Private travel in Egypt
Private Egypt tours
A private Egypt tour means that everything is arranged for your party alone: your own certified English-speaking Egyptologist, your own driver with an air-conditioned car, and a route built around your dates and interests. You do not join a group, there are no fixed departure dates, and the programme follows your pace rather than a coach timetable. Only on a classic Nile cruise ship do you share the vessel with other guests. This page explains what private means in practice, who it suits, how it compares with a group tour, and what it costs.
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Your own Egyptologist and your own driver at every destination, never shared with strangers.
More flexibility in the daily programme, the pace, the order of visits and the choice of hotels.
Well suited to couples, families, friends travelling together and special occasions.
Is this for you?
For travellers who would rather choose well than book fast.
You want to experience Egypt privately, with your own travel party.
You want expert guidance, but not a group programme with strangers.
Pace, hotel atmosphere and the quality of your guide matter to you.
You want clarity on route, costs and practical choices before you commit.
What private means with us
Private means: an English-speaking Egyptologist who accompanies only your party, your own driver with his own air-conditioned car, private transfers at airports and stations, hotels of your choice, a Nile cruise or dahabiya, domestic flights and all entrance fees according to the programme. There are no fixed departure dates: the trip begins on the day you land, and the programme follows your pace, not that of a group. The only shared element on our routes is a classic Nile cruise ship, where you have your own cabin but share the vessel with other guests; your excursions from the ship are with your own Egyptologist.
More attention, less crowding
With a private trip we can plan visits intelligently: early to Abu Simbel, when it is at its quietest; through Karnak at a calmer hour; extra time in the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) if the collection grips you. You do not have to adapt to a group and can ask questions, slow down or move on as you please. Your Egyptologist knows the quieter entrances and the right times, keeps persistent vendors and self-appointed guides at a distance, and answers your questions about prices and tipping.
Comfort is in the details
A private tour lives in the details: good transfers, clear communication, an Egyptologist who is strong on content and hotels that match your expectations. That is the difference between a trip that feels right and a trip that merely ticks boxes. You never cross a car park full of taxi drivers alone, never negotiate a fare, and never stand at a counter whose language you do not understand.
Who a private tour suits
Couples who want to experience Egypt in peace, often with special hotels and a few nights on the Nile. Families in which the children set the pace: short sightseeing days, a hotel with a pool and an Egyptologist who can tell the story for children too. Friends or three generations travelling together, who want to share the experience but not a coach of forty. Travellers with a particular interest in Egyptology, photography or architecture who want to linger at a temple. And first-time visitors who value guidance that takes all the practical matters off their hands. Friends and families who share the car and the Egyptologist often find that a private tour works out cheaper per person than travelling as a couple.
Private tour or group tour: the difference in practice
The sights are the same; the way you travel is not. On a group tour you travel with a fixed group of fellow travellers, one tour leader, a coach and fixed departure dates; hotels and programme are set in advance for the whole group. On a private tour you travel with your own party, your own Egyptologist at each destination and your own car, you leave on any day you like, and route, pace and hotels are matched to you and can still shift on the road. Group tours are usually cheaper per person, often with supplements for excursions that are standard with us. The table below also sets both against organising everything yourself; our guide on how to plan a trip to Egypt goes into that comparison in more depth.
What does a private Egypt tour cost?
Our example tours give a good indication, per person sharing a double room: Historic Cairo, 5 days, from €1,195; Egypt Highlights, 10 days, from €2,195; Classic Egypt, 12 days, from €2,495; Adventurous Egypt, 14 days with the White Desert, from €2,895; and Complete Egypt, 15 days with five nights on the Red Sea, from €2,995. Included are hotels with breakfast, private transport and transfers, your private Egyptologist on every excursion and the entrance fees per programme; the four Nile routes also include the domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan and a 3-night Nile cruise with full board excluding drinks. Not included are the international flight, the visa, travel insurance, dinners in the hotels, drinks on board and tips. Better hotels, a luxury ship or a dahabiya raise the price; a shorter route or the low season lowers it. For a full breakdown, including flights and a worked example for two, read how much a trip to Egypt costs. Your complete trip is covered by VZR Garant and the Dutch Calamity Fund.
From enquiry to departure
You send us your travel period, party, wishes and budget. Lars Janssen, who plans our English-language trips from Amsterdam, replies personally within one working day with a few practical questions. You then receive a day-by-day route proposal and, after that, a trip proposal with hotels and price, which we adjust until it fits. Nothing is booked before you agree. After your confirmation we secure hotels, Egyptologist, driver, boat and domestic flights with our fixed local partner in Egypt. Before departure you receive all documents, and during the trip you can reach Lars directly by WhatsApp or e-mail with questions or changes.
Private does not mean distant
You travel personally and independently, but not alone. Before departure we build the route together; during the trip your Egyptologist and driver are with you every day, and there is one contact in Amsterdam for anything that needs changing. If a road is closed or a connection fails, we adjust the route with our partner on the ground, without you having to organise anything yourself. If you want to know how we weigh up the security situation per region, read is Egypt safe?.
Compare
Private tour, group tour or self-organised
Three ways to travel through Egypt, and what sets them apart in the daily reality of the trip.
| Private tour | Group tour | Self-organised | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guide | Your own Egyptologist for your party alone | One tour leader for 20 to 40 people | None, or hired by the day on the spot |
| Pace and route | As you wish, adjustable on the road | Fixed programme | Free, but you organise everything |
| Transport | Your own car with driver | Coach | Taxis, trains and domestic flights you book yourself |
| Hotels | Your choice, including boutique or luxury | Set by the operator | Booked yourself |
| Departure date | Any day | Fixed dates | Any day |
| Price | From €2,195 per person for 10 days | Usually cheaper, often with supplements | Hard to calculate; tickets and transfers come separately |
| Protection | Your complete trip is covered by VZR Garant and the Dutch Calamity Fund | Depends on the operator | None; each booking stands alone |
Typical route
The places that often come together in a strong Egypt trip.
