

Imagine exploring the mystical land of Egypt, where ancient wonders and awe-inspiring landscapes converge. From the magnificent pyramids of Giza to the tranquil serenity of the Nile River, this land is teeming with extraordinary wonders, both cultural and natural.
I have built a team of Journeysmiths with the ability to match your dreams and aspirations to their knowledge and experience of the world’s extraordinary places. The outcome is a holiday of a lifetime every time you travel. Our holidays go beyond “tailormade” — they are uniquely crafted and arranged and we simply adore what we do.
When you travel to Egypt, you won't merely experience exclusive comfort; you’ll embark on a transformative journey guided by knowledgeable experts. These guardians of the ancient past will lead you through the labyrinthine temples of Luxor, the bustling bazaars of Cairo, and along the meandering waters of the Nile.
Their expertise ensures that your adventure is both enlightening and enriching, as you forge a deep connection with the land and its inhabitants.
LAURA BURDETT-MUNNS MANAGING DIRECTORChoosing the right company to arrange your holiday to our world’s most complex and remote locations is vitally important. Like mankind, Journeysmiths’ roots are in Africa. 33 years ago John Burdett and Warwick Hoffman, the original Journeysmiths, founded Africa Exclusive. They were, and still are fired by a passion to show clients the wild world they love, in privacy and comfort. Today, driven by that same passion, Journeysmiths arranges the finest possible holidays to amazing places across five continents for our international clientele. Each trip is expertly arranged to exactly meet each client’s requirements and interests. We are proud of our exceptional level of service, which we believe sets us apart from other holiday companies.
• We have over 33 years experience
• Our holidays are beautifully engineered
• We are passionate about quality
• We are fastidious about those tiny details
• We listen carefully, each client is unique
• We are committed to positive impact travel
• Our clients have a dedicated expert consultant
• Our prices are fair
We are passionate about protecting the world’s most fragile environments. When you travel with us you are contributing to the protection of wildlife and the environment in partnership with local communities. As well as carefully selecting our partners around the world we also give 5% of our net profit each year to supporting charities and conservation efforts in the places we work.
You have complete financial security when you book with Journeysmiths. We are fully bonded and licenced under the Civil Aviation Authority’s ATOL scheme, licence number ATOL 2883 (Journeysmiths is a trading name of Africa Exclusive Ltd). This covers all clients who book their international flights from the UK and holiday arrangements through us. If you are arranging your own flights or you are not departing from the UK you are also protected by a separate insurance policy that we voluntarily maintain with Travel and General Insurance Services. This is called a Total Payment Protection Policy (TOPP) and the policy number is AELI/topp/23/17.
Travel to the world’s fragile places should benefit the habitats, wildlife and people who live there. We call this ‘travelling well’ and it is a feature of every safari we arrange.
It may seem counterintuitive that visiting a place could protect it, but staying at the right place can do just that. We actively favour safari lodges which work in partnership with local communities to conserve wildlife. We also support charities and NGOs working in our destinations.
We are fortunate enough to enjoy the incredible biodiversity this planet has to offer. We believe it is our responsibility to preserve it for future generations.
In the 33 year life of Journeysmiths, Africa's human population has doubled. The future of vulnerable species and iconic landscapes can only be assured by a mutually beneficial partnership between Africa's people and wildlife.
33 years ago we encountered Africa and fell in love with its awesome beauty. Ever since, we’ve been spreading the word, sharing our passion so that you too can experience the best of our world. In the best possible way. This means matching your individuality to a unique blend of places and experiences that fulfil your dreams and extend your horizons. It also means fighting to protect these fragile places.
The way we do this is simple but effective:
– We work with people who share our values
– We make it easy for you to see the positive impacts of your holiday
– We encourage you to get involved
– We donate a minimum of 5% of net profit to charity each year
Our planet’s remote places and wildlife are under constant threat from poaching, encroachment and climate change. We favour lodges which actively conserve the land and its wildlife. This requires dynamic partnerships with local communities which leads to them benefiting significantly from wildlife conservation.
