Private 12-Day Egypt Tour — Cairo, White Desert, Nile Cruise & Aswan
Private 12-Day Egypt Tour — The Complete Egypt Experience
This private 12-day Egypt tour takes you through the full sweep of Egyptian civilisation — from the ancient streets of Cairo to the golden sands of the White Desert, down the Nile on a luxury cruise, deep into the temples of Luxor and Aswan, all the way to the colossal rock-cut temples of Abu Simbel, and along the Mediterranean coast to the legendary city of Alexandria. Twelve days. One country. A lifetime of memories. Every day of this journey has been designed for travellers who want to see Egypt properly — not rushed through in a group, not skipping the highlights. Your private, licensed English-speaking Egyptologist is with you from the first day to the last, bringing the pharaohs, the Romans, and the Islamic sultans to life at every site. Your private air-conditioned vehicle is always waiting. Your hotels, flights, and Nile cruise are all arranged in advance. The itinerary covers it all: the Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the surreal landscapes of the Bahariya Oasis and White Desert, a 5-star Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan with stops at Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae, a day trip to the jaw-dropping Abu Simbel temples, and a final day in Alexandria exploring its Roman catacombs and Qaitbay Citadel before your departure. Departing daily from Cairo International Airport — or we can arrange transfers from any Red Sea resort (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam) to join the tour. All entrance fees, domestic flights, hotels, most meals, and expert guiding are included. Send us a free quote request and we'll have your personalised offer ready within 2 hours.
Price from:
2400 €
- Book Online and pay on site
- Pick-up from the lobby of your hotel
- English speaking guide
- Insurance included
| Number of people | Vehicle | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| 2 persons | Private car | 3140€ p.P. |
| 3-4 persons | Private mini-bus | 2750€ p.P. |
| 5-6 persons | Private mini-bus | 2600€ p.P. |
| 7-8 persons | Private mini-bus | 2400€ p.P. |
| Duration | Trip Type | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| 12 days | Individually | Every day |
Tour Highlights — 12 Days in Egypt
Pyramids of Giza & Sphinx
The last surviving wonder of the ancient world — Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinos, plus the Valley Temple and the legendary Sphinx.
Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
One of the largest museums in the world — over 100,000 artefacts including the complete Tutankhamun collection.
Bahariya Oasis & White Desert
Camp under the stars in one of Egypt’s most surreal landscapes — chalk-white formations, the Crystal Mountain, and the Black Desert.
5-Star Nile Cruise
Four nights sailing from Luxor to Aswan aboard a luxury cruise ship — the most romantic way to travel through ancient Egypt.
Valley of the Kings
Entry to 3 royal tombs — vivid painted scenes from the Book of the Dead in the burial chambers of New Kingdom pharaohs.
Karnak & Luxor Temples
The largest ancient religious complex ever built, and the elegant Luxor Temple — heart of the annual Opet Festival.
Edfu & Kom Ombo Temples
The best-preserved temple in Egypt dedicated to Horus, and the unique double temple of Sobek and Horus at Kom Ombo.
Philae Temple & High Dam
The jewel of Aswan — the temple of Isis saved from rising waters and relocated to Agilkia Island. Plus the engineering marvel of the Aswan High Dam.
Abu Simbel Temples
The most spectacular rock-cut temples in the world — built by Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari, relocated in one of history’s greatest engineering feats.
Alexandria
The city of Alexander the Great — Roman catacombs, the Qaitbay Citadel built on the ruins of the ancient Lighthouse, and Pompey’s Pillar.
Islamic Cairo
Khan el-Khalili bazaar, El Moez Street, the Citadel of Saladin and the Alabaster Mosque — Cairo’s medieval heart at its finest.
Private Egyptologist — Every Day
Your licensed English-speaking Egyptologist is with you from Day 1 to Day 12 — no shared groups, no rushing, just expert knowledge at your pace.
Travel Itinerary for 12 Days Egypt Tour
🗓️ Day 1 — Arrival in Cairo
✈️ Your licensed English-speaking Egyptologist meets you at Cairo International Airport holding a sign with your name — before the exit. You are transferred in a private, air-conditioned vehicle directly to your hotel, with welcome drinks (water and cola) provided in the car.
🏨 Your guide assists with check-in and walks you through the full 12-day itinerary, confirming pick-up times for each day. The rest of the day is free to settle in, explore the area, or rest after your flight.
🌙 Overnight in Cairo hotel — included.
🗓️ Day 2 — Grand Egyptian Museum · Old Cairo · Khan el-Khalili · El Moez Street
🍳 After breakfast, your guide takes you to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Giza Plateau — one of the largest archaeological museums in the world, housing over 100,000 artefacts including the complete treasures of Tutankhamun displayed in full for the first time. Your Egyptologist brings the collection to life with stories that go far beyond the labels.
🍽️ Lunch at a local restaurant — included.
🕌 In the afternoon, explore Islamic Cairo — the labyrinthine lanes of Khan el-Khalili bazaar and the stunning medieval architecture of El Moez Street, one of the most beautiful historic streets in the Islamic world. Try local street food: Koshari, Ful Medames, Baklava.
🌙 Overnight in Cairo hotel — included.
🗓️ Day 3 — Pyramids of Giza · Sphinx · Saqqara
🍳 After breakfast, head to the Giza Plateau — the last surviving wonder of the ancient world. Your Egyptologist guides you through the Great Pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mykerinos, the legendary Sphinx, and the Valley Temple, explaining the history, engineering and mysteries that have fascinated the world for millennia.
🍽️ Lunch at a restaurant — included.
🏺 In the afternoon, drive to Saqqara to visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser — the oldest stone pyramid ever built, predating Giza by over a century.
🌙 Overnight in Cairo hotel — included.
🗓️ Day 4 — Bahariya Oasis · Crystal Mountain · Black Desert · Desert Camping
⏰ 6:00 AM — Depart Cairo in a private 4x4 Jeep with your guide for the Bahariya Oasis, approximately 4 hours southwest of Cairo.
💡 Request your breakfast box from the hotel reception the evening before.
🏜️ Along the way, explore the dramatic landscapes of the Black Desert, the glittering Crystal Mountain, and the Valley of the Golden Mummies — site of one of Egypt's most remarkable archaeological discoveries. Visit the ancient Temple of Alexander the Great at Bahariya.
🏕️ Overnight desert camping under the stars — full board included. All camping equipment provided.
🗓️ Day 5 — White Desert · English Mountain · Return to Cairo
🍳 Breakfast in the desert — then continue deeper into the White Desert National Park, a 20-km stretch of surreal chalk-white rock formations sculpted by centuries of wind erosion into mushrooms, arches and giant animals. One of the most otherworldly landscapes on earth.
⛰️ Stop at English Mountain for panoramic views across the desert before beginning the drive back to Cairo.
💡 Your guide confirms your pick-up time for tomorrow's early flight to Luxor.
🌙 Overnight in Cairo hotel — included.
🗓️ Day 6 — Flight to Luxor · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple · Embark Nile Cruise
✈️ After breakfast, transfer to Cairo Airport for your domestic flight to Luxor (flight included). Your English-speaking guide meets you on arrival with welcome drinks.
🏛️ Visit the monumental Karnak Temple Complex — the largest ancient religious site in the world, built over 2,000 years by successive pharaohs. The Great Hypostyle Hall with its 134 colossal columns is one of the most breathtaking spaces in human architecture.
🌙 Then visit Luxor Temple — dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship and site of the annual Opet Festival. Magnificent at any hour, unforgettable at dusk.
🚢 Check in to your 5-star Nile cruise ship — lunch on board included. Welcome drinks and your cabin await.
