giza is the first, and also the most famous. There rise, imposing, the three most famous pyramids: those of Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure, named after the pharaohs who ordered them to be built for their eternal burial. They symbolize the pinnacle of the royal power of that civilization during the Old Kingdom, specifically in the times of the Fourth Dynasty, about 4,500 years ago. As spectacular as they are is the Great Sphinx of Giza, which could represent the second of the aforementioned pharaohs. The Valley Temple and other structures of the complex will also cease to have secrets for you, thanks to the guided tour.
Seeing the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx up close is an unforgettable experience. But to better understand and interpret all the legacy of that civilization, the ideal is to visit the Great Egyptian Museum at Giza, as we will do at this time of the program. The museum, unparalleled in the world of archeology, exhibits almost 20,000 pieces from all eras of Ancient Egypt, from the pre-dynastic era to the Greco-Roman era. But without a doubt, the essential treasures for any visitor are those of the tomb of Tutankhamun, such as his gold mask. Royal statues, sarcophagi, stelae with hieroglyphs and a long etcetera will make up the route through this mega-museum, the work of Heneghan Peng Architects.
Three exciting and intense visits, which will force us to take a break for a well-deserved lunch in a local restaurant, reserved by Egypt Exclusive. In the afternoon, you will return to Cairo by road. And at the end of the day, you will spend the night again at the hotel in Cairo.
The third day of this circuit, after the corresponding breakfast at the hotel, will take us through the most interesting corners of Cairo, the bustling and fascinating capital of the country. The first stop will be in the hills of Mokattam, where the Saladin Citadel: this famous Ayyubid leader chose this location in the 12th century to build his military fortress, which is now a tourist attraction for the monuments that are found inside. Especially the Mosque of Alabaster (19th century), burial place of Mehmet Ali and one of the best examples of religious architecture of Ottoman inspiration. We will visit it internally, as it is open to all tourists.
After that we will head to the Islamic Quarter, an authentic historical center that began to take shape in the 7th century and has left us imposing constructions everywhere. Between mosques and madrasas, we will enter the bazaar of Jan El-Jalili, whose origins date back to the 14th century and is considered one of the largest and most authentic in the Arab world, with handicrafts and food products for sale.
Another of the areas that you will discover is the so-called Coptic Quarter, even older. In fact, this branch of Christianity considers that the Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus lived in this area during their Flight to Egypt. The sites related to their stay are now sacred places for this religion, with interesting monumental constructions. On our route, some notable stops are the Church of the Cave and the Church of San Jorge.
Our guide will lead you through all these corners, explaining and putting each monument in context, which will allow you to understand why this entire area was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Lunch will be held in a restaurant in the center of Cairo, with local gastronomic proposals, which Egipto Exclusivo will reserve for you. At the end of the day, a new night of rest in the hotel.
In this circuit, the oases and the desert are one of the main and differentiating attractions. And this is the day that the route through them begins, after the corresponding breakfast at the hotel. At the door, our guide and our driver will be waiting for you, in this case with a 4×4 vehicle capable of entering all the desert tracks that await us.
We will head to the Fayum oasis, the first of our circuit. An oasis that Egipto Exclusivo, by the way, knows in depth. But before reaching it, we will stop at a nature reserve that is on the way: Petrified Forest? Al-Ahrash?
Another fascinating place that takes us back to remote times is Wadi Al-Hitan or Valley of the Whales. Specifically, more than 35 million years. At that time, this arid place was part of the Tethys Sea and primitive whales (archaeocetes) lived in its waters, a species that has already become extinct but that offers us information of incalculable value to understand the process of animal evolution. The skeletons found number in the hundreds and the network of trails in the place takes its visitors to the most prominent sites. It is no coincidence, therefore, that this site was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2005. In addition, it houses an interesting Museum of Fossils and climate change.
After that, it’s time for another of the natural jewels of the circuit: this oasis of Egypt is home to the waterfalls of Lake Qarun, a place full of magic and fantasy that becomes reality here, despite the extreme aridity of the environment. These are several large bodies of water that, at this point, form surprising waterfalls, for the enjoyment of all who contemplate them. Despite being a landscape where the hand of man is appreciated for agricultural use, this entire area stands out for being one of the richest and most diverse in birdlife. On our route, we will stop at the best places to enjoy panoramic views of the surroundings.
Lunch, which is included in the package for this day, will be done en route. And after discovering all the corners described, our 4×4 will take you to the hotel where you will rest that night, which is located in the same oasis of Fayum.
On the fifth day we continue our circuit through the oases and the desert. After the night’s rest and breakfast at the hotel in El Fayum, we will resume the march in our 4×4 through other unique places in the surroundings. The first of them will be the Valley of Watermelons, a suggestive name that describes the flint nodules that lie here for about 50 million years. Scattered throughout the arid terrain, they will give us the opportunity to learn a little more about the past of this desert and will provide us with the most original photographs.
Back on board our 4×4, we will continue for several hours the route of this circuit through the desert and the lesser known Egypt, arriving at lunchtime at the Bahariya oasis. We will eat at the hotel, where we will leave our bags and, after that, we will go out to discover this small ‘green island’ in the middle of the Western Desert. On this evening walk you will get to know its palm groves and take a bath in a hot spring.
And with the help of our 4×4, we will reach the best place in this environment to enjoy the sunset: the English Mountain, without a doubt, one of the most special moments of this circuit through the desert, which Egipto Exclusivo has programmed in detail.
After this magical moment, we will return to the urban center of the oasis for dinner and overnight rest in the hotel that, despite not having the grandeur of the accommodations in the cities, stands out for its cleanliness, its quality and its attention.
If what attracts you most about this circuit is the desert, Egipto Exclusivo has prepared the ‘big day’ on this sixth day: a 4×4 safari to reach the most spectacular places in the Egyptian Sahara, located not too far from the Bahariya oasis. And to face the program with energy, there will be the usual full breakfast at the hotel.
The first of the stops is the area known as Black Desert for the color of the dolerite, the igneous rocks that emerge in the terrain and that were expelled by the volcanic mountains of this area almost 200 million years ago, according to some estimates. However, these mountains are inactive today.
No less peculiar is the next stop on our safari: the Crystal Mountain, so called because it is a rocky promontory formed mainly of quartz crystal. Experts believe that it may be an ‘exhumed cave’ due to the effect of erosion and the gradual withdrawal of water. In any case, its bright, almost transparent surface is a rarity worth knowing, as we will do on this circuit through the oases of the desert.
Golden sand, black dolerite, transparent quartz… This safari is dressed in multiple colors and the surprises do not end there, as we will also access the White Desert. Here, the rock formations are composed of a mixture of limestone and chalk, giving the environment a feeling of almost unreal purity. But the original thing is not only the color, but also the capricious shapes that the rocks adopt, the result of millions of years of erosion. And that makes the imagination of locals and tourists fly, who have baptized some of them with the most surprising names: camels, carrots, birds and a long etcetera in which, of course, sphinxes are not lacking.
Without a doubt, it is a day to keep your eyes wide open throughout the day… although we could say the same about the night. On this day of the circuit through the desert, Egipto Exclusivo will give you accommodation in a in the desert! Therefore, from sunset onwards, what for many is the most beautiful starry sky in the world will reappear. You already had your first contact with him on the previous day, in the Bahariya oasis, but now you will experience it as the nomads of the desert have done since time immemorial.
And to better savor the attractiveness of nature, adventure and astronomy on this day of the circuit through the desert, Egipto Exclusivo will take care of providing you with all meals, on a full board basis. Therefore, lunch will be done en route and dinner, upon arrival at the camp.
Summary of the day (full board)
After the magical experience of sleeping and waking up in the middle of the most absolute peace of the desert, it is time to have breakfast in the jaimas and return to the Bahariya oasis by car. After taking a refreshing and refreshing shower in the hotel room, you will check out.
