Day-to-day schedule
Day 1: Cairo
Welcome to Egypt!
Your tour starts in Cairo, where you can use your hotel room from check in time (12.00 hrs at noon) on day 1. Most of your travel companions will arrive later this first day or in the early morning of day 2, the exact time will be depending on their flight schedule. You will meet your English speaking tour leader at 8.00 hrs A.M. on day 2 in the lobby of your hotel.
Day 2: Cairo
Enjoy the bustling metropolis of Cairo on foot or by coach if you wish. Choose the optional visit to the amazing pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx built some 4,500 years ago. Cheops' pyramid is 139 meters high, the equivalent of a 45-storey block of flats and 100,000 men must have worked for 20 years to pile up 2.3 million blocks of stone weighing 2.5 tonnes each to create it.
After visiting the pyramids, we will drive to the old citadel and see the large mosque of Mohammed Ali before visiting the ancient part of Cairo, including the beautiful "Coptic" hanging church. The immense Egyptian Museum, full of ancient sarcophagi, mummies and of course the treasures of that most famous pharaoh, Tutankhamun is also well worth a visit, as is the medieval market of Khan Al-Khalili with its herb bazaars and cosy teahouses. (These are all optional excursions)
In the evening you are free to enjoy a wonderful meal at one of the many restaurants along the Nile and have a go at smoking from a delicious shisha pipe.
Day 3: Cairo
Continue to explore this fascinating city, the largest in Africa!
Day 4: Cairo - Bahariya Oasis - White Desert
After breakfast, we leave the bustle of Cairo behind and make our way into the desert.
After a few hours we will come across a vision of green on the horizon: the first oasis, Bahariyya, where date palms grow and labourers ride on their donkeys across richly covered fields. Have a relaxing lunch and in the afternoon we travel on to the Crystal Mountain, which is made entirely of shining quartz and an incredible spectacle.
Through the dark stones of the Black Desert we reach the surreal scenery of the White Desert where large limestone mushrooms rise up from the landscape. Dinner is prepared by the Bedouins while you relax and enjoy the stunning views. Spend the night on a mattress under the starry sky or under canvas.
Day 5: White Desert - Farafra Oasis - Dakhla Oasis
Today we cross the White Desert to the oasis of Farafra and. time permitting, take a walk amongst the greenery shaded by the date palms.
Visit the museum of the extraordinary artist, Mr Badr. An internationally renowned painter and sculptor; his eccentric and native style make his art very special. He will often guide his visitors around the museum and the adjacent sculpture garden.
Afterwards we’ll visit the old Islamic town which is a labyrinth of narrow alleys before spending the night in Dakhla in a Bedouin camp. At the end of the day you can take an optional camel trip or Jeep safari in the desert.
Day 6: Dakhla Oasis - Kharga Oasis
After breakfast we will visit the last oasis on this tour, Kharga. If you wish, there is an optional camel trip into the desert before your departure. Tonight we’ll sleep on a mattress in the open air with the sand dunes providing a soft base (blankets and wind break provided).
The Bedouins will prepare a delicious meal and will often try to teach you a game or show you a magic trick. The vast desert around you is ever-changing and both fascinating and mesmerising. Tonight's dinner is included in the price of the trip.
Day 7: Kharga Oasis - Aswan
Wake up to a simply stunning sunrise, after breakfast we travel in convoy via Luxor to Aswan and dine in one of the many restaurants along the Nile or have high tea in the stylish Old Cataract Hotel. This famous hotel offers a very special view of the Nile and Elephantine Island and radiates the atmosphere of colonial England.
Day 8: Aswan
Aswan is strategically located at the first cataract (rapids) of the Nile. Here, the valley is at its most beautiful with rocks and palm-covered islands in the river.
There are numerous temples, tombs and obelisks, a colourful bazaar and a beautiful botanical garden and the immense Aswan Dam nearby. A particularly interesting excursion you may like to consider is the temple of Philae dedicated to the goddess Isis, built on an island in the Nile.
A walk through one of the Nubian villages on the other side of the river is also worthwhile, or you may choose to visit Abu Simbel (optional). With the financial support of Unesco, this immense temple was moved when the dam that created Lake Nasser was constructed. This magnificent temple can be reached by coach or plane.
