This trip is similar to our adult adventures. Although we don’t overload children with too many sites, and offer a pleasant balance between relaxation and activity, this is a full itinerary. The accommodation is modest, clean and comfortable. It can be very hot in the summer months, which children and adults alike can find tiring. Please note some road journeys in Egypt are operated by the authorities in convoys. This means that travelling times will be fixed and arrival times into destinations may vary to those described here, with sightseeing adjusted accordingly. Minimum age: 5 years.

Head down to the spice stalls at the enticing Khan el-Khalili bazaar and test out your haggling skills, with banter between yourself and the vendors (always remembering for you it’s a bit of fun, for them it could mean a lot).

But watch out for the saffron: some on sale may not be the real stuff – saffron strands are often replaced with grainy parts of a sunflower, which look, at a glance, like the expensive culinary ingredient.

Suggested reading:
The Other Nile - Charlie Pye-Smith
Old Serpent Nile: A Journey to the Source - Stanley Stewart
The Golden Chariot - Salwa Bakr

Useful phrases:
God willing – Insh ‘Allah (a phrase used a lot, usually in response to a question to ask if something will happen …)
Thank you (very much).
Shukran (gazeelan) – the usual response is ‘afwan’ (you’re welcome).
Do you have vegetarian food available here?
Hal Ladaika taam nabaty?
Which Arabic sweet or cake would you advise is the best?
Ma how tabak al hilo il mofadal ladaika?
I’m looking for the souq.
Ana badawwar ‘ala as-sooq.

Your flight will have the largest environmental impact on your holiday. Climate Care offers you the opportunity to offset your carbon dioxide emissions with set amounts from £5. If you would like to offset the carbon emissions generated by your flight, please go to www.climatecare.org

Since the increase in popularity of bottled water, many countries are experiencing a problem of litter especially where adequate recycling is not available. Please could you try, where possible, to use purification tablets or filters for water or buy bigger bottles of water between group members and decant into your individual water bottles.

The evening spent with our Nubian friends not only allows you to see something of Nubian life, but also provides a source of income directly to the family.

We have joined forces with the Sunshine International Project, Luxor, to assist in providing education and a home for children in Egypt. You will have the opportunity to visit the home during your stay in Luxor and meet the residents, where you’ll be assured of a cheery welcome!

If you would like to go, please speak to your Group Leader early on in your trip and they will give you the details so you can arrange your visit. A taxi to the home will cost approximately EGP 10 (tell the taxi driver it’s directly across from The International Hospital in Television Street, if they haven’t heard of it). Please also be aware that there maybe times that you can’t visit, for example because of itinerary timings or opening times of the Sunshine International Project.

If you would like to give a gift they would be delighted to receive the following; children’s winter clothing – for boys and girls aged between one month and 14 years, i.e. long trousers, sweatshirts, cardigans & long-sleeved dresses. They’d also like white glue, glitter, colouring books and educational or children’s film DVDs to play with! Long-sleeved pyjamas, disposable nappies, milk formula and baby shampoo are also always needed. These goods are available to buy cheaply locally (helping the local economy) and your Group Leader will be able to advise on where to buy things.

For further details please see www.sunshine-international.org.uk, where the children have placed a wish-list!

Although you may see other travellers dressed otherwise, as in any Muslim country tight or skimpy clothing should not be worn by adults out of respect for local customs. Although long, loose shorts are acceptable, you should be aware of local sensibilities. For women no halter neck or sleeveless tops, while a headscarf is useful – it’s both a local custom and useful for shielding against the strong sun.

Below is a suggestion of what you might find useful to take on this trip. It is not an exhaustive packing list. If you need further advice, please call us or consult your nearest specialist outdoor clothing and equipment shop.
In summer (Apr-Oct), light cotton clothing is adequate for kids and adults alike, with a light sweater or sweatshirt, just in case. Remember long sleeved shirts and long trousers to guard against the sun!
In winter (Nov-Mar), night time temperatures are low – perhaps as cold as 4°C and it can be windy, making it feel even cooler. Given this you should pack accordingly:

For your comfort we recommend you travel as light as possible; many airlines impose a maximum weight limit of 20kg – we advise you to take 10kg as you will be on the move a good deal! For domestic flights using light aircraft the usual weight limit is 15 kg.
One main piece (a soft bag or rucksack, not a hard suitcase).
A daypack (25-30 litres), large enough to carry what you need for the day including camera, water, etc.

Rooming at hotels
Family of two - All family groupings of two will be put
into a twin room.