We include details of initiatives run by each property you will visit in your travel itinerary, so that you can see the positive impact of your stay. Our team would also be delighted to discuss ways you can get more involved.
To help protect the amazing places we send our clients to; we donate 5% of our net profits each to charitable conservation projects within Africa.
We also work alongside charities that are dedicated to protecting endangered species, providing environmental education to local children and ensuring human-wildlife coexistence is sustained.
DAY 6
SCHEDULED
ROAD
ROAD
SCHEDULED
SCHEDULED
ROAD
AIRPORT TO SOFITEL LEGEND OLD CATARACT HOTEL
ROAD TRANSFER
LEGEND OLD CATARACT HOTEL TO ASWAN DOCK
LUNCH, FELUCCA RIDE, AGHA KHAN MAUSOLEUM, DINNER, FOLKLORIC SHOW AND DERVISH SHOW AS
BREAKFAST, PHILAE TEMPLE, COOKING LESSON, LUNCH, KOM OMBO TEMPLE, DINNER, GALABYYA PARTY
BREAKFAST, TEMPLE OF HORUS, ESNA, TEMPLE OF KHNUM, LUXOR, DINNER
BREAKFAST, LUXOR TEMPLE, KARNAK TEMPLE, LUNCH, VALLEY OF THE KINGS AND QUEENS, HATSHEPSUT TEMPLE, COLOSSI OF MEMNON, GALA DINNER
“We had another fabulous travel experience, a 10 day family trip to Egypt, including a river cruise with sightseeing along the Nile and a few days in Cairo. Everything was planned brilliantly both in terms of the itinerary and assistance before and during the trip. Our local guides were also the best you could ask for. We loved the cruise and visiting the temples and sites along the river.
But we also really enjoyed our time in Cairo where we had an amazing archaeologist taking us to the pyramids and the sphinx as well as around the city’s main sites. Staying at Mena House was also absolutely amazing and we had a fabulous room overlooking the pyramids. A big thank you to Ross for making sure that everything went perfectly all along! We’ll certainly come back for our next adventure! ”
DAYS 1 TO 3
Arrive into Cairo International Airport (under own arrangements)
Scheduled flight to Hurghada
Private road transfer to Sahl Hasheesh
Oberoi Beach Resort
Deluxe Double Suite
3 nights
Breakfast
The architecture of the resort reflects the style of the region, resplendent with domes, arches and columns. All 63 deluxe suites and 21 superior deluxe suites are spacious and elegantly appointed and have luxurious bathrooms with separate shower stalls. Their sunken marble baths overlook a private open-air walled garden. In addition, there are twelve larger grand suites which have their own private swimming pool, heated in the cooler months.
There is a poolside bar and the restaurant has commanding views of the sea and offers an à la carte menu of western, Oriential and Pan-Asian cuisine for dinner. Zaafran is a fine-dining space that serves Indian cuisine in the evenings. It is possible to dine alfresco here, to take advantage of the stunning fairy-tale appearance of the resorts illuminated domes after dark.
You may also like to visit the Spa: get pampered with massages, scrubs and beauty therapies that leave you feeling completely rejuvenated or simply unwind in the private steam room.
The diving centre on the private beach will allow you to explore the magnificent undersea world of the Red Sea. It is home to around 20 percent of the world’s endemic fish species and more than 400 species of coral. The crystal-clear waters and unique underwater gardens are a diver’s paradise – the dive centre offers a range of sea dives, night dives and private dives suitable for experienced and first-time divers, as well as certified PADI courses.
The Oberoi Group is committed to protecting the natural world and does so by using natural products, implementing recycling measures in its properties and ensuring proper use of natural resources.
DAYS 4 AND 5
Private road transfer to Hurghada Airport
Scheduled flight to Aswan (via Cairo)
Private road transfer to hotel
Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel
Double Nile Wing Luxury Room
2 nights
Breakfast
Aswan, Egypt’s most southern frontier town, in its delightful river setting, is the highlight of any visit to the Nile. It is stunningly beautiful, charmingly romantic and very relaxing. This is the sunniest city in Egypt and it is not too large to walk around in
the cooler part of the day. From the corniche you can observe the tall masted feluccas, listen to the Nubian musicians and in the late evening watch flocks of egrets skimming the surface of the Nile as they go to roost.
