A private 10-day trip built around the total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027: Giza and Cairo first, two quiet nights in Aswan, totality in the Luxor area, then four nights on the Nile to Aswan with a day at Abu Simbel.
This private 10-day tour has fixed dates, Thursday 29 July to Saturday 7 August 2027, because it is planned around one event: the total solar eclipse of Monday 2 August 2027, when the Moon's shadow crosses Upper Egypt and the Luxor area sees about six minutes of totality, one of the longest totalities on land this century. Everything before that day is arranged so you reach the south rested and on time; everything after it is a classic Nile journey.
You start with two nights in Cairo for the Pyramids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the historic city, then fly to Aswan on 31 July. The day before the eclipse is kept light on purpose, with a Nubian village visit in the afternoon. On eclipse morning a private vehicle takes you north to the Luxor area for the viewing, and in the evening you board your ship for a four-night cruise upriver to Aswan: the West Bank of Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and a full day at the temples of Abu Simbel. The last day in the south covers the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae before the flight back to Cairo. A certified Egyptologist guides the sightseeing, the vehicle is private for your group, and both domestic flights are included.
It is a weaker fit if you cannot travel in the summer heat, if you want dates other than these (the eclipse fixes them), or if you would rather watch the eclipse from a different place on the path of totality. For other eclipse routes, see our Egypt Solar Eclipse 2027 tours; for a different length, ask for a tailor-made trip.
The pace is moderate, with early starts because of the heat: in early August, Luxor and Aswan are usually around 40 °C or more by the early afternoon, so sightseeing is planned for the morning and the late afternoon. Expect walking on uneven ground and sloping corridors in the tombs. Five days include a longer transfer:
Read more about the event in our guides where to see the total solar eclipse in Egypt in 2027 and how long the Luxor eclipse will last.
Our representative meets you in the arrival hall of Cairo International Airport after passport control and baggage collection, and walks you to your private air-conditioned vehicle. The drive to the hotel takes 30 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic and on where the hotel is.
At check-in your tour leader goes through the plan for the next ten days: the pick-up times, the flight to Aswan on Day 3 and the arrangements for eclipse day. This is a good moment to check that everyone in your group has eclipse glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard.
No meals are included today. Cairo in late July is hot, around 35 °C in the afternoon, so after a long flight an evening at the hotel is the best start. Day 2 begins after breakfast.
Your Egyptologist meets you after breakfast, and you start early at the Giza Plateau, before the heat. The three main pyramids were built for the Fourth Dynasty kings Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure about 4,500 years ago; the Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest and the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. Your guide explains how the plateau worked as a royal cemetery, with temples and causeways linking each pyramid to the river valley. Going inside the Great Pyramid needs a separate ticket bought at the site.
Below the pyramids stands the Great Sphinx, carved from the bedrock of the plateau, and beside it the Valley Temple of Khafre, built of huge granite blocks.
Lunch is at a local restaurant near Giza.
The Grand Egyptian Museum stands about 2 km from the pyramids, so the two visits fit in one day without crossing Cairo. You enter through the Grand Hall with its colossal statue of Ramses II, climb the Grand Staircase lined with royal statues, and spend most of the visit in the Tutankhamun galleries, where the objects from the young king's tomb are displayed together. The museum is large and air-conditioned; your guide picks a route through the key pieces in two to three hours.
You are back at the hotel in the late afternoon. The evening is free.
After breakfast you check out; your luggage stays in the vehicle for the day. The order of the visits below follows the time of your evening flight, which is confirmed with your final documents.
Opened in 1902, the Egyptian Museum holds one of the largest collections of ancient Egyptian objects in the world, from Old Kingdom statues such as the seated scribe and the statues of Rahotep and Nofret to the treasures of the royal tombs of Tanis. It complements yesterday's visit: the Grand Egyptian Museum tells the story of Tutankhamun; Tahrir holds much of the rest.
