Tour 03 · 14 days
Adventurous Egypt: 14-day private tour
The Black Desert, the White Desert and then the ancient temples along the Nile: Egypt as few travellers see it.
Adventurous Egypt is a 14-day private tour by Egypt Travel Planner through Cairo, Alexandria, the White Desert, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor, with one night in a desert camp, a 3-night Nile cruise and two nights at the Red Sea, from €2,895 per person sharing a double room, including the domestic flight and a private English-speaking Egyptologist.
About this tour
Adventurous Egypt
This is the trip for travellers who want to go deeper than the classic Nile route. Alongside the pyramids, the Nile cruise and the temples, you add a night at the Bahariya Oasis and a day in the breathtaking White Desert: a lunar landscape of chalk sculptures that no other journey can match. Fourteen days, two worlds: the millennia carved in stone, and the endless silence of the Sahara. With your private English-speaking Egyptologist, your own vehicle and one personal contact from start to finish.
The route
Your route on the map.
This is how the stops on this tour relate to each other. The dotted line follows the order of the programme. All transport along the way is arranged for you.
- CairoDay 1-7
- AlexandriaDay 3
- BahariyaDay 5
- White DesertDay 6
- AswanDay 7-10
- Abu SimbelDay 8
- LuxorDay 11-12
- Red SeaDay 12-14
Itinerary
Day by day.
Every itinerary is a proposal. Your pace, your interests, your trip: this is the base we build on.
Arrival & National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
Arrival in Cairo and transfer to your hotel. A first encounter with the city. If you arrive early: a visit to the NMEC, with its remarkable hall of the royal mummies. If you arrive late: time to rest, and dinner near the hotel (not included in the price).
Pyramids of Giza & the Grand Egyptian Museum
An early start at the pyramids, while it is still quiet. With your guide you gain an insight into the precision, the beliefs and the organisational power behind these monuments. Afternoon: the GEM, the largest museum in the world devoted to ancient Egypt, now fully open and home to the complete Tutankhamun collection.
Day trip to Alexandria: where Egypt meets the Mediterranean
A day on the coast. Alexandria is the Egypt most travellers skip: the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Citadel of Qaitbay on the harbour, the Graeco-Roman amphitheatre and the atmosphere of a Mediterranean city that still carries the echoes of Alexander the Great. A refreshing change from the desert and temple landscape.
The oldest pyramid in the world & the first capital
Saqqara with the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest stone pyramid on earth, 4,700 years old. Dahshur with the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid, both open to visitors and pleasantly quiet on most days. Memphis, the first capital of the Egyptian kingdom.
Out to the oasis: the Black Desert
An early departure from Cairo to the Bahariya Oasis, some 370 km into the desert. On the way: the Black Desert, covered in a layer of black volcanic pebbles and rock. In the oasis, a traditional dinner and a night in a comfortable desert camp.
The White Desert: a lunar landscape of chalk
The White Desert is unlike anywhere else on earth: white chalk formations shaped by millennia of wind into mushrooms, icebergs and the silhouettes of animals. At sunrise and sunset the landscape turns pink and orange. If one day on this route deserves the word unforgettable, it is this one. Back to Cairo in the evening.
Citadel, Khan el-Khalili & evening flight to Aswan
A morning in Islamic Cairo: the Citadel of Saladin, the Al-Azhar Mosque and the bazaars of Khan el-Khalili. Evening flight to Aswan, arrival and check-in at your hotel overlooking the Nile.
Day trip to Abu Simbel: the temples of Ramesses II
An early rise for the drive with your private driver to Abu Simbel, about three hours each way. The four 20-metre statues of Ramesses II have guarded the entrance for more than 3,200 years. Inside: reliefs whose colours are still astonishingly vivid after more than 3,000 years. Back in Aswan during the afternoon, with time for a quiet walk along the Nile.
Temple of Philae & Nubian culture
The Temple of Philae originally stood on an island that was threatened with flooding when the Aswan Dam was built. The temple was therefore moved stone by stone to the neighbouring island of Agilkia. One of the most beautiful temples in Egypt, surrounded by water. Afternoon free for a Nubian village or a felucca sail on the Nile.
Temples of Kom Ombo & Edfu: the Nile cruise begins
On board the cruise ship. The twin temple of Kom Ombo with its superb bas-reliefs and crocodile mummies. Then the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in all Egypt and one of the most imposing. The ship sails on along the Nile.
Valley of the Kings, Karnak & Luxor Temple
The West Bank of Luxor with the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Afternoon: the Temple of Karnak, a complex the size of a town, with pylons, columned halls and sanctuaries built over some 1,600 years. Evening: Luxor Temple in the evening light.
Temple of Dendera & transfer to the Red Sea
The Temple of Hathor at Dendera, perhaps the most complete temple in Egypt, with astronomical ceilings and crypts full of hieroglyphs. Then the transfer to Hurghada (about four hours by road) or a flight via Cairo to Sharm el-Sheikh, for two nights by the water.
Rest at the Red Sea
A free day to recover and let the journey sink in. Snorkelling on the coral reef, sailing, or simply resting. The Red Sea offers some of the clearest waters and richest reefs in the world.
