Women-Only: Splendors of Egypt

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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. After its grand opening in 2023, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which will be the largest archaeological museum in the world. 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.

2022 Tripadvisor Travelers' Choice Award

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

Tour Itinerary:

  • 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 or Grand Egyptian Museum*
  • Khan El Khalili Bazaar District
  • Alexandria Library
  • National Museum
  • Montazah Gardens
  • Catacombs
  • Jewelry Museum
  • Modern Egyptian Women Lecture Led by a Female University Professor
  • Lunch at Nubian Restaurant
  • Visit to Local Egyptian House & Farm

Your Tour Includes

  • Optional round-trip airfare from New York (JFK) including 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 Egyptologist Tour Director
  • Transportation in an air-conditioned bus

Is this tour right for you? Find out What to Expect

Tour Itinerary

Find your special women-only tour experiences in bold in the itinerary below.

Map

Click the Day-by-Day itinerary below to see the experiences that await on each day of your tour.

Flights

Note: Flights may not be available on all departures.

You may have to book your own flights to the tour destination. If so, you are responsible for making your own way to the tour starting point, where you will meet your Tour Director. This is normally the first hotel in your itinerary.

You can find more details on the Before You Depart page.

Day 1: Arrive in Cairo

Day 2: Pyramids of Giza

Day 3: Cairo – Aswan

Day 4: Aswan – Nile Cruise

Day 5: Nile Cruise – Kom Ombo – Edfu – Luxor

Day 6: Nile Cruise – Luxor

Day 7: Luxor

Day 8: Luxor

Day 9: Luxor – Cairo

Day 10: Depart Cairo

Guided Tour Pricing

We are working diligently to secure future tour dates and pricing for this itinerary. Please fill out the "Request a Future Date" form linked below, and we will notify you once dates are available.

Optional Tours

Enhance your trip with these optional tours. Indicated optional tours are available to pre-book when you reserve your trip and can be added to your reservation up to final payment. This is the best option to guarantee your spot on your preferred optional tour! Optional tours require a minimum number of participants. Optional tours are non-refundable unless they do not operate.

Some optional tours can be purchased in-destination and may cost extra. The payment methods and currency information to purchase tours in-destination will be provided on final documentation.

Half-Day Sakkara Tour

Abu Simbel

Luxor Museum Visit

What to Expect

Max Group Size: 20 travelers

Activity Level: Level 2

Expect most included touring to require walking and standing periods up to 4 hours at a time (up to 2 times per day). Included touring may feature light hiking, and/or stairs on some hilly and/or uneven terrain. Learn More

Pacing Level: Moderate

Expect full-day tours most days with some limited free time at specific sites, for meals, and/or in the evenings. You can expect several early mornings and/or long travel days by bus (don’t worry—there are always comfort stops!), and you may expect to stay in most accommodations for 2+ nights (with limited 1-night stays). Learn More

Additional Entry Requirements for U.S. Passport Holders

A valid passport is required for international tours. There are entry requirements for U.S. passport holders. Please visit our Passports & Visas page to learn more about any required actions, next steps, and additional costs.

There are stairs, walks with uneven surfaces during the visit to the Pyramids, and most of the off-shore excursions that take place during the Nile Cruise portion of the program.

For more detailed information about this tour and destination, visit our Before You Depart section.

Reviews

Sue E

2 months ago
There are simply not enough words to describe how wonderful this trip was. There was so much to see and do and SmarTours did an outstanding job with an itinerary that covered so much in Egypt. The hotels were amazing and so was the 3 night cruise along the Nile. Out tour director, Inas did a splendid job explaining the history of all of the various sites we were taken to. This was my 4th tour with SmarTours and it won't be my last. The attention to detail on each of the trips I have taken with this company is amazing.

Roy T

10 months ago
Date line: Cincinnati, Ohio

Our guide was exceptional. We went in Nov 2022. Could never ask for a better guide (Our guide Khaled).
He brought

Our Pictures are wonderful. Highly recommended. The HOT AIR balloon ride in Luxor was just wonderful!!!
We would be happy to do the tour all over again. Smartours did a wonderful job. This was our 2 nd trip with Smartours.

Looking to do additional tours with them. Our friends from Florida recommended.

Michelle T

3 years ago
The tour was well organized even with the nearly constant need to reorganize the days due to the coronavirus site closures and river boat quarantine. Our guide, Randa, was outstanding. She was always thoughtful and concerned that everyone was enjoying the tour. The visit to her home in Cairo for dinner was a highlight of the trip.
The hotel accommodations were excellent. The river boat public spaces were pleasant but the rooms were less comfortable, especially when the boats were docked next to each other and the only view was of another boat's windows.
I did not like the constant need to tip. Tipping in the women's bathroom was ok but I felt the guide should be tipping carriage drivers, bus drivers, security, etc. I've never been on a tour before where all tipping except the bathroom and tour guide tipping was not taken care of by the guide. I think it made all of the travelers uncomfortable and was a frequent topic of complaint throughout the tour. We were especially uncomfortable when we gave the tip we'd been told to give and the person told us it wasn't enough and continued to harass us for the rest of the experience. This part of the trip needs to be changed.
Overall, it was a very interesting trip. I'm glad I went and would book again with SmarTours.