Egypt Wanderlust Group Trips
Ultimate Egypt
Group Trip Highlights 2022
After traveling around Egypt in 2018 and totally falling in love with the country, I have been itching to come back ever since!
So I was over the moon when I launched my first Egypt trip with my company Wanderlust Group Trips and all 16 spots filled up with amazing people.
You can watch a full recap of the trip here:
Day 1: Arrive in Cairo
As everyone began arriving in Cairo, they were met by our airport representative to assist with everything from visas to sim cards before dropping them off at the stunning Marriott Mena House.
As everyone trickled in, some napped to recover from jetlag while Jen and I went to get pizza with the view of the sphinx and pyramids!
We spent the afternoon enjoying the stunning Mena House which provides unreal views of the pyramids.
Read: THE MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE HOTEL IN CAIRO, EGYPT
That evening, we had a delicious dinner at Andrea El Mariouteya New Giza overlooking Cairo.
The restaurant was absolutely beautiful, an open-air oasis bursting with plants and unmatched views.
Day 2: Pyramids of Giza & Spinx
We woke up early to take full advantage of the delicious breakfast buffet at Mena House and shoot some photos in the gardens before departing for the pyramids.
We arrived before 8am to beat the heat and the crowds. Our guide Medo gave a super informative explanation on the history of the pyramids before turning us loose to explore the complex.
Despite visiting the Pyramids of Giza before, I had never been inside a pyramid!
It’s an additional ticket to go inside but quite the experience. The passageway leading to where the sarcophagus rests is tiny and hot. I definitely do not recommended if you are claustrophobic!
But it is a ton of fun. And we all thoroughly enjoyed the climb. Standing inside the Great Pyramid is pretty unforgettable.
After some free time to explore the pyramids and shop with vendors, we went to the Giza Plateau for sweeping views of the pyramids from a distance.
The Pyramids and the Sphinx
Our guide Medo (who is a brilliant Egyptologist getting his PHD in Ancient Egypt history) gave us a ton of really interesting information about the construction of these incredible world wonders.
We then continued on to the Sphinx. We got up close to this iconic piece of history and I photographed everyone at one of my favorite view points in all of Egypt, the Sphinx with the Great Pyramid behind it.
Hopping aboard our bus, we headed into downtown for some local cuisine at El Tahrir.
We all ordered a heaping bowl of koshary, which is an Egyptian dish comprised of a variety of noodles, rice and optional hot sauces. The entire meal cost us about $2 USD for a massive portion + a drink. A total local gem!
After a delicious meal, we headed to the Egyptian museum to see thousands of ancient artifacts including mummies, statues, the treasures from inside King Tut’s tomb and much more.
Our guide really brought this place to life and took us around to all of the highlights of this massive museum!
Once we had thoroughly explored the museum, we went back to Mena House to freshen up before boarding the overnight sleeper train to Luxor.
This overnight train is a favorite of mine! I find train travel so dreamy.
Dinner was brought to our private cabins and we fell asleep as we rattled on towards Luxor. Some stayed late chatting and getting to know one another!
Day 3: Nile Cruise
We awoke the next morning as the train conductor knocked on the door to announce we would be arriving in one hour.
Breakfast was served in our cabins before we disembarked.
Our first stop of the day was Karnak Temple! This archaeological site is truly awe-inspiring.
After some historical explanation and free time at the temple, we headed to see a papyrus making demonstration nearby.
We had a great time shopping for papyrus art and specializing the papyrus with our names in hieroglyphics.
Then it was time to board our Nile River cruise!
We were set to spend 5 days/4 nights onboard the M/S Royal Esadora. We had lunch onboard and relaxed at the pool on the topdeck.
That night, we went into the town of Luxor to visit the local markets.
As always in Egypt, the markets are a bustling place of noisy vendors shouting and haggling prices. It’s definitely an experience!
That night, we went to bed early to be ready for our 3:30am wake up call for the sunrise hot air balloon over the Valley of the Kings.
Day 4
We awoke that morning with an insanely early wake up call from the front desk… time to head downstairs for our hot air balloon departure.
We were taken to a small boat where we had coffee, tea and cakes as we crossed the Nile River in the dark.