Family of three - Wherever possible we will put you in a triple room.
Please be aware that in some places triple rooms are in short supply.
This means that, in practice, a triple room will often simply be a twin
room with a mattress on the floor or a further bed squashed in. Where it
is impossible to provide a triple room, you will have to decide which of
your party takes the single room.

Family of four or more - Wherever possible we will put you in a quadruple room.
For larger families, we will provide twin/or quadruple rooms
as standard, with a triple room if there is an odd number.
Whilst we will do our very best to ensure that families are roomed close
together (in some cases, we can arrange adjoining rooms), we can’t
guarantee this. Most family holidays occur during peak season and we
sometimes have little to no control over where you will be put. You
need to come prepared for this.

Single Accommodation
There may be instances when you specifically want a single room.
Perhaps Granny needs one or parents of a family of three or five want to
ensure they get a bit of space! You only need to pay for this if you want
to ensure a single room.

Following your flight, you transfer to your first night’s accommodation and check in. This family friendly hotel is close to the pyramids, so while it is a fair way from the airport, there is less distance to cover for the sightseeing the next day. The rooms are comfortable and spacious with air conditioning. The swimming pool is one of the largest in Cairo and if you fancy a stroll, why not go for a wander in the hotel's beautiful garden. Hotel – 1 night (Swimming Pool)

With a population of around 18 million people, Cairo is Africa’s largest city by far. Yet despite its size, Cairo retains a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. Today you’ll enjoy a half-day sightseeing tour of two of the city’s most celebrated sights.

At Giza, to the west of the city, the enigmatic Sphinx and great pyramids still stand on the edge of the empty desert overlooking the city. More than 4000 years old, the pyramids are the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that remain intact – a testimony to the ingenuity and skill of their builders. The famed Egyptian Museum holds many thousands of exhibits; your local guide will focus on the Tutankhamun collection – probably the world’s greatest archaeological find. You’ll see the treasure found in the tomb of the boy-king: the jewel-encrusted golden mask, the golden sarcophagus and throne, plus many everyday articles, which were entombed with him to be used in the afterlife. Although a wonderful experience for all, it will bring together all the things the kids have been learning about at school … and give you a taste for what’s to come at the Valley of the Kings, the burial place of Tutankhamun! In the evening you board the overnight train to the southern city of Luxor.
Overnight sleeper train – 1 night (BD)

Known in ancient times as Thebes, Luxor was the capital of Egypt’s New Kingdom for some 500 years. Depending on your arrival time in Luxor, there may be time to look around the monuments and museum, explore the town’s bazaar or visit Karnak temple to witness the memorable sound and light show (optional, at additional charge) which relates its history in dramatic fashion. Hotel – 3 nights (Swimming Pool) (B)

This morning you visit the ancient tombs of the Pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings. Rising early, you cross the Nile and drive to the secluded valley where 63 Pharaohs were buried as part of their journey to the after-life. In the company of a local guide, you can explore some of the exquisitely decorated tombs of these rulers of long ago. It is here that the burial site of the boy-king, Tutankhamun, discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922, can be found (optional visit). The visit to the Valley of the Kings brings to life much of what you saw in the Egyptian Museum. On your way back to the river, you see the imposing funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first female ruler.

This afternoon, you have the opportunity (additional charge) to board a felucca and settle down to relax and watch Egypt slide by. The Nile has a fascination all of its own and remains the principal focus for most visitors to Egypt. In ancient legend it was the very giver of life, and the rich silt deposited by its annual flooding created the fertile plain. This was cultivated intensely to sustain the population that lived along the river; even in modern times it both feeds and provides a livelihood for millions of people. (B)

In the late afternoon, horse-drawn carriages drive you to the grandest of Egypt’s historic temples – Karnak, which you explore with a local guide. Many architects and engineers contributed to its construction, a task that spanned the reign of successive Pharaohs over a period of 1400 years. The highlights of its many wonders are the great hypostyle hall, which contains 134 huge columns, and the beautifully carved obelisk of Queen Hatshepsut. The sheer scale and massive bulk of these monuments testify to the wealth and the level of organisation of early Egyptian civilisation. (B)

Today you make the short drive to Luxor’s airport and take a flight back to Cairo. There should be time for further exploration or one of several optional trips, which can be arranged to one of Cairo’s remarkable attractions. Later this evening your Group Leader will no doubt organise a traditional ‘last supper’. Hotel – 1 night (Swimming Pool) (B)

The trip ends for Land Only clients whilst those on our group flights need to take transfer to the airport and fly home. (B)