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  5. Nile Valley Explorer
✦   Cometra Curated Journey   ·   Trip Code: OV-96   ✦

Nile Valley Explorer

Cairo  ·  Minya  ·  Abydos  ·  Luxor  ·  Aswan  ·  Cairo
From / Per Person (Double)
Price on Request
Private & tailored for honeymooners and small groups · 13 nights / 14 days
COMETRA Travel
COMETRA Travel — Comprehensive Exceptional Travel
Trip Itinerary
Trip Itinerary
A-Class License No. 2116
Certified IATA No. 90269686
Established 20+ Years
Service Private & Exclusive
  • Summary
  • Overview
  • Highlights
  • Day by Day
  • Gallery
  • Route Map
  • Extensions
  • Excursions
  • Inclusions
  • Terms
  • FAQs
Duration
14 Days / 13 Nights
Meals
13B · 9L · 3D
Accommodation
5★ & 4★ Hotels, Middle Egypt to Nubia
Pace
Moderate
Recommended Ages
Ages 8 & Above
Accessibility
Limited at Some Sites
Walking
Moderate, Uneven & Stepped Terrain
Best Season
Oct – May

Good To Know

Pricing Notice The prices displayed on this website are provided as a guideline only and should not be considered final quotations. The final trip price may vary depending on several factors, including your travel dates and season, group size, hotel and room category, meal plan, availability, and any additional services or special requests. Please contact Cometra Travel for a personalized quotation based on your specific travel requirements. All prices are subject to final confirmation. A booking is considered confirmed only after a written quotation has been accepted and the required deposit has been received.

Travel Tips

Recommended Start Day:

This itinerary can begin most days of the week — we build the schedule around your preferred arrival date in Cairo and the Aswan–Cairo domestic flight nearest Day 12.

Accommodation Beyond Cairo & Luxor

As our journeys venture beyond Egypt's most visited destinations and into lesser-explored cities and regions, accommodation standards may differ from those found in Cairo and Luxor. We carefully select the best available properties in each location, prioritising cleanliness, comfort, character, and a welcoming experience. A spirit of understanding and flexibility is part of the journey—and allows you to fully appreciate the authenticity and rewards of travelling beyond the usual paths.

Meals on the Road

As this journey includes travel between cities, some days may involve remote or extended stretches where conventional restaurants are not available. On these occasions, lunch will be thoughtfully arranged as a packed meal or a scenic picnic, allowing you to dine comfortably along the route without interrupting the journey.

Walking & Accessibility

This route covers more ground than any other COMETRA overland itinerary, and several sites — Beni Hassan, Tell el-Amarna, El-Ashmunein, the Luxor West Bank — involve walking on uneven terrain, sandy paths, or stairs. If you normally use a walking cane or other mobility aid, we recommend bringing it with you for added comfort.

Comfort During Visits

During guided visits, there may be times when you will stand while listening to your guide, wait for transportation, or queue at attractions. If standing for extended periods is uncomfortable, we recommend bringing a lightweight foldable chair or informing Cometra in advance so we can assist where possible. We'd also suggest wearing comfortable walking shoes, packing a sun hat, and dressing modestly for visits to mosques and religious sites.

Stay Hydrated

As we spend much of the day exploring, we encourage you to bring a reusable water bottle. Refill stations are available in many locations, helping you stay hydrated while supporting sustainable travel.

Standard: At Cometra, luxury is personal. Our journeys are carefully crafted, yet never intended to be restrictive. If you are drawn to an itinerary but would prefer a different style of accommodation, a higher or more considered level of comfort, or simply a different way of experiencing the journey, we are happy to tailor it around you. Whether you wish to retain the itinerary as designed or refine it with your preferred hotels, services and travel style, our team will be delighted to create a bespoke version that feels entirely your own.

Read our full Essential Travel Information guide.

Trip Overview

The length of the Nile Valley and back — Middle Egypt's quietest sites, four days in Luxor, three in Aswan, and a loop that closes exactly where it opened.

