Cairo Luxor itinerary - Spectacular desert views

Between Sahara and Pharaohs

Cairo to Luxor itinerary

Travel from the busy city streets of Egypt to the vast emptiness of the Western Desert. Our itinerary Between Sahara and Pharaohs will take you on an adventurous trip made interesting by contrasts. You'll start out by visiting the largest pyramids on Giza's plateau and Cairo's most charismatic suburbs. Then you'll leave the sights and sounds of the city behind as you enter the intense silence of the night time desert and encounter the timeless charm of medieval desert oasis towns. The immense sandy plains of the desert bring about such a feeling of peace, tranquillity and freedom, that any stress or worries you may have will quickly drift away.

This Cairo Luxor itinerary ends with a relaxing visit to the rural west bank of Luxor. You won't have to travel far to see the sights here; some of the most awe-inspiring temples are just around the corner from your guest house.

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Duration	9 days/ 8 nights	Accommodation	A city hotel in Cairo with a warm & inviting atmosphere, Bedouin hotels and a rural hotel in Luxor, comfort level 3 and 1 night of camping in the White Desert Comfort levels 3 and 1 (see accommodation)
Price	Please see our Contact Us page for more details	Includes	Airport transfer, accommodation with breakfast, excursions as described, entrance fees, transport and an English-speaking guide
Transport	Private transport by minibus and 4x4	Excludes	Flight (domestic and international), visa, other meals and tips

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo

It's about a 4.5 hour flight from the UK to Cairo. On your arrival at Cairo Airport you'll be greeted by our local representative. He or she will arrange a visa for your passport and will assist with customs formalities.

Once your suitcase has rolled through baggage claim, you'll head towards your small city hotel in the heart of Cairo. If you would like some advice on where to go for great meals and which neighbourhoods you should visit to catch a glimpse of the local way of life, don't hesitate to ask our representative. If you would like him or her to guide you through the city on your first evening of the Cairo Luxor itinerary, just ask and he/ she will join you. It's customary to tip the representative at the end of the evening if they do show you around.

Cairo Luxor itinerary - Streets of Cairo

Cairo Luxor itinerary - The iconic sphinx

Day 2: The pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and Saqqara

Early in the morning our driver will pick you up and drive you towards Giza. After about 20 minutes of city traffic you'll start to see two of the three pyramids appear. They're both extraordinary and impressive. We've arranged for an English-speaking guide to join you, tell you the interesting stories behind the pyramids and to take care of the entrance fees for you (all included in the price of this module). After you've seen the pyramids you can walk towards the legendary Sphinx. It may be a little smaller than you may have expected, but nonetheless... it's still an incredible sight.

After lunch on the Cairo Luxor itinerary you'll continue on to Saqqara. Relatively few tourists come to this site, mostly because tourists usually book tour packages that only include the pyramids of Giza. You may not see as many tourists here, but that doesn't make this area any less impressive. To this day Saqqara is the largest archaeological site in Egypt with many hidden treasures still buried beneath the sand. At the end of the day your driver will take you back to your hotel in Cairo and you'll say good bye to both your guide and driver. It's customary to tip both. Perhaps after a refreshing shower, you may want to head into the city to experience the modern day Egyptian way of life.

Day 3: Cairo - Bahariya Oasis

This morning you'll head out of Cairo, leaving the steaming streets of Egypt's capital behind you. As soon as you leave the city you'll see the pyramids and rugged rock formations start to loom in the horizon. You'll cross through the immense desert in a minibus with airconditioning... a must in the scorching heat. After driving for about 4 hours you'll arrive at Bahariya, where you'll have time to recuperate from the drive in your hotel room.

The Bahariya Oasis is the smallest of 4 oases that you'll visit the next few days. It's a popular pit stop at the beginning of tours in the White Desert. A tropical palm tree valley makes for quite a bizarre sight in the midst of arid dunes and rock formations. Your guide will take you to the hot steaming and cool natural springs at the edge of the desert in the afternoon. This is where you'll see the sun slowly start to set into the horizon, as a magical glow is cast over the desert. This marks your first night of the Cairo Luxor itinerary in the Western Desert.

Cairo Luxor itinerary - The Bahariya oasis

Cairo Luxor itinerary - The white desert

Day 4: Bahariya - White Desert

After breakfast at your hotel a jeep will take you to the White Desert. Along the way your guide will show you several interesting spots near the Bahariya Oasis. You'll descend into the hidden valley of the golden mummies, you'll feel your spirits start to rise in the temple of Alexander and you'll hear all about the myths of the ancient crypts. Afterwards you'll pass through a part of the prehistoric Black Desert with its charcoal-basalt rocks twinkling in the sunlight before reaching the White Desert. The landscape is filled with white rocks rising up from the golden sands.

