9 Days Egypt Eclipse 2027 Tour (Luxor, 2nd August 2027)

Welcome to Egypt!

Backed by our local Egyptian team with over 35 years of expertise, AOT ensures a seamless Egypt tour to unveil the mysteries of the Pyramids—delving into the very heart and soul of ancient Egyptian civilization.

Upon arrival, your Egypt guide will wait for you in Cairo International Airport (CAI) and then escort you to your hotel in Cairo/Giza.

The rest day in Cairo/Giza is free on your own to relax yourself. You can shake off the jet lag with a leisurely neighborhood stroll or enjoy a quiet family dinner to rest up for the days ahead.

Optional Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show (from $65.00 US Dollars/person)

• Time: 20:30
• Duration: 1.5h
• Address: Sphinx Square, Giza (Directly in front of the Great Sphinx and Pyramids)

Watch the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx come alive under a spectacular display of lights and laser effects. Guided by the narrator's voice, you will journey back through millennia to uncover the dramatic history and myths of ancient Egypt.

Today after breakfast, your Egyptologist guide will unveil the history and mysteries of the three iconic pyramids: Khufu,Khafre, and Menkaure. These structures stand as the only surviving wonderof the ancient world. You will enjoy some free time to explore, with the optionto step inside a pyramid's burial chamber (optional; guides are notpermitted inside).

Next, you will driveacross the plateau to a panoramic viewpoint. This is the perfect spot tophotograph all three pyramids rising from the desert sands against the distantCairo skyline.

Then, visit the ValleyTemple of Khafre, an ancient site adjacent to the Great Sphinx. It washistorically used for the purification and mummification rituals of the pharaohbefore burial.

A short drive to theedge of the plateau brings you to the feet of the Great Sphinx. Thislegendary monument measures 190 feet long and 65 feet high. Carved from asingle massive block of limestone, it features the body of a lion and the headof a pharaoh, standing as a loyal guardian over the royal tombs.

After exploring Giza,you can head directly to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), or choose tostay around the pyramids for an ATV quad bike adventure or a camel ride.

The Grand EgyptianMuseum is the world’s largest museum dedicated to a single civilization. Itbrings 5,000 years of history to life through more than 100,000 incredibleartifacts. As you walk in, you are greeted by a colossal statue of Ramesses IIbefore exploring 12 massive exhibition halls. The absolute highlight is KingTutankhamun’s complete tomb collection. For the first time since its 1920sdiscovery, his golden mask, inner coffins, royal thrones, and the ancient KhufuSolar Boat are all fully displayed together in one place.

After a full day Giza tour, your guide/driver will escort you to your hotel in Giza/Cairo.

Optional Cairo Nile Cruise Dinner & Show (19:00~21:00):

Spend a memorable 2h evening cruising along the legendary Nile while enjoying a delicious buffet dinner and the sparkling lights of Cairo’s skyline. As you sail through the heart of the city, relax with live entertainment, including traditional belly dancing, Tanoura spinning performances, and authentic Egyptian music. A lively introduction to Egypt’s rich cultural heritage.

Today after breakfast, you are going to have a full day old Cairo tour before catching a flight to Luxor.

First, visit the majestic Citadel of Saladin, a medieval Islamic fortification that offers sweeping views of the city. Inside the fortress, explore the stunning Mosque of Muhammad Ali (also known as the Alabaster Mosque), famous for its grand domes and twin minarets.

Next, dive into the bustling lanes of Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, one of the oldest and most vibrant open-air markets in the Middle East.

Then, climb the ancient twin towers of Bab Zuweila for an incredible 360-degree panorama of the historic skyline.

Optional Bab Zuweila Alternative: The Cave Church (St. Simon the Tanner)

You can choose to replace the Bab Zuweila visit with a trip to the magnificent Cave Church (St. Simon the Tanner), carved into the rocks of the Mokattam Mountain (passing through the unique Garbage City neighborhood).

Later, you will be escorted to Cairo International Airport for your domestic flight to Luxor (1h around). Upon arrival in Luxor, check into your hotel and enjoy a restful evening.

Optional Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show (from $65.00 US Dollars/person)

• Time: 19:00 or 20:00 (Subject to change based on the season)
• Duration: 1h
• Address: Karnak Temple Complex, Luxor

This immersive show brings the massive columns and pylons of Karnak Temple to life with dramatic lighting and music. As you walk through the illuminated Avenue of Sphinxes and the Great Hypostyle Hall, a haunting narrative unveils the rise of Thebes and the glorious history of the Pharaohs who built this ancient wonder.

The once-in-a-lifetime Egypt Solar Eclipse happens the late morning today! Are you ready to witness this longest eclipse until 2114?

