11-Day Egypt Tour

A Pharaonic Adventure Under the Egyptian Sun!

Egypt Tour – A Pharaonic Adventure Under the Egyptian Sun!

After a two-year collaboration with my dear friend, colleague, and Egyptian native, Hela, we’re traveling off the beaten path through Egypt beginning in 2022! Our featured 11-day/10-night Egypt trips are offered November thru March yearly when the comfortable temperatures in Egypt equate a perfect setting to explore under the Egyptian sun and enjoy this iconic country’s historical monuments and cultural and archeological sites. If you’re looking for a trip to Egypt that offers that same personalized, intimate experience traveling in Egypt that you’ve experienced with us in France, come join us for this unparalleled adventure through Egypt.

Our Egypt tour is limited to 10 travelers per tour date, and our privately chartered dahabiya for our Nile cruise with only 6 cabins sets the stage to throughly enjoy this magical experience!

Click here to view the photo gallery at bottom of this page…

Our 11-Day/10 Night itinerary is designed to take travelers on an extraordinary journey into the past to discover Egypt through the eyes of our Egyptian friends, historians, and artisans!  We take you beyond the tourist hotspots to experience Egypt through our eyes and those of our Egyptian friends and partners!

EMAIL US at franceotbp@gmail.com or CALL or message us on WhatsApp at 1.717.683.2827 with your questions and requests.

Egypt has one of the longest histories of any country, tracing its heritage along the Nile Delta back to the 6th–4th millennia BCE. Considered a cradle of civilization, ancient Egypt witnessed some of the earliest developments of writing, agriculture, urbanization, organized religion, and central government. Iconic monuments such as the Giza Necropolis and its Great Sphinx, as well as the ruins of Karnak, Temple of Hatshepsut, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Memphis, and Thebes, contribute to Egypt’s long and rich cultural heritage and remain an integral part of its national identity. The country has endured and often assimilated, various foreign influences, including Greek, Persian, Roman, Arab, Ottoman, Turkish, and Nubian. Egypt served as an early and important center of Christianity, but today is a predominantly Muslim country, albeit with a significant Christian minority.

Notable Women in Egyptian History

While we also often associate Egyptian history with notable Pharaohs such as Ramses II, Tutankhamun (King Tut), Akhenaten, and Khufu, several women, Hatshepsut, Cleopatra, and Nefertari Meritmut, as well as Goddess Hathor, merit notable mentions in Egyptian history. Regarded by Egyptologists as one of the most successful pharaohs, reigning longer than any other woman of an indigenous Egyptian dynasty, Hatshepsut reigned as the second historically confirmed female pharaoh. Her rise to power was noteworthy, thanks to her bloodline, education, and understanding of religion. With an impeccable bloodline as the daughter, sister, and wife of a king, Hatshepsut’s understanding of religion allowed her to establish herself as God’s Wife of Amun. While the queen of Egypt, Cleopatra actively influenced Roman politics at a crucial period and was especially known for her relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. She came to represent, as did no other woman of antiquity, the prototype of the romantic “femme fatale”. The Egyptian queen, Nefertari Meritmut, secured her place as the first of the principal royal wives of Ramses the Great. And, Hathor, one of the most important and complex goddesses of ancient Egypt was known as the mother goddess who created and maintained all life on earth. She was also worshipped as the goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, sky, fertility, music, dance, and protector of women.

Egypt Tour Itinerary – A Pharaonic Adventure Under the Egyptian Sun!

I am excited to embark on this new venture with my dear friend and colleague, Hela, sharing the best of Egypt with travelers in the same personalized style that I deliver my tours in France. Working together for 10+ years, Hela and I have a deep understanding of one another’s travel style and are like-minded in our vision and philosophy regarding customer service and delivery of travel experiences. Our combined “savoir-faire” ensures you, our guests, an unparalleled, memorable, and fun journey through Egypt unlike any other.

Day 1:  Welcome to Egypt, the gift of the Nile, Meet at CAIRO Airport – FLY TO LUXOR, Check-in, Dinner Together – D

What to Expect – Travel Through Egypt with us WARMLY Welcomed AS Friends!

During our 11-day/10-night tour we take you in hand from the moment you disembark the airplane at Cairo airport until the tour concludes when we return you to Cairo airport. We manage every detail during your magical, all-inclusive adventure in Egypt while you enjoy privileged and once-in-a-lifetime experiences throughout the tour. You’ll discover the magical history of Egypt with our personally selected specialist guides, egyptologists, and archeologists, as well as be privy to fun historical anecdotes that bring Egyptian history to life. We’ll share time with our favorite artisans visiting their workshops, dining as friends, and VIP guests aboard our dahabeya and at our favorite local restaurants. We take you off the beaten path throughout to experience the beauty of Egyptian hospitality, as we know it, and combine it all with luxurious accommodations!

For guests who need to arrive a day or half-day early in Cairo for the tour due to current international flight schedules and arrival times into Cairo, we will have an additional night hotel stay arranged for you in Cairo to rest at no additional cost. The itinerary will be adapted to ensure no guest misses out on any part of the tour.

We depart as a group to Luxor and transfer to Al Moudira hotel from the Luxor Airport upon arrival.

At Al Moudira – Built in the tradition of Arabian palaces, it is the West bank’s only one. Multilingual owner and artist friend Zeina personally oversaw the three-year construction of her oriental baroque dream hotel.

Once you have settled in, we start the day off with a tour of the Coliseum of Memnon and Medinat Habu Temple, one of Luxor’s most underrated monuments, with a substantial amount of the original paint still visible today.

Dinner together at our favorite gourmet Egyptian restaurant on the east bank of Luxor.

Day 2: Hatshepsut Temple, Valley of the Kings, Luxor Temple at Sunset, Dinner at Hela’s Home – D

Breakfast. After breakfast at the hotel, we visit one of Egypt’s most spectacular monuments: the mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, followed by a tour of Deir El Medina, and the Valley of the Kings.

Deir El Medina, also known as the place of truth is where artisans created a community to decorate the pharaohs’ and nobles’ tombs in preparation for the afterlife.  First recorded worker strike recorded in history under Ramses III !

Lunch of Egyptian specialties and exquisite views of the river valley on the west bank before returning to freshen up at our hotel.

Sunset tour of Luxor Temple – The Temple stands as the soul of Luxor and the city of the living.  Where the scarab awakens to the voice to Ra on the Nile’s eastern bank.  It’s the only temple that welcomes us during the evening in search of the afterlife.

Dinner together at Hela’s home in Luxor.

Day 3: Temples of Karnak, Board our Luxury Dahabiya to set sail on the Nile for 4-Nights, Sail to Esna – B, L, D

Breakfast. We start off the day with a tour of the temples of Karnak, dedicated to Amun-Ra and his wife, the goddess of creation Mut.

Lunch at Hela’s home with our archeologist.

Privately Chartered Luxury Egyptian dahabiya river boat sailing on the Nile for next 4 nights.

We then begin our journey on our privately chartered dahabiya, a traditional two-masted sailboat with 6 cabins only, and set our course for Elkab via the Esna lock. A unique way to drift on the Nile, sailing on a dahabiya remains a biblical experience where time seems to have stopped over 3000 years. As we sail along the Nile, witness farming methods of the saqqia and shaduf, unchanged since the ancient civilization.  Stops to villages en route are only accessible to the sail boat of 2 masts.

During our sailing time, learn to play the Egyptian favorite game, backgammon and participate in learning hieroglyphics.

Overnight and dinner served aboard our Dahabeya.

The menu aboard our Dahabeya changes daily during our sailing to ensure the freshest, seasonal selections. Our private chef prepares us a sumptuous selection of the finest gourmet Egyptian cuisine.

* Optional Hot Air Balloon Ride at Sunrise over West Bank is available for interested guests today and tomorrow.

Day 4: Elkab VILLAGE, Edfu Temple – B, L, D

In the morning, we visit the Elkab Temple, dedicated to Nekhbet, the tutelary deity of Upper Egypt, depicted as a female vulture. Enjoy a walk from the village, across the train tracks to one of the oldest settlements of upper Egypt.  Praise to Nekhbet the vulture goddess, Mother of mothers and protector of the pharaohs!

We then set sail towards the Edfu Temple. Dedicated to Horus, its entrance is guarded by two granite statues of the falcon-headed god.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner served aboard our dahabiya.

Overnight aboard our dahabiya.

Day 5: Gebel El-Silsila, Kom Ombo – B, L, D

We visit the sandstone quarry of Gebel El-Silsila in the morning.

We sail to Kom Ombo in the afternoon. Kom ombo was the seat of the crocodile god Sobek of apotropaic magic warding off the evil eye and dangers coming from the Nile  Its temple is divided into two perfectly symmetrical halves, with two entrances, two corridors and two sanctuaries. One side is dedicated to Haroeris (Horus the Elder), and the other to Sobek, the crocodile god. We’ll have the opportunity to visit off the beaten path sites and tombs here.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner served aboard our dahabiya.

Overnight aboard our dahabiya at Kom Ombo.

Day 6: Aswan & the unfinished Obelisk, Shopping with Hela at the spice souk  – B, L, D

Breakfast and lunch on the Dahabiya as we sail towards Aswan. Our driver will pick us up to visit the granite quarry and the unfinished Obelisk. We’ll then take a stroll in the vibrant Aswan Souk for a shopping tour of Egypts’ finest herbs and spices.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner served aboard our dahabiya. Possible lunch option depending on sailing schedule to lunch ashore during our visits.

Overnight aboard our dahabiya at Aswan.

Day 7: Abu Simbel, Felucca to Elephantine Island, Picnic lunch on our Felucca  – B, L, D

Breakfast. Transport from Aswan to Abu Simbel by plane after breakfast.

Abu Simbel is the site of two temples built by Ramses II. The temples were originally located 200m from where they stand today: when the construction of the Aswan Dam threatened to destroy the temples, they were taken apart stone by stone and reassembled on higher ground, assuring their safety.

Return to Aswan at the end of the morning.

Picnic lunch on the romantic Felucca next to Elephantine Island.

Check in at our hotel, the Old Cataract Legend Hotel.

Gourmet Egyptian Dinner together in Old Cataract.

Day 8: Philae Temple Heissa Island, Nubian Lunch at Home, Sound and Light Show  – B, L, D

Breakfast. After breakfast, we visit Egypt’s most romantic temple: the Philae temple dedicated to the goddess Isis.

Lunch at Heissa Island where we enjoy a traditional Nubian meal prepared by local Egyptian women.

Back to the hotel for free time before the Philae sound and light show.

Dinner on Bigeh Island overlooking Philae.

Day 9: Flight to Cairo, Coptic Quarter, Egyptian Museum, Night Market & Zamalek Quarter  – B, L, D

Breakfast before our flight to Cairo. Visit of Old Cairo and the Coptic quarter on the Holy Family’s Trail.

Lunch en route to the Egyptian museum where we’ll see the funerary mask of Tutankhamun (King Tut).

Overnight in the stunning Marriott Mena House hotel at the foot of the Pyramids, built in 1869 for the Egyptian Khedive Isma’il Pasha.

Dinner together and night market in Zamalek quarter.

Day 10: Step Pyramid of Sakkara, Giza Plateau (The Great Pyramids & Sphinx) – B, L, D

Breakfast. Visit the first Egyptian pyramid ever built, the step pyramid of Sakkara, designed by the Pharoah Djoser’s architect Imhotep.

Lunch at our friend’s home under the shade of palm trees.

End your trip spectacularly on the Giza plateau with a visit of the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.

Dinner – A farewell dinner together in true Egyptian style.

Day 11: Farewell, Tour Concludes – B

We depart after breakfast from the hotel where the concierge will have prepared your luggage. We return to Cairo airport as a group where we’ll part ways at the departure check-in area.

It’s always sad to say goodbye so we’ll say “until next time as when you drink from the Nile… you are destined to return”.

B, L, D = Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Included

EGYPT Tour Dates & Price

EGYPT TOUR PRICE: 

• 2023 & 2024 Tour Price: US$19,998 per person double/twin occupancy.
• This Limited Edition Tour Date is limited to 10 travelers, providing you with a truly intimate and authentic small group experience traveling welcomed as friends!
• If you have a larger group or would like to organize a private departure date, please contact us for more information.
• Private tour departures/groups can be booked on request for groups of minimum 10 persons.
• Email Us at franceotbp@gmail.com.com with inquiries and questions.

EGYPT TOUR DATES…

• 2023 Tour Date: November 7-17 (11 days/10 nights)
• 2024 Tour Dates: April 10-20 and November 6-16 (11 days/10 nights)
• Group size – 10 guests.
• Email Us at franceotbp@gmail.com.com tour organize a private departure for 2023 or 2024.
• Also available to book on a private basis for groups of minimum 10 persons.

CONTACT US on WhatsApp at +1.717.683.2827 or by email at franceotbp@gmail.com.com for details!

The ALL-INCLUSIVE Land Tour Price Includes…

• From the moment you step off the airplane in Cairo until check-in for your return flight home at the conclusion of the tour, we take you under our wings. From the time you arrive until the time you depart, we take care of every detail, and as our guest, your time is spent enjoying the very best Egypt has to offer and having the time of your life on this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Full-time services of Hela and Christy, specialty guides, Egyptologists and archeologist throughout the tour.
• Our personalized unannounced visits and experiences during the tour, exclusively for our guests, that make it truly an Egyptian experience.
• 10 nights luxury accommodations – 6 nights luxury hotel accommodations and 4 nights on privately chartered, traditional dahabiya for Nile cruise
• 29 Meals – ALL-INCLUSIVE – All meals throughout, from dinner on day 1 ending with breakfast on day 11
• Lunches and dinners feature the finest Egyptian cuisine throughout at our favorite local restaurants, at Hela’s home, homes of local friends, with a local archeologist, aboard our privately chartered dahabeya, picnic on a felucca, and meals in exceptional off the beaten path Egyptian settings only available to us.
• All transportation throughout the tour from Day 1 arrival to Day 11 departure
• All transfers with air-conditioned modern touristic cars for all transportation throughout the tour
• Services of our personally selected Accredited Guides, Egyptologists and Archeologist every day of the tour
• Guided Visits :  Pyramids – Sphinx – Sakkara , Memnon – Museum, Old Cairo  – Habu, Valley of the kings – Hatshepsut Temple – Deir El Medina, Luxor Temple – Karnak Temple, El Kab Temple – Edfu Temple – Gabal El Silsila – Kom Ombo Temple, Unfinished Obelisk – Souk Aswan – Philae Temple, Abu Simbel Temple(short roundtrip flight from Aswan)
• Conference with an archaeologist
• All entrance fees and specialty guide fees
• Personal Meet & Greet Welcome at Cairo Airport to assist you with your visa on arrival, passage through customs and baggage collection.
• All domestic flights detailed in itinerary
• All Gratuities to guides, drivers, dahabiya crew.

NOT INCLUDED IN THE PRICE — Services not mentioned in our program

• International roundtrip flight from your home to Cairo, Egypt
• Optional excursions/tours pre- and/or post tour, hot air ballooning
• Additional hotel overnights pre- and/or post tour
• Personal expenses such as international calls, room-service, additional meals beyond those included in itinerary, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages at hotels, laundry service, souvenirs.

Dietary Requests & Food Allergies

We accommodate ALL dietary requests (including vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, etc) and ALL food allergies (gluten, shellfish, etc) while ensuring an amazing foodie experience for all tour guests with restrictions and/or allergies.

CONTACT US on WhatsApp at +1.717.683.2827 or by email at franceotbp@gmail.com.com for details!

Hela’s Bio …

Born in Massachusetts to Egyptian parents, I was 10 1/2 years old when we returned to live in Egypt. I arrived with a very sober outlook on life here until I got my taste of freedom when I took a taxi for the first time in Cairo and began to discover the city. I learned over the years that there was so much more to Cairo than the pyramids. I explored a lot of the different neighborhoods and fell in love with the architecture, the dynamic of the bustling streets, and the history ever-present throughout the city. After university, I moved to El Gouna, along the Red Sea, to work as a development manager. But Cairo kept calling me back, and every time I returned, I would discover and venture into a new neighborhood. With each returning visit, I began to learn more about the city’s history. Deeply exploring Cairo lit a fire in my belly to become a guide. When friends and family came to visit, I shared more than what you see on the surface walking through the city. I wanted everyone to see the side of Cairo that so few know about and that I had uncovered over the years.

But my future as a guide in Egypt would get put on hold when I met a French winemaker in El Gouna, married him, and moved to France. Instead of Egypt, I started a guiding business in Bordeaux, and built my life around it; sharing the history of my adopted city with travelers from around the world. In my heart, however, I knew I would one day come back to Egypt to guide in some capacity. Becoming the first accredited Egyptian woman guide in the Bordeaux region laid the groundwork to establish me as an independent and reputable businesswoman in France. Once this happened, I felt the time had arrived to seize the opportunity to rekindle my dream of guiding in my home country.

Today, I split my time between my homes in France and Egypt. Come winter, I trade my trench coat and rain boots, for a cotton gallabeyah: destination the sun and colors of Egypt. Invigorated by the kindness of the Nile, I open the doors to all the hidden facets of this ancient country. ​I invite you to live a unique experience of Egypt far from bustling masses of tourists; you will have unforgettable encounters in breathtaking places.

As a native Egyptian Arabic speaker with a deep knowledge of my country’s history, I love taking travelers by the hand to show them the diversity of Egypt. The country is Pharaonic, Coptic, and Islamic, but not only. With me, you will visit the tribes of Nubia where the people speak languages passed down from generation to generation. I love taking travelers deep into the local culture to demystify the long-standing generalizations stigmatizing my country. Learning about the connection with ancient Egyptian mythology throughout my tours transforms each day into something new and magical. We’re visiting people and places welcomed as friends thanks to my established reputation granting me exclusive access. From shopping in the Suks, swimming in salt lakes, exploring the Pyramids and historic sites like Karnak and Dendera to venturing into the desert and cruising on the Nile, my goal is for people to gain a genuine understanding of Egypt and to have a positive experience.

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Egypt Tour Photo Gallery

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