Excursions
Things to do in Egypt
Egypt Excursions:
At Egypt Escapes we can offer a variety of in-resort excursions to make your holiday to Egypt extra special. These can be added to our popular Nile Cruise & Stay tours or with just a hotel stay. Here is a list of our most popular excursions, scroll down for details & full descriptions as well as some resort guides.
Nile Cruise Luxor-Aswan Excursions Packages:
Nile Cruise Full Sightseeing Package from £220pp Generally Includes: Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings (Tutankhamen), Hatshepsut Temple, Collossi of Memnon, Kom Ombo Temple, Khnum Temple in Esna, Philae Temple in Aswan, High Dam of Aswan. English speaking tour guide (Egyptologist) at all tours. All ground transportation by modern A/C vehicles.
Nile Cruise Light Sightseeing Package from £180pp Generally Includes: Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Khnum Temple in Esna, Philae Temple, Aswan High Dam. English speaking tour guide (Egyptologist) at all tours. All ground transportation by modern A/C vehicles.
Extra excursions available to book on your Nile Cruise with our in-resort Egyptologists include Abu Simbel (approx £115pp), Sound & Light Show (approx £28pp), Kalabsha Temple (approx £38pp), Hot Air Balloon (approx £120pp), Felucca (traditional Egyptian Nile boat) Ride (approx £12pp). Excursions may differ depending on circumstances. Please ask our ‘Egypt Experts’ if you require more details.
Lake Nasser Cruises: 3 & 4-night Lake Nasser Cruises are available from Aswan-Abu Simbel and vice-versa. Sail aboard MS Eugenie, MS Nubian Sea or MS Omar El Khayam enjoying sites such as Temple of Kalabsha and Temple of Beit el Wali, Temple of Amada & Abu Simbel itself. Prices start from £899pp. Please contact us for more details.
Nile Cruise Luxor-Aswan Typical Itinerary:
Our Nile Cruise Ships send you on a fabulous journey on one of the world’s longest and beautiful rivers. The Nile River.
1st Day Luxor (Nile Cruise) Meet and greet at airport to assist you through the immigration formalities, (please look for Meeting Point rep at the airport) transfers to the ship and embarkation on the cruise ship in Luxor, overnight on board in Luxor.
2nd Day Luxor (Nile Cruise) Early morning Visit of the East Bank, Karnak temple and Luxor Temple. Lunch on the cruise. Noon time sailing to Edfu. Dinner and Overnight on board in Edfu.
3rd Day Nile Cruise Early sailing around 09 AM to Kom Ombo and visit Sobek Temple around 16HRS. After visit sailing to Aswan. arrival around 21HRS, dinner and overnight on board in Aswan.
4th Day Nile Cruise Early Morning start visiting Aswan by visiting the High Dam and Philae temple. Afternoon at leisure-chance to explore Aswan or try our (optional) excursion to the Nubian village or simply have a ride on a Camel along the Nile arranged by our guide on the spot. Overnight on board in Aswan.
5th Day Nile Cruise Early morning (Optional) visit to the famous temple of Abu Simbel in the south of Aswan or you can just spend a relaxed morning on the sun deck, after noon sailing (around 14 HRS) back north to Edfu and arrival (around 21HRS) overnight on board in Edfu.
6th Day Nile Cruise In the morning sailing to Esna, around (10HRS) Visit Temple of Khnum, then you will have time to relax and enjoy the cruise as you sail downstream to Luxor, (arrival 14.30HRS) after noon possibility to join our (optional) City tour to the heart of the city of Luxor, overnight on board in Luxor.
7th Nile Cruise Morning excursion to West Bank including Valley of the Kings, Hatschpust temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Evening visit to the sound and light show at Karnak temple (optional), Dinner and Overnight on board in Luxor.
8th Day Nile Cruise Breakfast on the cruise then transfer to airport to for your home bound flight. Possible extension at Beach hotel in Hurghada or Marsa Alam.
Things to do in Hurghada
Cairo, Giza, Pyramids, Great Sphinx & Museum Day Trip by Coach from £152pp: No holiday in Egypt is complete without a visit to Cairo, the greatest city in Africa! From just £152pp you can add on a trip from your Hurghada Hotel to Cairo & the famous Pyramids of Giza, one of the ‘7 Wonders of the Ancient World!’ Watch the sun rise on the way to visit the Giza Pyramids & the Great Sphinx. Learn all you need to know about the Pyramids of Giza & new Egyptian Museums (including National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation & Grand Egyptian Museum, both opening in 2021) from your qualified English speaking Egyptologist. Enjoy lunch at a top class restaurant & modern day Cairo shopping opportunities before heading back to your Red Sea Hotel! This tour is included as part of our ‘Egypt Explorer’ tour.
Cairo, Giza, Pyramids, Great Sphinx & Museum Day Trip by Air from £299pp: Departure for the airport is approximately 2-hours before take-off depending on the hotel location. A 1-hour flight to Cairo, meet the rep at Cairo Airport. Between 10 and 12 hours are spent in Cairo with the guide, following the same itinerary as the above day trip by coach. 1-hour flight back to Hurghada.