COMETRA's longest overland route, a thirteen-night loop for travellers who want the whole story, not the highlights reel. Begin in Cairo with Saqqara, Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, then head south into Middle Egypt — a region almost no cruise ship or standard tour ever reaches — for the pyramid of Meidum, Akhenaten's abandoned capital at Tell el-Amarna, the painted tombs of Beni Hassan, and the Thoth sanctuary at El-Ashmunein.

Continue to Abydos for the Temple of Seti I and on to Dendera, before three full days in Luxor among Karnak, Luxor Temple by night, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple. The road south to Aswan passes Edfu and Kom Ombo, and Aswan itself brings Philae Temple, the Unfinished Obelisk and an included felucca sail, with Abu Simbel and a Nubian village evening on offer for those who want to go further. A short flight closes the loop back to Cairo, with a final day for the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and Islamic Cairo before departure.

Most itineraries pick a corridor and follow it. This one takes the whole length of the Nile Valley, out and back, and gives Middle Egypt the days it's usually denied entirely.

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Trip Highlights

Nine moments across the longest overland route COMETRA runs.

  • Saqqara & Giza: Trace the evolution of ancient Egyptian architecture from Imhotep's Step Pyramid to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx.
  • Grand Egyptian Museum: Discover the extraordinary ancient collections inside Egypt's newest world-class museum.
  • Meidum & Middle Egypt: Pass Sneferu's experimental pyramid on the drive south into a region almost no other itinerary reaches.
  • Tell el-Amarna & Beni Hassan: Explore Akhenaten's abandoned desert capital and the painted rock tombs of Middle Kingdom governors.
  • El-Ashmunein: Discover the baboon colossi of Thoth at ancient Hermopolis Magna.
  • Abydos & Dendera: Stand before the Temple of Seti I's extraordinary relief carving and Dendera's astronomical ceiling.
  • Karnak, Luxor Temple & the Royal West Bank: Journey through Karnak, Luxor Temple by night, the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut's temple.
  • Edfu, Kom Ombo & Philae: Follow the Nile Valley road south to Aswan's island temples and an included felucca sail.
  • Optional Abu Simbel & Nubian Evening: Extend into Nubia with Ramesses II's colossal temples and an authentic village dinner.

Day by Day

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Trip Gallery

A glimpse of the landscapes, details, and moments that make this journey unforgettable.

Trip Route Map

A fourteen-day overland loop south from Cairo through Middle Egypt to Abydos, Dendera and Luxor, on by road to Aswan, then a short flight back to Cairo to close the circuit.

Cairo → Minya (via Meidum) → Abydos → Dendera → Luxor → Aswan (via Edfu & Kom Ombo) → Cairo (flight)

Extensions

Thirteen nights, however thorough, is still a chosen slice of a country that rewards more time than any itinerary can hold.

Upon request, we build pre- and post-trip extensions around your dates — shaped by where your journey starts, where it ends, and what's calling to you beyond it.

Pre-Trip Extension

Arrive a night or two before Day 1 and Cairo stops being a blur between flights. A day trip to Alexandria trades the desert for the Mediterranean coast; a private evening at the Sphinx Sound & Light Show puts Giza's monuments in a different kind of light entirely; or simply take the extra night to let jet lag settle before the itinerary asks anything of you. Tell us what you're drawn to, and we'll build the days around it.

Post-Trip Extension

The loop closes back in Cairo, and it's a good place to add a final chapter before flying home. A few unhurried days on the Red Sea coast at Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh trade thirteen nights of temples for open water; or extend the Cairo stay itself with a private evening at the Sphinx Sound & Light Show you may have missed at the start. However you'd like to close the journey, we'll shape it around you.

Pricing for extensions varies by season, hotel category, and length of stay. Please contact our team at info@cometra.net to discuss possible pre- or post-trip extensions and receive full costing details.

