Luxury Egypt8 Day Egypt Private Tour: Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Nile Cruise
This 8 day Egypt private tour from Egypt Unlimited Tours is the most reviewed listing in the comparison table, with 285 reviews and a 4.9 rating on Viator. It is a good measure of what a mid-price package actually buys. The $1,800 per person price covers four nights in a 5-star deluxe Cairo hotel on bed and breakfast, three nights full board on a 5-star deluxe Nile ship, both domestic flights, entrance fees to every site in the itinerary and a private English-speaking Egyptologist. Abu Simbel is not in the base price. Peak dates from December 20 to January 2 add $200 per person. This page walks through the itinerary, the small print and who should book a different package from the luxury Egypt tours comparison.
About This Tour
Egypt Unlimited Tours runs this as a fully private 8-day package: a private group, a private deluxe air-conditioned vehicle and an English-speaking Egyptologist guide throughout. You start and end in Cairo, with four hotel nights in the capital and three cruise nights sailing north from Aswan to Luxor via Kom Ombo and Edfu. Both domestic flights, Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo, are in the price, as are airport transfers with meet and assist.
The core sites are the Egyptian Museum, the Sphinx and the Giza Pyramids in Cairo, then the High Dam, Philae Temple and a felucca sail in Aswan, the temples at Kom Ombo and Edfu, and Luxor Temple, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Abu Simbel sits outside the base price as an optional visit on the second cruise day. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, bottled water comes daily during sightseeing, and beverages of any other kind do not.
$1,800 per person. A peak supplement of $200 per person applies from December 20 to January 2.
8 days, 7 nights. Pickup included, though the pickup time is not stated.
Private group with an English-speaking professional Egyptologist guide and a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle.
4 nights in a 5-star deluxe Cairo hotel on bed and breakfast, 3 nights on a 5-star deluxe Nile cruise, full board.
Domestic flights Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo are included. Abu Simbel is an optional extra on the second cruise day.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included, bottled water during sightseeing. Not included: the international flight, the entry visa, beverages, tips and optional tours. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times are confirmed when you check a date. Cancel at least 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
Quick answer Price, inclusions and who it suits
This 8 day Egypt private tour costs $1,800 per person for 8 days and 7 nights, with 4 nights in a 5-star deluxe Cairo hotel, 3 nights full board on a 5-star deluxe Nile ship, both domestic flights and entrance fees included. It holds a 4.9 rating from 285 reviews, the most reviewed listing in the comparison.
Key takeaways
- Entrance fees, both domestic flights and the private Egyptologist are in the price, but Abu Simbel is optional and adds to the cost. See what the price covers below.
- Travellers who want Abu Simbel inside the base price can look at the 8-Day Private Egypt Nile Cruise Tour.
- If a balloon over Luxor matters, the 8-Day Egypt Highlights with Balloon includes one.
- Browse the full range on the Egypt luxury tour packages before you commit.
What the Price Actually Covers
The listing is unusually explicit about inclusions, which helps. Here is the line by line split, based only on what the operator states.
What Is in the $1,800
The package covers 4 nights at a 5-star deluxe hotel in Cairo on bed and breakfast, 3 nights on board a 5-star deluxe Nile cruise with full board, and all meals listed as breakfast, lunch and dinner. Entrance fees to all the sites mentioned in the itinerary are included, along with meet and assist at airports, all airport transfers, baggage transfer, service charge and taxes, and a bottle of water daily during sightseeing. The domestic flight tickets Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo are also included. You get a deluxe air-conditioned vehicle, an English-speaking professional Egyptologist guide and a 24-hour emergency hotline.
