Egypt: The Grand Tour
with Laura Ranieri Roy
March 28 - April 10, 2027 | 14 Days
A Luxury Nile Cruise and Cultural Adventure Through Egypt
An In-depth Journey through Hidden and Iconic sites Egypt – including Middle Egypt, Abu Simbel and a 4 luxury 4-night Nile Cruise
Double occupancy: $6,995 USD per person
Single occupancy available for an additional $1,995 USD
*all prices and itinerary details subject to change
Experience an extraordinary two-week small-group journey through Egypt with Canadian Egyptologist Laura Ranieri Roy and Egyptian expert Nabil Labib. Explore iconic sites like Cairo’s Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, and Abu Simbel, as well as rarely visited Middle Egypt treasures including the Meidum Pyramid, Beni Hasan tombs, Amarna, Abydos, and Denderah.
The tour includes a 4-night luxury Nile cruise on the Sonesta St. George, deluxe accommodations, expert guides, immersive cultural experiences, and personalized care throughout. Highlights include climbing pyramids, exploring vibrant souks, and sailing the Nile like Cleopatra, offering a deep, unforgettable exploration of Egypt’s history and hidden gems.
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
- 5 nights accommodation in Cairo at 5-star Hyatt Regency or similar on BB Basis.
- 1 night accommodation at Savoy Hotel, Minya or similar on BB basis
- 1 Night Accommodation at House of Life Abydos, FB basis
- 2 nights accommodation in Luxor Steigenberger or similar on BB Basis.
- 4 nights accommodation on board of The Sonesta St. George or similar on FB Basis.
- 1 nights accommodation in Aswan at Sonesta Nouba hotel or similar on BB Basis.
- All transfers throughout with air-conditioned private bus
- Entrance fees with entry as mentioned.
- Laura Ranieri – Canadian Egyptologist – with min 8 people
- English speaking Egyptologist guide throughout
- 14 breakfast, 13 lunches, 5 dinners
- Baggage handling and portage
- mineral water everyday on the bus
- Service charges and taxes
- Includes Cairo-Luxor & Aswan to Cairo flight
Tour Exclusions:
• Entry visa
• International flight ticket
• Insurance – medical or cancellation – both recommended
• Tips for Egyptian Tour Guide and drivers
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
You will be greeted at the airport and transferred to your centrally located hotel – the Hyatt Regency.
In the evening, meet your fellow travelers at a welcome dinner and short opening presentation by Laura. Those arriving early (and raring to go) will have the opportunity to take an optional afternoon excursion – likely to beautiful Coptic Cairo to see the ancient churches and a synagogue.
- Overnight at Hyatt Regency, D.
This morning after breakfast, we will begin our wonderful day at the Egyptian Museum, home to many of the greatest treasures of ancient history. You will enjoy an in-depth and informative guided tour by both of our Egyptologist experts.
Beyond the well-known treasures like Khephen Enthroned and the Narmer Palett, the treasures of Tanis and the golden wonders of Yuya and Thuya – you will also find rooms of opulent jewelry, ornate coffins, animal mummies – and strange and ancient curiosities. A microcosm of thousands of years of Egyptian art and history. If the Grand Egyptian Museum is not yet open, this is where you will still see many of Tutankhamun’s treasures.
Lunch at AL AZAR Park.
After lunch, we will head to the new NMEC – The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. We have a tour of the museum, replete with masterpieces of Egyptian arts and crafts through the ages and new home of the Royal Mummies. This will be a special treat as the museum has only fully been open since 2021 and is artfully designed to showcase its wonderful collection of antiquities dating from Pharaonic through Islamic times. The new presentation of the royal mummies in family groups with their burial goods is exceptional.
In the evening, we head out to see a colourful and authentic Sufi show (whirling dervishes) at the 1100 year-old Wekalet El Ghouri Arts Center.
- Overnight at Hyatt Regency, B, L.
The last surviving of the seven ancient wonders of the world, the Great Pyramid of Giza is perhaps the most famous tourist site in the world. The Giza plateau itself, with its three major pyramids plus Queen’s pyramids, ancient mastabas, Sphinx and the ubiquitous and colourful camel drivers is a much-anticipated highlight of any trip. For our visit, we will also climb inside the pyramid of Kephren or Khufu – an exciting experience and a real highlight of the Giza visit. (Few tours include this – but we do.) While on the plateau, we will also visit the extraordinary Sphinx and Khafre’s valley temple.
Lunch at 9 Pyramids view restaurant – with a beautiful panoramic view of the Pyramids
In the evening, we will return to our hotel for dinner on your own.
- Overnight at Hyatt Regency, B, L.
We will enjoy an intensive full day exploring this rich archaeological site – which is most notably the location of Djoser’s Step Pyramid, the oldest in Egypt. We will see Old Kingdom tombs, such as the breathtaking Mereruke, the mastaba of Ty, the tomb of Khnumhotep and Niankhknum (The Royal Manicurists), the tomb of Ptahotep (please note tombs opening and closures change, we will see tombs that are currently open at the time)
You will also have the exciting opportunity to enter either the Pyramid of King Unas or King Teti, from the later Old Kingdom. Although small, these are the very first to feature pyramid texts carved on its walls, some still retaining traces of ancient colour.
Next, we will tour the Sakkara complex, including the Step Pyramid itself, Djoser’s court and the causeway. We hope also to tour the fascinating and splendid Serappeum home of the Apis bull – seldom included on a mainstream tourist visit.
Lunch in the garden of the beautiful Sakkara Palms.
After lunch, we drive to the area of “Dashur” – south-west of Cairo to visit two of the earliest pyramids in Egypt: the Bent, and the impressive and intact Red, both built by King Senefru c. 2500 BCE. The Bent Pyramid retains most of it casing stones. Climbing inside the Red will be optional – and for the fit and adventurous-minded only as it is an athletic climb. This Dashur region presents a wonderful opportunity for pyramid exploration …far from the crowds of Giza.
- Overnight at Hyatt Regency, B, L.
This morning, we say goodbye to the Cairo area and Lower Egypt, boarding our air-conditioned motor coach to drive to Minya in the middle of the country. We will stop at the rarely-visited ancient Meidum Pyramid, second oldest in Egypt after the Step Pyramid, and yours to explore inside and out! Adventure option: Test your ‘tomb raider’ skills by crawling on knees and hands into one of the challenging nearby Old Kingdom mastabas to reach the burial chamber.
Today we will have a boxed lunch to enjoy en route.
Before arriving in the modern city of Minya, we will cross the Nile and climb up a windswept hill to visit the great rock-cut tombs of Beni Hasan (2000-1800 BC), remarkable for their unique middle kingdom art featuring colourful scenes of wrestling men and rural life. You will enjoy secluded surroundings and the beautiful panoramic views of the middle Egypt countryside all around. After touring 4 of the tombs (and possibly the nearby temple of Artemis – if time permits), we continue to Minya for hotel check-in and dinner.
- Overnight Savoy, Minya hotel or similar, B,L,D.
This morning after breakfast, we cross the Nile early to visit the great site of Tell El-Amarna, a city built by Akhenaten and Nefertiti during the New Kingdom – and the birthplace of Tutankhamun! A fascinating city of palaces, open air temples, zoos — it lasted only 15 years. When young Tutankhamun took over, it was abandoned and the capital moved back to Luxor This will be a very special day where we will take a private tour of the site.
Highlights of the sprawling site include the north and south tombs of the nobles that feature remnants of beautiful, vibrant and naturalistic wall relief. Like Beni Hassan, these tombs are located high in the hills, affording us some lovely countryside views. We’ll also see the Northern Palace, one of the Boundary Stele (a marker of the city limits), the Southern Palace and the beautifully restored tomb built for Akhenaten.
After touring Amarna, we will drive to the lovely and spiritual House of Life Hotel in Abydos
Overnight at House of Life Hotel Abydos, B L, D.
Today you will visit two of the most stunning and revered temples in Egypt – and ones not always on the mainstream travelers’ itinerary. The great Temple of Seti I. In the morning, we take a pleasant stroll from our hotel to the cenotaph-temple of Seti I. The carvings within are probably the most symmetrically beautiful the Egyptians ever created. Explore behind the temple to find the eerie Osirium and a little visited temple of Rameses II.
Lunch at House of Life hotel
After lunch, we hit the road for a scenic drive to the three-level temple of Hathor at Denderah, It was built during Ptolemaic and Roman times – and is the most complete of Egypt’s ancient temples and one of the best restored. This is where Cleopatra possibly honeymooned with Julius Caesar – and you can see her image at the back. The ceiling of vibrant blue and greens shows sky goddess Nut (pronounced: Noot) swallowing the sun and giving birth to the new day. This is also a very rare two story temple where the New Years Day Festival was celebrated – with Hathor’s union with Horus as the new day sun. Venture deep into the crypt to see strange reliefs. Go up on the roof to see the site of the fascinating zodiac ceiling – the oldest in the world.
From Denderah, we drive to the City of a Hundred gates – Thebes – Luxor! There we check into our beautiful Luxor hotel on the Nile: The Steigenberger (dinner on your own).
- Overnight at Steigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Hotel, B, L.
