Discover Egypt from north to south on a private Cairo Aswan Abu Simbel Luxor Tour.
Visit the Giza Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple, Abu Simbel, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, and Hatshepsut Temple.
The package includes hotels, two overnight sleeper-train journeys, private transfers, expert guides, entrance fees, and selected meals.
Overview
Cairo Aswan Abu Simbel Luxor Tour
A Cairo Aswan Abu Simbel Luxor Tour offers a complete introduction to Egypt’s most celebrated archaeological destinations.
This eight-day private journey connects the Giza Pyramids with the temples, tombs, and Nile landscapes of Upper Egypt.
You will explore Cairo before travelling south aboard an overnight sleeper train.
The route continues through Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Luxor before returning to Cairo by train.
Begin Your Journey in Cairo
Your Egypt vacation begins at Cairo International Airport.
A Gateway Pharaoh representative will welcome you after arrival and assist with your private hotel transfer.
The first day is free for check-in and relaxation.
No scheduled sightseeing is included, allowing you to recover after your international journey.
An optional evening activity can be requested when your arrival time permits.
Popular options include a Nile dinner cruise or the Pyramids Sound and Light Show.
Explore the Giza Pyramids
The first guided day of your Cairo Aswan Abu Simbel Luxor Tour begins at the Giza Plateau.
Here, you will see the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.
The Great Pyramid was constructed for King Khufu.
It remains the largest pyramid at Giza and the only surviving monument among the traditional Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Your private Egyptologist will explain the development of pyramid architecture.
You will also learn about the surrounding temples, tombs, smaller pyramids, and ceremonial causeways.
Time will be provided for photographs from selected viewpoints.
A panoramic stop may be included when site conditions permit.
Meet the Great Sphinx
Continue to the Great Sphinx beside the pyramid complex of King Khafre.
This monumental sculpture combines a lion’s body with the head of a king.
Archaeological evidence connects the Great Sphinx with the reign of Khafre.
It stands beside his Valley Temple and the lower section of the causeway leading toward his pyramid.
Your standard ticket includes the main Giza Plateau area.
Interior pyramid admission requires a separate ticket.
Visit the Egyptian Museum
After lunch, continue to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square.
The museum presents objects from several periods of ancient Egyptian history.
Important collections include the Narmer Palette, royal sculptures, the burials of Yuya and Thuya, and treasures discovered at Tanis.
Your guide will select the most significant displays for the available visit time.
Exhibited objects may change because of conservation work or collection transfers.
The Grand Egyptian Museum can be requested as an alternative.
Any museum change may affect entrance costs and the daily schedule.
Travel to Aswan by Sleeper Train
After the Cairo sightseeing tour, transfer to the designated railway station.
Board an overnight sleeper train travelling south to Aswan.
The exact station, train number, and departure time will be confirmed before the tour.
Railway schedules can change because of operational requirements.
Reserved sleeper accommodation is included.
The cabin type depends on the number of travellers and the confirmed railway service.
Dinner may be served aboard the train according to the booked service.
The exact meal arrangement will appear in your final travel documents.
Arrive in Aswan
Wake to the landscapes of Upper Egypt as the train approaches Aswan.
A Gateway Pharaoh representative will meet you at the station and transfer you to your hotel.
Time will be provided for refreshment when the confirmed arrival and hotel check-in schedule allow.
You will then meet your private Egyptologist and begin exploring Aswan.
See the Aswan High Dam
Visit the Aswan High Dam, one of modern Egypt’s most significant engineering projects.
The dam helped regulate the Nile and created Lake Nasser.
Your guide will explain its importance to power generation, agriculture, and water management.
You will also learn about the archaeological rescue projects connected with the creation of Lake Nasser.
Discover the Unfinished Obelisk
Continue to Aswan’s ancient granite quarries.
Here, you will see the enormous Unfinished Obelisk still attached to the surrounding bedrock.
The monument offers valuable evidence about ancient quarrying methods.
A fracture in the granite caused the project to be abandoned before completion.
The quarry contains uneven surfaces and steps.
Comfortable walking shoes are strongly recommended.
Take a Boat to Philae Temple
Continue to the Philae boat landing.