When we landed on the other side of the Nile, we got in a van which carried us to our balloon site.
When we arrived, our jaws dropped. There were SO many balloons going up that day. It was set to be a spectacular morning no doubt.
A few minutes passed…then a few more… and we still hadn’t gotten the okay to take flight. I was growing increasingly nervous that we wouldn’t be able to fly when all of a sudden, there was a loud whistle blow and a lots of excited shouting! It was a GO!
We got the approval and all at once, everyone began excitedly running to the balloons. The moment went from quiet and nervous to raucous excitement. People were overjoyed the balloons were going ahead! And to catch the morning sunrise, the crew was hustling to get them in the air now.
We enthusiastically boarded our balloon and set sail into the sky..and wow, what a view!
This morning was a real trip highlight for everyone. i will never forget soaring over Egyptian ruins and tombs high in the sky. Not to mention seeing everyone’s excited faces as we took off!
After our balloon flight, we enjoyed breakfast from our hotel on our way to the Valley of the Kings.
That afternoon we visited the tomb of King Tut (where we actually saw his mummy!) among other tombs of the Pharaohs. It was steaming hot inside but amazing to witness the brightly colored hieroglyphics inside the tombs!
From there, we continued on to the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut before shopping for local handicrafts.
That evening, we relaxed on the cruise as we sailed the scenic Nile River.
Read: WHAT TO EXPECT ON A NILE RIVER CRUISE IN EGYPT
Day 5: Kom Ombo Temple
That day, our cruise stopped at the gorgeous Kom Ombo Temple.
Again, our guide Medo gave us a wonderfully detailed and very entertaining explanation of the history here. I had a great time capturing photos of everyone at golden hour as the temple lit up!
Day 6 : Abu Simbel
The next day was a VERY early start as we departed towards Abu Simbel, a stunningly large temple built by Ramesses II.
It’s a long drive from Aswan (just under 4 hours!) but worth it! Especially because our local guide Medo is SO intelligent.
We were able to ask him any questions on the drive back about life in Ancient Egypt, mummies, Queen Cleopatra…everything! It was a fascinating discussion and we were lucky to have such a fountain of knowledge.
That night we had an Egyptian party on the cruise with traditional dancers, music and Egyptian cuisine!
Day 7: Philae Temple & Nubian Village
The next day we headed to the beautiful Philae Temple which is located on an island and only accessible by boat.
Palm trees and gorgeous little boats dotted the waterway to the temple. And we had another day of perfect weather!
After we visited the temple, we went to a beautiful restaurant on the banks of the apartment. It was nice nice watching the traditional feluccas lazily floating up and down the Nile.
That evening, we went on a sunset felucca ride across the Nile before having dinner with a local Nubian family.
It was so touching to eat with the family and learn more about their culture. They were so kind and welcoming. The family gave us temporary henna tattoos and invited us to sing and dance with them following dinner. The entire evening was unforgettable!
Day 8 : Aswan & Nile River Kayaking
For our final day in Aswan, we had a free morning.
Some of us visited the unmarked obelisk, the Nubian museum and the famous hotel where Agatha Christie wrote Death on the Nile.
That evening, we all went kayaking on the Nile River to Philae Temple at sunset. It was spectacular! The views were phenomenal.
When we finished kayaking, we jumped into the Nile River in the moonlight. It was magical.
Day 9: Fly back to Cairo
The next morning, we took a quick flight back over to Cairo. We arrived early enough to explore the Coptic Cairo.
We then visited the famous (and tiny bit overwhelming!) Khan el-Khalili souk.
Our guide Medo got us the most fantastic falafel sandwiches for lunch as we headed to our hotel in downtown Cairo. We got all checked in and freshened up before heading out to one last dinner together!
Day 10: Departure
That morning, we said our goodbyes as some left for home while some of us continued on to Jordan!
This shorter 5 day itinerary was an add-on for after Egypt since the two countries are so close by to one another.
Thank you to everyone who made the first annual Ultimate Egypt
with Wanderlust Group Trips such a great success!
Read: JORDAN GROUP TRIP HIGHLIGHTS 2022
Egypt Wanderlust Group Trips