Today you will wake up in Luxor: Thebes, city of a hundred gates, to the ancients. We give you a morning to relax and do some optional touring or rest by pool – the hotel is right on the Nile. We will have a midday or early afternoon tour to the West bank to visit some very special tombs of the nobles in Abu el Qurna.
Afterwards we will visit the enchanting Valley of the Workers, home to a complete ancient village and stunning tombs of the craftsmen who built the King’s final resting place. Finally, we will view the Colossi of Memnon, the great gateway of the temple of Amenhotep III.
In the evening, why not consider a visit to the souk – or a drink at the Winter Palace?
- Overnight at Steigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Hotel, B.
You may wish to book an optional early morning balloon ride (about $225 USD) – before the day begins. Or you can schedule this for Day 8. Today we will visit Karnak Temple. We will have all morning to explore the great complex of Karnak – largest in Egypt. Karnak was built over a period of 3000 years by almost every Pharaoh of Egypt from the Middle Kingdom onwards. Marvel at the great Avenue of the Sphinxes, Hatshepsut’s obelisk – and the great Hypostyle Hall of Ramses the Great and his father Seti I. We’ll also visit the sacred lake and zoological gardens (engraved in stone) of Thuthmosis III.
After Karnak – we will proceed to board our luxury cruise ship – and enjoy a leisurely lunch
In the later afternoon we will have a twilight visit Luxor temple to see the magnificence of Amenhotep III, Ramses the II – and walk along the recently re-opened Avenue of the Sphinx as the sun sets.
We return to the ship for a lovely dinner and a Belly Dance show,
- Overnight at Sonesta St George Nile Cruise, B, L, D.
Today you will wake up in Luxor: Thebes, city of a hundred gates, to the ancients.This morning, we will visit the famous and breathtaking Valley of the Kings, with their vibrant colours and wonderful stories. Here you will have a chance to enter into three of the King’s tombs, based on what is open. You will also have an opportunity to enter into special tombs like Seti I, Ramses V, VI or Tutankhamun (extra cost).
Next, we visit the mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, nestled into the pink mountains – Meret Seger – meaning “she who loves silence.” This was the great temple of the woman who would be king – one of Egypt’s greatest builders in the New Kingdom. We return to the ship for lunch. Sail to Edfu – enjoying the scene along the Nile.
High tea will be served on the upper deck. In the evening enjoy a dressup “Gallabiyah” party.
- Overnight at Nile cruise, Sonesta St. George B, L, D.
Before breakfast, we will enjoy a daybreak visit to Edfu– a stunning Ptolemaic temple. This temple is the most complete in Egypt – and devoted to the hawk god Horus. We will return to the ship for a leisurely breakfast and enjot a morning sailing noth
Lunch on board.
We sail upstream (south) to Kom Ombo, where we will visit the unusual double temple of Kom Ombo dating from Ptolemaic times, around 100 BCE. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to t he crocodile god Sobek, god of fertility and creator of the world with Hathor and Khonsu. Meanwhile, the northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris, also known as Horus the Elder. We can also visit the crocodile mummy museum. We will have a relaxing late afternoon onboard watching the changing shorelines as we cruise south enroute to Aswan.
- Overnight at Sonesta St. George or similar B, L, D.
This morning, we will depart via bus and motorboat to visit the great temple of Isis on Philae island, the last operational temple in Egypt in which Egyptians worshipped for centuries until the Roman Emperor Justinian closed its doors in the 6th Century CE. The entire temple – with its beautiful statuary and reliefs was moved onto this island in the 1970s to preserve it from submersion after the creation of the new Aswan dam
We’ll also see the ancient rock quarries where the Egyptians got their finest limestone – and climb up to view the great unfinished obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut.
- Lunch on board After lunch have an excursion to visit the rock cut tombs of Qubbet et Hawa. cut into the high cliffs across the river from the modern city of Aswan, This is the site of an elite Old and Middle Kingdom cemetery. You’ll enjoy breathtaking vistas as you explore the seldom-visited tombs of the high officials – a real off-the-beaten track experience. “Autobiographies” carved into their facades provide fascinating details of the lives of these men, several of whom led trading and military expeditions south into Nubia.
As the sun sinks, will have a boat or felucca ride to enjoy the beautiful scenery on the Nile at Aswan
- Overnight at Sonesta St. George or similar B, L, D.
This morning, we board our coach early and begin an exciting road trip south to experience the grandeur of what is arguably Egypt’s greatest temples of all: Abu Simbel. These huge rock-cut temples marked the southern boundary of the Egyptian Empire with Nubia at the peak of its power during the New Kingdom.
They were meant to convey the power of Egypt’s rulers to anyone who laid eyes upon them. The great statues of Ramses and his wife Nefertari that adorn their facades are awe-inspiring — and the four statues guarding the doorway to the larger of these temples are the largest sculptures that survive from the Pharaonic era. Enroute to Abu Simbel, we stop at a marvel of modern engineering: the Aswan High Dam.
