Egypt 9-Day Small-Group Tour: Cairo + Alexandria + Aswan + Luxor + Red Sea (Cruise Route)

Please note: As the cruise departs only on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, the actual itinerary order will be adjusted according to your international flight details and arrival date. If you have any questions, please contact customer service:

1. Guests arriving on Friday will follow the itinerary order published on the official website. On D9, the 24-hour airport transfer service is available in Hurghada; flights departing from Cairo on D9 must take off after 19:00.

2. For guests arriving on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays, we recommend flights arriving before 07:00. On D1, the pickup will go to Alexandria first; on D3, fly to Aswan; on D8, after returning from the Red Sea, stay overnight in Cairo; the next day, D9, enjoy 24-hour airport drop-off in Cairo. Alternatively, 24-hour pickup is available for flights on D1, and the D9 departure flight must leave after 19:00;

3. For guests arriving on Tuesdays, Thursdays, or Sundays, we recommend flights arriving before 07:00. On D1, the pickup goes directly to tour Cairo (Pyramids + Museum + Khan el-Khalili itinerary); on D2, fly to Aswan; after returning from the Red Sea on D7, tour Alexandria on a day trip on D8; the next day, D9, enjoy 24-hour airport drop-off in Cairo. Alternatively, 24-hour pickup is available for flights on D1, and the D9 departure flight must leave after 19:00.

【Inclusions】

1. Meals: Hotels include buffet breakfast. Cruises and Red Sea hotels include full board (buffet breakfast, buffet lunch, and buffet dinner). Other main meals are at your own expense.

2. Attractions: First-entry admission tickets to the attractions listed in the itinerary (excluding additional admission tickets within scenic areas and personal expenses. The order of visits and times at attractions shown in the itinerary are for reference only. Our company reserves the right to adjust the order of visits according to local weather, traffic, and other conditions. Actual visit times will follow the final itinerary).

3. Transportation: Tour bus throughout, with a foreign-language-speaking driver; one seat per person guaranteed.

4. Tour guide: An Egyptian Chinese-speaking guide or an English-speaking guide plus a Chinese interpreter (the Egyptian Chinese-speaking guide does not provide airport pickup or drop-off, or hotel transfers; a company assistant will provide airport and hotel transfers. No guide or vehicle is included during free time in the Red Sea. Transfers between cities are without a guide and are provided by a driver).

5. Hotels: Double rooms at the five-star hotels listed in the itinerary (standard arrangement: two guests per room; a single-room supplement applies if you require a room of your own). Example hotels:

Cairo: Tolip, Sonesta, Radisson Blu, Helnan Dream, Swiss Inn, The Guard, Le Passage, or a similar local five-star hotel

Red Sea: Stella Gardens Resort, AMC Royal Hotel, Sea Star, Jasmine Palace Resort, or a similar five-star beach resort

Cruise: M/S Zeina, Mahrousa, Magic, Semeramise, or a similar five-star cruise ship

Note: Hotel star-rating standards differ overseas from those in China, and hotel reception desks generally do not display star ratings. Please specify your hotel booking requirements in detail when requesting a quote.

6. Other: One bottle of mineral water per person per day during the itinerary.

7. Flight: One domestic flight (Cairo–Aswan, economy class, one checked bag up to 15 kg). [Due to fare fluctuations, this flight may incur a surcharge, which is not included in the tour price. Please contact customer service to confirm the amount!]

【Exclusions】

1. Tips for our driver, guide, and assistant total €90 per person (mandatory; paid together with the tour fee in advance). This does not include cruise tips of US$3 per person per night × 3 nights, carriage tips, luggage handling, or other tips.

2. Egypt visa on arrival: US$36 per person (payable at the airport or apply independently in advance).

3. Single-room supplement

4. Overseas travel accident insurance and meals not included

5. International flights and any items not specified as included in the price.

6. A surcharge may apply for domestic flights. Please contact customer service to confirm the amount!

[Helpful Tips]

1. This product’s prices apply only to Chinese passport holders (including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan). Children under 10 who do not occupy a bed pay 70% of the adult price; children occupying a bed pay the adult price.

2. This is an international join-in tour operated locally in Egypt. Room sharing is currently unavailable, so solo travelers must pay the single-room supplement.