Perched atop a granite hill at the Nile River’s edge, the Legend Old Cataract Hotel is ideally situated for visitors to the area. Taking its name from the river’s First Cataract (rapids) the hotel was constructed as a Victorian Palace at the end of the 19th century and today, as a five-star Sofitel property, provides a relaxing atmosphere set amongst the gardens and provides comfortable accommodation with excellent facilities.
The guestrooms are well appointed with elegant private bathrooms, air conditioning and colour televisions. Each room is different, with high ceilings, wonderful Nile views, classic furnishings and bathroom fixtures and comfortable beds.
There are several restaurants and bars, a beautiful swimming pool, tennis and volleyball courts and health club. Near the large swimming pool, surrounded by gardens, you may find quarry marks from ancient times. The public areas are splendid, with marble, fine wood and artistic drapes.
On the morning of Day 5 you will be met at your hotel and flown to the Abu Simbel temples where you will enjoy a shared guided tour.
The two temples were built by Ramesses II. The best known is the Great Temple of Ramesses and the other smaller temple is dedicated to his wife Nefertari and the Goddess Hathor. The Great Temple was painstakingly built so that the sun’s rays would strike the temple to fall on the forehead of the seated gods inside twice a year on his birthday and on the day he ascended to the throne. This now occurs on the 22nd February and 22nd October. Of the many temples erected by Ramesses II this is the most spectacular, with a 33m high façade guarded by statues of Ramesses himself, each of which is 20m high.
Not only are the temples at Abu Simbel among the most magnificent monuments in the world but their removal and reconstruction was an historic event in itself. When the temples (230km from Aswan) were threatened by submersion in Lake Nasser, due to the construction of the High Dam. the Egyptian Government secured the support of UNESCO and launched a worldwide appeal. During the salvage operation which began in 1964 and continued until 1968, the two temples were dismantled and raised over 60 metres up the sandstone cliff where they had been built more than 3,000 years before. Here they were reassembled, in the exact same relationship to each other and the sun, and covered with an artificial mountain. Antiquity experts have now filled most of the joins in the stone, but inside the temples it is still possible to see where the blocks were cut. You can also go inside the man-made dome and see an exhibition of photographs showing the different stages of the massive removal project.
After your tour, you will return by air to Aswan.
The Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel’s parent company, Accor is committed to offering healthy, balanced and high-quality food, using local products grown in kitchen gardens. They have a policy of reducing food waste, have banned the use of overfished species in their restaurants and offer free range products.
The Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel offers ecocertified soap, shower gel and shampoo. Furthermore, all cleaning products used in the hotel are environmentallyfriendly. Guests are encouraged to reuse their towels and savings made on water and energy are used to fund tree planting.
DAYS 6 TO 9
Private road transfer to Aswan dock
Embark Sun Boat IV for luxury Nile River cruise to Luxor
Sanctuary Sun Boat IV
Main Deck Standard Cabin 4 nights
All meals, shared sight-seeing shore excursions and on-board entertainment
A cruise on the Nile is a voyage along the landmarks of civilisation. Your cruise begins in Aswan, covering a distance of 200km. A highly qualified and knowledgeable Egyptologist travels
with you throughout your journey to provide insights and a comprehensive understanding of the ancient kingdoms.
The Sanctuary Sun Boat IV is renowned as one of the finest boats operating on the Nile. Its contemporary-yet-classic design displays the highest levels of luxury; rich teak flooring, Egyptian marble, hand-painted decorative details, neutral-toned textiles and soft fabrics all create an environment a world away from traditional river cruisers.
With just forty cabins on board, it feels like you’re in an intimate floating palace; there are 36 standard cabins spread across four decks, all 15-18m², with floor-to-ceiling windows to take in the views of the river, air-conditioning, satellite television, mini-bar, and large en-suite bathroom. Two 38m² Presidential Suites are located on the Main Deck and two 55m² Royal Suites are on the Promenade Deck.
The open-air Sun Deck is the perfect place to relax, enjoying a cocktail or two, taking in the sunshine and the views from around the heated swimming pool. The spacious restaurant on the main deck serves gourmet cuisine from awardwining chefs at every mealtime, while on every cruise there is at least one barbecue lunch served outside while sailing (weather permitting). There is also a comfortable lounge bar on the Bridge Deck, a library, a gymnasium and massage room, and a small gift shop.
During your time on the Sun Boat IV, in between fascinating shore-based excursions you will be able to enjoy a program of on-board entertainment. Exact schedules are adjusted depending on the exact voyage and dates, but every cruise will include a welcome ‘Zaffa’ of traditional music, with drums and flutes, folklorics shows, an Egyptian cooking lesson with the on-board chefs, a movie night, a colourful ‘Galabeyya’ party and a gala dinner.
The following indicates the approximate itinerary for the five-day / four-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor:
After boarding in Aswan and enjoying lunch, you will take a short felucca (a typical Egyptian sail boat) ride around Elephantine Island, Lord Kitchener’s Botanical Gardens and the Agha Khan Mausoleum.
Afternoon tea will be served in the lounge while you enjoy the sounds of an Oud trio and tonight you will be greeted by your Boat Manager as you enjoy a selection of canapés with some complimentary Egyptian wine and local beer.
After breakfast take a short motorboat ride to visit the romantic and majestic Philae Temple on the Island of Agilika. This will be followed by a visit to the Granite Quarries, which supplied the ancient Egyptians with most of the hard stone used in pyramids and temples, and still hold a huge unfinished obelisk.
Cruise down-river in the afternoon and visit the magnificent Temple of Kom Ombo - dedicated to the crocodile-god Sobek. Afternoon tea will be served while you cruise to Edfu.
In the morning explore the extraordinary Temple of Horus and then, while cruising to Esna, an Egyptian cooking lesson will be presented on board. This afternoon, you will be guided around the Greco-Roman Temple of Khnum at Esna. The beautifully preserved Great Hypostyle Hall was built during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius; it was excavated from the silt that had accumulated through centuries of annual Nile floods and is about nine metres below presentday street level.
Tonight will be an “Egyptian Night” costume party for all guests, with a chance to dress up in traditional Egyptian “galabeyya”. Dinner will be a lavish buffet of Egyptian specialties, followed by oriental music and dancing.
This morning, visit the famous Valley of the Kings outside Luxor. You will have the chance to visit at least one tomb in the Valley of the Queens, and visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. On the way back to the river Nile, you will pass by the famed Colossi of Memnon, known in Ancient Greek times for their haunting voices at dawn. After lunch, your guide will take you around the strikingly graceful Temple of Luxor, dedicated to the god Amun - and then onwards to the Temple of Karnak.
Tonight’s entertainment will be a final gala dinner, with white-gloved waiters serving gourmet cuisine followed by a Dervish Show and a belly dancer performance.
Through Abercombie & Kent philanthropy, Sanctuary’s parent company, Funtasia Cultural Center in Luxor offers after school programming for local children, ranging in ages from 4 to 16 years old. The center focuses on strengthening confidence, communication, and collaboration, among young people using tools such as the arts, gardening, poetry, nutrition, health, and coding.
Abercrombie & Kent Philanthropy is a nonprofit organization and supports 30 grassroots projects on seven continents, investing in education, conservation, health care, and community enterprise. Their aim is to preserve the natural and cultural heritage of the diverse destinations around the world.
DAY 10
Disembark at Luxor dock
Private road transfer to hotel
ACCOMMODATION
Sofitel Winter Palace
Double Classic Nile View Room
1 night
Breakfast
Luxor is the world’s greatest open-air museum, filled with awe-inspiring monuments of ancient civilisation. As Weset, it was the capital of Egypt during the new kingdom (1567 - 1085 BC). As Thebes, Homer described it as ‘the hundred gated city’ because of its buildings and large gates. The city grew over the years and the Arabs, impressed by its beautiful palaces and huge edifices, renamed it ‘Luxor’, City of Palaces.
