Wonders of Ancient Egypt:
A Specialty Tour
Dates
Sept. 29 - Oct. 11, 2026
Stays
Cairo (3 nights)
Luxor (1 night)
Nile Cruise (4 nights)
Cairo (3 nights)
Starting at
$
Single Supplement
$
Come explore the intersection of literature and faith in the UK via this engaging program curated by Academy Travel. Participants will travel through both time and space, learning about Shakespeare; early Medieval Christianity; the English and Scottish Reformations (and bible translation); and C.S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the Inklings while visiting London, the Cotswolds, Durham and Lindisfarne, and Edinburgh. Register soon -- space is limited!
What's Included
Representative in airport to assist with passport control and customs
Group airport transfers and private transportation on air-conditioned vehicle
6 nights at the Four Seasons or similar (Cairo)
1 night at the Steigenberger Nile Palace (Luxor)
4 nights on Nile Cruise
Breakfast and lunch daily
All meals aboard cruise
Welcome & farewell dinners
Water on bus
Snacks on tour
Guided tour of sites by English-speaking Egyptologist
Private golf cart at pyramids
Entrance fees and tickets
Domestic flights
Services charges and taxes
Tips for tour services
24/7 customer service by Egypt travel partners
What's Not Included
International air fare
Travel and cancellation insurance
Additional meals
Personal items (phone calls, laundry, special transfers, etc.)
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026 - Depart US for Cairo
Day 3: Friday, Oct. 2, 2026 - Sakkara Complex and Red & Bent Pyramids
Day 1: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 - Arrival in Cairo
Day 2: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026 - Giza Pyramid, Sphinx, and GEM
Day 4: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026 - Fly to Luxor: Karnak & Luxor Temples
Day 5: Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026 - Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut Mortuary Temple
Day 6: Monday, Oct. 5, 2026 - Edfu Temple and Komombo Temple
Day 7: Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026 - Abu Simbel Temple
Day 8: Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2026 - Philae Temple
Day 9: Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026 - Fly to Cairo, National Museum of Civilization
Day 10: Friday, Oct. 9, 2026 - Alexandria
Depart on your overnight flight to Cairo.
Upon arrival, you'll be greeted by a travel partner representative, who will shepherd you through customs. Transfer to your hotel. Time allowing, explore your surroundings or relax at the hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight in Cairo.
Following breakfast, travel to Giza to visit two surviving wonders of the ancient world: the magnificent Pyramids and Sphinx. After visiting these, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Then head to the newly opened (Nov. 1, 2025) Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). This magnificent museum contains a staggering 100,000 artifacts from ancient Egyptian civilization, many being exhibited for the the first time. Notably, the GEM hosts the entirety of the King Tutankhamun collection! Return to your hotel for a welcome dinner. Overnight in Cairo.
After breakfast, board the bus for an excursion to the Sakkara (or Saqqara) complex. This area once functioned as a burial ground for kings, queens, and other nobles during the Old Kingdom. Here you will also visit the Step Pyramid of King Djoser, representing the first successful attempt at building a standing pyramid which dates to nearly 5,000 years ago! Following lunch at a local restaurant, next head Dahshur. Here you will encounter the Red Pyramid, the tallest of its kind in Dahshur, whose name derives from the reddish color of its building blocks. Finally, continue on to the Bent Pyramid, so-called due to its changing slope. Return to Cairo. Dinner on your own and overnight.
Following breakfast, check out of the hotel and transfer to Luxor via domestic flight. Check into the hotel. Your first visit will be to the Karnak Complex, considered the world's largest worship space, complete with huge columns, obelisk, and a sacred lake. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Next, proceed to the Luxor Temple. Here, you will encounter the great Ramses II colossi. Return to the hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight in Luxor.
After breakfast, check out of your hotel. Head to the west bank of the Nile to explore the Valley of the King, home to Egypt's most well-known Pharaohs. Your program includes a special additional visit to the tomb of the Golden Pharaoh, King Tutankhamun. Then continue on to Queen Hatshepsut's magnificent Mortuary Temple, built nearly 3,500 years ago! This unique temple is partially engraved into the mountain. Following these visits, check into your special Nile cruise. Dinner and overnight on the cruise.
Optional: hot air balloon ride.
Breakfast on the cruise. Then disembark to visit the Edfu Temple. Considered to be one of the best-preserved temples from ancient Egypt, it is the largest one dedicated to the Egyptian god Horus. Following lunch visit the Komombo Temple. This unusual temple is unique for its dedication to two separate deities, the local crocodile-headed god, Sobek, and the falcon-headed god, Horus. Return to the your ship and sail on to Aswan. Dinner and overnight aboard the cruise.
After breakfast, disembark from your ship. Board a flight for Abu Simbel. This temple, carved into the mountain, is a miracle of engineering! Return to your cruise in Aswan. Dinner and overnight on the cruise.
Following breakfast, head to the Philae Temple, or "Temple of Lovers." This temple is the physical backdrop to one of the most ancient love stories, that of Isis and Osiris. Return to your ship. Lunch, dinner, and overnight on the cruise.
After breakfast, complete your cruise and transfer to the airport. Fly back to Cairo. Upon arrival, your guide will take you to visit the National Museum of Civilization (NEMC), which contains the mummies of royal kings and queens of ancient Egypt. Enjoy a relaxing lunch at a local restaurant. Then check into your hotel. Dinner on your own and overnight in Cairo.
Following breakfast, transfer to Alexandria, a port city on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. Start your day by visiting the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, a Roman burial ground containing three underground floors. Next, you will tour the Roman theater located in Kom El-Dikka. This structure dates to the 2nd century CE. It features a semicircular design with 13 rows of marble seats, once covered with a wooden roof. To round off the excursion, you will visit the famous-in-ancient-world Bibliotheca ("library") of Alexandria. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then transfer back to Cairo. Dinner on your own. Overnight in Cairo.
Interested in This Program?
Day 11: Friday, Oct. 10, 2026 - Coptic & Islamic Cairo
After breakfast, your guide will take you to Coptic Cairo. Here you will enter the Hanging Church, built in the 7th century and considered the mother of all churches in Egypt. Next, you will visit the Church of Saint Sergius, where resides the crypt in which the virgin Mary and baby Jesus hid after fleeing form king Herod according to local tradition. Continue your tour by exploring Islamic Cairo. You will visit the Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, undoubtedly the highlight of Medieval Cairo. An iconic example of Ottoman architecture, the famous mosque sports an impressive dome and intricate decorations throughout. Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant. Then head to the renowned Khan El Khalili local market, a traffic-free pedestrian area. Here you can revel in the beautiful architecture and soak in the Egyptian ambiance. Return to your hotel for a special farewell dinner on your last overnight in Cairo.
Day 12: Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026 - Return to the US
Following breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to Cairo's international airport for your return trip to the US.