Last morning & flight home
A last breakfast by the sea. Transfer to the airport and your flight home, with fourteen days of memories that will not fade quickly.
Clear about what you get
Included & not included.
Included in the tour
- Private transport throughout the trip, including the desert transfer
- Private English-speaking Egyptologist as your guide on all excursions
- Domestic flight Cairo to Aswan
- 3-night Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor (full board, excluding drinks)
- 6 nights in a boutique or luxury hotel in Cairo (4 to 5 star), including breakfast
- 1 night in a comfortable desert camp at Bahariya (with dinner & breakfast)
- 2 nights in a hotel at the Red Sea (4 to 5 star), including breakfast
- Entrance fees for all monuments and museums in the programme
- All airport and hotel transfers
- Your personal contact is easy to reach throughout your trip
Not included
- International flights to/from Cairo or the Red Sea
- Travel insurance (we recommend comprehensive cancellation and medical cover)
- Drinks on board the Nile cruise
- Dinners in hotels outside the desert camp (breakfast included)
- Personal expenses
- Tips
- Egyptian visa
- Separate tickets, such as for the interior of the Great Pyramid
- Optional: snorkelling or diving at the Red Sea
Extensions
Optional additions.
Give your trip an extra dimension. All options are planned on request and woven seamlessly into the programme.
- Hot-air balloon over Luxor at sunrise
- Snorkelling or diving at the Red Sea: reef or wreck dives
- Extended stay at the Red Sea (+2 to 5 nights)
- Felucca sail on the Nile at Aswan
- Visit to the Nubian village near Aswan
- Coptic Cairo & Islamic architecture in depth (+half a day)
Why Egypt Travel Planner
Planned for you.
Not for a crowd.
No off-the-shelf tour: we plan every route for you alone, with your own driver and your own Egyptologist.
Private Egyptologists as your guides
No group tour, no compromises. You travel with a certified, English-speaking Egyptologist who tells the stories that match your interests.
Fully tailor-made
Every day in this programme is a proposal, not an obligation. Pace, hotels and excursions are adapted entirely to you.
One personal contact
From your first question until your flight home, the same person looks after you and is easy to reach. No call centres, no delays.
Financially protected
Your trip is covered by VZR Garant and the Dutch Calamity Fund, the statutory guarantee schemes of a European tour operator. You book with financial certainty.
Lars Janssen
Founder & Egypt travel specialist
Your personal travel planner
Lars plans this trip personally.
Lars knows the route, the hotels and the people on the ground. He puts your trip together himself and stays in direct contact while you travel. Ask your question and you will always get a personal answer.
“The service is excellent; we got quick answers to changes even though we booked shortly before departure, and the price was lower than with other providers. Lars thinks along with you and comes up with good alternatives. We had a wonderful trip.”
“Everything was perfectly organised from start to finish! A fantastic travel company, they were very helpful and everything was open for discussion. We are coming back next year. Highly recommended.”
These reviews come from the Google profile of Origins Travel Group, the company behind Egypt Travel Planner, and are translated from Dutch. So far they are about our tours in Oman. The same team plans your trip to Egypt. We show a selection. Read all reviews on Google.
Read all 36 reviews on GoogleFrequently asked questions
Got a question?
Is the White Desert safe?
Yes. The Bahariya Oasis and the White and Black Deserts are established destinations, also for couples and families, provided you travel with a recognised operator. We work with a recognised local desert operator, drive in four-wheel-drive vehicles with experienced desert guides and arrange the permits the route requires. Should the route be closed at short notice, we agree an alternative with you. The desert camp is spacious and well equipped. Read more in our guide Is Egypt safe?
How comfortable is the desert camp?
We use comfortable tented camps with real beds, bedding, hot meals and toilets. It is not a luxury hotel, but it is more than comfortable. And the night sky more than makes up for it.
Is Abu Simbel really worth it?
Yes, Abu Simbel is worth it, and "worth it" is an understatement. It is one of the most impressive places in the world. The four 20-metre statues of Ramesses II, the reliefs inside, the setting on Lake Nasser: it is a visit that stays with people for life. From Aswan you drive there with your private driver in about three hours. With an early start you are back in the afternoon.
Can I skip the Alexandria day?
Yes, certainly. Alexandria is a special addition but not a compulsory part of the route. If you would rather have an extra day in Cairo or more rest, we adapt the route. The trip then becomes 13 days.
Who is this 14-day trip for?
This trip is for travellers who want to experience Egypt in full: the historic treasures, the desert, the temples and the Red Sea. If you do not want to compromise on what is and is not in the trip, this is the most complete route we offer as a starting point.
Other routes
Discover more routes.
Read on
Practical information for this tour.
Is Egypt safe?
An honest assessment of the current situation for culture travellers, with practical advice.
Dahabiya Nile cruise
Small and quiet on the Nile: the stylish alternative to the classic cruise ship between Luxor and Aswan.
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.
Best time to visit Egypt
Month by month: when Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea are at their most comfortable.
Ready to start?
Let's talk about your Adventurous Egypt trip.
Tell us what you are looking for. We will think along on route, duration, hotels, guides and budget, with no obligation. No standard tour, no commitment. Just a conversation.
Reply within one working day · No obligation · VZR Garant & Calamity Fund