An 11-day private trip built around the total solar eclipse of 2 August 2027: Cairo and Giza, the eclipse in Luxor, a four-night Nile cruise to Aswan with Abu Simbel, and two nights on the Red Sea in Sharm El Sheikh, with all domestic flights included.
On Monday 2 August 2027 the Moon's shadow crosses Upper Egypt, and Luxor sits almost on the centre line of the path of totality. In Luxor the Sun is fully covered for about 6 minutes and 20 seconds, from about 13:02 to 13:08 local time, one of the longest totalities anyone alive today can see from land. This private 11-day tour puts you in Luxor on that day and builds a full Egypt trip around it.
The trip opens with two days in Cairo for the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Saqqara, the Egyptian Museum, the Citadel and Khan el-Khalili. On the evening of Day 3 you fly to Luxor, and Day 4 is eclipse day at Karnak, followed by Luxor Temple and boarding your Nile cruise. The ship sails south over four nights, with the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, a road trip to Abu Simbel and the sites of Aswan. From Aswan you fly to Sharm El Sheikh for two nights on the Red Sea, then back to Cairo for your last night. A certified Egyptologist guides the sightseeing days, the vehicle is private for your group, and all domestic flights are in the price.
The itinerary fixes the eclipse on Day 4, so the tour runs on fixed dates: arrival in Cairo on Friday 30 July 2027 and departure on Monday 9 August 2027. Read more in our guides to where to see the 2027 eclipse in Egypt and how long the Luxor eclipse will last.
It is a weaker fit if you want to chase the clearest sky with telescopes and a dedicated astronomy team, if you cannot travel on these exact dates, or if heat is a real problem for you: early August is the hottest time of year in Upper Egypt. Our other 2027 solar eclipse tours include shorter options, and a tailor-made trip can change the length or the beach stay.
The pace is full but planned for the heat. Most sightseeing starts soon after sunrise and ends by early afternoon, with lunch and the hottest hours on the ship or at the hotel. There is walking on uneven ground, and steps and sloping corridors in the tombs. These days include longer travel:
Our representative meets you in the arrival hall of Cairo International Airport, helps with the visa counter if you need it, 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 your hotel is.
At the hotel your tour leader goes through the plan for the trip with you: the pick-up times, the evening flight to Luxor on Day 3, and how eclipse day works, including the eclipse glasses and the heat plan for Luxor.
No meals are included today. In late July Cairo is still warm late into the evening, so a light dinner at the hotel and an early night set you up for the Giza morning.
You leave after breakfast to reach the Giza Plateau soon after it opens, before the heat builds. 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 of them and the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. Your Egyptologist explains how the plateau worked as a royal cemetery, with temples, causeways and the tombs of officials around each pyramid. Going inside the Great Pyramid needs a separate ticket bought at the site.
Below the pyramids, the Great Sphinx is carved from the bedrock of the plateau, most likely for Khafre. Beside it, the Valley Temple of Khafre, built of huge granite blocks, is where the king's funeral rites began.
After lunch at a local restaurant you drive about 30 to 40 minutes south to Saqqara, the cemetery of the old capital, Memphis. The Step Pyramid of Djoser, designed by the architect Imhotep around 2650 BC, is the earliest large stone building in Egypt and the model the later pyramids grew from. Where they are open on the day, your guide also takes you into a decorated tomb of the Old Kingdom, with scenes of farming, fishing and crafts.
You are back at the hotel in the late afternoon. The Sound and Light show at the pyramids is an optional extra in the evening.
After breakfast you check out and visit the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, the home of Egyptology in Cairo since 1902. Its galleries hold statues, coffins, jewellery and papyri from three thousand years of pharaonic history, and your guide picks a route through the key pieces in about two hours. The Tutankhamun treasures are now displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, which can be added as an optional visit.
Salah al-Din began the Citadel in the 1170s to defend Cairo, and it was the seat of Egypt's rulers for some 700 years. On top of it stands the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, completed in the 19th century, with its large domes and slim minarets; shoulders and knees should be covered, and shoes come off inside. From the terrace you look out over the minarets of historic Cairo.
After lunch you walk through Khan el-Khalili, a market since the late 14th century, with lanes of lamps, spices, silver and fabric, and time for a mint tea in one of its old cafés.
Your guide takes you to Cairo airport for the evening flight to Luxor, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Our representative meets you on arrival and drives you to your hotel for the night.
After breakfast you check out and drive to Karnak, the temple of the god Amun, built and enlarged over some 2,000 years. Your guide shows you the Great Hypostyle Hall with its 134 columns and the obelisks of Thutmose I and Hatshepsut before the crowds of eclipse day build up. The visit is planned around the eclipse, with time in the shade and water at hand.
The partial phase begins at about 11:40, when the Moon takes its first small bite out of the Sun; you watch it through your eclipse glasses. As totality nears, the light turns strange and silvery, the temperature drops and shadows sharpen. At about 13:02 the last sunlight disappears, and for about six minutes and twenty seconds the Sun's corona is visible around the black disc of the Moon, with the brightest planets and stars in a dark blue sky. Glasses go back on as soon as the Sun reappears at about 13:08; the partial phase ends at about 14:27.
The exact viewing spot on the day depends on the arrangements made by the antiquities authorities for eclipse day, which we confirm before you travel.
After lunch you visit Luxor Temple, built mainly under Amenhotep III and Ramses II, in the centre of the modern town. One of its two obelisks still stands at the entrance; the other has stood in the Place de la Concorde in Paris since 1836. The Avenue of Sphinxes, about 2.7 km long, links it to Karnak.
You board your Nile cruise ship, which stays moored in Luxor tonight. Dinner is on board.
You cross to the West Bank after an early breakfast, to be in the Valley of the Kings before the heat. More than 60 tombs were cut into these hills for the pharaohs and nobles of the New Kingdom. 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 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 sails south. It passes through the lock at Esna, where boats are lifted to the higher level of the river, and continues to Edfu. Dinner and the night are on board. A sunrise hot-air balloon flight over the West Bank is an optional extra for this morning.
After an early breakfast a horse carriage takes you 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.
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 river. The small Crocodile Museum next to the temple shows mummified crocodiles found nearby.
The ship sails on to Aswan, where it moors for the next two nights. Dinner is on board.
The day starts before dawn with a breakfast box. The road to Abu Simbel crosses about 280 km of desert, about 3 hours 30 minutes each way, with a short stop on the way.
Ramses II had two temples cut into the rock above the Nile in the 13th century BC. Four seated statues of the king, each about 20 metres tall, guard the Great Temple; inside, the reliefs show his campaigns, including the battle of Kadesh, and the sanctuary is aligned so that the sun reaches its statues twice a year. The smaller temple is dedicated to Hathor and to Nefertari, his queen. In the 1960s both temples were cut into large blocks and rebuilt on higher ground, in a UNESCO campaign to save them from the water of Lake Nasser.
You drive back to Aswan for a late lunch on board, and the rest of the afternoon is free. A felucca sail or a visit to a Nubian village on the west bank is an optional extra. Dinner and the night are on board in Aswan.
After breakfast you check out of the ship and visit three sites with your guide:
After lunch you transfer to Aswan airport for the flight to Sharm El Sheikh. Depending on the schedule of the day, the flight is direct or connects in Cairo. Our representative meets you on arrival and drives you to your hotel by the sea.
The day is yours, after a week of early starts. Many travelers spend it on the beach or by the pool. If you would like to see the reefs, these are the usual options, all at extra cost and bookable through us or at your hotel:
In August the sun is very strong from mid-morning: plan the beach for the early morning and late afternoon, wear a T-shirt in the water when snorkelling, and do not touch or stand on the coral. In the evening, Naama Bay and the Old Market have restaurants and cafés open late.
Breakfast is at the hotel, and the morning is free until check-out. The transfer to Sharm El Sheikh airport is timed to your flight.
The flight to Cairo takes about one hour. Our representative meets you on arrival and drives you to your hotel for the last night.
The evening is free for a last dinner in Cairo; a dinner cruise on the Nile is an optional extra. If your flight home is early tomorrow, settle the departure time with our representative tonight.
After breakfast, our representative drives you to Cairo International Airport in time 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 an extra visit, such as the Grand Egyptian Museum with the Tutankhamun galleries, as an optional extra.
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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.
In Luxor the partial phase starts at about 11:40 and ends at about 14:27 local time; totality lasts from about 13:02 to 13:08, with the Sun high overhead. Look at the partial phases only through eclipse glasses made to the ISO 12312-2 standard or through a proper solar filter; ordinary sunglasses are not safe. Take the glasses off only when the Sun is fully covered, and put them back on as soon as the first bright point of sunlight returns. A camera or phone pointed at the partial Sun needs a solar filter too. Cairo sees only a deep partial eclipse, which is why the tour is in Luxor on the day.
The dates are set by the eclipse. Early August in Luxor and Aswan usually means daytime highs around 40 to 42 °C, dry air and a clear sky, which is good for the eclipse and hard on people. Cairo is around 34 to 35 °C and more humid. Sharm El Sheikh is hot by day but has a sea breeze, and the Red Sea is around 27 to 28 °C, ideal for snorkelling. Hotels, ships and flights in Luxor will be in high demand for eclipse week, so early booking matters more than usual.
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; carry some small notes for markets, toilets at some sites and personal extras. Tips are not included in the price. The tipping guide in the travel policies below gives the usual amounts; 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: Personal expenses, drinks with meals and anything not listed as included; Tips for guides, drivers and cruise staff; Travel insurance; 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 the balloon flight, the Sound and Light show, Red Sea boat trips and diving.
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 Luxor, on Monday 2 August 2027, Day 4 of the tour. Totality lasts about 6 minutes and 20 seconds, from about 13:02 to 13:08 local time, and the partial phases run from about 11:40 to 14:27. The viewing is planned at Karnak; the exact spot depends on the arrangements the antiquities authorities make for the day, which we confirm before you travel.
The eclipse fixes the dates: arrival in Cairo on 30 July and departure on 9 August 2027. You can add nights before or after, in Cairo or in Sharm El Sheikh, and the price changes with them. The same route without the eclipse can be arranged on any date as a private tour.
Early August is the hottest time of year in Upper Egypt, with daytime highs around 40 to 42 °C in Luxor and Aswan. Visits start early in the morning and finish by early afternoon, the vehicle is air-conditioned, and water is included on the tours. Bring a hat, sunscreen and light clothes that cover the shoulders, and drink often.
You fly from Cairo to Luxor on the evening of Day 3, sail from Luxor to Aswan on the cruise, drive to Abu Simbel and back on Day 7, fly from Aswan to Sharm El Sheikh on Day 8 (direct or via Cairo, depending on the schedule) and fly from Sharm El Sheikh to Cairo on Day 10. All three domestic flights are included; your international flights are not, so book them to and from Cairo.
No, the tour is private for your own group: your guide and vehicle are not shared. The cruise ship, the hotels and the eclipse viewing area are shared with other guests, and eclipse day in Luxor will be busy.
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!
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