Abu Simbel Sun Festival Feb 2023 - 11 days

Abu Simbel Sun Festival Feb 2023 - 11 days

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11 Days
From

$2605

$2533

Abu Simbel Sun Festival Feb 2023 - 11 days

11 Days Starting and ending in Cairo

Visiting: Cairo, Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara Necropolis, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Kom Umbu, Luxor

Tour operator:

On The Go Tours

Tour code:

2399/KTSF

Recommended For:

Singles

Guide Type:

Fully Guided

Group size:

2 - 24

Age range:

16 + if accompanied by an adult. Where a tour includes an overnight felucca the minimum age to travel by felucca is 18 yrs. An alternative for those aged 16+ would be to take the Nile Cruise upgrade, if offered for this section of the trip.

Tour operated in:
English
From:
$2605
$2533 (USD) The Big ADVENTURE Sale: -$72

This tour is no longer available, please see similar tours below or send an enquiry

Tour Overview

FESTIVAL TOUR: Discover the ancient wonders of Egypt and experience the incredible Abu Simbel Sun Festival in February 2023, on this exciting 11 day tour. Marvel at the Pyramids of Giza and sail the Nile, explore Luxor's tomb-strewn Valley of the Kings and visit Aswan's beautiful Philae Temple. Topped off with an excursion to the incredible rock cut temple of Abu Simbel at sunrise.

Highlights

  • Abu Simbel - Visit this awe-inspiring temple at sunrise to witness the incredible phenomenon of the Abu Simbel Sun Festival

  • Cairo - Marvel at the legendary Pyramids of Giza, explore the Necropolis of Saqqara and see King Tut's treasures at the Grand Egyptian Museum

  • Luxor West Bank - Discover exquisite tombs at the Valley of the Kings, see the towering Colossi of Memnon and explore the beautiful Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

  • Luxor - Roam around the colossal Temple of Karnak and take an optional tour of the beautifully illuminated Luxor Temple at night

  • Aswan - Take a leisurely boat trip to Agilika Island to explore romantic Philae Temple and wander around the colourful souqs

  • Nile felucca cruising - Sail the River Nile on board a traditional felucca and spend two nights sleeping under a blanket of stars

  • Kom Ombo - Visit the Nile side Temple of Kom Ombo

Itinerary

Expand All
Day 1 : Cairo
Location: Cairo
Meals Included: No Meals

Friday 17th February 2023. Welcome to Cairo! You will be met upon arrival and transferred to your hotel. Spend the rest of the day at leisure or those arriving early can opt to join our optional Backstreets of Cairo tour which departs the hotel at 10am. Tonight your Welcome Meeting will be held at 7pm.

Day 2 : Pyramids Of Giza
Location: Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara Necropolis
Meals Included: Breakfast

Our Egyptian adventure begins with a tour of the legendary pyramids and the Sphinx at Giza Plateau. Sole survivors from the ancient Greek-listed Seven Wonders of the World, the pyramids are the planet’s oldest tourist attraction. Gaze in awe at Cheops (Khufu) - the largest of the three great pyramids , constructed from over 2.5 million limestone blocks it is thought to have taken more than 20 years to construct. Travelling on to Saqqara we explore the many tombs and temples at this site and see Zhoser’s step pyramid - constructed by Imhotep, the pharaoh’s chief architect in 2700 BC.

Day 3 : Cairo
Location: Cairo
Accommodation: Sleeper Train
Meals Included: Breakfast

Cairo - Aswan. Today we tour the new Grand Egyptian Museum, which houses a giant exhibition containing the treasures of King Tutankhamun. In this incredible 490,000 sq.m complex many of the exhibits are being displayed for the first time and artefacts have been brought together from across Egypt and the world. Then we head over to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization to visit the fascinating Royal Mummies' Hall, where the mummies of ancient Egyptian kings and queens are on display. This incredible hall contains 20 mummies in total and some are so well preserved that they still have thick locks of hair, visible finger nails and smooth blackened skin.