Today, you can wake up with an optional hot air ballon sunrise if you can get up early (approx. 04:30 - 05:00 pickup, subject to sunrise time). Drifting peacefully above the illuminated temples, lush green fields, and the rugged desert canyons of the West Bank.

After breakfast, your first stop is Luxor Temple, a striking monument dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship. Walk down the Avenue of Sphinxes and stand in awe before the colossal statues of Ramses II, capturing the serene morning light reflecting off the golden sandstone.

Next, you journey to Karnak Temple, the largest religious complex ever constructed by human hands. Here, history and the cosmos align for a once-in-a-lifetime Egypt Solar Eclipse spectacle.

While most total solar eclipses grant a fleeting 2-3 minutes of darkness, the Great Egyptian Eclipse of 2027 will plunge the land into totality for an extraordinary 6+ minutes (Total duration: 2h, 46m, 23s / Totality: 6m 22s)—making it the longest land-based eclipse since 1991, a phenomenon that won’t be replicated until the year 2114.

Prepare for an unforgettable, spine-tingling moment as the sun completely vanishes directly above the ancient obelisks and hypostyle halls, casting a mystical twilight over the pharaohs' eternal sanctuaries.

Following this cosmic wonder, head to board your ultra-luxury Nile cruise liner destined for Aswan. You will be greeted with a lavish VIP Welcome Ceremony, complete with refreshing hibiscus teas and chilled towels. Celebrate the morning's celestial event at the Deck Welcome Luncheon, enjoying gourmet cuisine while taking in the panoramic views of the river.

The afternoon is yours to spend at total leisure. Unwind in your elegant cabin, sunbathe by the plunge pool, or watch the timeless Egyptian landscape glide by from the observation deck.

Wake up to a beautiful morning on the Nile and enjoy breakfast onboard your cruise in Luxor.

For an unforgettable start to the day, you may choose an optional hot air balloon ride, soaring above the Nile, the Valley of the Kings, and the desert landscape as the sun rises over ancient Thebes.

After breakfast, disembark to explore Luxor’s legendary West Bank, the ancient “City of the Dead.”

West Bank in Luxor:

Your first stop is the Valley of the Kings, the hidden burial place of Egypt’s New Kingdom pharaohs. Tucked beneath the limestone cliffs of Al-Qurn, this remarkable necropolis is home to elaborately decorated royal tombs. Visit three fascinating tombs and admire their colorful wall paintings, where vivid reds, yellows, and blues have survived for more than 3,000 years.

Tour Note: Premium tombs, including those of Tutankhamun, Seti I, and Ramesses VI, require separate entrance tickets. Your guide will be happy to assist if you wish to visit them.

Continue to the magnificent Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of Luxor’s most photogenic landmarks. Built into dramatic limestone cliffs, its elegant terraces showcase the vision and power of Egypt’s most famous female pharaoh.

Before leaving the West Bank, stop for photos at the Colossi of Memnon, two towering statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III that have watched over the Theban Plain for more than three millennia.

Sail to Edfu & Pass Through Esna Lock

Return to the cruise for lunch as the ship begins sailing south toward Edfu. Relax with afternoon tea on the sundeck and admire the peaceful scenery of the Nile Valley.

Along the way, your cruise will pass through the Esna Lock, an impressive engineering feature that raises or lowers ships to different water levels. Watching the vessel smoothly navigate the lock from the sundeck is a memorable part of the Nile cruise experience. The crossing usually takes 20–60 minutes, depending on river traffic.

Enjoy dinner and onboard entertainment before spending the night on the cruise in Edfu.

Wake up to another beautiful day on the Nile and enjoy breakfast onboard as your cruise remains docked in Edfu.

After breakfast, take a short horse carriage ride (3.5 km) to the magnificent Temple of Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in all of Egypt. Buried beneath desert sand for centuries, it survived remarkably intact and offers an extraordinary glimpse into ancient Egyptian architecture. Marvel at its towering entrance pylon, guarded by two impressive granite statues of Horus, the falcon god. Inside, stroll through grand halls, admire beautifully carved reliefs, and discover hidden chambers, including the ancient sanctuary and the room believed to have been used for preparing sacred perfumes.

After the visit, return to the cruise by horse-drawn carriage and continue sailing toward Kom Ombo. Enjoy lunch onboard while taking in the tranquil scenery of the Nile Valley.

In the afternoon, arrive at the unique Kom Ombo Temple, conveniently located just a short walk from the cruise pier. Unlike any other temple in Egypt, Kom Ombo is dedicated to two gods: Horus the Elder, the falcon-headed god, and Sobek, the crocodile god. Explore its symmetrical halls, fascinating carvings, and remarkable reliefs depicting ancient surgical instruments and calendars. Before leaving, visit the nearby Crocodile Museum to see remarkably preserved mummified crocodiles that reveal the importance of Sobek worship in ancient Egypt.

