CAIRO, THE PYRAMIDS, NILE CRUISE, KARNAK AND LUXOR
Are you intrigued by the mystery of mummies? Have you imagined yourself in a scene from an Indiana Jones film? Here’s your chance to be an amateur Egyptologist, digging into this country’s enigmatic architecture and antiquities on our special women-only departure. You’ll enjoy highlights like the Great Pyramids of Giza, as well as a fascinating lecture about modern Egyptian women! Enjoy homemade food at a Nubian restaurant with a chance to learn more about their traditions before you embark on a cruise down the legendary Nile River in a level of comfort even Cleopatra would approve of. Explore the Valleys of the Kings and Queens and visit a local Egyptian home and farm at the West Bank for tea. Along with captivating commentary, your smarTours guide will offer tips, tailored to your interests and activity level, on how to make the very most of your free time in the land of the pharaohs.
Looking for a roommate or to connect with other women before your trip? Join our smarTours Women-Only Facebook group! Visit the group here (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1145762302478350/) and click the + Join Group button!
Itinerary at
a Glance
- International Flight
- 2 nights in Cairo
- 1 night in Aswan
- 3-night Nile Cruise
- 2 nights in Luxor
- 1 night in Cairo
- Optional 3-night extension to Alexandria
Tour
Highlights
- Great Pyramids of Giza
- Sphinx of Giza
- Philae’s Temple of Isis
- Ptolemaic Temple for Horus and Sobek
- Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
- Temples of Karnak & Luxor
- Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
- Khan El Khalili Bazaar District
Your extension highlights:
- Alexandria Library
- National Museum
- Montazah Gardens
- Catacombs
- Jewelry Museum
Special Women-Only Departure Highlights:
- Modern Egyptian Women Lecture Led by a Female University Professor
- Lunch at Nubian Restaurant
- Visit to Local Egyptian House & Farm
Your Tour
Includes
- Round-trip airfare from New York (JFK)
- Airfare taxes, fees & fuel surcharges
- Accommodations at deluxe hotels and on cruise ship
- 18 meals: 9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 5 dinners
- Comprehensive sightseeing tours and entry fees
- Experienced English-speaking Tour Director throughout
- Transportation in an air-conditioned bus
Tour Itinerary
Find your special women-only tour experiences in bold in the itinerary below.
Pyramids of Giza
Our destination today: the wondrous Pyramids of Giza. Built during the Third and Fourth Dynasties, these monuments stand as testimony to the skill and strength of their builders. We’ll get up close to study the Great Pyramid, as well see as the Pyramids of Khefren and Mycerinus in the distance. Nearby, we’ll gaze at the mythical Sphinx of Giza, which famously combines a reclining lion with the head of an Egyptian king. After these amazing sights, we’ll lunch as the Egyptians do at a local Cairo restaurant. This afternoon will include a fascinating lecture led by a female…
Nile Cruise/Kom Ombo/Edfu/Luxor
We’ll cruise to Kom Ombo to visit an unusual double temple, built in the Ptolemaic period and dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-head god Horus. After exploring Kom Ombo, we’ll sail on to Edfu, an Egyptian city on the west bank of the Nile River. Our day continues with a tour of the immense, well preserved Temple of Edfu, built between 237 and 57 B.C. and also dedicated to Horus. Legend says that this was the site where Horus avenged his father’s murder by his uncle, the god Seth. Back on board the Royal Lily, we’ll sail past Esna to Luxor….
Nile Cruise/Luxor
Often considered the most extraordinary open-air museum in the world, Luxor boasts an imposing array of ruins and monuments. The modern name for Thebes (the “city of palaces”), Luxor is also the inspiration for the word luxury, and we’ll see quite a bit of architectural extravagance today. The graceful Temple of Luxor was built over several centuries by Amenhopis III, Tutankhamun, Ramses II and Alexander the Great and features an avenue of sphinxes. We’ll also tour the ancient temple complex of Karnak. The immense wealth of Thebes was spent embellishing and building temples in honor…
Guided Tour Pricing
There are currently no future departures for this tour.