3. If guests are late or miss an itinerary activity for personal reasons, they will be considered to have voluntarily forfeited that activity. This cannot be used as grounds to cancel the tour or request a refund. This product is also sold as a package, so no refunds are available for individual activities that are canceled.

4. The itinerary may be temporarily adjusted or reordered due to weather, traffic, religious or safety-related reasons. Visit times are subject to arrangements by the local guide. Please cooperate accordingly.

5. As this is a join-in tour, you will share vehicles with other passengers, and vehicles and guides may change during the tour. As the itinerary is fixed, requests for last-minute changes are not accepted. If you would like a flexible itinerary or extra time at certain attractions, we recommend booking a private tour to suit your travel needs.

6. For guests on the same booking or traveling together, we provide one complimentary airport pickup and drop-off service within a 24-hour period. Additional transfer requests will incur an extra charge.

7. Hotel check-in is generally available only after 14:00 on the day of arrival. If your flight arrives before 14:00, we will coordinate with the hotel to store your luggage at the front desk first. Once your room is ready, the hotel will let you check in as soon as possible. Please don't worry.

8. This tour requires a minimum of 2 participants. Egypt is now in peak tourist season, and cruise, hotel and domestic flight availability is very limited. Please confirm availability before registering.

Optional Activities in Egypt

City

Optional activities

Included services and activities

Price per person

(USD)

Cairo

Nile cruise + belly dance show + dinner (approx. 1.5 hours)

(minimum 2 people)

In the evening, head to the dock and board a cruise to admire the night views along both banks of the Nile. Enjoy a Western-style buffet dinner and watch Egyptian belly dancing and traditional folk dancing, including a Sufi dance performance.

Includes: transportation + boat ticket + Western-style buffet + cruise waiter gratuity (dinner that evening has been deducted; drinks not included)

USD 70

Saladin Citadel + Mosque of Muhammad Ali

(Approximately 2 hours, minimum 2 people)

For 700 years, from its construction until the late 19th century, Saladin Citadel + Mosque of Muhammad Ali served as Egypt’s “center of power.” It is one of Egypt’s most magnificent citadels. The Mosque of Muhammad Ali stands at the citadel’s highest and most prominent point. This ancient, opulent mosque features an array of grand domes. From here, you can look out over all of Cairo, and on a clear day, you can even see the three pyramids in the distance. Includes: transportation, guide services, admission tickets, and service fees

USD 50

Hurghada

Geda

Boat trip

Activities

Choose one of two

Red Sea yacht trip

(Approximately 5 hours)

(minimum 2 people)

In the morning, take a boat to Orange Island (or another island) for a tour. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Red Sea and see Orange Island's cliff-backed beach. You can go snorkeling, swimming, and feed the fish. (Even non-swimmers can snorkel; guests may bring their own fishing gear or use the spare gear on board.)

Includes: transportation + boat ticket + cruise lunch + service fee

USD 75

Red Sea glass-bottom boat trip

(Approximately 2 hours)

(minimum 2 people)

One of the Red Sea’s signature activities. The Red Sea is home to vast stretches of beautiful coral reefs. In the morning, you’ll board a boat with a glass-bottom viewing area and admire the beautiful reefs beneath the sea through the glass. The crew will scatter fish food, often attracting lots of fish that swim around. You can snorkel and swim (even if you can’t swim, you can still snorkel).

Includes: transportation + boat ticket + service fee

USD 70

Visit a Bedouin tribe + desert dune bashing (approx. 3–4 hours)

(Minimum 2 people)

When you come to Egypt, you’ll surely want to explore the desert. Ride freely through the desert in a Jeep, experience camel riding, and learn more about the lives of the Bedouin, one of Egypt’s ethnic minorities. Stop for a cup of tea and some snacks.

Includes: 4WD vehicle fee + instructor + service fee

USD 75

Luxor

Valley of the Kings + Hatshepsut Temple

(Approximately 2–3 hours, minimum 2 people)

According to legend, Luxor is divided into the East Bank and the West Bank: the East Bank is where the living reside, while the West Bank is where the dead reside. Take a motorboat to the West Bank of the Nile. The Valley of the Kings contains more than 60 ancient royal tombs; afterward, visit the Queen’s Temple.