The hotel is described only as 5-star deluxe, so no property name is given. The same applies to the ship. Ask the operator which hotel and which vessel you will actually sleep on before you pay.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cairo hotel | Yes, 4 nights, 5-star deluxe, B/B | Property name not stated |
| Nile cruise | Yes, 3 nights, 5-star deluxe ship, full board | Description says a 4-day cruise, confirm |
| Domestic flights | Yes, Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo | International flight is not included |
| Entrance fees | Yes, all sites in the itinerary | Pyramid interiors may be extra |
| Guide | Yes, private English-speaking Egyptologist | |
| Abu Simbel | No, optional on cruise day 2 | Priced separately by the operator |
| Balloon | No | Not mentioned in the listing |
| Beverages | No, except bottled water during sightseeing | Buy drinks on your own |
| Visa and tips | No | Cash budget needed |
What You May Still Pay on the Day
Several costs sit outside the from-price. The entry visa is not included, and the FCDO lists the on-arrival visa at US$30, cash only, while Gulf News reports a rise to US$45. Tips are excluded. Sources differ on the going rate for guides and cruise crew, so carry small notes. Abu Simbel is an optional tour and costs whatever the operator quotes. Drinks other than bottled water are on you for all 8 days. Peak dates from December 20 to January 2 add $200 per person.
Entrance fees to the listed sites are included, but two classic add-ons are not named in the itinerary: going inside the Great Pyramid and the special tombs. The ministry price list prices the Great Pyramid interior at EGP 1,000 and the Valley of the Kings ticket at EGP 750. Budget Egyptian pounds in cash if you want them.
The Cruise Night Question
One inconsistency is worth flagging before you book. The description calls it a 4-day Nile cruise, while the inclusions list 3 nights of cruise accommodation. A 4-day sailing with an early arrival and a late departure can genuinely mean 3 nights on board.
Either way, ask the operator to confirm how many nights you sleep on the ship and which cabins the 5-star deluxe label applies to, and get it in writing.
Sources: UK FCDO travel advice: Egypt, Wikipedia: Egypt
The Great Sphinx with the pyramid of Khafre behind it on the Giza plateau. Photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The listing gives the route and the sightseeing order rather than clock times. Here is the shape of the 8 days from its own itinerary.
Cairo, Four Hotel Nights
You arrive in Cairo, where the operator meets you and transfers you to a 5-star deluxe hotel on bed and breakfast for four nights. Sightseeing in the capital is private and covers the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the Sphinx and the Pyramids in Giza. The description also promises leisure time to explore the market places and the modern city.
Meals in Cairo are breakfast at the hotel plus the lunches and dinners the inclusion list names. The pickup time for each day is not stated, so confirm it locally.
Fly to Aswan, Cruise Day 1
A domestic flight takes you from Cairo to Aswan, where the cruise starts. The stated programme for the first cruise day is the Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple and a felucca sail on the Nile. The High Dam is a 3,830 m long structure finished in 1970.
All three stops fall on one day, so expect a full schedule.
Cruise Day 2, the Abu Simbel Choice
The second cruise day is deliberately left open. You may choose the optional visit to Abu Simbel, where the 20 m seated colossi of Ramesses II line the Great Temple facade. Sources put Abu Simbel between 230 and 280 km from Aswan by road, which makes it a long day on top of an extra fee.
The listing does not say what happens on the ship if you skip it.
Cruise Day 3, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Luxor
Leaving Aswan you sail to Kom Ombo Temple, then on to Edfu Temple where the ship overnights. The listing calls Edfu the 2,000 year old Temple of Horus. The next stretch sails to Luxor, where the day ends with Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple.
Rome2Rio puts Luxor and Aswan 213.8 km apart by road, and the ship covers the distance between the temple stops.
Cruise Day 4, the West Bank, Then Fly Home
The last cruise day visits the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon on Luxor's west bank. The Valley of the Kings was used for royal burials from about 1539 BC to 1075 BC, and only around 20 of its 65 tombs held kings. After the sightseeing you fly from Luxor back to Cairo, where the tour ends.
Return airport transfer is covered under the included transfers, and the last hotel night is not part of the package, so plan your international departure for this final day.
