Travel Itinerary

15-Day Mega Nile & Middle Egypt Tour: Cairo to Aswan

15 days

Trip at a Glance

  • 1
  • 99
  • 1 - 16
  • Air-conditioned road transfers plus Nile cruise.
  • Comfort 3 Stars or Premium hotel selection according to the source tables, plus a 5-star Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan.
  • Cairo International Airport
  • Aswan Airport
  • October to April
  • Ancient Egypt, Holy Family heritage, Middle Egypt culture & Nile cruise
  • English- or German-speaking Egyptologist guide
  • Daily breakfast and full board on the Nile cruise; welcome dinner on arrival day.
  • Entrance fees for the listed sightseeing visits are included.
  • Comfort 3 Stars / Premium
  • Easy cultural touring with regular walking at archaeological sites.
  • 108 m near Kom Ombo
  • 1–16 travelers (demo capacity)
  • Egyptologist-guided sightseeing

Trip Overview

Follow one of Gate East's most wide-ranging cultural routes on a 15-day journey from Cairo to Aswan. The program moves beyond the classic Cairo-and-cruise formula by travelling through Faiyum and the cities of Middle Egypt before joining a five-night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan.

Begin with the Great Pyramids, Sphinx and historic Cairo, then continue to Faiyum for Qarun Lake, Wadi El Rayan, Wadi El Hitan, Hawara Pyramid and Magic Lake. The road south brings Meidum and Sannur Cave in Beni Suef, the Beni Hassan tombs and Amarna heritage around Minya, and Deir El Muharraq in Assiut as part of the Holy Family Route theme.

Sohag adds the White and Red Monasteries before Qena and Dendera lead into the Nile-cruise chapter. From Luxor, explore Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi of Memnon, then continue through Edfu and Kom Ombo to Aswan for the High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple.

The website packages are presented as Comfort 3 Stars and Premium. Both follow the same complete itinerary. Comfort uses the source's lower accommodation set, while Premium uses the higher accommodation set with upgraded hotels where available; both retain the source-listed 5-star Nile-cruise standard.

Journey Highlights

  • See the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx at the start of the journey.
  • Explore Old Cairo, Khan El Khalili, the Citadel of Saladin, Muhammad Ali Mosque and Babylon Fortress.
  • Discover Qarun Lake, Wadi El Rayan, Wadi El Hitan, Hawara Pyramid and Magic Lake in Faiyum.
  • Visit Meidum Pyramid and Sannur Cave in the Beni Suef region.
  • Explore the Beni Hassan tombs, Tell El Amarna, the boundary stelae and Tuna El Gebel around Minya.
  • Follow part of the Holy Family Route with a visit to Deir El Muharraq in Assiut.
  • Visit the White Monastery and Red Monastery in Sohag.
  • See Dendera's Temple of Hathor before embarking on the Nile cruise.
  • Explore Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple and the Colossi of Memnon.
  • Sail south with temple visits at Edfu and Kom Ombo.
  • Complete the route in Aswan with the High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple.
  • Choose Comfort 3 Stars or Premium while keeping the same complete route and guided sightseeing program.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01

Arrival in Cairo – Welcome to the Mega Nile Journey

Arrive at Cairo International Airport, where the journey begins with meet-and-assist service and the scheduled transfer to your hotel.

After check-in, settle into the first chapter of a route that will cross Cairo, Middle Egypt and the Nile Valley before ending in Aswan.

A welcome dinner is included before the first overnight in Cairo.

Dinner + Lunch + Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 02

Giza Pyramids & the Great Sphinx

After breakfast, begin the sightseeing program on the Giza Plateau with the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx, the monumental opening to the ancient-Egypt theme of the journey.

Take time to experience the scale of the plateau and its desert setting before returning to Cairo.

Overnight in Cairo.

Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 03

Old Cairo, Khan El Khalili & the Citadel

Continue through Cairo with the historic sites listed in the source program, including Old Cairo, Khan El Khalili, the Citadel of Saladin and the Muhammad Ali Mosque.

