Package 7-Days 6-Nights Cairo Pyramids, Nile Cruise&Alexandria by Sleeper Train

Egypt by train, boat, and ancient stone. This seven-day journey packs Cairo, Saqqara, Giza, Alexandria, Aswan, Luxor, and a three-night Nile cruise into one well-organized route. I like the private Egyptology guides and the smart north-to-south plan, which lets you see the pyramids before sailing through Egypt’s grandest temple country. I also like that airport, hotel, train station, and cruise transfers are arranged for you.

The main drawback is the pace. You spend two nights on sleeper trains, and the final day combines an early arrival in Cairo with a 12-hour Alexandria outing before your airport transfer. Entrance fees are extra, and you will need to pay most of them by card, so this is not a fully all-inclusive price.

Key points to know before booking

• The route covers Egypt’s major sights: Giza, Saqqara, Alexandria, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor.
• Three nights are spent on a five-star Nile cruise: meals and sightseeing are included, but drinks and WiFi cost extra.
• Two overnight sleeper trains save hotel nights: the Cairo to Aswan journey takes about 12 to 14 hours.
• The final day is especially demanding: you go from Cairo to Alexandria and return to Cairo Airport in roughly 12 hours.
• The guides are a major strength: Ismail Haroun receives especially warm praise for his help and personal attention.
• The $1,200 price includes a lot, but not everything: entry tickets, visa, tips, drinks, WiFi, and personal costs remain outside the package.

A fast but smart introduction to Egypt

This tour is designed for you if you want to see the main sights without arranging every taxi, train, hotel, and guide yourself. It links the country’s great ancient sites in a sensible order, beginning with Cairo and moving south toward Aswan and Luxor.

You also get a useful mix of transport. Air-conditioned vehicles handle local transfers, sleeper trains connect Cairo with the Nile Valley, and the cruise carries you between Aswan and Luxor. That means less time repacking between hotels, though the train journeys are a real part of the trip rather than a minor detail.

The tour accepts a maximum of 20 people, while the Cairo and Alexandria sightseeing is described as private with an English-speaking Egyptology guide. That combination gives you some personal attention at the important sites while keeping the cruise portion more social.

The timing requires stamina. Day two includes Saqqara and Giza before an evening train, day six covers the major sights around Luxor before another overnight train, and day seven sends you straight to Alexandria. You will see a great deal, but you should not expect long, lazy mornings every day.

Day 1: A gentle arrival in Cairo

Your arrival begins with a pickup at Cairo International Airport and a transfer to a four-star Cairo hotel. A representative meets you at the airport, and a welcome meeting explains the plan for the week.

The rest of the day is free. That flexibility matters after a long flight. If you arrive early, you can pay extra for a sound and light show at the pyramids or a Nile dinner cruise with a show in downtown Cairo.

Neither option is required, and keeping the first evening quiet may be the wiser choice. The next morning starts your main sightseeing, and the tour soon becomes busy.

Day 2: Saqqara, Giza, and the overnight train

The pyramid day starts at Saqqara, the ancient capital site associated with the Step Pyramid of Djoser. Built around 4,800 years ago, this pyramid is older than the famous monuments at Giza and marks an important change in Egyptian funerary architecture.

I like beginning at Saqqara because it gives you a sense of development before you reach the better-known pyramids. Your guide can explain how Djoser’s monument fits into the story of Egyptian building, rather than treating every pyramid as a separate photo stop.

After about 90 minutes at Saqqara, you continue to the Giza Plateau. Here you see the pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycrenos, along with the Sphinx. The visit lasts about two hours, with time for views and photographs.

The pyramids are the day’s headline attraction, but your guide is important here. The site can feel overwhelming because of its scale and fame. A good explanation helps you look beyond the familiar postcard image and understand how the plateau was arranged.

Lunch is optional, so budget for it separately. Admission tickets are also not included. The tour provides transportation and guiding, but you should keep money available for site fees and food.

In the evening, you transfer to Cairo railway station for the sleeper train to Aswan. The trip takes about 12 to 14 hours. This saves a hotel night and moves you a long distance south, but it can be tiring. If you sleep lightly, consider paying extra to upgrade from the train to a flight.

Passport copies are required after booking because they are needed to purchase the sleeper train tickets. That is an important practical detail, not paperwork to leave until the last minute.