Cairo/Giza Overnight Trip from £349pp: Extend your stay in Cairo/Giza to include an overnight stay in a luxury hotel with meals included and a luxurious Pyramid view room!
Additional excursion options from Cairo area include: Day Trip to Memphis, Sakkara & Dahshour (£62pp), Sound & Lights at Pyramids (£40pp),
Things to do in Sharm-el-Sheikh
With all the amazing things to do in Sharm El Sheikh you will have an unforgettable Egypt vacation.
Beautiful beaches, camel rides and spectacular marine life are some of the best Sharm El Sheikh activities you can enjoy on your travels in Egypt.
The beaches and marine life are undoubtedly the highlight. A glass bottom boat ride is fab. Enjoy the shopping too!
You will have lots of choice to choose from accommodation wise. There are many all-inclusive hotels in this area that come complete with meals, accommodation and entertainment.
We have lots of excursion opportunities available from your Red Sea Riviera Hotel including: Luxor Day Trip with Egyptologist (£220pp), boat trips to Red Sea Islands (£42pp), Quad Biking (£42pp), Submarine Trips (£41pp), Jeep Safaris (£47pp), Scuba Diving Courses (from £59pp), Abu Dabab Beach (£30pp) & Aqua Parks (£58pp).
PADI Diving Course in English, 4 Day Course from just £269pp: Dive like a PRO! It’s easy! Choose a diving course and in just 4 days you have the chance to be a professional diver. On your first day take a full theoretical training and then try your skills with your first beach dive. Spend the next two days at sea and dive from the boat. Go down to 10 m depth and admire all those colourful fish and coral reefs. On our last day, sit the exam and then…you’re a PRO!
Jordan by Air 2-Nights Trip from £499pp: Fly to Amman in Jordan & spend 2-nights staying in your choice of luxury hotel with possibilities to visit ancient sites such as Petra, Little Petra, The Dead Sea & Wadi Rum. Our ‘Egypt & Jordan’ tour can be tailored for you to enjoy both countries in more depth.
Egypt Visas: British passport holders travelling to Egypt normally require a visa. For visits of up to 30 days, you can get a visa on arrival by payment in Sterling, US Dollars or Euros; the visa fee is US$25 at approved bank kiosks within airport arrival halls, before reaching immigration counters. We recommend paying on arrival in sterling. A £20 note per person will suffice with some small change in Egyptian currency being handed back in return which is useful for tipping a bag carrier or so.
Egypt Excursions Detail Description
Karnak Temple: From Luxor – Walk among the avenue of the sphinxes between the Karnak and Luxor Temples and enjoy an experience you will never forget. Karnak Temple is dedicated to the god Amonis and it is divided into three areas separated by rough brick walls. It is the largest temple supported by columns in the world!
Luxor Temple: Walk among the colossal temple of Amun Ra and the avenue of the sphinxes between the Karnak and Luxor temples, an experience you will never forget. The Temple of Luxor is among the most beautiful Temples in the world, it contains structures from many periods, the earliest dating from the 12th Dynasty.
Esna Temple: Esna is about 55km, south of Luxor and lies on the west bank of the Nile. It was the ancient city of Senat, called Latopolis by the Greeks. The “city of the fish” where the Nile perch was worshipped.
Edfu Temple: The Temple at Edfu was built using sandstone blocks. It is the best preserved of all the Egyptian temples and thusly is included in all the Nile Cruise itineraries.
Valley of the Kings: No Nile Cruise is complete without a visit to the great Valley of the Kings, where generations of Pharohs and Nobles were buried in crypts cut into the cliffs and guarded by the two huge Colossi of Memnon and Valley of the Queens.
Hatsepshut Temple: This Temple was built for the great Queen Hatshepsut, to commemorate her achievements and to serve as a funerary Temple for her, as well as a sanctuary of the God Amon Ra.
Kom Ombo Temple: The temple at Kom Ombo is about 48km north of Aswan and was built during the Greco-Roman period. The temple is unique because it is a double temple dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the falcon-headed god.
Kalabsha Temple: Kalabsha Temple is located at Lake Nasser, very closed to the high dam. It takes around 30 minutes driving from Aswan city, then to go on board of a motor boat from the dock for 15 minutes to reach the temple, as it is located above an island.
Aswan High Dam: Where Upper Egypt ends, visit the High Dam in Aswan, built in 1960-1971 to provide electricity to the villages along the Nile. Here you will also see the Unfinished Obelisk and the Temple of Isis on Philae Island.
Felucca Ride: Nile Cruise – Traditional Egyptian boats have been used to sail the Nile since ancient times when pharaohs ruled this stretch of paradise.
Abu Simbel (pictured below): From Aswan – Carved out of a mountain, four gigantic statues of Ramses II wait to impress. Built as a show of strength these statues gaze across Lake Nasser and guard the fabulous temple.
Tour to Abu Simbel from Aswan
Cairo from Hurghada: Enjoy Giza Pyramids, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, which also includes the Great Sphinx. Your guide is a qualified Egyptologist who’ll be bursting with information and ready to answer your questions. Then reflect on your incredible morning over an inclusive lunch in a top class restaurant. Before visit to Egyptian Museum and Khan El Khalili Bazar.
Sound & Lights at The Pyramids: Want a truly unforgettable evening of entertainment in Cairo? Then don’t miss the world-famous Pyramids Sound and Light Show in Giza!
Memphis, Sakkara & Dashour: The first real pyramid in Egypt, the ‘Red Pyramid’ and its first try the Bent Pyramid in Dahshur. The world’s earliest stone monument was built at Saqqara in 2650 BC! Nearby the ancient capital Memphis was built around 3,100 BC, symbolically located at the spot where the Nile Delta meets the river valley, thus serving as a bridge, unifying the lands of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Scuba Diving Courses: From Hurghada – Dive like a PRO! It’s easy! Choose a diving course from INTRO to PRO. In just 4 days you have the chance to be a professional diver!
Abu Dabab Beach: From Marsa Alam – A long sandy beach and coral reefs, one of the most exciting dive and snorkel sites through many reefs, there you have the chance to see sea cow, turtles, and dolphins.
Giftun & Paradise Island: From Hurghada – Enjoy a day on the sea, admire the amazing marine life of the Red Sea and relax on the sandy beach of Paradise island, Egypt’s first eco project! The trip gives you the chance to spend two full hours admiring the fascinating underwater coral reefs and fish.
Amman City: From Jordan – Your visit includes sites and museums such as the Citadel. The area known as the Citadel sits on the highest hill in Amman, Jebel Al Qala’a (about 850m above sea level) and is the site of ancient Rabbath-Ammon.
Petra City: From Jordan – Petra is one of the 7 world wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enter the city through 1km long narrow gorge which is flanked either side by 80m high cliffs! Notice the dazzling colors and formations of the rocks. The site is massive and contains hundreds of elaborated rock-cut tombs, a treasury, Roman-style theatres, temples, sacrificial altars and colonnaded streets.
Wadi Rum: From Jordan – Head to explore Wadi Rum on a 1.30 hour jeep ride into the Jordanian desert! Wadi Rum was best described by T.E. Lawrence as ‘Vast, echoing and god-like’, and by the locals as ‘Valley of the Moon’.
The Dead Sea: From Jordan – The water in the Dead Sea holds healing qualities & is extremely salty, and has been estimated to be the second saltiest major body of water in the world. Its name is derived from the fact that the water is far too salinated for marine inhabitation.
Egypt Holidays Resorts
Hurghada Holidays – The cosmopolitan resort of Hurghada is the capital of the Red Sea Riviera, where beautiful beaches, vibrant nightclubs and world-class diving destinations await.
Makadi Bay Holidays – Will find you taking in one of the Red Sea Riviera’s most beautiful, secluded resorts just 22 miles from the teeming city of Hurghada. A diver’s paradise, the warm waters here are home to some fabulous reefs and aquatic fauna.
Soma Bay Holidays – Another of the up-and-coming all inclusive holiday resorts you’ll find dotted along the Red Sea. Surrounded by sea on three sides, it’s in a truly special location. The golden beaches here are amazing.
Sahl Hasheesh Holidays – A purpose-built resort that oozes luxury and enchantment. World-famous for its superb diving and snorkelling, its biggest attraction is the Sunken City, which attracts myriad species of underwater life and is perfect for novice divers.
El Gouna Holidays – Arabic for “the lagoon”, El Gouna is a sophisticated beachfront resort town built on a series of islands and lagoons connected by canals. It lies 30km north of Hurghada.
Safaga Holidays – Boasting some of the best beaches in Egypt, Safaga is the ideal place to head to for a lazy break beside the Red Sea. An alluring coastline. Safaga sits along a slick coastline, which is said to be home to some of Egypt’s finest beaches.
Marsa Alam Holidays – Egypt’s most southerly resort, Marsa Alam is also one of the Red Sea’s newest. There are over 50km of unspoiled coastline with palm trees and soft white beaches that give a tropical feel. The pristine coral reefs and their abundance of colourful wildlife are a draw for divers and snorkellers alike.
Luxor Holidays – The perfect place for culture lovers, Luxor is a fascinating city filled with ancient ruins, tombs and much more. It is also the departure point for most Nile Cruises.
Cairo Holidays – Known to its inhabitants as Um ad-Dunya meaning ‘Mother of the World’, Egypt’s capital city of Cairo combines a rich tapestry of ancient relics, world-famous museums and mind-defying monuments with a fast-paced urban lifestyle found in the heart of this frenetic metropolis.
Jordan Holidays – Jordan offers some of the best preserved Roman architecture in the world – stunning UNESCO World Heritage sites, the lowest point on the surface of the Earth and idyllic beaches for a rejuvenating rest.