2-Day Luxor & Aswan from Cairo

Overview

Two days is enough to reach the heart of ancient Egypt if you fly. You leave Cairo early for Luxor, where the morning goes to the West Bank: the rock-cut royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings, the terraced temple of Hatshepsut set against the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari, and the two weathered Colossi of Memnon standing in the fields. In the afternoon you cross to the East Bank and the immense columns of Karnak. You overnight before continuing south to Aswan, a calmer, greener stretch of the Nile. Here you see the High Dam that tamed the river and created Lake Nasser, and the island temple of Philae, dedicated to Isis and moved stone by stone to save it from the rising water. A licensed Egyptologist travels with you throughout, so the reliefs and cartouches mean something rather than passing as decoration. Domestic flights, a night's hotel, entrance tickets and all transfers are handled, which is what makes the distance workable in the time. It is a lot of ground for forty-eight hours, but these are the greatest sites Egypt has, and you come back to Cairo having seen both the monumental south and the softer river country around Aswan.

Highlights

• ✦Fly Cairo to Luxor and back, skipping the long overland drive
• ✦Royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings
• ✦Hatshepsut's terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari
• ✦The great hypostyle columns of Karnak Temple
• ✦Aswan High Dam and the island Temple of Philae
• ✦Licensed Egyptologist guide throughout
• ✦One night's hotel and all transfers included

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1
   Day 1 – Flight to Luxor & Valley of the Kings

   Fly from Cairo to Luxor and drive to the West Bank, descending into several of the painted royal tombs cut into the Valley of the Kings.

2. 2
   Day 1 – Hatshepsut Temple & Colossi of Memnon

   Continue to Hatshepsut's mortuary temple, its ramps and colonnades built into the cliff at Deir el-Bahari, then stop at the two seated Colossi of Memnon.

3. 3
   Day 1 – Karnak Temple

   In the afternoon cross to the East Bank for Karnak, where the hypostyle hall's dense forest of columns still carries its carved and painted decoration. Overnight before heading south.

4. 4
   Day 2 – Aswan High Dam

   Reach Aswan and stop at the High Dam, the mid-century project that created Lake Nasser and changed the river's whole rhythm.

5. 5
   Day 2 – Temple of Philae

   Take a short motorboat to Agilkia Island for the Temple of Philae, dedicated to Isis and relocated here to escape the flooding behind the dam.

6. 6
   Day 2 – Return flight to Cairo

   Transfer to Aswan airport for the evening flight back to Cairo.

Meeting point

📍 Hotel pickup included, or meet at the operator's downtown office.

Frequently asked questions

How long is this experience?

2 days

Can I cancel my booking?

Yes — you can cancel free of charge up to 24 hours before it starts.

Where does it start?

Hotel pickup included, or meet at the operator's downtown office.

Will I get instant confirmation?

Yes — your confirmation arrives on your phone right after booking.

What's included?

Return domestic flights (Cairo–Luxor and Aswan–Cairo) · One night hotel accommodation · Licensed Egyptologist guide · All entrance fees to the sites listed · Air-conditioned ground and airport transfers · Bottled water