8 Days Cairo, Abu Simbel, Luxor & Hurghada Christmas Holiday

You meet your private Egyptologist guide after breakfast and explore the Giza Plateau and the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Giza Pyramids Complex:

You explore the Giza Pyramids Complex, home to the three principal pyramids associated with Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Your guide explains how these royal monuments formed part of the burial complexes of Egypt’s Fourth Dynasty.

The Great Pyramid of Khufu:

You see the Great Pyramid, built as the tomb of King Khufu during the Fourth Dynasty. Its enormous limestone structure gives you a close look at the scale and organisation involved in ancient Egyptian royal construction.

The Great Sphinx:

You see the Great Sphinx, a limestone sculpture with a lion’s body and a human head, positioned beside the pyramids on the Giza Plateau. Its association with the royal landscape makes it an important part of the site’s history.

The Valley Temple:

You explore the Valley Temple, which formed part of the funerary complex of King Khafre. Its stone construction helps you understand the ceremonial and purification practices associated with royal burial traditions.

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM):

You explore the Grand Egyptian Museum, whose collections cover ancient Egyptian history and include the complete collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures. The displays add context to the royal monuments you see at Giza and the archaeological sites you visit later in the tour.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you take your evening flight to Aswan and transfer to your hotel in your selected category for the overnight stay.

After breakfast and checkout, you travel from Aswan to Abu Simbel with your Egyptologist guide. The visit introduces you to two temples carved into the rock during the reign of Ramses II before you return to Aswan and continue by first-class train to Luxor.

Abu Simbel Temples:

You explore the two rock-cut temples built under Ramses II during the New Kingdom. The larger temple honours Ramses II and several Egyptian deities, while the smaller temple is dedicated to Queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. You see the colossal entrance statues and the decorated interiors that reflect royal authority and religious beliefs.

You also learn how the temples were moved to higher ground during the 1960s to protect them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. The relocation was completed in 1968. The site is known for a solar alignment around 22 February and 22 October, when sunlight reaches the inner sanctuary; this alignment does not occur in December.

Lunch is included today. After your visit, you return to Aswan and board a first-class train to Luxor. On arrival, you transfer to your hotel for the overnight stay.

After breakfast and checkout, you explore Luxor’s East and West Banks with your Egyptologist guide before travelling by private vehicle to Hurghada on the Red Sea coast.

Karnak Temple:

You walk through Karnak Temple, a religious complex dedicated to Amun-Ra and developed by successive rulers over many centuries. In the Great Hypostyle Hall, you see 134 columns arranged in rows, along with inscriptions and reliefs that reflect ancient Egyptian religious and royal life.

Valley of the Kings:

You visit the Valley of the Kings on Luxor’s West Bank, where more than 60 tombs have been identified. You learn about the royal burial traditions represented by the tombs and their painted scenes and hieroglyphic texts. The site includes the tomb of Tutankhamun, known as KV62, which was discovered in 1922.

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut:

You explore the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, set against the cliffs on Luxor’s West Bank. Its terraces and colonnades follow the landscape, while the reliefs record royal ceremonies and Hatshepsut’s expedition to the land of Punt.

Colossi of Memnon:

You see the Colossi of Memnon, two seated stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. They once stood in front of his mortuary temple and remain prominent landmarks in the Theban necropolis.

After lunch, you travel by private air-conditioned vehicle to Hurghada. You check in at your hotel and have the evening to settle in on the Red Sea coast.

You spend the day on the Red Sea, where Hurghada’s coastal waters offer opportunities to observe coral reefs and marine life.

Snorkeling Trip in Hurghada:

You join a boat trip that includes time for snorkeling and swimming at selected stops, subject to sea and weather conditions. You can bring your swimwear, a towel, sun protection and any personal snorkeling equipment you prefer to use. Soft drinks are included as listed for this day. You have time to relax on board between activities.

You trade the coast for the desert around Hurghada, travelling through a landscape of sand and rugged mountains. The excursion combines a desert drive with a visit to a traditional Bedouin village.

Desert Safari Adventure:

You take part in a desert safari that includes time in the surrounding desert and a visit to a Bedouin village. You learn about local customs while enjoying mint tea, then take in the desert scenery as the light changes toward sunset. You can bring comfortable closed shoes, sunglasses, a light scarf and a layer for the cooler evening.

You fly from Hurghada to Cairo and spend the day exploring museums and historic districts with your guide.

The Egyptian Museum (Tahrir):

You explore the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, which opened in 1902 and houses collections of ancient Egyptian objects, including statues, funerary items and artefacts from different periods. Its galleries offer another perspective on the objects and royal history you encounter on Christmas tours in Egypt.

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization:

You visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Fustat, where collections trace Egypt’s history across different periods. The Royal Mummies Hall provides insight into ancient burial customs and royal preservation. In 2021, 22 royal mummies—18 kings and four queens—were transferred to the museum.

Mohamed Ali Mosque & Saladin Citadel:

You explore the Citadel of Saladin, a fortified complex built under Salah al-Din and later developed by subsequent rulers. Within the Citadel, you visit the Mohamed Ali Mosque, built between 1830 and 1848, and see its domes and minarets above Cairo. From the Citadel, you can look across Cairo’s skyline.

Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque:

You visit Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque in Old Cairo, founded in 641–642 CE. Its long history connects the district with the early Islamic period in Egypt.

The Hanging Church:

You explore the Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo, built above the southern gatehouse of the Roman fortress of Babylon. Inside, you see icons, carved wooden details and architectural features associated with Egypt’s Coptic Christian heritage.

Ben Ezra Synagogue:

You visit Ben Ezra Synagogue in Old Cairo, a historic Jewish site associated with the discovery of the Cairo Geniza, a collection of manuscripts that preserved documents from centuries of Jewish life in the region.

Khan El Khalili Bazaar:

You walk through Khan El Khalili, a historic market district dating to the 14th century. You browse shops selling souvenirs, metalwork, textiles, spices and other traditional goods before finishing the day’s sightseeing.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you return to your hotel in Cairo for the final overnight stay.

You check out after breakfast and travel by private vehicle to Cairo International Airport for your departure flight. Your trip concludes after eight days of guided sightseeing, rail and air travel, desert activities and time on the Red Sea coast.

Your Hurghada Christmas holiday combines 2 nights in Cairo, 1 in Aswan, 1 in Luxor and 3 in Hurghada. You travel by domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan, by first-class train from Aswan to Luxor, by private road transfer to Hurghada and by domestic flight back to Cairo. Along the way, you see the Giza Pyramids, the Abu Simbel temples, Karnak Temple and the royal tombs of Luxor, then spend time snorkelling in the Red Sea and exploring the desert near Hurghada.