Day 3: Aswan, the High Dam, and Philae

You meet your guide at Aswan Railway Station and transfer to the cruise ship. Cruise check-in is scheduled before lunch, but if your train arrives early, sightseeing can begin before check-in so you are not left waiting in the lobby.

The first stop is the Aswan High Dam, built in the 1960s to help control flooding and generate electricity. It is a modern engineering project rather than an ancient monument, and it gives useful context for the creation of Lake Nasser and the relocation of important archaeological sites.

Next comes Philae Temple, reached by a small motorboat. The temple is dedicated to Isis and carries Greek and Roman-era features alongside older Egyptian traditions. The boat ride adds a pleasant change of pace after the train and vehicle transfers.

You return to the cruise for dinner, a folkloric show, and your first night on board. The cruise includes full-board meals from lunch on the first day through breakfast on the final morning.

An optional early morning trip to Abu Simbel is available. This is one of Egypt’s most important sites, and the tour explains that it was dismantled and rebuilt when Lake Nasser flooded the original location. The extra outing will make an already active schedule even longer, so think carefully about your energy before adding it.

Day 4: A slow cruise morning and Kom Ombo

Day four gives you some breathing room. After breakfast, you have free time on the deck before lunch and the afternoon sailing toward Kom Ombo.

That slower morning is one of the best parts of the cruise. You can watch the Nile scenery from the deck instead of moving from one monument to another. Since the first and final parts of the tour are tightly scheduled, these sailing hours help balance the week.

At Kom Ombo, you visit the unusual temple dedicated to two gods, Horus and Sobek. Horus has the form of a falcon, while Sobek is linked to a crocodile. The attached Crocodile Museum adds another layer to the visit.

The temple stop lasts about an hour before you return to the ship for dinner. The cruise then continues to Edfu for the night.

Entrance fees are not included, and most sightseeing fees must be paid by card. The High Dam and the motorboat to Philae are exceptions to that card requirement, so carry a payment card and some backup funds.

Day 5: Edfu’s Horus Temple and Luxor by night

After breakfast, a horse carriage takes you to Edfu Temple with your guide. The temple of Horus is considered one of Egypt’s best-preserved ancient temples, and its completeness makes it easier to picture how a major religious complex once looked.

The carriage ride is part of the transport plan, not an optional extra in the description. It also means you do not need to arrange your own ride through Edfu.

Back on the ship, you sail toward Luxor. Lunch, afternoon tea, and time on the sundeck give you another chance to watch the river scenery. The ship passes through the Esna lock before reaching Luxor.

Later, you visit Luxor Temple in the center of town. It is especially atmospheric after dark, when the complex is lit and its ancient Egyptian, Christian, and Islamic layers become easier to notice.

Dinner and a belly dancing show take place on board, followed by an overnight stay in Luxor. The day combines one major archaeological site with a relaxed stretch of sailing, which makes it less tiring than the first and final sightseeing days.

Day 6: The Valley of the Kings and Luxor’s great temples

After breakfast, you check out and cross to Luxor’s West Bank. The first stop is the Valley of the Kings, where pharaohs of the New Kingdom cut tombs into the hills in an effort to protect their burials and possessions.

The visit lasts about 90 minutes. Entry to specific tombs is not included, so ask your guide which tickets are needed and what each ticket covers. The tombs are the focus here, not grand exterior buildings, and the experience is different from the open-air temples visited elsewhere.

Next comes the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir El Bahari. Its setting against the cliffs makes it one of Luxor’s most recognizable monuments. You also stop for photographs at the Colossi of Memnon, the huge statues that mark the end of the West Bank portion.

Lunch at a local restaurant is optional. If you want a proper meal rather than a quick snack, include it in your daily budget.

The afternoon continues at Karnak Temple, one of the largest ancient religious complexes in Egypt. The hypostyle hall is the visual highlight, with 134 towering columns covered in carved scenes and inscriptions. The complex was once linked to Luxor Temple by a sphinx-lined avenue.

After Karnak, you transfer to Luxor Railway Station for the sleeper train back to Cairo. This is the second overnight train in the same trip. It is efficient, but it also means you finish one of the busiest sightseeing days without a normal hotel night.