🗓️ Day 7 — Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Colossi of Memnon
🍳 Breakfast on board — then cross to the legendary West Bank of Luxor, the ancient City of the Dead.
⚰️ Valley of the Kings — entry to 3 royal tombs, where New Kingdom pharaohs were buried in rock-cut chambers painted with vivid scenes from the afterlife. Your Egyptologist explains the Book of the Dead and the Amduat as you walk through history.
👑 Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari) — the three-tiered mortuary temple of Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh, carved dramatically into the desert cliffs.
🗿 Colossi of Memnon — two 18-metre statues of Amenhotep III that have stood for over 3,400 years.
🚢 Return to the cruise — lunch, dinner and overnight on board.
🗓️ Day 8 — Edfu Temple · Kom Ombo Temple
🍳 Breakfast on board as the ship sails south toward Kom Ombo.
🐊 Kom Ombo Temple — a unique double temple dedicated to both Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the falcon god, with a fascinating crocodile mummy museum alongside.
🦅 Continue sailing to Edfu — home to the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved ancient temple in Egypt. Built during the Ptolemaic period, it is extraordinarily complete, with towering pylons, painted sanctuaries, and detailed inscriptions covering every surface.
🚢 Lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and overnight on board the cruise.
🗓️ Day 9 — Philae Temple · Aswan High Dam · Unfinished Obelisk
🍳 Breakfast on board as the ship arrives in Aswan — Egypt's southernmost city, known for its golden light, Nubian villages, and granite quarries.
🏗️ Aswan High Dam — one of the great engineering feats of the 20th century, controlling the Nile's floods and generating electricity for all of Egypt.
🪨 Unfinished Obelisk — still lying in its granite quarry, this colossal structure reveals exactly how the ancient Egyptians carved their monuments 3,500 years ago.
💎 Philae Temple — the jewel of Aswan. The temple of Isis was rescued from rising floodwaters and relocated, stone by stone, to Agilkia Island in one of UNESCO's greatest preservation achievements.
🚢 Dinner and overnight on board the cruise.
🗓️ Day 10 — Abu Simbel Temples · Flight to Cairo
⏰ Early morning departure — drive approximately 3 hours in a private air-conditioned vehicle with your Egyptologist to the Abu Simbel Temples on the shores of Lake Nasser.
🗿 The Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Queen Nefertari — two colossal rock-cut temples that were relocated in their entirety in the 1960s to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Among the most spectacular ancient monuments on earth, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
✈️ Return to Aswan and fly back to Cairo. Your guide meets you at the airport and transfers you to your hotel.
💡 Your guide confirms tomorrow's pick-up time for Alexandria.
🌙 Overnight in Cairo hotel — included.
🗓️ Day 11 — Alexandria · Catacombs · Qaitbay Citadel · Pompey's Pillar
🍳 After breakfast, depart for Alexandria — approximately 3 hours northwest of Cairo along the Mediterranean coast. The city of Alexander the Great, of Cleopatra, of the ancient world's greatest library.
⚱️ Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa — the largest Roman-era funerary complex in Egypt, a fascinating blend of Egyptian, Greek and Roman artistic styles carved deep underground.
🏰 Qaitbay Citadel — a 15th-century fortress built directly on the ruins of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
🏛️ Pompey's Pillar — a 27-metre granite column, one of the largest monoliths ever erected outside Egypt's temples.
🍽️ Lunch in Alexandria — included. Then return to Cairo.
🌙 Overnight in Cairo hotel — included.
🗓️ Day 12 — Citadel of Saladin · Alabaster Mosque · Coptic Quarter · Departure
🍳 After breakfast, a final morning in Cairo before your flight.
🏰 Citadel of Saladin — the medieval fortress that dominated Cairo's skyline for 700 years, housing the iconic Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali with its Ottoman domes and stunning views over the city.