Returning to the hotel, there's time to relax by the pool before we board the overnight train to Aswan this evening.

Day 4 : Aswan
Location: Aswan
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Aswan Hotel/Coach Journey to Abu Simbel
Meals Included: Breakfast

Aswan - Abu Simbel. Arriving into Aswan this morning we enjoy a short boat trip to Agilika Island for a guided tour of the beautiful Philae Temple - dedicated to the goddess Isis. After the temple we visit a perfume oil emporium before spending the rest of the day at leisure.



Day 5 is free for you to shop in the colourful souqs, stroll around the town or simply kick back and relax by the hotel pool. At around midnight we depart for our coach journey to the Temples of Abu Simbel.

Day 6 : Abu Simbel
Location: Abu Simbel
Accommodation: Felucca Cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

22 February. Abu Simbel - Aswan - Nile Felucca Cruise. Arriving at Abu Simbel we await the first rays of sunlight to touch the temple gate signifying the start of the Sun Festival of the mighty King Ramses II. With its gargantuan rock-cut façade, the great Sun Temple of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel is simply spectacular. The temple was built to revere the mighty pharaonic ruler King Ramses II and guarding the entrance to the temple (built between 1290 and 1224 BC) hewn into the side of a mountain are four famous colossal statues of the pharaoh himself.



Ramses II had the entire temple precisely positioned in order for the sun’s rays to align just twice a year, on the date of his ascension to the throne (21 February) and on his birthday (21 October) to illuminate the inner sanctum of the temple. This incredible natural phenomenon provides for a most spectacular sight, which has come to be referred to as the Sun Festival of King Ramses II. The temple was re-located further up from the shoreline of Lake Nasser in 1972 in order to avoid erosion and due to the move the sun now strikes a day later than Ramses had originally planned.



We gather in the temple before sunrise watch the shafts of light slowly creeping through the rock hewn inner Hypostyle Hall (replete with further statues of the King) and through to the Sanctuary. As we are lead through the temple there will be time to pause for a moment to watch the sun illuminating the statues of Amun-Re, Re-Herakhte and Ramses the god, whilst the statute of Ptah - the god of darkness - remains in the shadows. After the event, there will be plenty of time to explore the Sun Temple of King Ramses II, the Temple of Hathor and take plenty of pictures.



Returning to Aswan around noon we board a [[traditional Nile felucca|122461]] for our 2 night voyage downstream on the River Nile.

Day 7 : Felucca Cruise
Location: Kom Umbu
Accommodation: Felucca Cruise
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Nile Felucca Sailing. Relax, go for a swim or just chill out in the sun on deck. Let your troubles melt away, as the felucca plies its route and Egyptian life carries on all around you. In the afternoon, we dock near Kom Ombo and take a motorboat to visit the temple before returning to the felucca for the night.

Day 8 : Luxor
Location: Luxor
Meals Included: Breakfast

We disembark this morning and drive a few hours north too Luxor, home of the legendary Valley of the Kings and Temple of Karnak, 4000 year-old Luxor is ancient Egypt at its best. Enjoy some rest and relaxation. Tonight, an optional visit to the Temple of Luxor beautifully illuminated at night, alternatively enjoy the facilities of our hotel.

Day 9 : Luxor
Location: Luxor
Meals Included: Breakfast

Luxor - Cairo. This morning we travel over to the West Bank of the Nile to explore the famous Valley of the Kings. Marvel at Colossi of Memnon, the massive stone remains of the Temple of Amenophis III, and explore the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and surrounding tombs. After lunch, we visit the Temple of Karnak, a spectacular religious complex built on a gigantic scale, where you get lost wandering around the stone papyrus columns. Tonight, we return by overnight train to Cairo.

Day 10 : Cairo
Location: Cairo
Meals Included: Breakfast

This morning we arrive back into Cairo and transfer to our hotel. Today is free for you to independently explore Cairo, or you could book locally our optional visit to the bustling Khan el Khalili Bazaar where you shop for souvenirs.

Day 11 : Cairo
Location: Cairo
Meals Included: Breakfast

Monday 27th February 2023. Our Egyptian adventure comes to an end today. Included departure transfer to the airport later today in time for your international flight.

What's Included

  • Accommodation
    4 - 5 star

  • Breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 2 dinners

  • 6 nights 4-5 star hotels and 2 nights aboard felucca (open deck)

  • Overnight bus journey from Aswan - Abu Simbel (3.5 hrs)

  • 2 overnight trains from Cairo to Aswan and Luxor and Cairo (Private 2 berth sleeper cabin)

  • Airport arrival and departure transfers on day 1 and day 11

  • Touring - Cairo, Giza, Saqqara, Aswan and Luxor

  • Guided visit to Abu Simbel at sunrise for the Sun Festival of King Ramses II including Abu Simbel and Sun Festival entrance fee

  • Escorted by an Egyptian tour guide degree qualified in Egyptology

  • All relevant transfer and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles

What's Not Included

  • International flights and visa

  • Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$5-7 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture

  • Entrance Fees: USD$100–120pp, paid in local currency

Check out our Q&As

  • What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?

    Ensuring our footprint is light and that the benefits of travelling reach the local communities you visit is paramount to us. We’re proud to say that when travelling with us, the large majority of your holiday funds remain within the countries you visit, supporting local economies at a grass roots level.

  • How long has the tour company been trading?

    Since 1998

  • Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?

    With English-speaking tours, it's not a huge surprise that most on our travellers are from English-speaking countries or have English as their second language. Our group tours cater for everyone from 18 years old to 70+

  • Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?

    Yes

Reviews of this Operator

Calvin  

Wonderful experience

05-Jan-2023

Jamal is our tour guide. Right from the start, he created a group chat in whatsapp and if any issues to make sure we contact him. He was on the ball with every issue thrown at him. Luggage being left behind, stragglers wondered off in a different path, hotel room etc. He explains the various site along our route to give us a better understanding of the local cultures. We had a great time, thanks to Jamal.

Trustpilot
Norma Sullivan  

Land of the Northern Lights 5 day tour of Iceland

10-Sep-2021

The Land of Northern Lights tour was a triumph! My tour of Southern Iceland was absolutely wonderful. The venues chosen, the timing allotted at each venue and the variety of things to experience was nearly perfect. Our guide, "Thor", was smart, amusing, full of history and anecdotal stories as well as being incredibly hospitable and helpful. This small group experience was my first, but not my last thanks to On the Go.

Trawls (Google Reviewer)  

On The Go Tours Sri...

05-Feb-2024

On The Go Tours Sri Lanka was an incredible experience that was made even better by our tour guide Akthar. He was incredibly knowledgeable about his country and he loved sharing it with us. The tour covers a wide range of activities so you can truly experience what Sri Lanka is all about. The beautiful 4-5 star hotels at the end of every day was an absolute bonus. Thanks for a great trip OTGT I’m sure this won’t be my last

Xtreme Floor Care (Google Reviewer)  

Traveled through Egypt with On...

30-Nov-2023

Traveled through Egypt with On the Go Tours, professional service, very informative and helpful tour guides. The choice of hotels was excellent... Definitely recommend this company

Gavin Harrigan  

King Tutankhamun 10 day tour of Egypt

16-Sep-2021

I have just returned from my tour with On The Go and it was an amazing trip! From arriving at the airport and meeting the OTG representative, everything was well organised and hassle free.  Our tour guide was Amir. He is awesome!! From the beginning he was so friendly and enthusiastic about showing us around Egypt, giving us loads of information at each place and time to explore ourselves. Learnt so much from him about this fascinating place, and he was always happy to answer more questions.   The trip itself was amazing. There's lots of travelling on this trip, but it's really not too bad, and the sights you see when you get to where you are going are worth it. I'm not a big fan of boats, but the Felluca ride across the Nile was pretty fun too.  On the first day I also did the optional tour of Cairo with Ahmed Helal - another excellent guide from OTG. It's worth doing this add on as you don't spend much time in Cairo, and you go to three very different places.  I'm so glad that I decided to do this trip. It was just ace.  If you're thinking about it too, you should probably just book it. And hopefully you get Amir as your guide.

Paul Kelly (Google Reviewer)  

TOTALLY MOROCCO We booked a 9...

26-Feb-2023

TOTALLY MOROCCO We booked a 9 day tour of Morocco visiting many main cities and places of interest. The coach was very comfortable and we felt safe with the driver Suliman. The guide was Hicham Touraouine and he was fantastic. He spoke perfect English as well as French, Arabic and Berber. He was so kind and considerate and made a good tour great. We particularly enjoyed ‘glamming in the Sahara Desert. So much to see and do and great food and company. We would definitely use On The Go Tours again, especially if Hicham was the guide. Paul & Penny

Rolly Hay hay (Google Reviewer)  

Gallipoli tour. The guide was...

28-Sep-2023

Gallipoli tour. The guide was awesome. Everything went like clockwork.. My complaint is that you expect 4 people to cramp together on the back seat of the van for 4 hours. That is poverty travel. Not really acceptable for the price paid. So uncomfortable. If was to do this trip again I'd just rent a car. Although the guide was amazing, but that's 3 hours of the trip.

Sarah Paterson (Google Reviewer)  

Terrible tour of India. For...

27-Dec-2023

Terrible tour of India. For some reason On the Go hadn't realised that my room mate had booked her own room for the first night of tour. So the hotel in Delhi had tried to put me in her room after midnight, by wheeling in an extra bed. She went Crazy!! I then had to sit in hotel reception for hours. While the tour guide said he couldn't find me a room. Throughout the tour the guide consistently ask me and my room mate for money for my room, causing more friction between us. Don't book with this company had the worst experience ever. Go with Intrepid or G Adventure

brandy hoffman (Google Reviewer)  

I had used them once...

09-Aug-2023

I had used them once before and loved them. I decided to try them again for a Baltic tour not knowing that they put me on another Tour group- Baltic vision. Loved that tour but was not impressed they marked up the cost for me over 100%. I understand taking some for yourself because of paperwork, but over double the cost everyone else paid on the tour. Just double check before you book with them that you’re not over paying.

Giovanni Guidi (Google Reviewer)  

I booked three tours with...

19-Aug-2023

I booked three tours with this agency. While the first two experiences were very nice, with well-thought-out itineraries and knowledgeable guides, the third tour was an absolute nightmare for us. Due to the unavailability of an hotel from the trip notes, the agency opted to replace it with another they claimed was "similar." To our dismay, this alternative was nothing short of a decrepit, filthy establishment that threatened to ruin our entire safari experience in South Africa. But the fiasco didn't end there. This so-called hotel began proposing and organizing activities starkly different from what we were promised in the trip notes, together with an awful services of their guides and vehicles. And when this disaster struck and we desperately needed their support? The agency ghosted us. It took them an entire day to respond, and when they did, they simply shrugged off our concerns, asserting it was too late to fix anything, even though three nights of our trip were still ahead. The level of unprofessionalism was staggering. Forced to salvage our experience, we took matters into our own hands, leaving that awful place to book another hotel and activities for the remainder of our trip—all at my own expense. Based on my experience, I suggest travelers to think twice before considering this agency. Seek out reputable companies known for their commitment to customer service and integrity.

Dates & Availability

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Tuesday - Friday

Feb 18, 2025 - Feb 28, 2025
$2605 $2533 (USD)

The Big ADVENTURE Sale: -$72 (USD)

Book with Confidence

  • Transfer as credit to Future Tours

    On The Go Tours allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform on the go tours, 60 days before departure.

  • Low Deposit

    On The Go Tours requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.

  • Cancellation Policy

    We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of on the go tours charges.

    Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.

    At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.

    At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.

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