Return to the cruise and continue sailing toward Aswan. Relax with afternoon tea on the sundeck, followed by dinner, onboard entertainment, and an overnight stay on the Nile in Aswan.

On your fourth day of Nile Cruise, enjoy a leisurely breakfast onboard as your Nile cruise remains docked in Aswan.

After breakfast, begin your Aswan sightseeing with a visit to the fascinating Unfinished Obelisk. This massive granite structure offers a rare glimpse into ancient Egyptian stone-working techniques. Commissioned by Queen Hatshepsut over 3,500 years ago, it would have stood 42 meters high and weighed around 1,200 tons if completed. Today, you can still see the cracks in the bedrock that forced the project to be abandoned, leaving behind the largest known ancient stone carving in Egypt.

Continue to the beautiful Philae Temple, reached by a short boat ride across the Nile. Often called the “Pearl of the Nile,” this island temple is dedicated to the goddess Isis and is one of Egypt’s most romantic and atmospheric sites. Relocated stone by stone to Agilkia Island to protect it from rising waters, the complex features the Temple of Isis, Hadrian’s Gate, and the elegant Kiosk of Trajan, all reflected beautifully in the surrounding water.

Next, drive to the Aswan High Dam, one of Egypt’s most important modern engineering achievements. Known as the “Second Pyramid,” it transformed Egypt’s relationship with the Nile by controlling floods and creating Lake Nasser, one of the world’s largest man-made lakes. From the viewpoint, enjoy panoramic views of the 3.6-kilometer structure and the striking contrast between the calm reservoir and the flowing Nile below.

After the tour, return to your cruise for lunch onboard. Spend the evening at leisure with dinner, onboard entertainment. Stay overnight on the cruise.

Optional Half-day Aswan Tour:

Elevate your Aswan afternoon with your choice of Nubian Village or Aswan Felucca.

• Nubian Village: wandering through streets of brilliant, kaleidoscopic mud-brick houses and enjoying warm hospitality in a local home
• Aswan Felucca: succumb to total tranquility aboard a traditional lateen-sailed Felucca, gliding gracefully past Elephantine Island to watch the sun dip below the Sahara dunes in a blaze of amber and gold.

On your fifth day, enjoy breakfast onboard your Nile cruise in Aswan.

Optional Tour to Abu Simbel Temples:

For those seeking a deeper experience, optional early morning excursion to the magnificent Abu Simbel Temples is available. You will depart around 4:00 AM with a boxed breakfast, traveling by private air-conditioned vehicle through the desert toward one of Egypt’s most extraordinary monuments.

Upon arrival, explore the UNESCO-listed Nubian Monuments of Abu Simbel, originally carved into the mountainside in the 13th century BC during the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses II. Built to honor himself and Queen Nefertari, the temples celebrate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh and stand as a powerful symbol of ancient Egypt’s grandeur.

To save them from rising waters after the creation of Lake Nasser, the entire complex was carefully relocated in 1968 and reconstructed on higher ground—an engineering achievement in itself.

Stand before the four colossal statues of Ramesses II at the entrance as your Egyptologist guide shares the history and rediscovery of the site. Due to local regulations, guiding inside the temples is not permitted, allowing you to explore the interiors at your own pace.

Step inside the mountain-cut temple and admire the grand hypostyle hall with reliefs depicting Ramesses II’s military triumphs, followed by sacred chambers leading deep into the sanctuary, where the famous Solar Alignment phenomenon occurs twice a year.

After the visit, drive back to Aswan (3.5h) to catch your flight back to Cairo (1h). 

Note: Daily sightseeing order may vary slightly depending on cruise operations or local conditions.

Your 9 Days Egypt Eclipse 2027 Tour ends today. Before heading to the airport, free exploration.

Depending on your flight schedule, the daytime is yours for free exploration or last-minute souvenir shopping in Cairo.

To ensure a completely stress-free departure, your private guide and air-conditioned vehicle will be at your disposal, perfectly timed to pick you up from your hotel and escort you to Cairo International Airport (CAI) for your homeward flight.

We hope the memories of ancient Pyramids, golden Luxor temples, and the timeless Nile stay with you forever. Have a safe and pleasant journey home!

Thank you for choosing Asia Odyssey Travel (AOT) for your 9 Days Egypt Eclipse 2027 Tour. We are always dedicated to serving you and look forward to welcoming you again for your future trips to China/Asia/Africa.