Optional Excursions

Not every unforgettable moment fits inside a fixed itinerary — these are the ones worth stepping outside it for.

This is a standard section included across all Cometra Travel trip plans, featuring excursions available at an additional cost. Your final itinerary may already include one or more of these experiences, depending on the services and arrangements confirmed in your final agreement with Cometra Travel. Any excursion included in your confirmed itinerary will therefore be considered part of your trip, even if it appears in this section.

Prices shown are indicative only and may vary depending on several factors, including the number of participants, season, and the style or level of service selected. For the most accurate pricing and availability, please contact Cometra Travel.

Each excursion includes the associated arrangements and expenses, including private transportation, an expert guide, entrance fees, gratuities, and applicable taxes, unless otherwise specified.

Abu Simbel Full-Day Excursion
Add a full day from Aswan to the colossal rock temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari at Abu Simbel, carved directly into the sandstone cliffs above Lake Nasser.
Price on request
Abu Simbel Full-Day Excursion
Nubian Village Evening
An evening visit to a Nubian village near Aswan, with dinner among the community — handicrafts, traditional music, and genuine hospitality.
Price on request
Nubian Village Evening
Camel Ride, Aswan
A morning camel ride through the desert hills above Aswan, with sweeping views over the Nile and the islands below.
Price on request
Camel Ride, Aswan
Hotel Room & Suite Upgrades
Upgrade your accommodation to suites or premium room categories at any hotel on this itinerary. Subject to availability and additional supplement.
Supplements forwarded on request
Hotel Room & Suite Upgrades

Inclusions & Exclusions

What's Included

  • Private, experienced guide throughout the trip
  • Airport meet & assist and all stated transfers in private air-conditioned vehicles
  • Domestic flight, Aswan – Cairo
  • Hotels as listed in the itinerary (5★ and 4★ properties, Cairo to Aswan)
  • Included sightseeing and entrance fees for all stated visits
  • Felucca sail around Aswan's islands
  • Meals as specifically stated in the final itinerary (13 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 3 dinners)
  • All applicable taxes and service fees
  • 24/7 support from the COMETRA Travel team

What's Excluded

  • International flights
  • Egypt entry visa
  • Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
  • Optional Abu Simbel excursion, unless added
  • Optional Nubian village evening, unless added
  • Optional camel ride, unless added
  • Gratuities / tips
  • Personal expenses
  • Drinks not specifically stated in the itinerary
  • Any services not specifically listed as included

Accommodation Plan

5-Star Hotel, Cairo
5★ Hotel, Cairo (to be selected)
2 nights  ·  Day 1 – Day 2
Horus Resort
Horus Resort or similar
2 nights  ·  Day 3 – Day 4
House of Life
House of Life or similar
1 night  ·  Day 5
5-Star Hotel, Luxor
5★ Hotel, Luxor (to be selected)
3 nights  ·  Day 6 – Day 8
Nile Obelisk Hotel, Aswan
Nile Obelisk Hotel, Aswan or similar
3 nights  ·  Day 9 – Day 11
Le Meridien Airport Hotel, Cairo
Le Meridien Airport Hotel, Cairo or similar
2 nights  ·  Day 12 – Day 13

All accommodations based on standard room type. Upgrades subject to availability and additional supplement.

Terms, Payment & Cancellation

Good to KnowPayment, deposit, and cancellation policies may vary significantly from one trip to another depending on the travel season, the type of itinerary, and the services included. Journeys that feature private or exclusive arrangements—such as chartered boats, domestic or international flights, special events, private venue access, or exclusive openings—are subject to stricter payment and cancellation terms due to the nature of these services and the policies imposed by third-party suppliers and service providers. Guests are encouraged to review the specific terms and conditions applicable to their chosen itinerary before confirming their booking.

Payment Policy

The payment schedule below is a general guideline and may vary based on the season, number of travelers, booking date, and requested services. We will always work with you to provide the most suitable payment terms and ensure your journey is confirmed with confidence.

