Home > Tours > Middle East Tours > Egypt Tours > King Ramses (Sun Festival)

King Ramses (Sun Festival)

No Reviews No Booking FeesDedicated Travel Advisor
Sold Out
 Trip Length
13 Days
 Trip Starts
Cairo
 Trip Finishes
Cairo
13 Day King Ramses (Sun Festival) Itinerary (On The Go Tours)
Countries Explored: Egypt
Accommodation
3 - 4 Star
Max. Group Size
24
Guide Level
Fully Guided, Locally Guided
Trip Code
KRSF

Overview

Book online and enjoy exclusive savings on On The Go Tours 13 Day King Ramses (Sun Festival). See the mighty pyramids, witness the spectacular Sun Festival at Abu Simbel, then set sail down the Nile onboard a traditional felucca. Followed by, sightseeing in Luxor and relaxation on the beach in Hurghada. Bliss!

Itinerary

Welcome to Egypt! On arrival at the airport you'll be transferred to our hotel to spend the rest of today at leisure. Those arriving early may wish to join our 10am Backstreets of Cairo tour. Explore Tahrir Square, stroll down El Moez Street and visit the famous cave church of St Simon. We hold our Welcome Meeting tonight at 7pm.

Today we discover Egypt's most iconic attraction, the legendary Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. The largest of these ancient tombs, Cheops, was the tallest man-made structure on Earth for more than 3,800 years. Choose to explore inside one of the pyramids if you're feeling brave, before we continue to the Saqqara necropolis. The famous Pyramid of Zhoser is even older than the Giza Pyramids - it dates back to around 2700BC. (B)

Today we embark on a guided tour of the new Grand Egyptian Museum, an incredible 490,000 sq.m complex which houses a giant exhibition containing the treasures of King Tutankhamun. There is a mind-boggling array of relics and antiquities from almost every period of ancient Egyptian history housed in this museum, making it one of the foremost in the world.

Then we head over to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization where the mummies of ancient Egyptian pharaohs are now on display in the Royal Mummies' Hall. This incredible hall contains 20 mummies in total and some are so well preserved, they still have locks of hair and finger nails.

Please Note: the Grand Egyptian Museum is scheduled to open in late 2022, though an official opening date has yet to be released. If travelling prior to the opening of the new facility we'll visit the Egyptian Museum instead.

Today we'll visit the beautiful Philae Temple in Aswan, dedicated to the goddess Isis. Enjoy a leisurely boat trip on the Nile and sail to Agilkia Island, before we explore the site. The temple was relocated here in the 1960s to protect it from the rising water levels that threatened to destroy it. Upon returning to Aswan we visit a perfume oil emporium.

There's time this afternoon to shop in the colourful local markets and enjoy a relaxing evening, before departing for Abu Simbel by coach at around midnight (with an approximate journey time of 4 hours). (B)

Possibly the most awe-inspiring temple of all ancient Egypt, with its gargantuan rock-cut façade, the great Sun Temple of King Ramses II at Abu Simbel was created to revere the mighty pharaonic ruler King Ramses II and the gods Amun-Re, Re-Herakhte and Ptah. Guarding the entrance to the temple are four colossal statues of the pharaoh himself, which sit majestically staring out across the desert.

Ramses II had the entire temple carefully angled so the sun's rays would align twice a year on his date of his ascension to the throne (21 February) and on his birthday (21 October) and 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. Famously, the temple was re-located in a multi-million dollar operation in 1972, further up from the shoreline of Lake Nasser, which had threatened to erode the foundations of this monolithic temple complex. For this reason, the sun now strikes a day later than Ramses had originally planned, though the event this morning is no less stunning.

Gathering in the temple before sunrise we 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 also be plenty of time to explore the Sun Temple of King Ramses II and also the Temple of Hathor and take plenty of pictures.

Returning to Aswan around noon, we board our traditional Nile felucca for our 2 night voyage downstream on the River Nile.

If sailing by felucca is not your style, consider upgrading to a 5 star luxury Nile Cruiser version of this tour, which includes staying on a 5 star luxury Nile Cruiser in place of the felucca please see the “Nile Cruise Upgrade Prices & Dates” tab above and the Nile Cruise Trip Notes on the right for details. (B/L/D)

 Sunbathe on deck, go for a swim and relax as we sail along the mighty Nile. This afternoon we dock at Kom Ombo and explore the symmetrical double temple here, which is dedicated to both the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. (B/L/D)

We disembark our felucca today and travel to ancient Luxor. After hotel check in, free time is offered to relax at the hotel or opt to independently explore. This evening there's an optional excursion to Luxor Temple, after dark the temple is beautifully illuminated by hundreds of lights. (B)

Today we discover the famous Valley of the Kings, where legendary pharaohs including Ramses II and Tutankhamun were laid to rest. Explore inside some of the tombs before we continue to the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. These two giant statues of King Amenhotep III are all that remains of what was once the biggest temple complex in the world.

Later, we see the Avenue of Sphinxes at the giant Karnak Temple and marvel at the towering columns of Hypostyle Hall. Karnak took more than 1,500 years to complete and more than 30 different pharaohs contributed to its construction. (B)

Bid farewell to Luxor today as we drive to the popular coastal city of Hurghada for three free days to relax and explore at leisure. (B)

The next few days are free to independently explore Hurghada or simply relax. There is the option of going snorkelling on day 10 but the rest of the time it's up to you!

Hurghada is one of the Red Sea's most popular resorts and it is easy to see why. Hotels and expanded infrastructure provide holidaymakers with excellent aquatic facilities for sail boarding, yachting, deep-sea fishing, SCUBA diving and snorkelling. Hurghada's central location provides a gateway to prime offshore reefs, some of which are of the finest in the world.

For retail therapy, the town has lots of shops selling knock-off bags and tees, snorkelling gear and suchlike. Hurghada also offers plenty of good nightlife options to choose from. Just outside Hurghada is an ancient Roman quarry called Mons Porphyritis and Port Safarga – a famously windy place and windsurfer's paradise. (Bx2)

This morning we drive back to Cairo, upon arrival we check into our hotel. The reminder of today is at your leisure, or you can opt to join our optional visit to the exotic Khan el Khalili Bazaar. It's a top spot to browse and bargain for authentic Egyptian souvenirs, from ornate free-standing tobacco pipes and pharaonic tat, to belly dancing costumes and spices and carpets. (B)

Our tour ends today after breakfast with an included transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)

Trip Inclusions

  • Pyramids of Giza – Discover this legendary Ancient Wonder of the World and see the iconic Sphinx
  • Abu Simbel Sun Festival – Watch in awe as the rising sun illuminates the inner sanctum of this iconic temple
  • Felucca sailing – Cruise along the mighty Nile and relax onboard a traditional Egyptian felucca as we travel to Kom Ombo
  • Cairo – Admire the treasures of Tutankhamun at the vast Grand Egyptian Museum
  • Aswan – Visit beautiful Philae Temple which sits on an island in the middle of the Nile
  • Hurghada – Swim in the tranquil Red Sea, relax on the beach or explore the shops as we spend three days at this coastal resort
  • Karnak Temple – Marvel at the towering columns of Hypostyle Hall and see the famous Avenue of Sphinxes
  • Luxor – Explore the tombs of pharaohs at the Valley of the Kings, see the Temple of Hatshepsut and marvel at the Colossi of Memnon

  • Breakfast daily, 2 lunches and 2 dinners
  • Guided visit to Abu Simbel at sunrise for the Sun Festival of King Ramses II including Abu Simbel and Sun Festival entrance fee
  • Airport arrival and departure transfer on day 1 and day 13
  • Touring - Cairo, Giza, Saqqara, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Luxor and Hurghada
  • 3 days in Hurghada by the Red Sea - Swim, snorkel and relax
  • Escorted by an Egyptian tour guide degree qualified in Egyptology
  • All relevant transfer and transportation in private modern air-conditioned vehicles

  • 8 nights 4-5 star hotels, 2 nights aboard felucca (open deck). If booking our Nile Cruise Upgrade, 7 nights 4-5 star hotels and 3 nights Nile Cruiser (en suite cabin)
  • 1 overnight train from Cairo to Aswan (Private 2 berth sleeper cabin)
  • Overnight bus journey (3.5hrs) departing at around midnight to Abu Simbel and use of hotel room prior to the festival
  • Holiday Inn Cairo Maadi (Cairo)
  • Sleeper Train (Cairo)
  • Tolip Hotel (Aswan)
  • Felucca Sailboat (Felucca Cruise)
  • Sonesta St. George Hotel (Luxor)
  • Marriott Beach Resort (Hurghada)
  • Holiday Inn City Stars (Cairo)

  • Excludes International flights and visa
  • Excludes Tip for your tour guide. We recommend you allow USD$8 per day, per traveller. Tipping your guide is an entirely personal gesture
  • Excludes Entrance Fees: USD$100-120pp, paid in local currency
Play Youtube Video

Brochure

Worldwide

On The Go Worldwide (2023-24)

Marking our 25th year, our brochure showcases our journey from backpacking to the Pyramids in 1998 to now offering tours in 45+ global destinations. Experience wonders like the Taj Mahal and Machu Picchu with our dedicated local guides. At On the Go Tours, we champion sustainable and community-centric travel.

Prices & Dates

There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.

Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Prices and trip information are correct at the time at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by On The Go Tours. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from On The Go Tours. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.

Similar Tours

14 Day Temples, Tombs, Treasury (On The Go Tours)

14 Days Cairo Amman

Operated By: On The Go Tours

From 3,503
Save 79
13 Day Festive King Ramses (On The Go Tours)

13 Days Cairo Cairo

Operated By: On The Go Tours

From 3,249
Save 66
13 Day Egyptian Family Adventure & Red Sea (On The Go Tours)

13 Days Cairo Cairo

Operated By: On The Go Tours

From 3,062
Save 80
13 Day Cairo, Cruise & Coast (On The Go Tours)

13 Days Cairo Cairo

Operated By: On The Go Tours

From 3,766
Save 849