12 Days Egypt Cairo, Nile Cruise & Siwa Oasis

Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, you will meet and assist by our representative of “Egypt Best Vacations” who will help you through the arrival and visa regulations. Transfer to your hotel for free time and the beginning of your 12 days Cairo, Nile cruise and Siwa Oasis tour.

Your actual 12 days Cairo, Nile cruise and Siwa Oasis tour just begins right now. Enjoy a guided tour to the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. Egypt is a well-known tourist destination due to its magnificent wonders such as the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. The Egyptian pyramids are very human monuments. Imagine the pyramids 4000 years ago when they were complete with their limestone casings, their brilliance must have been blinding. So, your tour guide will narrate the history and mysteries behind these iconic pyramids. 

Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant, then proceed to the stunning Egyptian Museum. Cairo Museum is one of the largest and most important museums in the world. The museum contains more than 120,000 pieces from all periods of ancient Egyptian history. Then, transfer back to your hotel.

A stunning 3-night Nile cruise vacation awaits! You will spend the next four days of your 12 days Cairo, Nile cruise and Siwa Oasis tour onboard a River Nile cruise. So, we will transfer you to Cairo Airport to fly to Aswan to begin your Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor. Meet your guide just outside the arrival terminal at Aswan Airport to commence your Aswan tour. Explore the highlights of the beautiful City of Aswan such as the High Dam, the Temple of Isis at Philae Island, and the granite quarry of the Unfinished Obelisk.

Then, transfer to your Nile cruise ship. Overnight in Aswan.

Optional tour: Tour to the Nubian Village in Aswan 

Enjoy a free morning on board your cruise ship or join us on an optional tour to the phenomenal temples of Abu Simbel.
Your Nile cruise ship will set sail to Kom Ombo around lunchtime. Disembark at Kom Ombo to visit the twin Temple of Horus and Sobek. It was built during the Greco-Roman period. It was built over the ruined temple of the New Kingdom. The temple began during the time of Ptolemy V and was completed by the time of Emperor Tiberius. The emperors Domitian, Caracalla, and others added to the temple. So it took about 400 years to finish.

Return back to your Nile cruise ship to set sail to Edfu. Overnight in Edfu.

Before/after breakfast, you will take a horse and carriage to the Temple of Horus in Edfu. This temple is the most intact temple in Egypt and it was built during the Greco-Roman period. The Temple of Edfu is fully inscribed with reliefs and hieroglyphs on its exterior and interior walls.

Take your carriage back to your cruise ship to set sail to Luxor via the Lock of Esna. Upon arrival in Luxor, you will visit the impressive Temple of Karnak and the majestic Temple of Luxor. Both temples were dedicated to the Theban Triad; Amun, Mut and Khonsu. Overnight in Luxor.

Disembarkation, followed by Luxor West Bank tour. Visit the impressive Valley of the Kings. The Valley of the Kings is one of the most important highlights not only in Luxor but throughout Egypt. The Ancient Egyptians named it (Ta-Iset-Ma’at), which means “the Place of Truth”. The Valley of the Kings is the necropolis of the great Egyptian pharaohs of the 18th to the 20th Dynasty (1550-1080 BCE). Tuthmosis I was the first pharaoh who was buried at the Valley of the Kings while Ramses XI was the last pharaoh who was buried there.

From the Valley of the Kings to the unique Temple of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, and then to Colossi of Memnon of Amenhotep III. Then, transfer to Luxor Airport to fly back to Cairo. Transfer from Cairo Airport to your hotel in Cairo. 

Optional tour: Sunrise Hot Air Balloon over Luxor

Your 12 days Egypt Cairo, Nile Cruise and Siwa Oasis tour takes to the beautiful City of Alexandria, the capital city of Egypt during the Greco-Roman era. Your tour includes the famous Roman Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa. The catacombs are huge Egyptian tombs and royal cemeteries with Ptolemaic and Roman influences. The catacombs of Kom El-Shoqafa are one the largest Roman burial sites not just in Alexandria but in Egypt. These catacombs started as a private tomb for a wealthy family, then became a public cemetery. The catacombs house more than 300 tombs.

From the catacombs to the Pompey’s Pillar. Many of the ancient historians did not tell us more details about the “Pompey’s Pillar” but about the buildings that stood nearby and have disappeared now. The hill on which the pillar is erected was covered with temples and houses a long time before the Roman era. It was the place of the Citadel of Rhakotis. A temple was dedicated to Osiris-Serapis was built on the mountain.

Then proceed to the Citadel of Qaitbay. The Citadel of Qaitbay in Alexandria is one of the most important fortifications in Egypt. It was constructed by Sultan Al-Ashraf Qaitbay to defend Egypt against the Ottomans/Turks.

End your tour to Alexandria highlights with visiting the Library of Alexandria. Enjoy your lunch at a local restaurant, then transfer to your hotel in Alexandria.

Today, your 12 days Cairo, Nile cruise and Siwa Oasis tour takes you the serene Siwa Oasis. Siwa Oasis is a remote and tranquil haven in Egypt, renowned for its pristine salt lakes and lush palm groves. This serene oasis is also rich in history, with ancient ruins and a unique culture that offer a truly authentic experience. Enjoy camping for a night in the desert.

Explore the 13-century ruins of Shali Fortress. Central Siwa is dominated by the spectacular organic shapes of the remains of this 13th-century mud-brick fortress. Built from kershef (chunks of salt from the lake just outside town, mixed with rock and plastered in local clay), the labyrinth of huddled buildings was originally four or five storeys high and housed hundreds of people. A path leads over the slumping remnants, past the Old Mosque with its chimney-shaped minaret, to the top for panoramic views.

Enjoy the freshwater Lake of Bir Wahid on the edge of the Great Sand Sea. Once over the top of a dune, you come to a hot spring, the size of a large jacuzzi, where sulphurous water bubbles in a pool and runs off to irrigate a garden. 

Today, you will unwind and rejuvenate in Siwa’s natural wonders! Today’s adventure begins with a dip in the Cleopatra Baths, legendary hot springs said to have been frequented by the famed queen herself. Let the warm, mineral-rich waters soothe your muscles and transport you to a bygone era.

Step back in time at the Temple of Amun, built by the legendary Alexander the Great. This majestic structure, dedicated to the Egyptian god Amun, stands as a testament to the fusion of Greek and Egyptian cultures. Marvel at its imposing architecture and imagine the rituals and ceremonies that once took place within its walls.

Next, immerse yourself in the cool waters of Bir Wahid. This freshwater lake, a shimmering jewel at the edge of the Great Sand Sea, offers a refreshing respite from the desert heat. Swim, relax on the shore, or simply absorb the beauty of this natural oasis.

Travel back to Cairo with lunch at a local restaurant on your way. Settle into your hotel and enjoy the final night of your 12 days Cairo, Nile cruise and Siwa tour.

Wrap up your 12 days Egypt Cairo, Nile cruise and Siwa Oasis tour, so we will transfer you to Cairo Airport for your final departure. It is really sad to leave, but feel free to contact us about your next adventure in Egypt.