Luxor remained the seat of power from 2100 to 750 BC and today you can walk through historypast statues with the heads of gods and animals beneath pillars carved with lotus buds and papyrus. The city is spread along both banks of the Nile in the ‘City of the Living’ to the east where life-giving sun rises and in the ‘City of the Dead’ to the west where the sun bids farewell to life.
The Winter Palace is a five-star luxury hotel in a beautiful Victorian building, originally built in 1886 and completely renovated in 1994. Perfectly situated just across the road from the Nile River, in exquisite gardens, the hotel blends rich colonial design with the glory of Pharaonic times. The sparkling chandeliers, sumptuous red carpets, sweeping staircases and large verandas will take your breath away.
The hotel was once a winter retreat for the Egyptian Royal Family, the location where Agatha Christie wrote her famed 1937 novel Death on the Nile, and was also where Howard Carter was staying (courtesy of Lord Carnarvon) when he discovered Tutankhamun’s tomb.
Each of the spacious rooms is different, with high ceilings and beautiful fixtures, as well as all the modern amenities and comforts. Each room has a seating area with a dining table, a television, and original French shutters which open up to a magnificent view from the private balcony. Some of the rooms have a garden view and some have an epic view of the Nile and the West Bank.
In the crystal-lit Victorian Lounge savour afternoon tea with decadent pastries and delicate sandwiches and in the historic 1886 restaurant enjoy fine-dine with gourmet French cuisine. Take a refreshing dip in the swimming pool or wander through the gardens, an oasis of calm away from the rest of the city just a few steps away.
DAYS 11 AND 12
Private road transfer to Luxor Airport
Scheduled flight to Cairo
Private road transfer to hotel
Marriott Mena House Hotel
Double Deluxe Partial Pyramid View Room
2 nights
Breakfast
Cairo is one of the world’s great cities with a history which runs back into the mists of time and whose architecture and culture has been influenced by its location at the crossroads between Europe, Arabia and Africa.
Modern Cairo is home to seventeen million people and is hot, noisy and very busy, though the old
parts, particularly the Old Coptic and Old Islamic quarters have fascinating architecture, palaces, ancient mosques and churches, bustling markets, absorbing museums and are steeped in Egypt’s vibrant culture. The Egyptian Museum is world famous for its collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts including the treasures of Tutankhamen and one could easily spend all day there.
The Mena House is a superb five-star hotel in one of the world’s most spectacular historic locations – overlooking the Great Pyramids. The hotel was originally a royal hunting lodge used by the Khedive Ismail as a guest house while on hunting trips in the desert. With the opening of the Suez Canal, he enlarged the house to receive state visitors. Later, it opened as a top-quality international hotel and although it has every modern convenience, the design, décor and atmosphere reflect its rich history.
The best rooms are located in the Palace section of the hotel and the deluxe pyramid view rooms are beautifully furnished with hand crafted furniture, rich textiles and mosaic tiles with king size bed (or twin as preferred) and luxury en-suite bathroom, though most spectacular of all are the fine views of the pyramids.
The modern garden wing rooms are beautifully furnished with wooden flooring, marble bathrooms and a large balcony affording spectacular views of either the gardens or the Pyramids.
Mena House has five restaurants, some suitable for forming dining, and others for high quality snacks and informal dining. There is also an Indian restaurant, the Moghul Room. The hotel has a large pool and fitness centre and a full range of excellent facilities. An eighteen-hole golf course is next door to the hotel and for those who wish to ride either horses or camels these are available in the hotel’s stables.
On Day 12 you will be collected from the hotel and taken on a privately guided full day tour of the Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis and Sakkara (lunch at a local restaurant included).
Lying on the western edge of Greater Cairo, the Pyramids consist of the Great Pyramid, the most famous structure in the world and the only surviving structure of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Second Pyramid, built by Khafre and measuring 215.5 m square at its base, and the Third Pyramid situated south west of the Great and Second Pyramids. It is much smaller than the other two and is distinguished by the fact that the lower parts of its sides still retain their granite slab coverings. The Ancient Egyptians built the Pyramids as tombs to preserve the bodies of their dead kings, believing in resurrection and immortality.
