8-Day Egypt Trip: Exploring Cairo, Luxor, and Dendera
Planning an 8-day trip to Egypt offers a perfect blend of history, culture, and adventure. Exploring the iconic cities of Cairo, Luxor, and Dendera allows you to witness some of the world’s most breathtaking ancient monuments, vibrant markets, and unique temples. This itinerary provides a comprehensive guide to making the most of your Egyptian adventure, ensuring unforgettable memories and stunning photo opportunities.
Begin your journey in Cairo, the bustling capital of Egypt and home to some of the world’s most famous archaeological treasures. Spend your first two days immersing yourself in Cairo’s vibrant culture and historical sites.
Giza Pyramids and Sphinx
Start with the awe-inspiring Giza Plateau, where the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure stand as testament to ancient engineering marvels. Don’t miss the iconic Sphinx, guarding the pyramids with its mysterious smile. Consider taking a camel ride around the site for a true desert experience.
Egyptian Museum
Next, visit the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, home to thousands of artifacts from Pharaonic Egypt, including the treasures of Tutankhamun. It’s a treasure trove for history buffs and offers insight into Egypt’s ancient civilization.
Khan El Khalili Bazaar
In the evening, explore Khan El Khalili, Cairo’s historic bazaar. Stroll through narrow alleys filled with shops selling spices, jewelry, textiles, and souvenirs. Enjoy a traditional Egyptian meal at a local restaurant.
Travel south to Luxor, often called the world’s greatest open-air museum. Spend two days exploring the city’s monumental temples, tombs, and the Valley of the Kings.
Valley of the Kings
Begin with the Valley of the Kings, where you can visit the tombs of pharaohs like Tutankhamun and Ramses the Great. Many tombs are elaborately decorated with colorful hieroglyphs and scenes from ancient Egyptian mythology.
Karnak Temple Complex
Next, head to the Karnak Temple, a sprawling sacred site dedicated to Theban gods. Marvel at the massive Hypostyle Hall with its towering columns and intricate carvings. The temple’s avenue of Sphinxes leads you to Luxor Temple, another impressive monument illuminated beautifully at night.
Luxor Temple
Visit Luxor Temple, located on the east bank of the Nile. It’s especially stunning at sunset, providing a perfect backdrop for photos.
From Luxor, take a day trip to the Dendera Temple complex, approximately 60 km north of Luxor. This lesser-known site offers a serene and less crowded experience of ancient Egyptian architecture.
Dendera Temple
Dendera is renowned for the well-preserved Hathor Temple, dedicated to the goddess of love and joy. The temple features vibrant ceiling frescoes, the famous Hathor capitals, and a well-preserved hypostyle hall. The site’s peaceful ambiance makes it a highlight for history enthusiasts seeking tranquility away from the crowds.
Return to Cairo for your final days. Use this time to explore any missed attractions or indulge in shopping and dining.
Coptic Cairo and Islamic Old Cairo
Visit Coptic Cairo to see historic churches like the Hanging Church and the Coptic Museum. Then, explore Islamic Cairo, home to the Citadel, Al-Azhar Mosque, and bustling street markets.
Relax and Shop
Enjoy your last moments in Egypt by relaxing at a local café or shopping for souvenirs, such as papyrus scrolls, perfumes, and handcrafted jewelry.
Travel Tips for Your Egypt Trip
Conclusion
An 8-day trip to Egypt covering Cairo, Luxor, and Dendera offers a perfect balance of ancient wonders and cultural experiences. From the grandeur of the Pyramids and the grandeur of Luxor’s temples to the serenity of Dendera, this itinerary promises a memorable journey into Egypt’s timeless history.
Optimize your trip with flexible tours, local guides, and authentic Egyptian cuisine for an unforgettable adventure in Egypt!
