8-Day Egypt Holiday for Over-60s with Nile Cruise
Giza and the Egyptian Museum on two half days, followed by four nights cruising from Luxor to Aswan. Your internal flights, hotel, cabin, guide and entrance fees are all included.
The short answer
8-Day Egypt Holiday for Over-60s with Nile Cruise is an 8-day, 7-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 3 nights in Cairo and 4 on a Nile cruise. Starts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,454 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Seeing Egypt well is not the same as seeing it fast. On this holiday Cairo is kept to two half days: one morning for the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx, another for the Egyptian Museum. That leaves the rest of each day for a rest by the hotel.
On day 4 you fly to Luxor and settle into your Nile cruise ship for four nights, heading south to Aswan. The temples are brought to you by the river: Karnak and Luxor Temple, the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae. We book the flights, the transfers, your hotel and your cabin. If you have any mobility needs, tell us when you book and we will plan with them in mind.
What lingers
- 01A half-day at the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx with your own Egyptologist
- 02A half-day at the Egyptian Museum, with a pause for coffee or tea
- 03Four nights on a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan, full board
- 04Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple
- 05The temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, then Philae and the High Dam at Aswan
- 06Internal flights and transfers arranged for you, with an English-speaking Egyptologist at every sightseeing stop
Choose your comfort level
Prices are per person in GBP, from 2 people sharing a double room, including accommodation at the properties listed or similar.
| Comfort level | Where you stay or similar | Per personfrom, Oct–Apr | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentialfrom £1,4543★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNephtis · Magic I | £1,454May–Sep: from £1,296 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,5634★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 4 nightsLady Mary · Tower Prestige | £1,563May–Sep: from £1,431 | |
| Classicfrom £1,7725★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsJaz Crown Jubilee · Stephanie | £1,772May–Sep: from £1,431 | |
| Prestigefrom £2,0795★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNile Excellence · Nile Serenity | £2,079May–Sep: from £1,916 | |
| Luxuryfrom £3,5465★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda | £3,546May–Sep: from £2,565 | |
| Signature Collectionfrom £4,801Iconic heritage vessels · landmark hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsFour Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza Nile Cruise · 4 nightsHistoria | £4,801May–Sep: from £3,670 |
Hotels on bed & breakfast · Nile cruise on full board. You'll stay in these properties, or a similar choice of the same quality. Choose your date in the booking panel for the exact price.
- New
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
8 Days / 7 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings
- 1
Our representative is waiting in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport to greet you and help with your bags. A private car then takes you to the hotel, a drive of around an hour. We have planned nothing more for today, so you can put your feet up after the journey and save your energy for the days ahead.
- 2
Breakfast is followed by a pick-up at your hotel. Your own Egyptologist leads you across the Giza plateau, close to the pyramids and then to the Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple beside it. The outing takes about four hours, including a stop for coffee or tea, and ends back at the hotel. The guide, the car and the plateau entrance fee are all included.
- 3
This visit is all under cover. With your Egyptologist you go straight in without queuing and look at the masterpieces of the Old and Middle Kingdoms, then at the royal linens, the papyri and the animal mummies. A break for Egyptian coffee or tea is built in, and you are back at the hotel after about four hours. The Mummies Room is not covered by the ticket.
You are free for the remainder of the day.
- 4
A driver collects you from the hotel and takes you to Cairo Airport for the hour-long flight to Luxor. From there you are driven to the river and join your cruise ship, where your cabin will be home for four nights. With your Egyptologist you then explore Karnak, the vast temple complex with its Sacred Lake, and Luxor Temple.
The sightseeing is fitted around the flight, and the guide, entrance fees and transport are all included.
- 5
This morning the programme moves to the west side of the river. The Colossi of Memnon, a pair of enormous seated statues, line the roadside. Your ticket for the Valley of the Kings covers three tombs, and at Deir el-Bahari you see Queen Hatshepsut's terraced mortuary temple. An Egyptologist guides you throughout, entrance fees and transport are included, and you go back to the ship to sleep.
- 6
The ship brings you to two temples on the riverbank. Edfu is dedicated to the falcon god Horus and is among the best preserved in Egypt. Kom Ombo, a little further south, is a double temple above the water. Your Egyptologist leads both visits, and entrance fees and transport are covered. Between them the ship carries on, and you can take a seat on deck and watch the banks go by.
- 7
In Aswan, your Egyptologist begins with Philae Temple, the sanctuary of Isis. Next comes the High Dam, and the last stop is the Unfinished Obelisk in the old granite quarry, where a huge obelisk still lies unfinished in the stone. Entrance fees and transport are included. Tonight is your last night on board.