Private visits to the great sights with an Egyptologist who follows your interests, whether that is pharaohs, architecture or photography.
Smart timing around crowds and heat, especially at Giza, in Luxor, at Abu Simbel and at the temples along the Nile.
Room for comfort choices such as better hotels, larger rooms, a luxury cruise ship or a small dahabiya.
Direct agreement on pace, rest moments, food preferences and practical wishes, before and during the trip.
Sample itinerary
One possible structure, always adapted to your pace.
A private programme in Cairo
Your driver meets you at the airport. Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara and the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) with your own Egyptologist, planned around your arrival time and the pace you prefer.
Luxor with your own Egyptologist
Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings and, if you wish, quieter sites on the West Bank, with explanation that goes as deep as you want it to.
The Nile and Aswan
By cruise ship or dahabiya towards Aswan, with private excursions along the way. Abu Simbel can be added as a carefully planned early-morning excursion with your own driver.
Luxurious rest or deeper exploration
Choose extra time on the Nile, a special hotel, a few days on the Red Sea or more specialist visits. The order and the length of each stop are yours to decide.
Practical
Privacy
You do not join a group. Egyptologist, driver and planning are matched to your own party, and your car waits for you at the exit of every site.
Comfort level
Hotel choice, type of boat, transport and guiding can be built around comfortable, boutique or luxury travel. The from-prices assume boutique or luxury hotels of 4 to 5 stars.
Enquiry
A private trip asks for tailoring. Share your travel period, party, wishes and a rough budget, and we make a fitting proposal. Lars Janssen replies within one working day.
What we take care of
The trip should feel as logical on the road as it does on paper.
Egypt asks for smart timing, reliable people on the ground and choices that fit the way you travel. That is why we look beyond hotels and excursions.
- Private transport, guides and transfers matched to your route.
- Hotel advice based on atmosphere, comfort level and location.
- A logical route with rest built in where Egypt asks for it.
- A clear budget indication before we work out a proposal in detail.
See what is possible first
Receive a sample trip proposal in your inbox.
Not ready for an enquiry yet? We understand. Leave your email address and within one working day you will receive a worked-out sample proposal: a day-by-day plan from Cairo to the Nile, hotel choices and an honest price indication per person. So you can see exactly what a trip with us looks like before you ask for anything.
- Complete day-by-day programme of a real trip
- Price indication per person, no surprises
- Sent personally by email, no automated newsletter
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a private tour and an ordinary tour?
On a private tour you travel with your own party, your own Egyptologist and a route composed for you. There is no fixed group to adapt to, no coach and no fixed departure dates.
Is a private tour possible with children or as a family?
Yes. We then take account of pace, hotel choice, heat, rest moments and activities that work for different ages: short sightseeing days, a hotel with a pool and an Egyptologist who can tell the story for children too. The Nile cruise and the beach days on the Red Sea are usually the favourites.
Can I choose luxury hotels?
Yes. We match hotel level, type of boat and transport to your budget and comfort wishes, from carefully chosen comfortable hotels to luxury addresses and small boutique properties.
Is a private tour suitable for a honeymoon or anniversary?
Yes. Then we pay extra attention to atmosphere, calm, special hotels, good timing and moments in which the trip does not feel like a standard excursion programme.
Are all excursions private?
The main excursions are planned privately with your own Egyptologist and driver. For specific components, such as the Nile cruise ship itself, some sailing schedules or hotel activities, we discuss in advance what is private and what may be shared.
Do I share the Nile cruise ship with other guests?
On a classic Nile cruise ship, yes: you have your own cabin, but the ship carries other guests as well. A dahabiya, a traditional sailing boat with six to ten cabins, is the smaller and quieter alternative, with at most 20 guests instead of 100 or more.
What does a private Egypt tour cost?
From €1,195 per person for 5 days in Cairo and from €2,195 per person for 10 days with a Nile cruise, sharing a double room and excluding international flights, visa and tips (as of October 2026). Our longest example tour, Complete Egypt, 15 days with five nights on the Red Sea, starts from €2,995 per person.
Is a private tour safer than travelling on my own?
In day-to-day terms, yes: you are met at the airport, travel only with your own driver, and your Egyptologist knows prices, entrances and the right times and keeps persistent vendors at a distance. You never negotiate a taxi fare or use public buses. We also plan only destinations outside the areas the German Federal Foreign Office warns about (as of 10 October 2026); read more in is Egypt safe?.
Read on
Tailor-made Egypt tours
A private route through Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Nile, built around your wishes and your pace.
Is Egypt safe?
An honest assessment of the current situation for culture travellers, with practical advice.
Tipping in Egypt
How much to tip your guide, driver, hotel staff and on a Nile cruise, and whether to use euros, dollars or pounds.
Adventurous Egypt (14 days)
A generous private tour where desert, temples and the Nile come together.
How much does a trip to Egypt cost?
Realistic prices for a private tour: hotels, Nile cruise, guides, flights and the extras people forget.
Talk to us about your Egypt trip
Tell us what you are looking for. We will think along on route, duration, hotels, guides and budget, with no obligation.
Start your enquiry