Extended Tours
Discover Alexandria on our new 3-night extension available in 2020!
Optional Tours Customize your trip with these optional tours.
Pricing is subject to change. Payment (non-refundable) should be made by cash or credit card (VISA, MasterCard or AmEx, subject to service charge).
Featured Accommodations
Before You Depart
FLIGHT INFORMATION
Please make sure to allow sufficient time for clearing customs and immigration if you are planning a connecting flight. We recommend at least three-and-a-half hours. Please note that flight schedules are subject to change without prior notice.
| Departure Date | Airline | Depart JFK | Return JFK |
2020: Mar. 2 | EgyptAir | 6:30PM | 3:30PM |
ADVANCE SEAT ASSIGNMENT
EgyptAir does not assign seats in advance. Seat assignments can only be arranged at the airport upon check-in. If you have a preferred seating choice, please make sure you check-in for your flight as early as possible. EgyptAir does not offer frequent flyer miles.
LAND-ONLY TRAVELERS
International flights to/from the U.S. are not included. Land-only travelers are responsible for arranging entry and exit flights, as well as their arrival and departure transfers. smarTours cannot be held responsible for any damage caused by air schedule changes and delays. Unused land services are non-refundable.
Main Tour: Land-only services start upon independent check-in at your Cairo hotel on Day 2 of the itinerary and end after breakfast at your Cairo hotel on Day 10.
Main Tour + Extension: Land-only services start upon independent check-in at your Cairo hotel on Day 2 of the itinerary and end after breakfast at your Cairo hotel on Day 14.
PASSPORT AND VISA INFORMATION
You must possess a passport valid for at least 6 months after the date of travel. Your passport must contain at least one blank page. For U.S. passport holders, a tourist visa is required and may be obtained upon arrival in Cairo for $25 USD. Clients who book air with smarTours will be charged $28, which includes the visa and facilitation service upon arrival. The visa facilitation service is not available for land-only clients and forfeited. Non-U.S. citizens should check with the respective consulates as to the most current visa requirements to all their travel destinations. Please remember that it is your responsibility to obtain the necessary travel documents before the trip.
TICKETS AND FINAL DOCUMENTS
Your airline tickets, along with final instructions and additional travel tips, will be sent to you 7–10 days before the scheduled departure of your tour. Please make sure to advise us in case your address changes.
HEALTH REQUIREMENTS
Immunizations are not currently required; however, you should consult your personal physician, local public health authorities or the Center of Disease Control (CDC) as to their suggestions.
CLIMATE
Night and day temperatures can vary greatly. Here’s what you can expect:
- December–February: Highs in the mid to low 60s with nighttime as low as 48˚F.
- March–November: Highs in the upper 60s to low 70s with nighttime lows in the mid-50s.
- April–October: High 70s and low 80s with nighttime lows in the mid-50s to mid-60s.
- May–September: Average highs in the low 90s with nighttime lows in the high 50s to high 60s.
CULTURE AND DRESS
Given Egypt’s wide range of temperatures, we recommend you bring a sweater and/or layer to accommodate cooler morning/evening temperatures. Egyptians typically dress more conservatively. If you are exploring independently, please note that religious centers such as mosques will often require ankle-length pants, skirts or dresses, and, for women, a scarf to cover their hair.
CREDIT CARDS AND LOCAL CURRENCY
U.S. dollars, Euros and Canadian Dollars are accepted at Egyptian banks and money-changers, which can be found at most of the places that you’ll visit throughout the country. It is typically recommended that you ask for small bills when exchanging money. The currency in Egypt is the Egyptian Pound.
NON-INCLUDED MEALS
You may dine at the hotels or restaurants recommended by your Tour Director. The average cost for a hotel dinner (excluding drinks) in a casual restaurant is about $20-25 per person. Restaurants outside the hotel may be less expensive.
BAGGAGE
Each passenger may bring one piece of checked-in luggage (suitcase) max. 44 pounds, and one carry-on not exceeding 18”x10”x8”. We recommend that you do not overpack and that you take a variety of casual separates with climate and comfort in mind.