Day 1
- Monday 26th October 2026 - To Luxor
We fly from London to Luxor and transfer to Luxor’s own iconic hotel, the Old Winter Palace, Garden Pavilion Wing for three nights on a bed and breakfast basis.
Day 2
- Tuesday 27th October – Temples
This morning, we begin our tour with a visit to the Temple of Amun at Karnak, the world’s largest temple complex. We have an in-depth tour of the site looking at the Pylons, the Great Hypostyle Hall, the Sanctuary and the Sacred Lake. We include all the main elements but also the more out of the way hidden gems. We return to the hotel at lunchtime and later we make the short journey to Luxor Temple. This evening, we will have a meeting to discuss the journey ahead. (B)
Day 3
- Wednesday 28th October – Kings Valley
We cross the River Nile on a private launch and then head to the Valley of the Kings. We have standard tickets with entry to three tombs of those open on the day but there will be time for purchase of extra tickets for those wishing to visit Seti I and Tutankhamun. We have lunch at our favourite local restaurant before continuing to Deir el Bahri to explore the Temple of Hatshepsut. Our final visit of the day will be the Asasif tombs of Pabasa and Kheruef. (BL)
Day 4
- Thursday 29th October – To Kharga
Today we board our four-wheel drive vehicles and cross the desert to Kharga Oasis. Once we reach the Darb el-Arbain (Forty-Day Track) we will take a detour heading south to visit the Roman fortress and Temple of Dush built by Domitian, extended by Hadrian and Trajan, and dedicated to Osiris. This is the find site of the famous ‘Dush Treasure’ discovered in the late 1980’s. Next, to Qasr al Zayan with its Ptolemaic-Roman Temple and imposing fortress walls. Finally, we visit Qasr al Ghweita dedicated to the Theban Triad, built during the reign of Darius I on the site of a much older shrine. Both sites sit atop high mounds and have commanding views across the desert. We have a picnic lunch prepared by our drivers today. Later we check in to our local hotel in Kharga for two nights on half board basis. (BLD)
Day 5
- Friday 30th October – The Oasis
A full day exploring the fascinating sites of this fascinating Oasis. We cross amazing desert landscape to the massive mudbrick fortress of Ain Umm Dabadib. He we see massive square towers, a ruined church and some of the remaining aqueducts giving essential water supply to the settlement. We next travel to the early Christian Cemetery at Bagawat famous for its mud brick chapels and iconic Byzantine frescoes. We journey further back in time to explore the Persian Period Temple of Hibis dedicated to Amun and the largest known temple in all the Oases. Our drivers once again prepare a picnic lunch for us and late afternoon we return to our hotel. (BLD)
Day 6
- Saturday 31st October – Darb al Arbain
Leaving our hotel, one again we take the Darb al Arbain – the main caravan track from Sudan to Asyut. As we head north to Asyut we will stop at el Deir the mud-brick Roman Fortress and take time to walk the site and see the yardangs (mud lions) nearby. On to Qasr Labeka built during Roman times and one of the most spectacular complexes in Kharga. Here we can wander the ancient walls, aqueducts and temples. We will stop for a lunchtime picnic before continuing to Asyut. Late afternoon we arrive at our hotel in Asyut. We stay at our comfortable hotel for just one night on half board basis. (BLD)
Day 7
- Sunday 1st November – To Cairo
We leave our hotel back on board our coach armed with lunch boxes and set off for the long drive to Cairo. We make a short stop allowing time to visit the lovely local Mallawi Museum. Late afternoon we arrive in the city of Cairo and check in to the Crowne Plaza Hotel at West Giza for four nights on room and breakfast basis. (BL)
Day 8
- Monday 2nd November – Grand Egyptian Museum
A full day at the Grand Egyptian Museum. Plenty of time to view all the galleries at your own pace. Lunch is own arrangements in one of the many food outlets and cafes on the main ground floor reception and shopping area. (B)
Day 9
- Tuesday 3rd November – Saqqara
This morning, we head to Saqqara where we plan a full day to explore this vast complex. We visit the Imhotep Museum and include entry to the Step Pyramid, the Unas Pyramid and the Old Kingdom mastabas of Mereruka, Ptahhotep and Kagemni. We also enter the mastaba tomb of Mehu with its brightly coloured reliefs. We walk to the vast, evocative underground galleries of the sacred bulls at the Serapeum. We take a refreshing lunch break at the Sakkara Palm Club halfway through the day. (BL)
Day 10
- Wednesday 4th November – Giza
Our final day is a visit to the timeless Giza Plateau to view the Great Pyramid of king Khufu, and the Great Sphinx and the Valley Temple of king Khafra. There will be time to enter the Great Pyramid of Khufu for those who wish. We have lunch at a local restaurant with stunning views of the Giza plateau. A fitting end to an exciting tour. (BL)
Day 11
- Thursday 5th November 2026 – Homeward Bound
We take our private transfer to Cairo Airport for our direct flight to London arriving early afternoon. (B)
Chris Naunton is an Egyptologist and author of several books including Searching for the Lost Tombs of Egypt (2018), Egyptologists’ Notebooks (2020), and two books for children, Tutankhamun Tells All! (2021) and Cleopatra Tells All! (2022). He regularly appears in television documentaries, most recently as co-presenter of Mysteries of the Pyramids with Dara O’Briain (Channel 5, 2024). He was Director (CEO) of the Egypt Exploration Society from 2012 to 2016 and President of the International Association of Egyptologists from 2015 to 2019, and is now Director of the Robert Anderson Trust.
B = Breakfast BL = Breakfast and Lunch BD = Breakfast and Dinner BLD = Breakfast Lunch and Dinner
