Overview
This 15 day Egypt tour combines Cairo and Giza, two nights camping in the White Desert, a flight to Luxor, a 4 night dahabiya cruise to Aswan and a night at Abu Simbel. It covers 14 nights with a private Egyptologist guide, private transport, domestic flights and the entrance fees for the sites in the program. The price starts at 2,500 USD per person.
What this 15 day Egypt tour covers
The route has four parts. You spend four days in Cairo and Giza, then two nights in the Black Desert and White Desert near Bahariya Oasis. After the desert you fly to Luxor for Karnak and the West Bank, then sail for four nights on a dahabiya from Luxor to Aswan. The last part is Philae Temple, a night at Abu Simbel and an early visit to the temples of Ramesses II. The day-by-day plan is in the itinerary below.
How the 14 nights are split
- 5 nights in Cairo hotels (Days 1-4 and Day 7)
- 2 nights in a desert camp (Days 5-6)
- 1 night in a Luxor hotel (Day 8)
- 4 nights on the dahabiya, full board (Days 9-12)
- 1 night at Abu Simbel (Day 13)
- 1 night in an Aswan hotel (Day 14)
The Black Desert and White Desert camp
From Cairo you drive to Bahariya Oasis. Then a 4×4 takes you through the volcanic hills of the Black Desert and past Crystal Mountain to the camp at El-Agabat. The next day you spend in the White Desert National Park, where wind has shaped the chalk rock into mushroom-like forms. The camp has tents, mattresses and blankets, and a Bedouin crew cooks the meals. You can read more about the White Desert National Park on Wikipedia.
The dahabiya cruise from Luxor to Aswan
A dahabiya is a traditional Nile sailing boat. On this tour you board it on Day 9 after the Valley of the Kings and sail for four nights, visiting Edfu, Gebel el-Silsila and Kom Ombo before Aswan. Meals are full board, and soft drinks, water, tea and coffee are included on the dahabiya. If you only want the river part, see our 6 night dahabiya cruise.
Abu Simbel with a night nearby
On Day 13 you visit Philae Temple, then drive south and sleep at Abu Simbel. On Day 14 you see the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Nefertari early in the morning. Abu Simbel is included in the price. For a shorter visit, see our Abu Simbel tour from Aswan or the Abu Simbel overnight tour. If you have less time, compare our 10 day Egypt tour package and the 7 day Egypt itinerary.
Why Book Private with El Sultan?
Fourteen nights across Cairo, the desert, the Nile and Abu Simbel only work when every link is in place. We hold those links together for you.
- A private Egyptologist and private transport — across the whole route, so every visit follows your interests rather than a group timetable.
- A desert crew we know — the Black Desert and White Desert nights are run with trusted Bahariya Bedouin crews we have worked with for years.
- Flights and fees included — domestic flights and the entrance fees for the sites in the program are in the price, from 2,500 USD per person.
- An unhurried Abu Simbel — a night nearby lets you see the temples of Ramesses II early, without a long desert drive that morning.
- One team for 14 nights — from Cairo to Aswan, our team answers on WhatsApp before and during the trip, so one delay never becomes a chain of them.
Plan your dates
Planning the trip around the holidays? Read our guide to Christmas and New Year in Egypt. For official visitor information, see the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. From 2,500 USD per person. Send us your dates and the number of travellers, and we reply within 24 hours.
Itinerary
Our representative meets you at Cairo International Airport and takes you to your hotel by private vehicle. The rest of the day is free, so you can rest after the flight and get ready for three full days in the capital. Your Egyptologist guide joins you from the next morning. Dinner is not included, and your guide can recommend a restaurant near the hotel. This is the first of five nights you spend in Cairo. Overnight in Cairo.
Your guide takes you south of Cairo to the oldest pyramid sites of the Memphis region. At Saqqara you see the Step Pyramid of Djoser, and at Memphis you learn about the first capital of ancient Egypt. At Dahshur you visit the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, two early attempts to build a true pyramid. Lunch is included during the tour, and you return to your hotel in the afternoon. Overnight in Cairo.
Today you visit the Giza plateau with your Egyptologist guide, including the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx, and you have time for photos at the panoramic viewpoint. Later you visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, which opened on 1 November 2025 and displays the complete Tutankhamun collection. Entrance fees for the plateau and the museum are included. Going inside a pyramid is optional and costs extra. Lunch is included during the tour. Overnight in Cairo.
This day is about the city itself. You visit Saladin’s Citadel, then Coptic Cairo with the Hanging Church, and end in the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, where you can walk through the lanes at your own pace. Your guide explains how Cairo grew over many centuries and what you are looking at in each place. Lunch is included during the tour. Tomorrow you leave the city for the desert, so pack a small bag for the camp. Overnight in Cairo.
You leave Cairo by private vehicle and drive to Bahariya Oasis. From there a 4x4 takes you through the volcanic hills of the Black Desert and past Crystal Mountain. In the evening you reach your camp at El-Agabat. The camp has tents, mattresses and blankets, and the Bedouin crew cooks your dinner. The night is spent in the desert. Lunch and dinner are included today, and you can sit by the fire after the meal before you sleep in the tent. Overnight in the desert camp.
Spend the full day in the White Desert National Park, where wind has carved the chalk rock into mushroom shapes and other forms. Your guide and the 4x4 driver take you from one formation to the next, and you have time to walk, take photos and watch the light change toward sunset. Dinner is a Bedouin meal prepared by the camp crew and served by the fire. Lunch is included in the desert as well. You sleep in the camp for a second night. Overnight in the desert camp.
On Day 7 you drive back toward Cairo and stop at the hot springs of the oasis on the way. You reach Cairo in the afternoon and spend the night in a hotel. On Day 8 you transfer to Cairo airport for the domestic flight to Luxor, which is included in the price. In Luxor your guide takes you to the great hypostyle hall of Karnak and to Luxor Temple at sunset. Overnight in Cairo on Day 7 and in Luxor on Day 8.
Today you cross to the West Bank to see the Valley of the Kings and the temple of Hatshepsut. The standard Valley of the Kings ticket covers three tombs, and entrance to the tombs of Tutankhamun, Seti I and Ramesses V and VI is optional and costs extra. In the afternoon you board your dahabiya, a traditional Nile sailing boat, where the crew welcomes you. Meals on the dahabiya are full board. Overnight on the dahabiya.
On Day 10 the dahabiya sails south and you visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu with your guide. On Day 11 you stop at the sandstone quarries of Gebel el-Silsila, where stone for many Egyptian temples was cut, and there is time for a swim in the Nile. The days on the boat are quiet, with time on deck between the visits. Meals are full board, and soft drinks, water, tea and coffee are included. Overnight on the dahabiya on both days.
You visit the double temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and to Horus, and then the Daraw market, where local people trade. The dahabiya continues south and reaches Aswan. Meals are full board on the boat, and your guide explains the plan for the last days of the trip. This is the fourth and last night on the dahabiya, and you sleep on board in Aswan. Overnight on the dahabiya.
After breakfast you leave the dahabiya and visit Philae Temple, the temple of Isis, which you reach by a short boat ride to the island. Then you drive south by private vehicle to Abu Simbel. Your hotel is close to the temples, so you can rest in the afternoon and have a quiet evening before the early start. Lunch is included during the tour, and dinner is not. Overnight at Abu Simbel.
On Day 14 you visit the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Nefertari early in the morning. UNESCO moved both temples to higher ground in the 1960s to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Then you return to Aswan for the night. On Day 15 you have a free morning along the Nile corniche, and a private transfer takes you to the airport for the included domestic flight to Cairo. Overnight in Aswan on Day 14.
Included & Excluded
Included
- 14 nights: 5 in Cairo hotels, 1 in Luxor, 1 at Abu Simbel, 1 in Aswan, 2 in a desert camp and 4 on the dahabiya
- Domestic flights: Cairo to Luxor (Day 8) and Aswan to Cairo (Day 15)
- Private air-conditioned transport and a 4x4 in the desert
- Licensed Egyptologist guide at all sites
- Entrance fees for the sites in the program, including the Giza plateau, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Abu Simbel
- Desert camp: tents, mattresses, blankets and Bedouin meals
- Dahabiya: full board, with soft drinks, water, tea and coffee
- Hotel breakfast and lunch during the tours
Excluded
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Dinners at hotels and drinks outside the dahabiya
- Optional tomb tickets in the Valley of the Kings (Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramesses V and VI) and entering a pyramid
- Egypt entry visa and travel insurance
- Gratuities and personal expenses
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does the 15 day Egypt tour cost?
From 2,500 USD per person. The final price depends on your dates and the season.
How many nights does it include?
14 nights: 5 in Cairo, 2 in a desert camp, 1 in Luxor, 4 on a dahabiya, 1 at Abu Simbel and 1 in Aswan.
Is the White Desert camp comfortable?
The camp has tents, mattresses and blankets, hot Bedouin meals and 4x4 support throughout.
Is Abu Simbel included?
Yes. You sleep at Abu Simbel on Day 13 and visit the temples early on Day 14.
Are flights included?
Domestic flights are included: Cairo to Luxor on Day 8 and Aswan to Cairo on Day 15. International flights are not included.
Can days be swapped or dropped?
This is a private itinerary. Tell us your dates and interests, and we adjust the plan before you book.
Gallery