Day 7: Alexandria’s long final day

You arrive at Cairo railway station and meet your guide for the full-day drive to Alexandria. The excursion lasts about 12 hours and ends with a return transfer to Cairo Airport.

Alexandria offers a sharp change from the pyramid and temple route. You visit the National Museum, see Greek and Roman remains, descend into the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, and visit the Roman Theater.

The Citadel of Qaitbay provides views from its 15th-century fortifications. You also have time to explore the New Alexandria Library at your own pace. The day gives you ancient ruins, later fortifications, and a modern cultural landmark in one sweep.

The drawback is obvious: this is a long finish after an overnight train. I would only book the Alexandria day if your departure flight leaves late enough to allow the planned airport transfer. The package says you can add extra nights in Cairo instead, which would let you visit Alexandria without tying it to your flight day.

What the $1,200 price really covers

At $1,200 per person, the package offers solid value for a seven-day route if you want most logistics arranged in advance. The price includes one hotel night in Cairo, three cruise nights, two sleeper train journeys, Cairo and Alexandria touring, cruise meals, guides, air-conditioned transfers, and airport pickup and drop-off.

The five-star cruise is the main value driver. You receive three nights of accommodation, full-board meals, and sightseeing between Aswan and Luxor. You also avoid arranging separate transport to Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor.

Still, do not mistake the price for an all-inclusive total. You must pay for:

• Egyptian entry visa
• Monument admission fees
• Tips for guides, drivers, and cruise crew
• Drinks and water on the cruise
• Cruise WiFi
• Optional meals and activities
• Personal expenses such as laundry

Prices are quoted in U.S. dollars per person and do not apply unchanged during Christmas, New Year, or Easter holiday periods. A single room requires booking for one person, while three people can share a triple room.

Guides, group size, and practical comfort

The English-speaking Egyptology guides are central to the value of this trip. Ismail Haroun receives especially strong praise for his help, personal attention, and ability to make people feel like family. Another positive point is the travel agent’s communication and willingness to accommodate requests.

The maximum group size is 20 people. Cairo and Alexandria are described as private guided tours, while the cruise gives you the chance to meet people from other countries, including the United States and United Kingdom.

Pickup is available from Cairo International Airport and hotels in Cairo or Giza. The tour is near public transportation, and most people can participate, but the schedule includes stairs, walking around archaeological sites, train transfers, and a horse carriage ride. The pace will suit an active visitor better than someone wanting a slow, restful holiday.

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the local start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded or accepted. The experience also requires a minimum number of participants, with an alternative date or full refund offered if that minimum is not reached.

Who should book this Egypt tour?

Book it if you want the major Egyptian sights in one tightly organized week and value having guides, transfers, trains, and a Nile cruise arranged together. It suits first-time visitors who would rather focus on the monuments than negotiate every transfer themselves.

It is also a good fit if you enjoy variety: pyramids one day, a sleeper train that night, temples by boat the next day, and Alexandria at the end.

Think twice if you need generous rest time, dislike overnight trains, or want every cost included before departure. I would also consider upgrading to flights if you know train sleep will leave you worn out.

For an energetic first look at Egypt, this is a strong package. Just budget for entrance fees and tips, protect your energy on the train days, and consider adding a Cairo night after Alexandria if your flight schedule allows it.

FAQ

How long is the Egypt tour?

The tour lasts approximately seven days and includes six nights.

What locations does the tour visit?

It visits Cairo, Saqqara, Giza, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Luxor, and Alexandria.

Is airport pickup included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off are available at Cairo International Airport, as well as at hotels in Cairo or Giza.

How many nights are spent on the Nile cruise?

The package includes three nights on a five-star Nile cruise.

Are cruise meals included?

Yes. Cruise meals are included from lunch on the first cruise day through breakfast on the final cruise morning.

Are drinks and WiFi included on the cruise?

No. Water, beverages, and WiFi are available for an additional charge.

Are monument entrance fees included?

No. Entry fees for the listed sights are not included. Most of these fees must be paid by card, except for the High Dam and the motorboat to Philae Temple.

How long are the sleeper train journeys?

The Cairo to Aswan sleeper train takes about 12 to 14 hours. A return sleeper train runs from Luxor to Cairo.

Can I replace the sleeper train with a flight?

Yes. A flight upgrade is available for an additional charge.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience begins for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted or refunded.