The Citadel was built from 1176 on the Muqattam hills to defend the city, and was the seat of Egypt's rulers for some 700 years. Inside, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, finished in the 1840s in the Ottoman style, has the domes and pencil minarets that mark Cairo's skyline. On a clear day the terrace gives a wide view over the old city.
After lunch at a local restaurant you walk through Khan el-Khalili, a market since the late 14th century, with lanes of lamps, spices, silver and cloth. There is time to shop or sit for a mint tea.
Your guide takes you to Cairo airport for the domestic flight to Aswan, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Our representative meets you on arrival and drives you to your hotel for two nights.
The day before the eclipse is kept light on purpose. Breakfast is at the hotel, and the morning is free for the pool, a walk along the Corniche or simply rest after three days of travel. If you arrived with a delayed flight or lost luggage, this is the day that absorbs it.
When the heat drops, you cross the Nile by motorboat, past the granite rocks of the First Cataract and the islands of Aswan, to a Nubian village on the West Bank. The Nubians are the people of the Nile valley south of Aswan, many of whose villages were flooded by Lake Nasser after the High Dam was built. The painted houses, a cup of tea in a family home and the views of the desert dunes over the river are a gentle way to end the day.
Your tour representative confirms tomorrow's pick-up time, the luggage plan (your bags travel with you and go on board the ship in the evening) and the instructions for the viewing site. Have your eclipse glasses, hat, water bottle and sunscreen in your day bag before you sleep.
After an early breakfast (or a breakfast box, depending on the departure time) you leave Aswan in your private vehicle. The road follows the Nile north for about 220 km and usually takes three to three and a half hours; on eclipse day the timing is set with a margin for the traffic of other visitors.
You arrive in the Luxor area and go to the viewing site, which is confirmed in writing before travel along with the meeting point and the entry arrangements. Normal temple tickets do not automatically include special event access on this date, which is why the site is confirmed separately.
The partial phase begins in the late morning, as the Moon starts to cover the Sun; watch it only through your eclipse glasses. As totality approaches, the light turns strange and metallic, the temperature drops and shadows sharpen. Totality begins a little after 1 pm local time and lasts about six minutes in the Luxor area: this is the only time the glasses come off, and you can see the solar corona and, often, a few planets and bright stars in a dark sky at midday. The glasses go back on as soon as the first bright point of the Sun returns. The partial phases continue into the mid afternoon.
After lunch, and if the timing after the event allows, your guide takes you to Luxor Temple, built mainly under Amenhotep III and Ramses II in the centre of the modern town, and to the start of the Avenue of Sphinxes, which runs about 2.7 km to Karnak.
You board your Nile cruise ship in Luxor in the late afternoon or early evening. Dinner is on board, and you spend the night on the ship.
After an early breakfast on board you cross to the West Bank. The Valley of the Kings holds more than 60 tombs cut into the hills for the pharaohs of the New Kingdom, among them Ramses II and Tutankhamun. The standard ticket opens three tombs among those open on the day; the tombs of Tutankhamun, Seti I and Ramses VI need a separate ticket bought at the site. Inside, the painted corridors show the king's journey through the underworld.
At Deir el-Bahari, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut rises in three terraces against the cliffs. She ruled as pharaoh for about two decades, and the reliefs here record her trading expedition to the land of Punt.
On the way back you stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two seated statues of Amenhotep III, each about 18 metres tall, that once stood at the entrance of his mortuary temple.
Lunch is on board as the ship leaves Luxor and sails south through the lock at Esna, where ships queue to pass the barrage; you can watch the lock from the deck. Dinner is on board, and the ship continues towards Edfu.
A sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the West Bank is an optional extra this morning and needs separate written confirmation; read whether a balloon ride in Luxor is worth it before you decide.
After breakfast you ride by horse carriage from the river to the Temple of Horus. Built between 237 and 57 BC, it is the most complete temple in Egypt: its pylon, roofed halls and granite shrine still stand much as they were built. The walls tell the story of the battle between Horus and Seth, which your guide reads with you.