- 8
Following breakfast you say goodbye to the ship and are taken to Aswan Airport, around an hour away, for the flight to Cairo. There is no sightseeing, so the morning is unrushed. This holiday has no hotel night in Cairo, so book your flight home for late evening or overnight, and see our answer below on connecting flights.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Three nights in a Cairo hotel with breakfast, and four nights on a Nile cruise ship on full board
- Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor and from Aswan to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and quayside transfers by private vehicle
- A half-day visit to the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx with your own Egyptologist, with a coffee or tea stop
- A half-day visit to the Egyptian Museum with your own Egyptologist, with a coffee or tea stop
- Nile cruise sightseeing led by an English-speaking Egyptologist, with entrance fees and transport
- Meet and assist at Cairo Airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks on board and meals other than those stated
- The Mummies Room at the Egyptian Museum
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Take advantage of the split half days in Cairo by resting properly in the afternoon before the next outing.
- 02
At Karnak keep to the flatter paths past the Sacred Lake and let your guide shorten the walk if you wish.
- 03
Tomb steps in the Valley of the Kings are steep, so good-grip shoes and a steady pace make the day easier.
- 04
Bring a sun hat for Philae; the island has little shade and the boat crossing is short and calm.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo or Luxor, or about adding Abu Simbel, and tell us about any mobility needs.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Over-60s, and anyone who would like to see Egypt's main sights without hurrying. Suits couples and friends who like to unpack once, join guided outings and rest in between.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who want longer in Cairo before flying home.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Cairo divided into two half days of about four hours each
- Four nights on a single ship, so no repacking between Luxor and Aswan
- Flights, transfers, entrance fees and guiding all arranged for you
Things to Consider
- Steps and uneven stone at the temples; step-free access is not promised
- No Cairo hotel night after the cruise, so the flight home needs care
- Abu Simbel is not included
Where it fits
A good fit for over-60s who want the classic route at a calmer pace. Please ask about mobility needs before you book. Abu Simbel is not included.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Egypt holidays squeeze Cairo into one long day. This one gives the pyramids and the museum half a day each, then keeps you on one ship for four nights. The hotel and ship standard are your choice; the sightseeing stays the same.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided multi-day holiday with a Nile cruise, relaxed pace
- Accommodation
- Cairo hotel and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Philae Temple
- Includes
- 3 nights in a Cairo hotel with breakfast · 4 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · Egyptologist guiding on all sightseeing days · All transfers by private vehicle
- Best for
- Over-60s · Travellers who prefer an easier pace · First-time visitors wanting the pyramids and a Nile cruise
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Cairo International Airport (CAI), Arrivals HallMap
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Passport and any visa or travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication, packed in your hand luggage
- Small day bag
- Travel insurance details, covering missed connections
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for sun and heat
- Flat, closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket or wrap for evenings on the river and air-conditioned rooms
Children & families
Children are welcome, although the holiday is built around an easier pace. Every child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport, guiding and meals are charged at the adult rate at any age. Entrance tickets are free for children under 6 and full price from 6. Hotel and cabin prices depend on the child's age and the room or cabin used, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age at booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
Please ask us about mobility needs before you book. The Cairo visits are half days, and the vehicles are private and air-conditioned. The temples and West Bank sites mean uneven ancient stone, steps and exposed stretches with little shade, and joining the ship involves a gangway. We cannot promise step-free access at every site. Let us know what you find easy and what you find difficult and we will tell you honestly which parts will suit and how we can adapt.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday involves two internal flights, a Nile cruise ship and private road transfers, and vehicles vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and arranged through suppliers based in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, so a good share of what you spend stays where you travel. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and to keep their hands off the painted walls in tombs.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
If you cancel, your refund depends on how soon you let us know and on the kind of holiday. See our current cancellation and refund terms
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01Is this holiday right for over-60s?
It is built for a gentler rhythm: Giza and the Egyptian Museum are half days of around four hours, and you stay on one ship for four nights rather than moving hotels. There is still walking over uneven stone and up steps at the temples. Tell us about any mobility needs and we will be straightforward about what will suit you.02Can you promise step-free access?
No. The temples have steps and uneven ground, and joining the ship involves a gangway. Let us know what you need when you book and we will go through each site with you.03Are the internal flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Luxor on day 4 and from Aswan to Cairo on day 8 are booked for you. International flights are not included.04Will I make my international flight home?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late domestic flight can mean a missed connection. This holiday finishes with the flight from Aswan to Cairo and has no Cairo hotel night, so pick a late-evening or overnight flight home, and take insurance that covers missed connections.05How does the cruise work?
You join the ship on day 4 and live on board for four nights, travelling from Luxor to Aswan on full board. An English-speaking Egyptologist leads every sightseeing outing, with entrance fees and transport included.06Which ship and hotel will I get?
You pick a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the hotel and ship for your dates. The route and sightseeing are the same whichever you choose.07Does the holiday include Abu Simbel?
No. Abu Simbel is not part of this itinerary. Ask us and we will point you towards holidays that do include it.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks other than those stated, the Mummies Room at the Egyptian Museum and the inside of the Khufu pyramid.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-495934
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days · 7 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu or Fri
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Cairo
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 4 Nile cruise
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers