This trip is similar to our adult adventures. Although we don’t overload children with too many sites, this is a full itinerary, offering a pleasant balance between relaxation and activity. Whilst not luxurious, our riverboat is nonetheless comfortable. Egypt is hot in the summer, which both adults and children 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.

The underwater world is a very fragile environment – for those wanting to snorkel in El Gouna, try practicing with buoyancy before getting into the water.

Please Note: Swimming pools at the hotels are often unheated and so can be cold in the winter months.

Suggested reading:
Your Child’s Health Abroad - Matthew Ellis and Jane Wilson-Howarth, (Bradt publications)
Travel with Children – Maureen Wheeler (Lonely Planet)
The Other Nile - Charlie Pye-Smith
God Dies by the Nile – Nawal El Saadawi
Beyond the Pyramids: Travels in Egypt – Douglas Kennedy
Old Serpent Nile: A Journey to the Source - Stanley Stewart
The Golden Chariot - Salwa Bakr

For younger readers:
The Awesome Egyptians – Terry Deary & Martin Brown
The Egyptians – Rachel Wright & Nicola Baxter
Tales of Ancient Egypt – Roger Lancelyn Green & Heather Copley
The Egyptian Cinderella – Shirley Climo & Ruth Heller
Stories from Ancient Egypt: Egyptian Myths & Legends for Children – Joyce Tyldesley & Julian Heath
The Hieroglyphs Handbook: Teach Yourself Ancient Egyptian – Philip Ardagh
Amazing Facts About Ancient Egypt – James Putnam

Useful phrases:
God willing – Insh ‘Allah
Thank you (very much) - Shukran (gazeelan)
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 souk - Ana badawwar ‘ala as-sooq

We use locally owned hotels and boats, our tour leaders are local and we visit local restaurants / family homes for meals on our tours.

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.

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.

Please remember, Egypt is a conservative Muslim country, and local sensibilities should be respected. Although you may see other travellers dressed otherwise, halter neck or sleeveless tops or brief shorts are not acceptable. 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 store.
In summer (Apr-Oct) light cotton clothing is adequate, with a light sweater or sweatshirt just in case.
In winter (Nov-Mar) the wind by the river can make it feel quite cold, particularly at night, so a windproof outer layer and a warm mid-layer (wool or fleece) is necessary.

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.

The vessels we use are very comfortable for our nights on the Nile - don’t expect mahogany panelled state-rooms, but they are certainly more luxurious than our usual style of travel. The fully air-conditioned boats are clean with a smart, well-furnished interior and, although they sleep up to 100 people, they are rarely full.

There are several levels on board. On the sun deck, a large awning covers an area with an informal social area where adults can chat and children play, furnished with chairs, tables and sun loungers. This provides welcome shade in the heat of the day, and the breeze generated by our progress downriver keeps it cool and airy. Below this deck is a restaurant where all meals – breakfast, lunch and dinner - are served (silver-service style) and a reception area. Twin cabins (all bed linen and fresh towels provided) are fitted with a fridge and TV, and have an en-suite bathroom, with wash basin, toilet and hot shower.

For parents, bring a book or two; this is the ideal chance to unwind and catch up on the reading you’ve been meaning to do for ages, while the children make new friends! All can sit back and enjoy the cruise along the Nile, in between clambering around and delving into the ancient history of the Graeco Roman temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu. Beer and soft drinks can be purchased from the small bar in the living area. At the end of the day there’s little to beat sitting out on deck, watching the sun go down.

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, it retains a friendly and welcoming atmosphere. At Giza, to the west of the city, the enigmatic Sphinx and great pyramids stand on the edge of the empty desert overlooking the city. More than 4000 years old, the pyramids are all that remain of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World – a testimony to the ingenuity and skill of their builders.

There are many thousands of exhibits in the famed Egyptian Museum, and 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. Such a visit 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 Aswan.
Overnight sleeper train – 1 night (BD)

Upon arrival in Aswan you board your riverboat, which serves as your accommodation for the next three nights. Even in ancient times, Aswan was legendary as a frontier town - the entrance to the kingdom of Nubia. As the place where Africa meets Arabia, its mixed population of Egyptians and Nubians makes it quite unlike any other town in Egypt. Hardly a drop of rain ever falls and the winter temperatures hover around a balmy 25°C. Nile Riverboats usually leave Aswan during the afternoon or evening, giving you time to explore Aswan and its surroundings. However sailing times are dictated by local authorities/river conditions and your Group Leader will confirm your sailing time on arrival in Aswan. They will also help you get the most out of your time here. No visit to Aswan would be complete without a visit to the packed bazaar where merchants display a wealth of exotic spices, carpets, leather and countless other goods. Alternatively, you can just relax and enjoy views of feluccas plying to and fro on the Nile.
Berth on riverboat – 3 nights (BLD)

The Nile has a fascination of its own and is one of the principal reasons many people come to Egypt. In ancient legend it was considered the giver of life and, even in modern times, it still provides a livelihood for millions of people. The banks of the Nile slowly glide past – providing the perfect backdrop for whatever you choose to do on board the boat. Close to the river’s edge you can glean an insight into ancient times - the agriculturist fellahin live and till the land along the riverbank, much as they have done for centuries.

As you sail north you pause to visit the great temples at Kom Ombo and Edfu. Kom Ombo is a unique temple dedicated to two gods: Haroeris (Horus the elder) and the crocodile-headed Sobek, god of the Nile. Kids (and adults?) will cringe at the mummified crocs on display! On the east bank around Kom Ombo, reclaimed land is fed by canals to keep the desert at bay - it supports not only crops of sugar cane but also a large Nubian community displaced from their homeland by the rising waters of Lake Nasser. The following day you’ll alight from the riverboat again to visit Edfu by calesh, which after Karnak, is the largest temple in Egypt.

NB: if the sailing schedule dictates, Edfu temple sightseeing may be done later on day four. As you sail closer to Luxor the river valley becomes increasingly open, and a landscape of cultivated fields stretches away from the river - a ribbon of green in the middle of a vast desert. This was once the floodplain where the combination of annual deposits of rich silt and ceaseless toil created a fertile market garden, which still supports Egypt’s burgeoning population. Nowadays, of course, the variations in flow that created the occasional disaster are managed by the dams, which span the river. (Bx2, Lx2, Dx2)

NB: As with any boat trip, progress is wholly dependant on local operational conditions and the sailing schedules of the boat operators who have to time their journeys according to various factors, such as sailing times through the locks of the Nile. There are also certain times of the year – for example, in June and the first half of December when the Nile is cleaned and cruises must stop at Esna.

NB: Please note that this cruise may run in reverse starting at Luxor and ending at Aswan. The sites of Edfu and Kom Ombo will still be visited. If the cruise is reversed a revised itinerary will be sent to you detailing the day to day schedule.

It’s an early start today as, having arrived in Luxor, you cross the Nile to visit the Valley of the Kings by charter bus. On reaching the Valley, hidden by the surrounding mountains, your local guide will help you to discover the unique treasures that have lain hidden here for centuries. On your way back to the river, you will stop at the imposing structure of the funerary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt’s first female ruler. You’ll return to Luxor in time for lunch and to settle into your overnight hotel.

Known in ancient times as Thebes, Luxor was the capital of Egypt’s New Kingdom for some 500 years. This afternoon a unique experience for children (and adults!) as you take horse-drawn carriages, called caleshes locally, 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 level of organisation of early Egyptian civilisation. Hotel – 1 night (Swimming Pool) (B)

This morning you fly back to Cairo where there’s time to explore Cairo’s remarkable attractions. On your last evening the Group Leader will no doubt organise a traditional ‘last supper’ where you can look back on the wonders you have seen.
Hotel – 1 night (Swimming Pool) (B)

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