Includes: transportation + guide fee + entrance ticket + service fee

USD 80

Luxor Hot Air Balloon

(Approximately 1 hour + 1 hour of driving)

(minimum 1 person)

[The Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority has decided to suspend all hot-air balloon flights in Luxor from June 1 to August 31. Please take note!]

Depart at around 4:30 a.m. (once booked, the cost is non-refundable except in the event of bad weather). Travel by vehicle to the meeting point, then transfer to a hot-air balloon for a bird’s-eye view of Luxor, the world’s largest open-air museum. If you’re lucky, you may see Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, the Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Valley of the Kings, as well as beautiful desert oasis fields in shades of yellow and green and the magnificent early-morning scenery.

Includes: transportation + attraction entrance fee + service fee

USD 125

Aswan

Nubian Village

(Approximately 2 hours, minimum 2 people)

The Nubians have lived in the desert for thousands of years and were once an ancient people who built a highly developed civilization. Take a small ferry across the Nile to a Nubian village, a sea of color where the exterior walls of every house are painted in a variety of hues. Together with the lush green fields and swaying date palms in the distance, they create a vivid, harmonious scene.

Includes: transportation + boat ticket + home visit fee + entrance fee + service fee

USD 60

Abu Simbel Temples

(Including approximately 8–9 hours of round-trip driving)

(minimum 2 people)

Depart at around a.m. Built between 1300 and 1233 BC, this large rock-cut temple was constructed by Ramesses II of Egypt’s Nineteenth Dynasty during the New Kingdom, and is now 3,300 years old. It is also one of the best-preserved monuments from the era of the pharaohs of the New Kingdom. Abu Simbel and many monuments downstream as far as Philae Island form part of the Nubian Monuments, designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Includes: long-distance transportation + guide fee + entrance fee + service fee

USD130

Temple of Philae

(Approximately 2 hours, minimum 2 people)

Take a traditional local boat to the Temple of Philae. The Temple of Isis was built on the ruins of an ancient pharaonic temple by Ptolemy II Philadelphus (who reigned from 274 BC to 264 BC) to honor Isis, the goddess of life.

Includes: transportation + guide fee + entrance fee + boat ticket + service fee

USD 60

Notes:

1. All optional activities are recommended or suggested only. Participation is voluntary and at the traveler’s own expense.

2. To ensure your safety during your trip in Egypt, please do not go out or take part in activities on your own with anyone who is not affiliated with the receiving travel agency.

Changes and cancellation policy

All expenses are prepaid in advance. Therefore, if travelers cancel after registering for personal reasons, a cancellation fee will apply. The cancellation terms are as follows:

1) Cancellations made 29–15 days before the group’s departure incur a cancellation fee of 10% of the tour price.

2) Cancellations made 14–7 days before the group’s departure incur a cancellation fee of 20% of the tour price.

3) Cancellations made 6–4 days before the group’s departure incur a cancellation fee of 50% of the tour price.

4) Cancellations made 1–3 days before the group departure date will incur a cancellation fee of 60% of the tour price.

5) Cancellations on the day of departure will incur a cancellation fee of 80% of the tour price.

6) Please note: For bookings that include domestic flights in Egypt, tickets will be booked immediately once payment is made. If you cancel, the flight cost, including any flight surcharge, is non-refundable!

Tour Information

[Helpful Tips]

Special note: Guests who are in Egypt over New Year’s Eve (December 31) will incur an additional gala dinner charge (depending on the hotel, estimated at USD 50–100 per person). Please confirm this again before booking. Thank you for your cooperation!

1. This product’s prices apply only to Chinese passport holders (including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) and ethnic Chinese with foreign passports. The Black and White Deserts are the same price for adults and children. For the rest of the itinerary, children under 10 who do not occupy a bed pay 70% of the adult price; children occupying a bed pay the adult price.

2. This is an international join-in tour operated locally in Egypt. Room sharing is currently unavailable, so solo travelers must pay the single-room supplement.

3. If guests are late or miss an itinerary activity for personal reasons, they will be considered to have voluntarily forfeited that activity. This cannot be used as grounds to cancel the tour or request a refund. This product is also sold as a package, so no refunds are available for individual activities that are canceled.

4. The itinerary may be temporarily adjusted or reordered due to weather, traffic, religious or safety-related reasons. Visit times are subject to arrangements by the local guide. Please cooperate accordingly.

