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, possible for anyone. Short distances, good hotels, and slow travelling speed.
Category B: Feasible for anyone who prepares for the trip. Sometimes longer distances, good hotels or camping facilities, some adventure nights, average travelling speed.
Category C: Feasible for anyone who prepares well and is flexible, but some parts of the journey are difficult, distances may be long or require a day’s walk, there may be some basic facilities.
Category D: Reasonably difficult trip because of long travel distances, often-primitive facilities or tents, long walks.
Category E: Difficult trip. The traveller knows him/herself and is well prepared, he or she realises that the holiday can be demanding.
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 leads through the ruins of Roman Alexandria 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.
Day-to-day schedule
Day 1 -
2: Cairo
You can choose to explore Cairo by coach (not included in the holiday price). If you go for this option, you will visit the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx first. These huge structures were built some 4,500 years ago and have lost nothing of their greatness. Constructed using millions of stone blocks, the pyramids were once covered with shining limestone slabs. The true greatness of the pyramids doesn't hit you until you try to climb the steps. For example, Cheops' pyramid is 139 meters high, the equivalent of a 45-storey block of flats! The appearance of the pyramids is as overwhelming as the facts and figures: for Cheops' pyramid alone, 100,000 men must have piled up 2.3 million blocks of stone of 2.5 tonnes each for 20 years! Afterwards we will drive to the old citadel with the large mosque of Mohammed Ali. Here you have a splendid view of the city. You will also visit the ancient part of Cairo, including the beautiful "Coptic" hanging church. In the evening you can enjoy a wonderful dinner in one of the many restaurants along the Nile.
Day 3 -
5: Sharm el-Naga - Cairo
After breakfast you will be driven back to Cairo. There you will arrive in the afternoon or early evening. The rest of the day or evening can be spent freely. If there is enough time left you could for example visit Khan Al Khalili market or the Egyptian Museum.
Day 6: Cairo - Baharia Oasis
After breakfast you leave the bustle of Cairo behind. Within an hour, the road becomes quieter and less busy. After a few hours in the desert you will suddenly see something green on the horizon: the first oasis, Baharia . There are date palms growing everywhere and labourers ride on their donkeys across richly covered fields. You will visit a hot spring and after lunch there will be time to relax. In the afternoon you are on the road again for a visit to Crystal Mountain, which is entirely made up of shining quartz and is uniquely photogenic. Through the dark stones of the Black Desert you will reach the surreal scenery of the White Desert. Large limestone mushrooms rise up from the overwhelmingly white landscape. Particularly at sunset, splendid views can be enjoyed. Tonight's dinner of delicious local food is prepared by Bedouin. You will spend the night on a mattress (already provided) under the starry sky or in a tent if you prefer. Some nights you may be visited by small desert foxes that forage around the camp in search of leftovers. Tonight's dinner is included in the holiday price.
Day 7: Baharia Oasis - Dakhla Oasis
Today you will cross the White Desert to the oasis of Farafra, where, time permitting, you can take a walk amongst the greenery shaded by the date palms. You will visit the museum of an extraordinary artist. Mr Badr is an internationally renowned painter and sculptor. His eccentric and naive style makes his work very special. He will often personally guide his visitors around the museum and the adjacent sculpture garden. Afterwards you will visit an old Islamic town full of narrow, stepped alleys and viewing holes. The mud walls and old utensils lend a unique atmosphere to the place. At Dakhla Oasis you will spend the night in a Bedouin camp. At the end of the day you may choose to take a camel trip or Jeep safari in the desert.
Day 8: Dakhla Oasis - Kharga Oasis
After breakfast you will be taken to Kharga, the last oasis you will visit. The vast desert around you and its ever-changing colours are impressive and fascinating. In Kharga you will visit the temple of Hebes and the Bagawat Tombs. These buildings are appetisers for those awaiting you in Aswan and Luxor. Tonight you will arrive at a camp set up by Bedouins. They will prepare a delicious meal and in the evening will often try to teach you a game or show you a magic trick or two. You will sleep on a mattress in the open air (blankets and wind break provided). The sandy dunes provide a soft base. Tonight's dinner is included in the price of the trip.
Day 9: Kharga Oasis - Aswan
Waking up in these extraordinary surroundings of sand with beautiful linear patterns is a very special experience. At sunrise the colours change rapidly. This is a good time to take a walk. After breakfast you will travel to Luxor and then on to Aswan, where you will check into a hotel. Tonight you can dine in one of the many restaurants along the Nile or have high tea in the afternoon in the stylish Old Cataract Hotel. This famous hotel offers a splendid view of the Nile and Elephantine Island and is evocative of colonial England.
Day 10: Aswan
Today you have plenty of time to discover Aswan, with its old market and long Nile Boulevard. The town is located strategically at the first cataract (rapids) of the Nile. Here, the valley is at its most beautiful because of the rocks and the palm-covered islands in the river. There are numerous temples, tombs and obelisks, a colourful bazaar and a beautiful botanical garden. The immense Aswan Dam is nearby. The temple of Philae, built on an island in the Nile, makes an interesting excursion. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Isis. Taking a walk through one of the Nubian villages on the other side of the river is also extremely worthwhile.
Day 11: Aswan - felucca
In the morning you will board a felucca, the traditional vessel in which Egyptians have sailed the Nile since time immemorial. You will be floating and sailing downstream at a very relaxed speed, enjoying the spectacle of life along the banks of the river. On deck there is a big mattress, on which you can sit or lie down. Take your suntan lotion and a good book! At night we will moor at an island. You will eat on board and sleep on mattresses on the felucca. Tonight's dinner is included in the holiday price.
Day 12: felucca - Luxor
Before everybody is awake you are already afloat and sailing to the remarkable double temple of Kom Ombo, which is dedicated to two gods: crocodile god Sobek and falcon-headed Horus. When you step off the felucca there is a coach waiting to take you to Luxor. On the way there is an opportunity to stop at the temple of Edfu. The rest of the afternoon can be spent freely; you might like to visit the Luxor museum, for example.
Day 13: Luxor
Day to be spent freely. Luxor, or ancient Thebes, is the scene of many of the cultural highlights of this holiday. On the eastern bank of the Nile there is the famous temple of Karnak. It took 1,500 years to build this enormous complex. In the evening an impressive show of sound and light is performed. 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. Unlike the pyramids, the rocky graves 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 impressive Memnon giants once formed the entrance to the temple of Amenophis. The area is very large. A good way to explore it is to rent a bicycle and find your own way to the best sights of the Egyptian landscape. The beautiful villages and green fields are also best visited by bicycle. In the summer, cycling is not recommended because of the heat. It is also possible to take a 3-hour sailing trip to Banana Island. Horseriding enthusiasts can rent beautiful Arab horses on the bank of the Nile to ride through the desert and between the small villages. Less experienced riders can have their horse guided, while trained riders will be amazed at the speed these slender horses can reach. On the west bank you can have a fine dinner with a stunning view of the beautifully lit Luxor Temple. Many hotels have a swimming pool, so you may wish to spend the afternoon by the water.
Day 14 -
15: Luxor - Sharm el-Naga
Today you will travel via Hurghada to Sharm el-Naga on the Red Sea. It's a long journey. In Sharm el-Naga you will be staying in cosy little huts next to the beach for two days. You can swim, be lazy and of course dive or snorkel to enjoy the extraordinary submarine world.
Day 16: Cairo
It is the last day of your tour but rather than being about ‘Goodbye’ your thought should be ‘Go further’!
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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 16) is not included.