8 Days in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan with a Nile Cruise
An 8-day Egypt route from Cairo to Aswan and Luxor with a Nile cruise in between. Third-party video by Jakada Tours Egypt. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing is honest about its limits, and a few of them matter. Read this before you book if any of the following describes you.
You Want Abu Simbel Included
Here Abu Simbel is an optional extra on the second cruise day, priced separately. If you want it inside the base price, the 8-Day Private Egypt Nile Cruise Tour includes it, and so does the 10-Day Ultimate Egypt Nile Cruise, which ends its sailing at Abu Simbel. Read the Abu Simbel guide for the site itself.
You Want a Balloon or More Days
No hot air balloon ride is mentioned anywhere in the listing. The 8-Day Egypt Highlights with Balloon includes a Luxor balloon flight on day 5 for $1,808, though it has only 12 reviews. For a longer, higher-end trip, the 12-Day Luxury Egypt Nile Tour runs 12 days with Alexandria and Fayoum added, at $6,527 per person.
You Cannot Manage Early Starts, Heat or Tomb Corridors
The listing says the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels and states no age limits, but the practical demands are real. The optional Abu Simbel day means a long road trip from Aswan, with sources giving 230 to 280 km. Luxor averages above 40 C in June, July and August, and tomb visits in the Valley of the Kings mean steep, hot, enclosed corridors.
If you are travelling in summer, shift sightseeing to early morning, or pick a cooler month. Check the best time to visit Egypt guide before fixing dates.
You Are Travelling Solo or in Peak Season
The price is quoted per person and no single supplement amount is stated, so solo travellers should ask what a single room costs before booking. The $200 per person peak supplement from December 20 to January 2 is mandatory in those dates. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure, which is more flexible than several competing listings that are final sale.
The ruined colonnade and walls of the Temple of Kom Ombo in warm evening light. Photo: Ovedc, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There and What to Add
You fly into Cairo to start and fly out of Cairo to finish. Both legs are your own booking, and so is the visa.
Reaching Cairo
Your package includes meet and assist at airports and all airport transfers mentioned in the itinerary, so the operator collects you on arrival. The visa is not included, and the FCDO lists the on-arrival visa at US$30 cash, while Gulf News reports a rise to US$45. Your passport must be valid at least 6 months after arrival and have a blank page.
FCDO rules also cap Egyptian pounds taken in or out of the country at EGP 5,000, so plan your cash accordingly.
Adding Days in and Around Cairo
With four Cairo nights you have leisure time built in, and the listing's free afternoons are the slot for what the itinerary skips. The Grand Egyptian Museum stands about 2 km from the Giza pyramid complex and holds over 100,000 artefacts, with the Tutankhamun collection transferring from the Tahrir museum. The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir is EGP 550 for foreign adults on the ministry list.
Foreign admission figures for the GEM differ by source, EGP 1,450 or EGP 1,000, so check on the day. Saqqara lies about 30 to 40 km south of Cairo and holds the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest complete stone building complex known. Read the Grand Egyptian Museum and pyramids of Giza tour guides before your free days.
Extending Beyond the Itinerary
Alexandria sits about 140 miles (225 km) from Cairo, reachable as a long day trip or an overnight add-on. The Red Sea resort towns are the other classic extension, and the 9-Day Egypt Sleeper Train Tour shows how a Hurghada beach stop fits a similar route. If you would rather travel overland, the sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor or Aswan runs 8 to 10 hours overnight per Rough Guides, and Rome2Rio puts the Cairo to Luxor drive at 637.2 km against a 553 km straight line.
This tour flies instead, and Rome2Rio shows Cairo to Aswan at 3h48m door to door by air against 14h15m by train. The Egypt itinerary guide helps you assemble the extras.
Day by Day
The listing gives the sightseeing order rather than departure times, so the steps follow its own day labels. Confirm exact times with the operator.
-
Days 1 to 4
Cairo
Arrive in Cairo with meet and assist at the airport and a transfer to a 5-star deluxe hotel on bed and breakfast. Private sightseeing covers the Egyptian Museum, the Sphinx and the Giza Pyramids, with leisure time in the market places. Four nights in the capital.
-
Day 5
Fly Cairo to Aswan
The included domestic flight takes you south to Aswan, where the 5-star deluxe cruise ship waits. The first cruise day covers the Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple and a felucca sail on the Nile. First of 3 nights on board, full board from here.
-
Day 6
Abu Simbel, optional
The second cruise day is free for the optional Abu Simbel visit, a long early road trip from Aswan, with sources giving 230 to 280 km, priced separately. Travellers who skip it stay with the ship.
-
Day 6 to 7
Kom Ombo and Edfu
Sail from Aswan to Kom Ombo Temple, then continue to Edfu Temple and overnight. The listing calls it the 2,000 year old Temple of Horus.
-
Day 7
Sail to Luxor
Cruise on to Luxor and visit Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple. Last night on the ship.
-
Day 8
West bank and fly home
Visit the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon, then take the included Luxor to Cairo flight. The tour ends in Cairo with the airport transfer included.
Pros and Cons
A balanced read of the listing against its price and its competitors.
What we genuinely like
- Fully private throughout, with a private group, a private vehicle and an English-speaking Egyptologist.
- Both domestic flights are included.
- Entrance fees to all itinerary sites are included, along with all meals and daily bottled water.
- 4.9 from 285 reviews, the most reviewed listing in the comparison.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, more flexible than the all-sales-final alternatives.
The honest downsides
- Abu Simbel is an optional extra.
- No balloon, no Alexandria, no Saqqara and no Grand Egyptian Museum in the itinerary.
- Beverages beyond bottled water, tips, the visa and the international flight are all excluded, so budget cash on top of the $1,800.
- The listing is inconsistent about cruise length, a 4-day cruise in the description against 3 nights in the inclusions, and no hotel or ship name is given.
- A $200 per person supplement applies from December 20 to January 2.
Who it's NOT for: Travellers who want Abu Simbel, a balloon ride or named hotels inside one guaranteed price should compare the alternatives first.
Questions About This Tour
Is Abu Simbel included in this 8 day Egypt private tour?
No, Abu Simbel is an optional visit on the second cruise day and costs extra on top of the $1,800 base price. If you want it included, compare the 8-Day Private Egypt Nile Cruise Tour.
How many nights do I spend on the Nile cruise?
The inclusions list 3 nights on board a 5-star deluxe cruise ship with full board, while the description calls it a 4-day cruise. Ask the operator to confirm before booking, and read the Nile river cruise guide for what a 3-night sailing covers.
What do I still pay for on top of the price?
The international flight, the entry visa, tips, beverages and optional tours are all excluded, and December 20 to January 2 adds $200 per person. The guide to what the price includes breaks down the typical extras.
Which hotel and ship does the tour use?
The listing says a 5-star deluxe hotel in Cairo for 4 nights and a 5-star deluxe Nile cruise ship for 3 nights, but names neither. The 12-Day Luxury Egypt Nile Tour page shows how a higher-priced package handles the same question.
Can I cancel if my plans change?
Yes, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure for a full refund. That is more flexible than the final-sale terms on several other listings in the Egypt luxury tour packages.
Is this tour suitable for older travellers or children?
The listing states it is suitable for all physical fitness levels and sets no minimum age. Note the early start if you take the optional Abu Simbel trip, and see the Valley of the Kings guide for the steep tomb corridors.
Do I need a visa before I fly to Cairo?
Yes, an entry visa is required and is not included in the price. The FCDO lists the on-arrival visa at US$30 cash while Gulf News reports a rise to US$45, and your passport must be valid 6 months after arrival.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
We may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure