Smart Tour Egypt
(Cairo, Oasis & Luxor 11 days)
Come meet the real Kings and Pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Visit their temples and tombs for an authentic and unique experience, available nowhere else in the world. Stand in the shadow of the Great Pyramid and examine the massive stones and strong construction. Discover and envision how the people of this land lived thousands of years ago.
Come witness life in today’s modern Cairo. Meet the local people; shop in the exotic bazaars. Discover adventure in the desert with the Bedouins, see the magical desert sand, the sea and stare at the stars in the desert moonlight. Breathe the adventure and enjoy the highlights of Egypt.
This itinerary is designed for the traveler that loves adventure and enjoys new experiences. The schedule is busy and action packed, allowing us to provide many great opportunities. If you are hoping for leisure and solitude you might want to consider a different program. Of course, you have the freedom to customize your personal experience of our itinerary by utilizing the excursion time as you like. You may choose to participate in our pre-arranged activities, or you can take the time to enjoy some freedom on your own.
And, be sure, your tour guide is always available to assist the group, help with anything and provide directions and all the information you will need. So are you hungry for adventure and action? Then get ready, pack your bags and let’s fly to Egypt and let your journey begin.
Itinerary
Day (1-3) Cairo
Day (4) Bahariya Oasis
Day (5) White desert
Day (6) Dakhla Oasis
Day (7) Kharga Oasis
Day (8-10) Luxor
Day (11) Cairo
Itinerary Day by Day
Day (1–3) : Cairo
Your trip begins at the International Airport in Cairo. As your plane lands, our Rep will be waiting for you, to assist and help you with any visa issues, baggage collection and gather the members of the group. It is possible that other group members may arrive separately and will join you later at the hotel. The hotel check in time is always between 12:00 and 14:00 afternoon and check out is at 12:00 noon time.
Once together, your guide will meet with the whole group to give a briefing about plans for the whole trip. You will discuss what is being planned, the excursions available, the prices and all the data you need.
The first three days are flexible for many options. You might choose to start your visit at the Pyramids of Giza, which belong to the 4th dynasty over 4000 years ago. You can continue to follow history by visiting the most famous King in Egyptian history (Tut Ankh Amun) and his famous golden mask in the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities in Downtown Cairo. Here you can also visit the room of the Mummies and learn how the ancient Egyptians mummified the bodies of their Kings and Queens, preparing them for their journey into the afterlife. You can also make a short trip outside Cairo to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid that belonged to the King Zoser, the founder of the 3rd dynasty.
While in Downtown Cairo, you can witness the local life of the city, notice beautiful architecture, and go for a walk at sunset along the Nile. You will find the streets are full of shops, bazaars and coffee shops. Don’t miss the Old Islamic area of Cairo, especially the infamous Khan el Khalili bazaar. Nearby is the Citadel of Saladin, one of the Sultans who lived in the 12th century. He picked this spot to be the place for his Castle, his soldiers, and to defend Egypt from invaders.
Your guide will arrange a special visit to factories and bazaars where you can shop for authentic ancient Egyptian products. For instance, at the gallery for Papyrus (papers), you will be shown how the ancient Egyptians made paper to write the messages and instructions of the Kings.
Day (4): Bahariya Oasis
After an early morning breakfast, we will leave Cairo behind and travel several hours by highway into the Western desert. Here, we will reach the 1st oasis in our trip, Bahariya, where you will enjoy seeing beautiful green land, vegetables and fruits. At our camp, we will eat lunch and enjoy some rest time, talking and playing some fun games as a group. If time permits, it is possible that the guide could take you to see one of the springs at the oasis.
Day (5): White Desert
This morning, we will begin moving toward the White desert. Our first leg of the journey will take us through the Black desert and the Crystal mountain. You will be amazed with the beauty of the mountains and sands surrounding you on both sides of the road. As we reach the White desert, you will find views of naturally formed, wind carved rock formations resembling small hills and beautiful mushroom shapes.
This evening, the Bedoins will cook and serve dinner in their unique style. We will relax on mattresses by the camp fire and enjoy music and some fun games. As the night sky darkens, we will sleep in the open air under the bright stars. If we are lucky, we will have a full moon to enjoy a romantic and serene mood.
Day (6): Dakhla Oasis
After completing breakfast, we will continue our travels toward Dakhla oasis. Here we can visit the museum of Badr, who is a skillful self-taught artist creating beautiful paintings and sculptures depicting wildlife and objects found in the desert. If time permits there may be opportunity to visit another hot spring in the area. We will continue on to the palace of Al Qasr, one of the small medieval villages. Here you can wander through a labyrinth of narrow corridors and roads currently being restored.
At our camp in Dakhla oasis, we will have lunch. There is an option to upgrade your rooms for the evening and at night join the Bedouins for dinner and if we are lucky be entertained by their music.
Day (7): Kharga Oasis
Our day can begin before or after breakfast with an optional camel trip into the desert. This is a unique opportunity to experience the excitement of the Bedouin life; to be in the middle of nowhere riding a majestic camel and feeling the exhilaration of the moment. It is fun for the whole group to see each other taking pictures and chatting together from the humps of the camels. At the conclusion of our camel ride, we will return to camp and prepare to venture on toward our last oasis (El Kharga). There is also the possibility for another visit to the springs, if our schedule permits. This evening we will see the sunset and sand dunes, and sleep another beautiful evening in the open air.
Day (8–10) : Luxor
After breakfast, we will say goodbye to the oasis and travel toward Luxor, it is possible to make a stop to visit one of the temples along the way.
After arriving at our hotel in Luxor, we can rest and enjoy our lunch. Depending on the group’s preferences we can arrange for an optional excursion such as the Sound & Light show of Karnak temple, or visiting the temple itself. It is one of the biggest temples in Egypt. 3 km away is the Luxor temple, which was an extension of the Karnak temple, but with time has become separated. Both temples were made by the Egyptian kings on the eastern bank of the river Nile.
The Museum of Luxor is the other face of the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. It has a smaller collection on exhibit which is distinctively organized. Also, the museum is less crowded and displays the statues more clearly.
On the West bank of the Nile, the City of the Dead is one of the remarkable spots in Egyptian history. Here you can tour the Valley of the Kings containing the tombs of the kings of the New Kingdom. You will be fascinated by the beauty of the colors that were painted thousands of years ago and still look just as fresh as if they were painted yesterday. You will view the designs uniquely created by each King as well as the magical spells inscribed on the walls for safety and protection. The tombs are all located in the heart of the valley, between mountains made of limestone.
Nearby, you can also find the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of the few females who managed to rule Egypt as a queen. She chose this spot also in the heart of the mountain to be near the kings, and dedicated her temple to the God Amun Re.
Additionally, we can visit the two statues of Memnon, or visit the Valley of Nobles or Queens. A balloon trip is also possible, to see the city from the top and the two banks of the river. Shopping in Luxor is well known for products of silver and alabaster stone. Your guide can help you find opportunities to buy these quality products, in workshops and also in the market street (el Souq).
Day 11: Cairo
After completing our excursions in Luxor, we will board a train back to Cairo during the night. We will arrive in Cairo in the early morning and will stay at the hotel one more day. Your activities for this day are your choice, either with the group in a planned excursion, or just relax in your room, or whatever suits your needs. At night, the car will deliver you to the airport for your safe return trip home. We know you will take home many wonderfully memories of Egypt, the group and your guide. We hope that you enjoy your tour so much that you will be excited to plan another trip back to us very soon.