Payments are received by bank wire transfer with no transfer fees charged to COMETRA Travel.

25% On sign-up to secure your trip
50% 60 days before arrival
25% 30 days before arrival

Cancellation Policy

  • Cancellations received 90+ days before arrival: full refund less USD 200 administration fee.
  • Cancellations received 90–60 days before arrival: 25% cancellation charge.
  • Cancellations received 60–45 days before arrival: 50% cancellation charge.
  • Cancellations received 45–15 days before arrival: 75% cancellation charge.
  • Cancellations received less than 15 days before arrival: no refund.

All cancellations must be submitted via official email. The price quoted is guaranteed in USD upon receipt of deposit. Any government-imposed changes to entrance fees, fuel surcharges, or taxes may affect the final price.

We understand that canceling a trip is never a pleasant decision and is often due to unexpected circumstances beyond your control. Our cancellation policy is governed by the terms and conditions of our third-party suppliers, including hotels, airlines, Nile cruises, and other service providers. Whenever a cancellation occurs, Cometra Travel will work diligently on your behalf to negotiate the highest possible refund, reduce cancellation charges whenever possible, and minimize your financial loss. While all refunds remain subject to supplier policies, we are committed to achieving the best possible outcome for every client.

Cometra Terms

  • COMETRA Travel Egypt is committed to providing all services on a fully private basis. No other travellers will be mixed into your journey.
  • The trip plan is flexible. COMETRA holds the right to amend or reschedule any service based on local conditions, weather, or safety considerations — with no refund or compensation applicable, while every effort is made to reschedule.
  • Best travel months: October to May.
  • Suitable for ages 8 and above. Travellers with mobility difficulties may require special arrangements — please contact us in advance.

Read our full Booking & Cancellation Policy and Privacy Policy.

Sustainability & Community

COMETRA Travel is committed to preserving Egypt's incomparable heritage for future generations. This journey features low-impact transportation options, actively supports local communities, and offers guests the meaningful opportunity to volunteer by helping clear litter at select sites — leaving each place better than we found it.

We also encourage thoughtful contributions during community visits. Small gifts or school supplies are warmly welcomed when visiting local villages, as a gesture of genuine respect and cultural exchange. Please speak with a member of the COMETRA team before or during the trip for guidance and further information.

Read our full Sustainability Policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — this itinerary is one of our most popular honeymoon choices, with the option to add private extras like a felucca sunset sail or a hotel category upgrade throughout.
Yes, Abu Simbel is offered as an optional full-day excursion from Aswan and can be added for an additional cost.
A moderate amount — most sites involve walking on uneven stone ground and some stairs, but the pace is unhurried with rest breaks built into each day.
October through May, when temperatures are mild; December and January are the busiest months.

Have more questions? Visit our full FAQ page.

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Tailored to You

This itinerary is flexible. You're welcome to request it exactly as published, or adjust and customize it for individual travelers, couples, families, private groups, shared departures, or corporate travel.

Every detail can be tailored to your preferences, including hotels, room categories, meal plans, experiences, and pace of travel. Pre- and post-tour extensions, additional destinations, and private services can also be added upon request.

To personalize this itinerary or discuss your travel plans, please contact us at info@cometra.net. We look forward to creating the perfect journey for you.

Curious what sets us apart? See Why Choose COMETRA.

COMETRA Travel · A-Class License No. 2116 · Certified IATA No. 90269686
www.cometra.net · info@cometra.net · +20 106 829 9003
© COMETRA Travel. All rights reserved. This itinerary is provided for your personal reference.
COMETRA Comprehensive Exceptional Travel

COMETRA Travel crafts private, bespoke journeys across Egypt — from the Pyramids of Giza and the temples of Luxor to the deserts of Siwa and the shores of the Red Sea. Every experience is designed with heart, precision, and the golden touch of excellence.

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