5. As this is a join-in tour departing from Cairo, you will share vehicles with other passengers. Vehicles and guides may change during the tour. As the itinerary is fixed, requests for last-minute changes are not accepted. If you would like a flexible itinerary or extra time at certain attractions, we recommend booking our private tour to suit your travel needs.

6. For guests on the same booking or traveling together, we provide one complimentary airport pickup and drop-off service within a 24-hour period. Additional transfer requests will incur an extra charge.

7. Hotel check-in is generally available only after 14:00 on the day of arrival. If your flight arrives before 14:00, we will coordinate with the hotel to store your luggage at the front desk first. Once your room is ready, the hotel will let you check in as soon as possible. Please don't worry.

8. This tour requires a minimum of 2 participants. Egypt is now in peak tourist season, and cruise, hotel and domestic flight availability is very limited. Please confirm availability before registering.

[Disclaimer]

1. No refund will be given if you leave or drop out of the tour midway for personal reasons.

2. If the China National Tourism Administration or the Chinese government has not issued an official travel warning, a cancellation request based on a traveler’s personal perception that the destination is unsafe will be considered invalid. If you cancel your tour, the applicable fees will be deducted according to the cancellation policy in this document.

3. If the hotel is unable to provide the room we booked due to reasons of its own (such as being fully booked or equipment failure), we will make every effort to help guests check in to a hotel of the same class, but will not cover any additional costs incurred. If the replacement hotel is not of the same class, the price difference will be settled accordingly, with any overpayment refunded or shortfall collected.

4. We are not responsible for any additional expenses resulting from force majeure (such as flight/train delays, cancellations or schedule changes, war, government policies, strikes, severe weather or tsunamis). If force majeure delays the itinerary or makes it impossible to visit a certain attraction, we reserve the right to adjust the itinerary as appropriate.

5. The eligible age range for joining the tour is 6–65. Guests outside this range who still wish to join must sign a liability waiver.

6. We are currently unable to accept pregnant guests, nursing infants, guests with conditions that may cause sudden illness such as heart disease or high blood pressure, or guests who have recently undergone surgery. Thank you for your understanding.

[Egypt Travel Information]

Helpful Information

1. Time difference: Egypt observes daylight saving time and standard time. Daylight saving time runs from April to October, when Egypt is 5 hours behind Beijing; standard time runs from November to March of the following year, when Egypt is 6 hours behind Beijing.

2. Egypt is generally safe, but please take care of your personal belongings and documents. Do not display large amounts of cash or other valuables in public.

3. During the tour, please stay with the group and follow the guide’s arrangements. When leaving the hotel, it is best to take a card from the front desk with the hotel address and phone number in case you get lost; traveling with others is also recommended;

1. Please bring any medications you normally use, in case they are needed. If you need to take medication long-term for conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stomach problems, or diabetes, bring enough medication and your doctor's prescription, just in case;

2. Chinese Embassy in Egypt: Address: 14 Bahgat Aly Street, Zamalek, Cairo

Tel: (00202) 7361219 / (00202) 27363556 Fax: (00202) 7359459

3. Egypt emergency and police numbers: Police: 122; Fire: 125; Tourist Police: 3906028; Medical emergency: 123

Arrival and departure

Important notes

1. Checked baggage:

(1) International flights generally allow one checked bag free of charge (weighing no more than 20 kg, with total dimensions not exceeding 269 cm) and one piece of carry-on luggage (with total dimensions not exceeding 115 cm);

(2) Do not pack cash, cameras, laptops, or other valuables in checked baggage, and keep your baggage claim ticket;

(3) Liquids, creams, gels, and similar items should be checked in whenever possible. If not checked in, place them in containers of no more than 100 ml and put them in a clear, resealable plastic bag for airport security screening;

2. Customs regulations:

(1) Currency: China Customs limits the amount of currency that may be taken out of China to RMB 20,000 and foreign currency equivalent to USD 5,000;

(2) Electrical appliances: Large appliances must be declared in advance when taken out of the country, such as video cameras, professional cameras with zoom lenses, and computers;

3. Entry into Egypt:

(1) Bringing drones into the country is prohibited!