Welcome to Egypt. Our airport transfer team is available 24/7. As soon as you get out of the exit gate of the Terminal, you will find Ancient Egypt Tours representative, holding a sign, waiting to meet and greet you. He will escort you to your private A/C vehicle. You will be transferred to the hotel and the reception manager will assist you in check-in procedures as smooth as possible. Ancient Egypt Tours agent will contact you to agree on a meeting time with you
In case you arrive early then check-in limit you can enjoy waiting in the hotel until check-in time or you can ask your operator to book you a pre-tour extra night and get checked in immediately
Optional Tour:
2-hour open buffet dinner Nile cruise including a belly dancer, local band and skirt rotation performer if your tour starts in Cairo
Sound and Light show if available
Overnight in Cairo
After breakfast at the hotel, you will be escorted by your private guide to visit the ever-famous Get ready to be astonished by The Grand Egyptian Museum tour. walking through layers and layer of Egyptian history. Each hall unpacks breathtaking artifacts. Each piece is loaded with history, architecture and significance. Experience King Tutankhamen’s possessions and history like you have never before. The visit lasts a couple of hours but the experience lasts for a life time.
Before extending your trip, you will be served with a warm delightful lunch meal at a high-quality restaurant.
After lunch, you will move on to Coptic Cairo to visit Babylon Fortress and the Hanging Church, Church of St. Barbara, Church of St. Sergius and Ben Ezra synagogue.
Enrich you tour with a visit to Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque which is the very first mosque built in Egypt.
After lunch, you will move on to visit the Citadel of Salah El-Din, where you will see the view of all Cairo, as you will visit Mohamed Ali Alabaster Mosque which is considered the largest to be built in the beginning of the 19th century the ruler of Egypt (1805-1849) who ruled Egypt over 45 years & it is built in Baruk style.
If there is enough time, you will take a walk in Khan El Khalili Bazaar, the most Historically famous and oldest Market in the Middle East. Back to your hotel
Discover the greatness of the ancient Pharaohs by visiting their legendary temples in Luxor. Start your tour by taking a domestic flight to Luxor. Upon arrival at Luxor, you will be met by our representative, then have a blissful day tour. starting with a visit to
the Valley of the Kings was created and used from approximately 1539 BC to 1075 BC. It contains some 60 tombs, starting with Thutmose I and ending with Ramses X or XI. The official name of the site was The Great and Majestic Necropolis of the Millions of Years of the Pharaoh, Life, Strength, Health in The West of Thebes, or more usually, the Great Field. The most famous tomb is KV62, the Tomb of King Tutankhamun. The discovery of King Tut’s tomb was made by Howard Carter in 1922, Tutankhamun’s tomb was the first royal tomb to be discovered that was still largely intact.
Then you will continue the tour to visit the Hatshepsut temple at El Deir El Bahary, this impressive temple was dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut the only female pharaoh. It rises out of the desert in a series of terraces and merges with the sheer limestone cliffs that surround it. Proceed to the two colossal statues of Amenhotep III, Colossi of Memnon are the two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. For 3,400 years they have sat in the Theban necropolis, across the River Nile from the city of Luxor. The original function of the Colossi was to stand guard at the entrance to Amenhotep’s memorial temple or mortuary temple. Back to hotel.
Enjoy your Luxor Day Tour. Our Ancient Egypt Tours representative will pick you up from your hotel in Luxor to enjoy a day tour in the amazing city Luxor. Start your tour by a visit to the Karnak Temples, the greatest example of worship in history and was dedicated to the God Amon, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu. It was constructed from the beginning of the Middle Kingdom to the Graeco Roman Kingdom.
Then move to Luxor Temple. It was built by Amunhotep III in 18th Dynasty in the New Kingdom and it was completed by Ramesses II during the 19th Dynasty. King Ramses II was the most famous king in the 19th Dynasty. He ruled Egypt for about 67 years. It was dedicated to the great god Amun-Ra, his wife Mut and their son Khonsu together representing the Theban triad. Enjoy visiting Obelisk of Ramses II in front of the 1st Pylon. and then you be transferred back to your hotel or Airport in Luxor or Train station by your private air-conditioned vehicle. Ancient Egypt Tours had a great time with you and hope you have enjoyed your time and was satisfied with the services you were offered. Back to hotel.