The day also includes Babylon Fortress, linking layers of Cairo's religious and urban history before the route turns south.

Overnight in Cairo.

Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 04

Faiyum – Qarun Lake, Wadi El Rayan & Wadi El Hitan

Leave Cairo for Faiyum, where the program combines lake scenery, desert landscapes and archaeology in one of the most varied days of the trip.

Visit Qarun Lake, Wadi El Rayan and Wadi El Hitan, the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Whales, together with Hawara Pyramid and Magic Lake as stated in the source program.

Overnight in Faiyum.

Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 05

Beni Suef – Meidum Pyramid & Sannur Cave

Continue into Middle Egypt for the Beni Suef chapter of the route.

The program includes Meidum Pyramid, the region's agricultural heritage and Sannur Cave, creating a contrast between archaeological and natural sites.

Overnight in Beni Suef.

Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 06

Minya – Beni Hassan Tombs & Tell El Amarna

Travel to Minya and begin exploring the archaeological landscape of Middle Egypt.

Visit the tombs of Beni Hassan and continue to Tell El Amarna, the city associated with Akhenaten and one of the defining historical themes of this section of the journey.

Overnight in Minya.

Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 07

Minya – Boundary Stelae, Tuna El Gebel & Akhenaten Heritage

Continue the Minya program with the boundary stelae and Tuna El Gebel, extending the route through the heritage sites connected with the Amarna period.

The day is designed as a second focused exploration of the region rather than a rushed transfer south.

Overnight in Minya.

Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 08

Assiut – Deir El Muharraq & the Holy Family Route

Continue to Assiut for a key spiritual and cultural chapter of the journey.

Visit Deir El Muharraq Monastery, one of the places highlighted in the source program under the Holy Family Route theme.

Overnight in Assiut.

Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 09

Sohag – White Monastery & Red Monastery

Travel onward to Sohag and visit the White Monastery and the Red Monastery, two major Coptic heritage sites included in the program.

The day continues the religious-heritage thread before the route reaches Qena and the Nile-cruise section.

Overnight in Sohag.

Breakfast
Comfort / Premium Hotel

Übernachtungsart: Comfort / Premium Hotel, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 10

Qena & Dendera – Hathor Temple and Nile Cruise Embarkation

Continue to Qena and Dendera for the visit to the Temple of Hathor named in the source itinerary.

After sightseeing, transfer to the Nile cruise and begin the five-night Luxor-to-Aswan sailing chapter of the journey.

Overnight on the Nile cruise in the Luxor area.

Breakfast + Dinner
Nile Cruise

Übernachtungsart: Nile Cruise, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 11

Luxor East Bank – Karnak & Luxor Temples

Explore the east bank of Luxor with the Karnak Temple complex and Luxor Temple, two major monuments listed in the cruise program.

Return to the ship and continue the full-board Nile-cruise experience.

Overnight on the Nile cruise in the Luxor area.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Nile Cruise

Übernachtungsart: Nile Cruise, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 12

Luxor West Bank – Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut

Cross to Luxor's west bank for the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon, all included in the source program.

After the visits, return to the vessel and continue sailing south.

Overnight on the Nile cruise toward Edfu.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Nile Cruise

Übernachtungsart: Nile Cruise, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 13

Edfu & Kom Ombo – Temples Along the Nile

Continue the Nile journey with the Edfu Temple visit before sailing onward toward Kom Ombo.

Visit Kom Ombo Temple and return to the ship as the cruise continues toward Aswan.

Overnight on the Nile cruise on the Kom Ombo–Aswan route.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Nile Cruise

Übernachtungsart: Nile Cruise, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 14

Aswan – High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk & Philae Temple

Reach Aswan for the final major sightseeing day of the route.

Visit the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple as listed in the source program, completing the cultural sequence from Cairo through Middle Egypt to Upper Egypt.

Final overnight on the Nile cruise in Aswan.