Day 9: Aswan
Enjoy Aswan for one last day before we take to the water!
Day 10: Felucca
In the morning we board a felucca, the traditional vessel in which the Egyptians have sailed the Nile since time immemorial. Float downstream at a very relaxed pace and enjoy the spectacle of life along the banks of the river. At night we will moor up at an island. Please be aware that the distance covered and therefore time spent sailing is always governed by the wind conditions.
Day 11: Felucca - Kom Ombo - Edfu - Luxor
We set sail early morning and head towards the remarkable double temple of Kom Ombo, which is dedicated to two gods: crocodile god Sobek and falcon-headed Horus.
When we step off the felucca there is a coach waiting to take us to Luxor and on the way there is an opportunity to stop at the temple of Edfu.
In the afternoon and the evening you are free to admire the many beautiful buildings and museums of Luxor.
Day 12: Luxor
Luxor, ancient Thebes, marks the cultural peak of this tour.
On the eastern bank of the Nile is the famous temple of Karnak which took 1,500 years to build and during the evening it hosts an impressive sound and light performance. Across the Nile lies the city of the dead, Thebes, with the Valley of Kings and the Valley of Queens. Here you can visit several tombs, including Tutankhamun's which contain beautiful relief surfaces and wall paintings.
One of the most splendid and best-kept tombs is the temple of Hatshepsut, the only female pharaoh. The Memnon giants once formed the entrance to the temple of Amenophis are another impressive sight.
You can also take a 3-hour sailing trip to Banana Island or rent beautiful Arab horses to ride through the desert. Less experienced riders can have their horse guided, while daredevils will be amazed by the speed these slender horses can reach.
Day 13: Luxor - Sharm el-Naga
Today we travel via Hurghada to Sharm el-Naga on the Red Sea. Frolic in the clear waters, visit the reef and indulge in some snorkelling or just relax on the soft sandy beaches and let time drift by.
Day 14: Sharm el-Naga
Carry on relaxing 'beach-style' before our trip back to Cairo tomorrow.
Day 15: Sharm el-Naga - Cairo
The last day of your tour. We will return to Cairo by coach arriving late afternoon. Your tour ends upon arrival at our hotel in Cairo where you can make use of a dayroom until your departure (providing you will be departing before the end of the day, or else you will need to book an extra night). We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of Egypt.
Your personal ‘my.shoestring’ page on our website is the perfect way to make contact with other travellers before and after your trip. You can read and create journals from trips and upload your photos onto the photo gallery. Visit my shoestring today.
When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any post-tour nights, bearing in mind that accommodation for the night of the final day of the tour (day 15) is not included.
Difficulty Information
This holiday is classified as Category B
The difficulty of our travels varies greatly. Added to this is the fact that travel difficulty is a very personal perception. To give an impression of the difficulty of a particular holiday we have developed a classification system.
Category A: Light travel for everyone to do. Short distances, good hotels, travel at a slow pace.
Category B: For everyone to do as well. Sometimes long distances. Good hotels and camping facilities, sometimes an adventurous overnight experience, travel at a normal pace.
Category C: Good to do for anyone who prepares themself well and is flexible. There are tougher parts of the journey, such as longer distances or walking tours. Several nights can be spent in basic accommodation.
Category D: A relatively difficult journey, travelling long distances, often primitive accommodation or tents, and challenging walking tours.
Total Egypt is a Category B holiday. This trip can be made by any reasonably healthy individual. In the summer the trip is considerably more difficult than during the rest of the year. Although in the cities we stay in simple medium-priced hotels, remember that you are travelling in a developing country with much lower living standards than you are used to at home. Also, roads may be temporarily blocked because of the weather or owing to their state of repair, in which case a detour is unavoidable. Some journeys are very long. A flexible and positive attitude is just as important as a good physical condition.
Nature of the trip
This extraordinary trip takes you to the serene splendour of remote green oases and the rugged limestone “mushrooms” of the White Desert. You will make a felucca trip on the cool river Nile and see quiet Nubian villages, visit the archaeological treasures of Aswan and Luxor and end up on the Red Sea, where you can enjoy diving and snorkelling.