Tonight on the Cairo Luxor itinerary you'll spend in a desert bivouac. There are sleeping bags to keep you warm as your mattress of sand cools down during the night. Both your guide and driver are of Bedouin decent, nomads who trek through the desert and sleep in tents. They will prepare a traditional campfire feast for you to dine on as another day of this Cairo to Luxor itinerary comes to an end. Fancy a night with nothing but air between you and the stars? Simply make your bed in the sand and count the stars until you fall fast asleep.

Day 5: White Desert - Farafra Oasis - Dakhla Oasis

After camp is packed away and you've had breakfast, you'll travel south to the Farafra Oasis. At the end of the last century this valley at the edge of the desert was hardly accessible. Only camels could plough through the warm sand to bring people here. Now there's a paved road to take you there, but the area's laidback friendly atmosphere is still very much intact.

In the afternoon, you'll leave village life behind you and head towards the Dakhla Oasis and the town of Mut. You'll see the landscape change from sand dunes to gravel desert and green grasslands. Once you arrive, you'll have some time to settle in at your hotel.

Later on in the afternoon your guide will take you on a trip back in time to the Roman temple of Deir al-Haggar and the narrow streets of the medieval town of Al-Qasr. Stroll past historic homes with elegant writing and engraved symbols on doors and beams, past tombs and centuries old mosques. Al-Qasr was once the centre of the Dakhla Oasis and an Islamic settlement with Roman Empire roots.

Day 6: Dakhla Oasis - Kharga Oasis

On route from Dakhla to Kharga you'll pass several interesting villages worth visiting. The first village on your route is Balat. This village with traditional Islamic architecture lies near the 'City of the Dead', Qila al-Dabba. This is where 40 men took exactly 763 days to build a pyramid-shaped tomb for a member of a dynasty that lived over 2000 years BC. A little further down the route you'll find the town of Bahendi where the myth of the medieval Indian prince that named the town is still very much alive. After his death he was placed in a tomb at the cheerfully coloured cemetery.

As you get closer to Kharga the last bits of greenery will make way for rocks and flat gravel and sand dunes. The town of Kharga is very lively; it's a sneak peak at a more modern Egypt. The oasis, however, still has plenty of historic attractions that reflect the ancient Egyptian civilisation that once was found here. After you arrive at your hotel in Kharga and drop off your bags, your guide will show you several of these special places around town. Your guide will take you to the hill-top temple of Amon for a spectacular view of the setting sun. The perfect magical ending for day 6 on your Cairo Luxor itinerary.

Dag 7: Kharga Oasis - Luxor West Bank

Today your Cairo Luxor itinerary brings you to Luxor. Before you start off on the 2 hour drive from Kharga to Luxor, you'll stop off at the impressive Roman fortress at Qasr el-Ghueita.

Luxor, located on the fertile banks of the Nile is known as the 'the ancient kingdom capital'. One of our local representatives will be waiting for you on your arrival. He or she will answer any questions you may have and you can make arrangements with him/her for your visit to Karnak tomorrow. We try not to arrange set times for these visits since this is your holiday and you decide what time you want to get up in the morning. Karnak is a popular tourist attraction and is usually crowded with tourists. That's why we recommend visiting Karnak very early in the morning at around 7:30 or at lunch time around 13:00.

During our trips here we found a good restaurant with a great ambience where you can order mouth-watering Egyptian cuisine, restaurant Sofra. It's located in one of the side streets behind the boulevard.

Cairo Luxor itinerary - The tomb of Tutankhamun

Day 8: Treasures of the West bank - Valley of the Kings

Our driver will be waiting on the West Bank pier to drive you through winding mountain roads to the Valley of the Kings. In ancient Egypt, this was considered a holy burial place for Pharaohs. So far 63 tombs have been discovered. Unfortunately most of these tombs were plundered a very long time ago. Howard Carter discovered the only tomb that had not been plundered, Tutankhamun's tomb, and became famous. Ten graves are open to the public every day. The corridors of the tombs are covered with colourful hieroglyphics and often run deep into the mountain revealing secret halls and chambers.

After visiting the Valley of the Kings, you can ask your guide for advice on what you could visit on your own. Visit the famous temple of Hatshepsut, tombs of prominent Egyptians, the Valley of the Queens, Deir el Medina (home of the temple and tomb builders) and more. At the end of the day you'll be dropped off at our comfortable family run hotel at the edge of the village. Enjoy dinner on your hotel's rooftop-terrace, surrounded by the tranquillity of the countryside.

Day 9: Departure from Luxor - End of your Cairo Luxor itinerary

Today is your last day in Luxor. This morning you'll be collected from your hotel and taken to the airport in Luxor where you'll board a plane to Cairo and then you'll fly on to the UK. This marks the end of your adventurous Cairo Luxor itinerary through the land of the pharaohs.

Cairo Luxor itinerary - Wave goodbye to your new friends!