Enjoy your Day Tour. Our Ancient Egypt Tours representative will pick you up from your hotel/cruise in Luxor by air-conditioned modern vehicle to visit with your Egyptologist tour guide, discover the ancient sites. First, visit Temple Abydos, The Temple of Seti I at Abydos was begun during the reign of Pharoah Seti I (1318-1304 BC) and completed by his son Ramses II (1304-1237 BC) during the XIX Dynasty of the New Kingdom. The temple represents an artistic revival of Old Kingdom forms and was part of Seti’s attempt to consolidate the Ramessid dynasty after the losses under Akhenaten. By identifying himself with the great gods and previous rulers of Egypt, Seti added legitmacy to a ruling family that had been mere warriors just a few generations ago. Pharaoh Merneptah added a great Hypogeum of Osiris to the temple of Seti. The final building to be added was the Temple of Nectanebo I in the XXX dynasty, but various additions to the site were made through the Ptolemaic and Roman periods
Then move to The Temple of Hathor at Dendera, on the Nile north of Luxor, is one of the latest Egyptian temples. Dedicated to the wife of the god Horus, it was built in Roman times and its decorations include Roman emperors alongside Egyptian gods. Along with Abydos further north. The Temple of Hathor is boxy in shape and surrounded by a portico with thick columns and walls about half as tall as the roof. There are many reliefs of figures and rituals on the exterior of the temple, including pharaohs, Egyptian deities, and Roman emperors. Inside, the most fascinating sight is the roof chapel dedicated to Osiris, which contains a sundial and circular zodiac. Later you will be transferred back to the Luxor airport, you will be driven to Back to Cairo hotel.
after breakfast. Free day, enjoy your time.
You can choose Optional Tour
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before you leave to the airport for your flight back home. Ancient Egypt Tours representative will pick you up and transfer you to the airport.
If your flight is early before breakfast time you can make arrangements with the hotel to prepare a breakfast box for you to take it on your way to the airport
Ancient Egypt Tours had a great time with you and hope you have enjoyed your time and was satisfied with the services you were offered
| Room Type | Price/Person |
|---|---|
| Single Room | 2220 $ |
| Twin Room | 1550 $ |
| Triple Room | 1320 $ |
| Room Type | Price/Person |
|---|---|
| Single Room | 1520 $ |
| Twin Room | 1260 $ |
| Triple Room | 980 $ |
| Room Type | Price/Person |
|---|---|
| Single Room | 1870 $ |
| Twin Room | 1375 $ |
| Triple Room | 1260 $ |
| Room Type | Price/Person |
|---|---|
| Single Room | 1240 $ |
| Twin Room | 950 $ |
| Triple Room | 850 $ |
Price quotes are in USD per person per tour except for celebration. Please inquire for the prices of New Year, Christmas and Easter.
Tipping for a job well done is customary and highly expected in Egypt though it is not obligatory. Please feel welcomed but not obliged to offer a tip to your service provider
Notes:
Children policy is applied to children who share rooms with their parents (Maximum 1 OR 2 Child under 5 years old sharing parent’s room)
Children policy is not applied on all kinds of transportation (Flight, train or bus) full ticket payment is required
We are offering a considerable down payment of just 20% to secure your space on the tour including hotel room, cruise cabin, domestic flight ticket, and other travel-related services and 30% during Christmas, New Year and Easter Holidays. The remaining balance can be paid up to two days prior to your arrival date or in cash upon arrival at the destination. Therefore, your booking will be a risk-free investment.
In case you cancel your trip, the following charges will be applied:
At any time after your booking is confirmed, Ancient Egypt Tours holds a 20% non-refundable deposit
7 days or less before departure, we will retain the 50% payment you have paid in relation to your booking.
We advise all clients to purchase travel insurance in the event that travel is unexpectedly interrupted due to illness. To confirm the booking, the client must pay a deposit of 20% of the total tour price.
Should the reservation be canceled, customers will be charged a fee depending on how far beyond the departure date the cancellation is made. To cancel, the Customer must notify the Tour Organizer in writing.
Full payment forfeiture in case of no show
All Transportation tickets are nonrefundable and there’s also a 5% transaction fee on refunds.
Here, at Ancient Egypt Tours, we prioritize your well-being and safety above all else and for that reason, we have adapted our cancellation policy to reflect our values. We offer a very flexible cancellation policy in case the government or the airline issues a NOT TO TRAVEL warning to the designated destination. In the event of this happening, we will refund you the amount paid according to cancellation policy, unless you prefer to keep your payment available for future travel credit and travel voucher that can be used towards any of the destinations, we operate tours in. You have the flexibility to apply this amount towards new travel services booked. Reservations will be adjusted to reflect these travel credits automatically.
After your tour is confirmed, we will email final confirmation and voucher to print and bring with you. Details will include contact numbers of your tour operator and customer care and additional information for your convenience.