Board a motorboat and travel to Agilkia Island.
The Philae monuments were relocated from their original island during the UNESCO Nubia Campaign.
The rescue protected them from flooding linked to the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
The principal sanctuary was dedicated to the goddess Isis.
You will explore monumental gateways, courtyards, columns, chambers, and decorated walls.
Your Egyptologist will explain the religious importance of Philae.
You will also learn about the engineering project that moved the monuments to their current island.
Enjoy Free Time in Aswan
After the included sightseeing, return to your Aswan hotel.
The remainder of the day is free for rest or optional exploration.
You may request an evening Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple.
This optional activity requires additional payment and advance confirmation.
Travel to Abu Simbel
Day four begins very early.
Collect a breakfast box from your hotel when the service is available.
Travel south from Aswan to Abu Simbel in a private air-conditioned vehicle.
The road journey normally takes around three to four hours in each direction.
Actual travel time depends on road conditions, stops, and local procedures.
Explore the Great Temple of Ramesses II
Arrive at Abu Simbel and meet your Egyptologist for a guided visit.
The Great Temple was carved into the mountain for Pharaoh Ramesses II.
Four colossal seated statues dominate its façade.
The temple’s interior contains pillared halls, reliefs, chambers, and a sanctuary.
The decorated walls present royal victories and religious scenes.
The temple was designed so sunlight reaches the inner sanctuary on two days each year.
Seasonal and calendar differences may affect the observed illumination dates.
Visit the Temple of Queen Nefertari
Continue to the smaller temple beside the Great Temple.
This monument was dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Queen Nefertari.
Its façade includes statues of Ramesses II and Nefertari.
The queen’s statues appear on an unusually monumental scale.
Both Abu Simbel temples were relocated in the 1960s through an international rescue campaign.
The project protected the monuments from the rising waters of Lake Nasser.
Return to Aswan
After completing the Abu Simbel tour, drive back to Aswan.
A lunch stop may be arranged according to the confirmed program.
Lunch is payable locally unless it is specifically included in your booking document.
Return to your Aswan hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure.
An optional Nubian Village visit can be requested when timing permits.
Travel from Aswan to Luxor
After breakfast on day five, check out from your Aswan hotel.
Meet your private driver and begin the overland journey to Luxor.
The direct journey generally takes between three and four hours.
Traffic, rest stops, and road procedures can affect the actual duration.
The original program travels directly from Aswan to Luxor.
Stops at Kom Ombo or Edfu are not included unless added before confirmation.
Explore Karnak Temple
Arrive in Luxor and begin your East Bank sightseeing program.
Your first major visit is the Karnak Temple complex.
Karnak developed over many centuries.
It became one of the most important religious centres of ancient Thebes.
Walk through monumental gateways, open courts, shrines, obelisks, and the Great Hypostyle Hall.
Your guide will explain Karnak’s association with the god Amun.
Karnak and Luxor Temple were connected by an ancient processional avenue lined with sphinxes.
Visit Luxor Temple
Continue to Luxor Temple in the centre of the modern city.
The temple was an important location during the ancient Opet Festival.
During this celebration, divine images travelled in procession from Karnak to Luxor Temple.
The surviving complex contains additions from several periods of Egyptian history.
Your guide will explain its ceremonial purpose and architectural development.
Stay Overnight in Luxor
A lunch stop will be arranged during the day.
The meal is excluded unless it appears in the final list of included services.
Transfer to your selected Luxor hotel after sightseeing.
Check in and enjoy the evening at leisure.
An optional Karnak Sound and Light Show can be requested.
Availability depends on the local operating schedule.
Enter the Valley of the Kings
Day six begins with breakfast at your Luxor hotel.
Meet your Egyptologist and travel to Luxor’s West Bank.
Your first major stop is the Valley of the Kings.
New Kingdom rulers created decorated rock-cut tombs within this desert valley.
More than sixty tombs and several unfinished structures have been identified in the wider archaeological area.
The standard entrance ticket normally includes three available tombs.
The exact tombs depend on the site’s rotating opening schedule.
Special tombs require separate tickets.
These may include the tombs of Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramesses V and VI.