- Overnight at Nouba Aswan Hotel, B, L.
This morning, we check out of the hotel early and are transferred to the airport to fly back to Cairo. There, we enjoy a special tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum (if open).
The magnificent Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) – the largest and most spectacular archaeological museum in the world at the foot of the pyramids. Here we will wander through 5000 years of Egyptian history – seeing masterpieces like the great colossus of Ramses and the world’s first hanging obelisk to the solar boats of King Khufu and all the dazzling treasures of King Tutankhamun – 5400 pieces — newly restored and brought together in a stunning exhibit that takes you through the story of the boy king’s life. The astounding GEM may be considered yet another wonder of the world that Egypt now can claim.
- A farewell lunch will be enjoyed at the beautiful ZOOBA restaurant at the GEM.
- From there, transfer to airport to catch flight home – or continue your travels.
- Transfer to the Airport
ABOUT LAURA RANIERI ROY
A passionate Egyptologist, Laura is a widely respected and engaging speaker on all things Ancient Egypt. She obtained her MA in 2016 from the University of Toronto, and has given talks across North America (and in Europe and Asia virtually) at schools, museums, associations, public libraries and at The American Research Centre in Egypt (ARCE) conferences. Laura has led numerous trips to Egypt where her background as a professional writer and storyteller ensures that the history of Egypt leaps vividly to life. She has participated in archaeological excavations at South Asasif, Amarna, Egypt and at a classical Greek site in Bulgaria. She has interviewed many leading figures in the field, including Donald Redford and Barry Kemp who currently runs the dig at Amarna – Akhenaten’s capital.
A popular educator, Laura regularly teaches at Third Age Network learning institutes across Canada, such as Later Learning in Retirement (out of Glendon College), Later Life Learning (our of Innis College), the Life Institute (Ryerson University, Trent University and more.
PRICING & PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Tour Price
Double occupancy: starting at $6,995 USD per person
Single occupancy available for an additional $1,995 USD
(*Prices are subject to change)
Payment Schedule
• $2098.50 – 30% deposit non-refundable to hold your spot due at the time of registration.
• Final payment due 90 days before tour (December 29).
General
• Rates do not include all sorts of insurance, passengers are recommended to buy their own medical and cancellation insurance.
• Above conditions do not apply to international and domestic flights, relevant conditions will be given separately.
• We strongly advise purchasing comprehensive travel insurance to safeguard against unexpected events such as illness, trip interruption, or other emergencies.
TOUR INQUIRY
An unforgettable journey through Egypt’s iconic wonders and hidden treasures awaits, and space on this exclusive small group Grand Tour is limited. If you would like to secure your place on this in depth, expert led adventure featuring Cairo, the Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, Luxor, Abu Simbel, and the rarely explored gems of Middle Egypt, plus a luxury Nile cruise, please fill out the form below or contact your Kemp Travel agent today. Don’t wait—your next adventure begins here!
The Grand Tour – with Laura Ranieri Roy!
March 28, 2027 to April 10, 2027
Trip Details
Pricing
$1995 USD Single supplement
Payment Schedule
- $2098.50 – 30% deposit non-refundable to hold your spot due at the time of registration.
- Final payment due 90 days before tour (December 29).
Package includes
- 05 nights accommodation in Cairo at 5-star Hyatt Regency or similar on BB Basis.
- 01 night accommodation at Savoy Hotel, Minya or similar on BB basis
- 01 Night Accommodation at House of Life Abydos, FB basis
- 02 nights accommodation in Luxor Steigenberger or similar on BB Basis.
- 04 nights accommodation on board of The Sonesta St. George or similar on FB Basis.
- 01 nights accommodation in Aswan at Sonesta Nouba hotel or similar on BB Basis.
- All transfers throughout with air-conditioned private bus
- Entrance fees with entry as mentioned.
- Laura Ranieri – Canadian Egyptologist – with min 8 people
- English speaking Egyptologist guide throughout
- 14 breakfast, 13 lunches, 5 dinners
- Baggage handling and portage
- mineral water everyday on the bus
- Service charges and taxes
- Includes Cairo-Luxor & Aswan to Cairo flight
Packages Excludes
- Entry visa
- International flight ticket
- Insurance – medical or cancellation – both recommended
- Tips for Egyptian Tour Guide and drivers
Insurance – medical or cancellation – both recommended
$2098.50 – 30% non-refundable deposit to confirm. Final due 90 days prior to departure.
Cancellation conditions:
Non-refundable except in the case of DO NOT TRAVEL advisory. It is recommended to purchase cancellation insurance.