On the way to the Temple of the Valley lies the large statue of the Sphinx. One of the most famous monuments in the world, it is indeed a legendary statue for it has the body of a lion and the face of a man. It is 70m long and 20m high. The face of the Sphinx closely resembles that of King Kephren.
In the afternoon you will continue about an hour along the Nile to visit the very ancient sites of Memphis and Sakkara. Memphis was the original capital of Egypt founded by Menes who was regarded as the first King of the first Dynasty and here you can see one of Rameses Colossi and the famous Alabasta Sphinx. There is more to see in nearby Sakkara including the famous step pyramid of Zoser which dominates the entire site. Nearby there are impressive temple complexes with shrines and the immense funerary complex of Zoser which has been partially reconstructed to give an impression of its great scale.
Mena House’s parent company; Marriott aims to create positive and sustainable impacts wherever they work. One of their many accomplishments was the raising of US$7 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and UNICEF in 2019.
ENVIRONMENT
Marriott employs innovative technologies to implement and track how they operate responsibly. Amongst other accomplishments, their efforts have seen a reduction in their environmental footprint and carbon emissions.
Check out of your room by 1100 but you can continue to enjoy the facilities of the hotel for the rest of the day.
Private road transfer to Cairo International Airport
Depart on international flight home (booked under own arrangements)
The price of this itinerary (subject to availability) on the basis that you book directly with us, and travelling as a party of two adults is: US$9,450 / £8,200 per person.
Inclusions:
Accommodation as detailed
Internal Domestic Flights (Economy Class)
Road transfers as indicated
Meals as listed
All tours as described with private Englishspeaking Egyptologist in Cairo only & sharing local guide with other guests on board cruise
Abu Simbel excursion with private Englishspeaking Egyptologist local guide
All admissions for sighseeing as stated in the itinerary
Exclusions:
International Flights
Entry visa to Egypt
Any items not detailed in the travel itinerary
Tips
Camera ticket at sights where allowed
Notes:
All the photos contained in this itinerary are illustrative of the lodges, transport and sights you will see on your holiday. Please note however that we cannot guarantee that you will see all the animals and birds shown as these are wild creatures and not under our control. Equally where specific food or drink, or furniture/furnishings are shown, these may not be identical to those you will experience.Please note inclusions are subject to change at the discretion of the property.
If flights have been included within your booking then unless provisionally held for you, these are subject to change and any increases in fares at the time of booking will be passed on. Similarly, if booking a trip inclusive of flights more than 11 months in advance we will try to give as accurate an indicative cost as possible, but exact flight costs will need to be obtained once flight fares become available and as such, any variance will be reflected in your final balance.
The nature of our holidays means that they may not be suitable for people with reduced mobility. If you have reduced mobility or any specific medical requirements, please ensure that you discuss these with your travel designer prior to booking your holiday.
Whilst we endeavour to keep up with the latest information regarding visas and entry requirements for each country, we recommend that clients contact the relevant Embassy or High Commission to obtain further information and up to date fees.
The passports required validity period is from the date of your departure from that country (note: regulations on this vary so please double-check with us if you have less than specified duration on your passport).
Please ensure you have sufficient blank visa pages (not endorsement pages) available in your passport for the countries to be visited.
COUNTRIES TO BE VISITED
MALARIA PROPHYLACTICS ADVISED?
YELLOW FEVER VACCINATION ADVISED?
YELLOW FEVER CERTIFICATE REQUIRED?
EGYPT NO NO **YES
** This country requires you to have a yellow fever vaccination (or exemption certificate) only if you have recently visited a place where yellow fever is endemic.
18 Mobbs Miller House Christchurch Road Northampton
NN1 5LL
T: +44 (0) 1604 628979 | +1-866-871-3829
E: enquiries@journeysmiths.co.uk
www.journeysmiths.co.uk