Visit Hatshepsut Temple
Continue to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari.
The temple rises across three terraces beneath the limestone cliffs.
Hatshepsut ruled as a pharaoh during Egypt’s Eighteenth Dynasty.
Her temple includes colonnades, ramps, shrines, courtyards, and surviving painted reliefs.
Your guide will explain Hatshepsut’s reign and royal image.
You will also learn about the expedition to Punt shown on the temple walls.
Stop at the Colossi of Memnon
Before leaving the West Bank, stop at the Colossi of Memnon.
The two monumental seated statues represent Pharaoh Amenhotep III.
They once stood before the entrance of his enormous mortuary temple.
Time will be provided for photographs.
The stop usually lasts between 10 and 20 minutes.
Return to Cairo by Sleeper Train
After the Luxor sightseeing tour, transfer to the designated railway station.
Board an overnight sleeper train travelling north to Cairo.
The station, train number, and departure time will be confirmed closer to the travel date.
Reserved sleeper accommodation is included.
Dinner and breakfast depend on the confirmed railway service.
Enjoy a Free Day in Cairo
Arrive in Cairo or Giza on day seven.
A Gateway Pharaoh representative will meet you at the confirmed railway station.
Transfer privately to your Cairo hotel.
The remainder of the day is free for relaxation or independent exploration.
No guide, vehicle, entrance fees, or lunch are included during the standard leisure day.
Optional Alexandria Day Trip
You may add a private Alexandria day trip.
The optional program can include the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Qaitbay Citadel, and Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Montazah Gardens and the Roman Amphitheatre may also be included.
The final route depends on opening hours and the confirmed optional-tour package.
Alexandria is not a core destination within the standard tour.
It should not be used as a principal SEO keyword for this package.
Complete Your Egypt Tour
Day eight begins with breakfast at your Cairo hotel.
Check out according to the hotel’s official departure time.
A Gateway Pharaoh representative will transfer you privately to Cairo International Airport.
The pickup time will be arranged around your international flight.
Your Cairo Aswan Abu Simbel Luxor Tour ends after airport drop-off.
Who Is This Tour For?
This package is suitable for travellers who want to experience Cairo and Upper Egypt without using domestic flights.
It is ideal for couples, families, solo travellers, and small private groups.
The itinerary includes two overnight train journeys.
Travellers should be comfortable with long-distance rail travel and early departures.
The Abu Simbel excursion also begins before sunrise.
A reasonable level of mobility is recommended for archaeological sites, boats, steps, and uneven ground.
Travel with Gateway Pharaoh
Gateway Pharaoh coordinates your accommodation, sleeper-train reservations, private transfers, guides, and standard attraction tickets.
The package can be customised with flights instead of trains.
Additional nights, hotel upgrades, or intermediate temple visits can also be arranged.
Book your Cairo Aswan Abu Simbel Luxor Tour and discover Egypt’s most celebrated monuments.
Travel from the Giza Pyramids to the temples of Nubia and the royal necropolises of Luxor in one private journey.
Trip Highlights
- Spend eight days exploring Cairo and Upper Egypt.
- Stay two nights at a selected Cairo hotel.
- Stay two nights at a selected Aswan hotel.
- Stay one night at a selected Luxor hotel.
- Spend two nights aboard sleeper trains.
- Receive private airport arrival and departure transfers.
- Visit the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure.
- See the Great Sphinx and Khafre’s Valley Temple.
- Explore the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square.
- Travel overnight from Cairo to Aswan.
- Visit the Aswan High Dam.
- See the Unfinished Obelisk.
- Take a motorboat to Philae Temple.
- Travel privately from Aswan to Abu Simbel.
- Explore the Great Temple of Ramesses II.
- Visit the Temple of Queen Nefertari.
- Travel privately from Aswan to Luxor.
- Explore Karnak Temple.
- Visit Luxor Temple.
- Enter three available tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
- Explore the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut.
- Stop at the Colossi of Memnon.
- Travel overnight from Luxor to Cairo.
- Enjoy one free day in Cairo.
- Add an optional Alexandria day trip.
- Travel with private English-speaking Egyptologists.
- Use private air-conditioned transportation during land services.