Breakfast + Lunch + Dinner
Nile Cruise

Übernachtungsart: Nile Cruise, passend zum Reiseverlauf und zum gewählten Unterkunftspaket, soweit zutreffend.

Day 15

Departure from Aswan

Enjoy breakfast before the scheduled transfer to Aswan Airport.

The 15-day Mega Nile Journey ends after a route through ancient monuments, Middle Egypt heritage, the Holy Family Route and the Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan.

End of Gate East services.

Breakfast

Included in Your Journey

  • Fourteen nights of accommodation according to the selected Comfort 3 Stars or Premium package and the source accommodation plan.
  • Daily breakfast according to the source inclusion list.
  • Full board during the Nile-cruise section according to the source inclusion list.
  • All scheduled transfers by air-conditioned transport.
  • Entrance fees for the visits listed in the program.
  • English- or German-speaking Egyptologist guide service.
  • Meet-and-assist service on arrival.
  • Service charges and taxes stated as included in the source program.

Not Included

  • International flights.
  • Egypt entry visa.
  • Travel insurance.
  • Personal expenses.
  • Drinks not listed as included.
  • Optional excursions.
  • Gratuities.
  • Early check-in or late check-out.

Dates

  • October 3, 2026 - October 17, 2026
  • October 10, 2026 - October 24, 2026
  • October 17, 2026 - October 31, 2026
  • October 24, 2026 - November 7, 2026
  • November 7, 2026 - November 21, 2026
  • November 14, 2026 - November 28, 2026
  • November 21, 2026 - December 5, 2026
  • November 28, 2026 - December 12, 2026
  • December 5, 2026 - December 19, 2026
  • December 12, 2026 - December 26, 2026
  • December 19, 2026 - January 2, 2027

Frequently Asked Questions

Route & Organization

How long is the Mega Nile Journey?

The program lasts 15 days and 14 nights, starting in Cairo and ending in Aswan.

Why is this route different from a classic Cairo and Nile cruise tour?

It travels through Faiyum and several Middle Egypt cities before the five-night Luxor-to-Aswan cruise, adding archaeology, Coptic heritage and part of the Holy Family Route.

Where does the Nile cruise begin?

The program transfers to the Nile cruise after the Qena and Dendera visit on Day 10, then continues through Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan.

Accommodation & Packages

What is the difference between Comfort 3 Stars and Premium?

Both packages use the same itinerary. Comfort follows the source's lower accommodation set, while Premium follows the higher hotel set and upgraded accommodation where available.

Is the Nile cruise included in both packages?

Yes. The source includes five Nile-cruise nights for both accommodation sets, with standard and deluxe-luxury 5-star cruise positioning respectively.

Which package sets the displayed From price?

Comfort 3 Stars is the primary package and basis of the website's displayed starting price.

Culture & Sightseeing

Does the tour include the Holy Family Route?

Yes. The Assiut day includes Deir El Muharraq, and the source identifies the Holy Family Route as one of the main themes of the journey.

Which Middle Egypt sites are included?

The program includes Faiyum, Meidum and Sannur Cave, Beni Hassan, Tell El Amarna, boundary stelae, Tuna El Gebel, Deir El Muharraq, and the White and Red Monasteries before reaching Qena.

Which major Nile temples are included?

The cruise section includes Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae, together with Aswan's High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk.

Season, Prices & Departures

What is the recommended travel season?

The source recommends October to April for comfortable sightseeing and Nile cruising.

Are the website prices final operational prices?

No. The current prices are development-stage commercial proposals for the demo and should be reviewed by Gate East Management and Operations before publication.

How is the demo departure calendar configured?

The development bundle uses four Saturday departures per month from October through April. Operations should approve or replace the calendar before publishing.

Practical Information

Which guide languages are included?

The source specifies an English- or German-speaking Egyptologist guide.

Are international flights and visa fees included?

No. International flights and the Egypt entry visa are explicitly excluded.

Are drinks and gratuities included?

No. Drinks and gratuities are listed among the excluded services.