(2) The airport pickup assistant at Cairo Airport will help you clear customs. Assistants generally do not speak Chinese and speak only English;

(3) Entry procedures for Egypt are simple: passport (valid for more than 6 months) + entry card (provided on the plane) + visa slip (purchased after arrival);

Weather and Clothing

1. Daytime temperatures in Egypt are high and UV rays are strong. Please bring sunglasses, sunscreen, a sun umbrella, sun-protective clothing, etc.;

2. There is a large temperature difference between day and night, and evenings can be relatively cool. Be sure to bring a warm jacket or sweater.

3. In summer, wear loose-fitting, breathable, light-colored clothing as much as possible. In winter, bring a thick coat to keep warm;

4. Weather website: http://www.worldweather.cn/tu/tuindex.htm

Communications

1. To call China from Egypt, dial 0086 + the three-digit area code + the phone number. For example, to call Shenzhen: 0086 + 755 + 12345678. To call a local number in Egypt, dial 0020 + the city area code + the phone number.

2. To make calls outside the hotel from your room, contact the front desk to activate the service. Hotel calls are relatively expensive.

3. Mobile phones with China Mobile international long-distance and roaming services enabled can be used directly.

To call a mobile phone, dial 0086 + recipient's mobile number (e.g., 00861390…….)

To call a landline, dial 0086 + area code + recipient's number (e.g., 0086+75525851744)

Power outlets

Egypt uses European-style two-round-pin power outlets. We recommend purchasing a universal travel adapter.

Dining

1. We recommend bringing some spicy condiments, such as chili sauce or pickled mustard stems. Tea is not provided with local meals.

2. Most restaurants do not allow guests to bring their own alcoholic drinks. Alcoholic drinks and other beverages are not included in meal prices; if you would like any, please pay for them separately on site.

3. When dining at a buffet, please take food courteously and do not waste it;

4. To avoid discomfort from unfamiliar food or stomach problems, please drink bottled water and avoid eating food sold by street vendors.

Accommodation

1. Hotels are generally locally rated five-star. As Egypt’s level of economic development is far below China’s, their standards are broadly equivalent to four-star hotels in China.

2. Hotels do not provide disposable items such as slippers, toothbrushes, or toothpaste;

3. Mains electricity in major cities is 220 volts, and outlets use European round-pin plugs;

4. Tap water is not safe to drink. Hotels generally do not provide electric kettles. If you need hot water, you may bring your own kettle or ask staff to bring you hot water (a tip of around USD 1 per pot is required).

During the trip

Important notes

1. Travel by road: Journeys between major cities are long. We recommend bringing some snacks. Travelers prone to motion sickness should bring motion sickness medication.

2. Safety: Take good care of your valuables and documents, and keep valuables with you at all times;

3. Transportation: Cairo traffic is very congested, and traffic jams are common. Traffic conditions in other cities are generally good. Travel from Aswan to Luxor and the Red Sea must be reported to the local transport bureau in advance, and departures must be at the designated time. Please gather promptly.

Sightseeing

1. Egypt is a country with a long history. The main reason to visit Egypt is to experience its history and culture. Learning about the country’s history and culture before departure will make your trip even more rewarding.

2. Attractions such as the pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, and the Red Sea are sandy. For ease of walking, we recommend not wearing high heels;

3. At the Pyramids, many locals may offer camel rides, take your photo, or ask to take a photo with you, claiming that it is free. Do not believe them; afterward, they will ask tourists for a large tip;

4. The guide may adjust the itinerary as needed, provided no attractions are omitted. If weather, traffic jams, strikes or other force majeure events prevent visits to attractions on the itinerary, the travel agency reserves the right to change the attractions or refund the loss after your return, based on the ticket price.

Expenses

1. Specialty products: papyrus paintings, perfume oils, spices, glassware, copperware, crystal, cotton goods, carpets, dates, etc.

2. Reference exchange rates: US$1 = EGP 49; RMB 1 = EGP 7

3. Currencies in circulation: US dollars and Egyptian pounds. Some tourist shops accept international credit cards; RMB is not accepted;

4. Public restrooms in Egypt charge a fee of EGP 10–20. Please bring small change.

Tipping

1. Tipping is customary abroad, and giving a tip is also a courtesy.

2. If you request extra service from staff at a hotel, restaurant, or other venue, it is best to leave a tip, generally about US$1;

3. We recommend bringing small items such as cooling balm and pens, as locals often ask Chinese visitors for these items.