Back on board, lunch is served while the ship sails south past fields, palm groves and villages on both banks. In August the afternoon is the time for the shaded deck or the pool.
Kom Ombo is a double temple from the Ptolemaic period, with two entrances and two sanctuaries side by side: one for Sobek, the crocodile god, and one for Haroeris, Horus the Elder. Your guide points out a relief often read as a set of medical instruments, and the Nilometer once used to measure the height of the river. Next to the temple, the small Crocodile Museum shows mummified crocodiles from a nearby cemetery.
Dinner is on board while the ship sails on to Aswan, where it moors for the rest of the cruise.
Abu Simbel takes the whole day, so nothing else is planned. You leave the ship before dawn with a breakfast box, in your private vehicle with your guide. The road crosses the desert west of Lake Nasser for about 280 km and takes three and a half to four hours.
The Great Temple of Ramses II is cut into the sandstone cliff, its facade guarded by four seated statues of the king, each about 20 metres tall. Inside, the halls show the Battle of Kadesh, and the sanctuary is aligned so that the rising sun reaches the statues at the back twice a year. The smaller temple beside it was made for Queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. In the 1960s both temples were cut into blocks and rebuilt about 65 metres higher to save them from the water of Lake Nasser, in one of the largest rescue campaigns UNESCO has led. Read our facts about Abu Simbel before you go.
You drive back to Aswan and rejoin the ship in the afternoon. The rest of the day is for rest on board; dinner is served on the ship.
You leave the ship after breakfast and your guide takes you to:
After lunch you transfer to Aswan airport for the flight to Cairo, about 1 hour 25 minutes. The flight time is set so the morning visits are not rushed; your final itinerary shows both together. Our representative meets you in Cairo and drives you to your hotel.
The evening is free for a last dinner in Cairo. If your flight home leaves early tomorrow, settle the departure time with our representative tonight.
After breakfast you check out, and our representative drives you to Cairo International Airport at the time agreed for your international flight; airlines usually ask you to be at the airport three hours before departure. This is the end of the tour.
If your flight leaves late in the day, ask us when you book about extra sightseeing, such as the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization with the Royal Mummies Hall or Coptic Cairo, both optional extras.
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Children pay less, see the children policy below. Christmas, New Year and Easter dates add 25%. Prices are per person in US dollars.
There is no choice of season on this tour: the eclipse takes place on 2 August 2027, and in Egypt the time is UTC+3 in summer. Totality in the Luxor area begins a little after 1 pm local time and lasts about six minutes; the partial phases start in the late morning and end in the mid afternoon. Early August is the hottest part of the year in Upper Egypt, with daytime highs around 40 to 42 °C in Luxor and Aswan and around 35 °C in Cairo, and the sky is almost always clear. Because thousands of visitors will come for the same day, ships, hotels and domestic flights for these dates fill early; the sooner the booking is confirmed, the wider the choice.
Our Nile cruise packing list covers the ship part of the trip in more detail.
Many nationalities can buy a tourist visa on arrival at Cairo airport or apply for an e-visa in advance on Egypt's official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg. The rules and the fee depend on your passport, so check them before you book your flights. Your passport should be valid for at least six months from the day you arrive. The visa is not included in the tour price.
The currency is the Egyptian pound. Cards are accepted in most hotels, on the ship and in larger shops; keep small notes for markets, the Nubian village, toilets at some sites and drinks. Tips are not included in the price. The tipping guide in the travel policies below gives the usual amounts for guides, drivers and cruise staff; how much you give is your choice.
All prices are per person in US dollars. The price changes with the season (winter 1 October to 30 April, summer 1 May to 30 September), the accommodation level and the size of the group. Christmas, New Year and Easter dates add 25%. Your quote lists the final price and everything it covers. After the deposit, changes to your itinerary cost US$25 per request, plus any third-party fees.