We will thus put an end to the days of this circuit through the oases and the desert, as we will get on the 4×4 to travel directly back to Cairo. The capital will be reached in the afternoon, leaving free time in what remains of the day and until the moment of night rest in the hotel.
On the previous day we discovered two totally opposite places in this circuit: the desert of Egypt and the megalopolis of Cairo, in the same day. And on the eighth day, the contrast is also very great, as you will fly to the extreme south of the country, where the cultural influence of the Nubian people is evident. Therefore, you will have breakfast early and check out to transfer to the capital’s airport, which is provided by Egipto Exclusivo.
Upon arrival at Aswan airport, you will be greeted by other representatives of our agency: an official guide and a driver with a comfortable vehicle. The immediate destination will not be the accommodation, but the fascinating Temple of Isis in Philae, located on a small island in the Nile River, about 10 km south of the city. This monument, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is dazzling for its architectural and scenic beauty. In addition, it is considered the last great temple of Ancient Egypt, built in the times of the XXX Dynasty and expanded by Greeks and Romans. At the end of the 4th century, the last inscriptions in hieroglyphic writing were engraved here, which represents a beautiful epilogue to that unique civilization.
After the guided tour of the temple, you will head to Aswan, where the boat awaits you for the cruise from the following day. For the moment, you will check in and have lunch on board, while the boat remains moored. The afternoon will be free so that you can organize, if you wish, a tour of this amazing city. Some of its main attractions are the Nubian villages, the archaeological sites of Elephantine Island, or the quarry of the Unfinished Obelisk.
As was the case in the tent camp, on this day of this desert circuit, Egipto Exclusivo offers its services on a full board basis. Therefore, dinner is also included on board the boat, where you will have a comfortable room for this and the following nights.
The breakfast on the ninth day is probably the earliest, as we will leave early for the guided tour of the Abu Simbel temples. However, it will be as varied and complete as the rest of the cruise days, and the road trip will be in a comfortable vehicle.
Therefore, the approximately 280 km that will be traveled in a southerly direction will be worth it, as Abu Simbel is one of the most majestic monuments of Ancient Egypt. And, therefore, it was also declared a World Heritage Site. These are two temples that the all-powerful Ramses II ordered to be built: one for his glory and the other for that of his Great Royal Wife, Nefertari. Another detail that draws attention is its location, on the banks of Lake Nasser: until the 1960s, it was located at a lower level but would have been flooded by the waters of the reservoir after the Aswan Dam came into operation, so it was moved stone by stone to its current location.
At the conclusion of the visit, you will return to Aswan, where you can make use of your full board on board the ship: lunch and dinner, as well as afternoon or evening rest, according to your own pace.
The tenth is, for many, a special day on this circuit: if the desert of Egypt was the great attraction for the most adventurous, the cruise is for those who dreamed of sailing the waters of the Nile River, as has been done since time immemorial. However, both things are compatible in the same person, so the journey will fascinate everyone equally.
Breakfast is served on board, with the boat already sailing downstream, which adds a special touch to this moment. In the following hours you will arrive at the first stop, Kom Ombo, where its prominent temple from the Ptolemaic period stands out. Here, among others, Sobek, god of fertility, represented by a crocodile, was venerated. That is why numerous mummified crocodiles were deposited here, many of which can now be seen in the adjoining Crocodile Museum.
After the guided tour of both spaces, the journey is resumed on board, where lunch will be taken. Later in the afternoon you will reach Edfu, where the boat will dock for a while to visit its extraordinary temple. This is the second largest in Ancient Egypt, after Karnak, which will be known the next day. The temple of Edfu was dedicated to Horus, the protective god of royalty and represented with falcon characteristics, as shown by his colossal statues. Its hypostyle hall and its huge entrance pylons are some of the most striking elements of the complex.
In the last section of the day, we continue sailing and cross the Esna Lock, which is responsible for regulating the riverbed in this section to make it possible for boats like ours to navigate. Later, in the city of Luxor, navigation will stop for dinner and to sleep on board.
