Check-in time at our joining point hotel is after 2:00pm. Early check-in is not guaranteed, however if you arrive early, luggage storage is available. Speak to the hotel reception on arrival. 

You can arrive at any time on day 1 as there are no activities planned until the important welcome meeting at 6:00pm. If your flight arrives too late we recommend that you consider booking a night's accommodation prior to the trip so you can ensure you are able to attend this meeting. We will be collecting your local payment, insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting so please ensure you have all details on hand to provide to your leader. Your group leader will leave a note at reception telling you where this important meeting will take place. Please ask a member of reception for this information. If you are going to be late please inform the hotel reception. Your leader will leave details for your arrival on where and when to meet. After the meeting, there is the option of joining your fellow travellers for dinner.

If you arrive early in Cairo there are plenty of things to see and do. Take a walk along with Corniche or travel along the river by felucca. If the crowds and the noise of the city are too much, catch the metro into the oldest part of the city, the Coptic Christian sector. With its narrow cobbled streets and ancient churches, it is a haven of peace and quiet.

Early on day 2, we head out to Giza to visit the unsurpassed Pyramids and Sphinx. This is one of the highlights of any trip to Egypt. Our entry includes a guide to show us around the site. 

In the afternoon we head back to the city centre to visit the Egyptian Museum with our guide. This museum is home of the greatest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world, boasting over 120,000 exhibits. The guide will help you find some of the true gems in the collection and will be available to help discover any items that you have a personal interest in.

The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the mayhem of the bazaars or perhaps just chill out with a tea and some sweet baklava.

For your comfort the second night we stay onboard the overnight sleeper train (approx. 13 hours) to Aswan. This is a very comfortable air conditioned, 2 berth cabin. All bedding is provided on board by the porter. The western style toilets are located down the corridor. In rare circumstances you may be paired with a group member of the opposite sex in your cabin dependant on the group configuration. On other occasions you might have the opportunity to share with a local person of the same sex, again determinant on the group configuration. This is a real opportunity to get to know a local person on a one to one basis and is often a highlight. Included dinner and breakfast are served on board. If you are a vegetarian you may want to purchase something extra beforehand to supplement your meal as only a single type of meal is served for dinner which includes meat.

The Nile, Elephantine Island and white-sailed feluccas: welcome to Aswan. This Nubian city is Egypt's southern gateway to Africa and an important market town - take time here to check out one of the country's best bazaars. 

We visit a local Nubian village for an unforgettable insight into the life and culture of the local people. We also take a camel ride through desert terrain dotted with ruins and mausoleums as well as occasional glimpses of the contrasting Nile.
 

An option on day 4 is is to visit the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel (approx. 45 minute flight each way). Abu Simbel is an archaeological site comprising twin temples carved out of the mountainside in 13th century BC.

Abu Simbel is an optional activity for Intrepid because we know all our customers are different, with differing budgets and expectations as far as expense versus comfort.
Please note the road to Abu Simbel can be dangerous due to the high speeds of other traffic and therefore we recommend flying to Abu Simbel.

For those not going to Abu Simbel you have a free day to check out Philae Temple, the unfinished obelisk or maybe just haggle in the bazaar.

Today we board feluccas to spend the day out on the river and then a night under the stars. Our Nubian sailing crew provides all the meals, which are hearty and delicious. 

A felucca is a traditional wooden sail boat with broad canvas sails. The boat has a canopy that offers shade and protection from the elements, however there is no cabin or enclosed section. Please note that conditions are very basic during our felucca trip but if you are prepared to rough it a bit you are sure to have the adventure of a lifetime. We sleep outside, on the deck of the felucca on comfortable mattresses. While blankets are provided, you will need to bring a sleeping sheet, and a sleeping bag is necessary during the colder months (October to April) where it can get as cold as 3 degrees Celsius. Unfortunately there is no sleeping bag hire available.

There are no toilets on our Nile felucca. While sailing, every so often our felucca will stop on the riverbank for a toilet stop. After the days sailing we set up a toilet tent a safe distance from the riverbank, close to where our felucca moors. The toilet comprises a western style seat over a hole we dig into the ground.

Our felucca trip takes us from Aswan and stops at points of interest en-route. Watching the sun setting across the Nile in the evening is a sight you will remember. This is the absolute highlight of the trip.

Please note that we may need to make slight alterations to our Nile itinerary throughout the year, depending on winds and currents.

During the day, we make a stop to visit the market town of Daraw. This village is well off the normal tourist trail so please remember to dress modestly for the excursion. We take a local pick up vehicle into the village where there is a chance to sample some local products should you wish. The fresh juice is a favourite on a hot day although the crushed cane juice takes a bit of getting used to.

We spend 2 nights on the felucca. There are no shower facilities for these nights.

We say goodbye to our felucca and the wonderful crew before transferring by road to Luxor (3.5 hours of driving time). There is an option to visit the fascinating temples of Kom Ombo and the Temple of Edfu on the way. Edfu is renowned as the site of the battle between Horus (the falcon god) and his uncle Seth.

Situated on the banks of the Nile, Luxor was once the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes. From the spectacular temple complex of Karnak to the unbelievable paintings and hieroglyphs in the tombs of the Valley of the Kings, this open-air museum is full of wonderfully preserved reminders of the Pharaohs.

We ride donkeys over to the west bank to visit some of the tombs in the Valley of the King's. This is one of the highlights of any trip to Egypt. The amazingly well preserved paintings in the tombs of the Pharaohs are brought to life on this guided adventure. Afterwards we have the unique opportunity to be treated to lunch at our local guides house. This is a fantastic chance to experience today's life in Luxor. The ladies on the trip are welcome to go and visit the ladies of the house. There are options to visit the Valley of the Queens and other west bank monuments as well some of the fine factory outlets selling local artesian wares.
 

On Day 9 we visit the Intrepid Foundation Project, Animal Care Egypt. This organisation cares for animals overworked, injured or abandoned and you'll be touched by the success of this humanitarian project. One of the ways you can help this organisation is by bringing bits for horse's mouths (These are used to replace the homemade ones regularly found on local animals which can severely impact their health.) or 10-15cm wide cohesive crepe bandages. 

We will also go and see the biggest of all Egyptian temples, the mighty Karnak with a local Egyptologist.

The afternoon of day 9 is free for you to explore. Perhaps hire a bicycle to ride through sugarcane fields and nearby villages to see a different side of Luxor.

In the evening of day 9, we catch an overnight seater train back to Cairo (approx. 8.5 hours). The seater train has a large, padded reclining chair for your comfort and a toilet down the corridor (Please note this is not a sleeper train however the seats do recline. Remember to pack what ever items you might need for your comfort such as a blow up pillow and sleeping bag). Bring some food that you can easily share as a sure fire way to make some great local friends on the journey.

On the morning of day 10 we visit one of the Intrepid RT projects in Egypt, the Association for the Protection of the Environment (APE). This NGO supports the city's garbage collectors, the majority of whom are Coptic Christians. Originally, they lived in the centre of Cairo and gathered and sorted the city's rubbish for anything usable. In the reign of Nasser, the government moved them to the hills behind the Citadel, where they continue their recycling practices to this day. All sorts of goods are shredded and recycled in this area and we are lucky to be able to witness this process first hand. We also have the chance to purchase some fantastic recycled souvenirs, worlds away from the usual tourist fare. These citizens of 'Garbage City' are a proud people doing amazing and vital work to clean the city of Cairo. Their city is reputed to be the site of many miracles and we visit the enormous amphitheatre and church where the people come together to pray. 

After visiting the project, we enjoy a guided walk with a local historical guide through the fascinating Islamic Cairo. Our last stop is in the amazing Khan al-Khalili market, where you can try out your bargaining skills. Known as the Turkish Bazaar in the Ottoman period, it's now simply called Khan.

Your group leader will give you plenty of ideas on how to spend your afternoon but some ideas for Cairo include checking out how the other half live with a trip to Zamalek. Just a short taxi ride away from downtown, this island in the middle of the Nile is an oasis of wide tree lined streets, art galleries and modern coffee shops. The Culture Wheel on 26 July street in Zamalek has nightly performances. It could be a recital of ancient Arabic poetry, an oud concert or a modern rock band. Whatever is on, its a great opportunity to meet and interact with some of the local people in a social environment.

Or you could visit the imposing Citadel. Built by Saladin in 1176 to fortify Cairo, this fortress was home to the city's rulers for over 700 years.

Leaving the city behind, we travel into the harsh interior through classic desert landscapes (approx. 8 hours) to Mt Sinai. This is where the Ten Commandments were reputedly revealed to Moses. The summit is perfect for viewing a glorious sunset over the desert. You have the option of riding two thirds of the way up on a camel, or else you can climb the whole way up on foot with our local Bedouin mountain guide, taking the taxing 3,750 Stairs of Repentance. 

At the foot of Mt Sinai is the Greek Orthodox monastery of St Katherine, built around the burning bush that spoke to Moses. The monastery was built over 1,400 years ago by the Roman Emperor Justinian to protect the monks and hermits residing in the area. A site of Christian pilgrimage since the 4th century, it is the oldest Christian monastery in continuous existence. The monastery is named for the martyr Saint Katherine, who lived in the 3rd century AD, and whose relics were found at the summit of Mt Katherine (Jebel Katherine).

Note: During June to August (in the summer months), we may climb Mt Sinai in the early morning to avoid the extreme heat. Climbing Mt Sinai is a strenuous 3 hour climb on rough stone steps and gravel paths. As an alternative there are camels available at an extra cost (approx US$10 each way). They take you two thirds of the way up/down.

We travel from the Mt. Sinai region to Nuweiba (approx 2 hours). This is a harsh and barren land of sprawling windswept plains and rugged mountains, but thankfully for us, it is also home to some fantastic beaches.

Nuweiba, our base for the next 2 days, is an important stop for Muslim pilgrims en route to Mecca. Our accommodation, in the tiny settlement of Sawa, is in simple but comfortable huts with the water right at your front door. The huts are made from local palm trees and have a mattress on the floor with sheets provided. The toilets and showers are in a communal block. Due to the lack of fresh water available in this part of Egypt the water in the bathrooms is slightly salty. The village is reminiscent of its Sinai neighbours Dahab and Sharm el-Sheik before mass-tourism arrived. Set on one of the only stretches of fine golden sand along this coast, this is a place that you will be raving about to your friends for years to come.

The Red Sea coast is justifiably famous for its beautiful scenery both above and below the water. Why not start the day with a fantastic snorkelling trip to discover this spectacular world? Later you might like to relax on the golden sands watching the mountains of Saudi Arabia light up at sunset, and finish the day chatting with our Bedouin friends over a traditional optional meal. Enjoy!
 

On day 14 we continue our journey, crossing the famous Suez Canal and returning to Cairo (approx 8 hours). There will be an optional farewell dinner this evening.
 

Your tour ends today and as there are no activities planned you may leave at any time. Check-out time is 12:00pm and baggage storage and transfers can be arranged through our hotel.