A deposit of 30% of the total tour cost is required at the time of booking. The final payment is due 30 days before departure, and bookings made within 30 days of departure are paid in full. We accept Visa or Master Card by secure online payment, Visa or Master Card by email, and wire transfer. We confirm every booking by email.
No-show travelers are charged 100%. During peak events in Egypt, hotels and Nile cruises do not refund deposits. Groups of more than 10 people may have different terms.
Add each child and their age in the enquiry form so the quote is exact.
Optional visits, such as a hot air balloon ride in Luxor, a Sound and Light show or a felucca ride, are not in the price. Tell us which ones you want and we add them to your quote with their cost.
Not included in the price: International flights to and from Egypt; Egypt entry visa; Extra tickets at the sites: inside the Great Pyramid, and the tombs of Tutankhamun, Seti I and Ramses VI; Optional activities, such as a hot-air balloon flight in Luxor; Drinks with meals, personal expenses and travel insurance; Tips for guides, drivers and cruise staff.
Tipping is customary in Egypt and is not included in the price. A usual amount for a private tour is US$8 to 10 per person per day for your guide, US$4 to 5 for your driver and US$5 to 8 per person per day for the crew on a Nile cruise. Your guide can advise you on the day.
In the Luxor area on Monday 2 August 2027. Totality begins a little after 1 pm local time and lasts about six minutes there; the partial phases run from the late morning to the mid afternoon. The exact viewing site, meeting point and entry arrangements are confirmed in writing before you travel, because access to sites on this date is arranged separately from normal temple tickets.
Bring your own glasses that meet the ISO 12312-2 standard, one pair per person, and ask us to confirm in your final documents whether a pair is supplied. Ordinary sunglasses do not protect your eyes; look at the Sun only through eclipse glasses, except during totality itself.
To build in a buffer. You are in the south a day and a half before the event, so a delayed flight or lost bag does not cost you the eclipse, and you start eclipse day rested. The drive from Aswan to the Luxor area takes about three to three and a half hours.
Very hot: in early August, Luxor and Aswan usually reach 40 to 42 °C in the afternoon, and Cairo about 35 °C. The sightseeing is planned for the early morning and the late afternoon, the vehicle and ship are air-conditioned, and the ship has a pool on the sun deck. Drink often, wear a hat and use high-factor sunscreen.
The eclipse date cannot move, so the core of the tour is fixed. Because the tour is private, nights can be added in Cairo before or after the trip, and the price changes with them. Ask us early: ships, hotels and flights for these dates are in high demand.
Independent reviews on the platforms travelers already trust.
Amazing Egyptian vacation! We did an 11 day private tour of Cairo, cruise on the Nile between Aswan and Luxor and a 4 day stay in Hurghada. The guided tours were very interesting, with extremely knowledgeable guides, attentive and helpful.
Egypt package to the Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara was a fascinating journey through Egypt's ancient past ,guide knowledge, the majesty of the pyramids, and the historical depth of Saqqara made this tour truly enriching!
our honeymoon to Egypt ,Giza and Saqqara was a magical escape into history The pyramids looming in the distance, the quiet serenity of the desert, and the ancient wonders of Saqqara created moments that will be with me forever!
Answers to the questions travelers ask before they book.
The total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027 will last about 6 minutes 22 seconds of totality in Luxor, from about 13:02 to 13:08 local time. The whole eclipse, partial phases included, lasts about 2 hours 46 minutes. Here are the exact times, why it is so long and how to watch it safely.
Read the guide
Discover where to see the total solar eclipse in Egypt on August 2, 2027, including Luxor for up to 6m 22s of totality. Plan your trip now.
Read the guide
The total eclipse over the Nile is on Monday 2 August 2027. In Luxor the sun is fully covered from 13:02 to 13:08 local time, 6 minutes 22 seconds, one of the longest totalities of the century. Times for Egyptian cities, where to watch, safety and what August heat means for planning.
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