✝️ Coptic Quarter — one of the oldest Christian communities in the world. Visit the Hanging Church (Al-Muallaqah), one of Egypt's most ancient and beautiful churches, suspended above the gatehouse of a Roman fortress.
💡 Transfer times to Cairo Airport are arranged around your flight — your guide confirms the exact time on Day 11.
✅ End of your private 12-day Egypt tour. Transfer to Cairo International Airport for your departure flight.
Included in the price:
- Pick-up and assistance upon arrival and departure
- All transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle in Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan
- 6 nights’ accommodation in Cairo with daily breakfast
- 4 nights on a 5-star Nile cruise with full board
- Domestic flights Cairo – Luxor / Aswan – Cairo
- Jeep 4x4 for desert tour
- 1 night in the White Desert (camping)
- Camping equipment in the White Desert
- Certified English-speaking tour guides
- All sightseeing tours as mentioned in the itinerary
- Entrance fees to all sites mentioned in the itinerary
- Meals as indicated in the itinerary
- All meals except dinners in Cairo hotels
- All service charges and taxes
Not included in the price:
- personal expenses
- Dinners at Cairo hotels
- Beverages in restaurants/hotels
Payment:
Available Payment Methods:
- Cash (Euro, US Dollar, Swiss Franc)
- Bank transfer
- PayPal
- Tax and insurance are included in the price
Frequently Asked Questions — Private 12-Day Egypt Tour
Where does the 12-day Egypt tour start and end? +
The tour starts and ends at Cairo International Airport. Your Egyptologist guide meets you at the airport on Day 1 and transfers you back on Day 12 after the final morning in Cairo. If you are staying at a Red Sea resort (Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh, Marsa Alam), we can arrange a transfer to Cairo to join the tour — just mention this when you send your quote request.
Is this a private tour or a group tour? +
This is a 100% private tour — your group only, with your own licensed Egyptologist guide and private vehicle throughout all 12 days. You will never be combined with other travellers. The itinerary, pace, and daily schedule are adjusted entirely to your group's preferences.
What standard of hotels and Nile cruise is included? +
The tour includes 4-star hotels in Cairo with daily breakfast, and a 5-star Nile cruise ship with full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner) for 4 nights from Luxor to Aswan. If you would like to upgrade to 5-star hotels in Cairo or a specific cruise ship, let us know in your quote request and we will provide options and pricing.
Is the White Desert camping suitable for everyone? +
The White Desert camping night is one of the most memorable experiences in Egypt — sleeping under an incredible sky of stars in a surreal landscape. All camping equipment is provided, including comfortable sleeping arrangements and full-board meals cooked by your guide. If anyone in your group has mobility concerns or prefers a hotel night instead of camping, we can adjust the itinerary accordingly — just let us know.
Can the itinerary be customised? +
Yes — this itinerary is a popular framework, but it is fully flexible. We can add or remove destinations, extend stays in Cairo or Luxor, add a hot air balloon ride over Luxor at sunrise, or adjust departure dates. Because this is a private tour, everything is built around you. Send us your requirements with your quote request and we will tailor the programme to your preferences.
How do I pay and when? +
We offer flexible payment options: cash on arrival (Euro, US Dollar, Swiss Franc), bank transfer, or PayPal. No advance payment is required to confirm your booking — you pay on site at the start of the tour. All prices include taxes, insurance and service charges. There are no hidden fees.
Is Egypt safe to visit? +
Egypt is a safe and welcoming destination for tourists, visited by millions of travellers every year. Tourist sites are well-managed and secure. Your guide is with you throughout the tour and is always available to assist with any concerns. We have been operating private tours in Egypt since 2010 with thousands of satisfied guests.
Ready to Explore Egypt in 12 Days?
Your private tour is fully customizable — dates, pace, hotel category, and optional extensions. Contact us today and receive a detailed itinerary with a no-obligation quote within 24 hours.
Request Your Free Quote🔒 No payment required · Private & flexible · Expert local guides