Luxor is an Arab city located on the eastern bank of the Nile, built in medieval times on the remains of ancient Thebes, which was the capital of Ancient Egypt for many centuries in the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom. Therefore, it is full of spectacular places, and this has earned it the classification of World Heritage Site by UNESCO. And also for this reason, we will dedicate a full day visit to it.
In the morning we will visit the west bank: looking from the city, the sun sets here every day. An event that, in the Egyptian religion, was closely related to the cycle of life and death. Therefore, the pharaohs of the XVIII, XIX and XX dynasties chose this place to build their tombs and erect funerary temples. The Valley of the Kings is the great royal necropolis of that time, with tombs as fascinating as that of Seti I, Ramses VI or Tuthmosis III. And the Temple of Hatshepsut is an imposing sacred place at the foot of a rocky hill. The Colossi of Memnon, which probably represented Amenophis III, are also part of this route.
After this tour of the west bank, we will return to the boat to collect our luggage and change accommodation, as tonight you will sleep in a hotel. You will check in at that time and then we will begin our tour of the east bank, that is, through the urban area of Luxor. Here are the temples of Luxor and Karnak, united at the time by an avenue of sphinxes of about 3 km that still preserves some sections. The first temple draws attention, among other things, for its pylons, its obelisk (pair of the one in the Place de la Concorde in Paris) and the mosque of Abou Haggag embedded in it. And that of Karnak, whose enclosure is the largest in all of Ancient Egypt, leaves its visitors speechless due to the monumentality of some spaces, such as its Great Hypostyle Hall.
Luxor is not only a fascinating place, but also a very suitable one for certain excursions. And the twelfth day of this circuit will be used completely in two of them: the temple of Abydos and the temple of Dendera. You will travel there in our vehicle with driver, after having breakfast at the hotel.
The temple of Abydos, located about 170 km by road, was one of the most important in Ancient Egypt: built by Pharaoh Seti I (XIX Dynasty) as a funerary temple and continued by his son Ramses II, here Osiris, god and judge of the Afterlife, was worshiped. And therefore, it was the object of a great pilgrimage of faithful in search of eternal life after death. What is preserved of this enclosure, which is a lot, allows us to imagine that importance and solemnity. Especially its bas-reliefs, which in some cases maintain their original polychromy and are among the best of that civilization, according to experts.
After visiting it, accompanied by our guide, it will be time to have lunch in a local restaurant, reserved by our agency and included in the package. And after that, we will begin the route back to Luxor, but with an important stop along the way: the temple of Dendera. The construction that has reached us is more recent than in the case of Abydos, dating between the 4th century BC (XXX Dynasty) and the period of Roman domination. In addition to its undeniable beauty, its astronomical function stands out, as demonstrated by its interior reliefs, especially its famous Zodiac. In addition, it was dedicated to Hathor, celestial goddess, and a fluvial procession arrived here bringing the statue of Horus from Edfu: with this, the symbolic encounter between this god and Hathor, his mother and consort, was consummated.
From Dendera, the journey to Luxor is shorter: about 75 km by road, arriving in this city at the end of the day. And in the hotel you will spend what will be the last night of this mega circuit with oasis, desert, cruise and the main monuments of the country.
After the corresponding breakfast at the hotel, you will proceed to check out of the rooms and load your luggage into our private vehicle: our driver will transfer you to Luxor airport, from where the plane will take off to Cairo to make the connection with your flight back home. Depending on flight schedules, it is also possible to spend a night in the capital before the final return.
With the fresh memory of everything visited, this will be the end of this great circuit through the oases, the desert, the Nile River and many other places of interest. In the farewell, the best wishes for the future and the hope that you will repeat the experience with us in this country that, from then on, will also be a little yours.
These are the services that are included in the circuit and that are, in all cases, of the highest quality:
In this extensive circuit with two oases, Egipto Exclusivo does not include the following services:
These are just some of the opinions of our clients. Their comments fill us with encouragement and give us the strength to continue working with the aim of making our travelers happy, breaking myths and prejudices. Here you can find a selection of their stories. They motivate us to continue improving and reaffirm the value of our effort.
