Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Cairo - Alexandria - Faiyum
100% customisable for you
Your Egyptian escape begins today with a direct five-hour flight to Cairo. Head to the airport, speed through security and relax with refreshments in the lounge as you await departure.
Cairo International is Africa’s busiest airport, so clearing immigration can be quite the experience. Fortunately, slow, stressful arrivals aren’t our style. To help you hit the ground running, one of our airport team will meet you when you land to smooth the way. They’ll hand over your tourist visas (and a portable Wi-Fi router), fast-track you through arrival formalities, and deliver you and your bags to your private driver. Then, sit back and watch the city unfold as you’re whisked off to your hotel on the banks of the Nile.
Spend the evening resting and recuperating from your busy travel day, and enjoy a delicious dinner at your hotel.
As Africa’s largest city, Cairo rewards insider knowledge – so today you’ll explore at your own pace with a clued-up local guide. Your private tour can be as relaxed or spontaneous as you like: sip Arabic coffee in a characterful cafe, try on kaftans at the Khan al-Khalili souq (a shopping hotspot since Medieval times), or browse upmarket boutiques. Prefer a more cerebral potter? Your guide will unveil the city’s monuments and architectural treasures of the Ayyubids, Fatimids, Mamluks and Ottomans – while offering insights into contemporary Egyptian society.
The rest of today is yours to explore. If you’ve an eye for the artisanal, Gezira Island’s upscale Zamalek neighbourhood is a must. Its beautifully curated boutiques boast embroidered linens, handcrafted pottery and high-end designer fashion – be prepared to buy another suitcase.
For a complete change of scene, head to Qorsaya Island, where you’ll meet local farmers and fishermen to learn about environmental issues affecting the Nile.
A private transfer this morning takes you to Cairo’s station for a three-hour train to Alexandria. Travelling in first-class comfort, you can relax with refreshments as the fertile Nile Delta gives way to the Mediterranean coast. On arrival, you’ll be privately transferred to your hotel, an old-world property overlooking the bay and yacht club.
The rest of the day is yours to explore. Founded in 331 BC by Alexander the Great, Alexandria has been shaped over centuries by intellect and ambition – from Cleopatra’s legendary romances, to the development of the Greek Bible. Today, it’s the largest city on the Mediterranean.
Beyond the marina, the Great Serapeum and the site of the Great Library, most treasures from Alexander’s era are in the new Greco-Roman Museum. Roman, Islamic and European influences remain woven into the city’s heart. Stroll along the corniche, linger in historic Grecian-style cafes, or explore the Roman catacombs and 15th-century Fort Quaitbay. Later, enjoy fresh seafood at one of the city’s top restaurants, recommended by our Concierge.
Wave goodbye to the Mediterranean as you’re privately transferred by air-conditioned vehicle to Faiyum. The scenic four-hour drive is an ever-changing delight that shifts from lush agricultural fields to sweeping desert dunes before reaching its surprising verdant finale: Faiyum’s palm-filled desert oasis.
Your home for the next two nights is a charming traditional hotel, just southwest of Lake Moeris. The rest of today is deliberately unhurried and unscripted, giving you time to ease into your new rural surroundings. Stroll by the lake, browse artisan workshops for traditional handicrafts (Faiyum is famed for its pottery), or simply unwind in one of the therapeutic hot springs and watch the desert light soften as evening approaches.
Today, head off early with a private English-speaking guide on a 4x4 desert adventure that defies expectations. Your first stop is Wadi El Rayan: a mirage made real, where two clear-blue, tiered lakes are linked by Egypt’s only waterfalls. A wetland of international importance, the surrounding reserve supports rare fennec foxes, endangered slender-horned gazelles and a kaleidoscope of exotic birdlife, so keep your camera close.
Then it’s on to the day’s showstopper: the UNESCO-listed Wadi Al-Hitan, or Valley of the Whales. Home to the world’s most important collection of prehistoric whale fossils, the valley reveals how whales evolved from limbed land-dwelling mammals (we know, mind blown) into the ocean giants we know today. Explore the vast fossil fields while learning more about this transformation.
Round off your evening with a delightful meal at your hotel. As darkness descends across the desert, savour the silence, stillness and star-studded skies of the oasis.
Sadly, today marks the end of your Egyptian escape and the start of your journey home. After a hearty breakfast, you’ll be collected from your hotel for a private two-and-a-half-hour transfer back to Cairo airport. Still, the good news is there’s time for one final highlight en route: a stop at the ancient pyramid of Meidum, built under the Pharaoh Sneferu some 4,500 years ago. A testament to its creators’ ambition, Meidum was one of Egypt’s earliest attempts at a smooth-faced pyramid and offers a fascinating glimpse into the evolution of pyramid design.
You’ll reach the airport this afternoon. Once again, we’ve sorted FastTrack privileges, so you can whizz through security and escape the crowds with some down time in the airport lounge before takeoff. Flight time to the UK is just over five hours, so you’ll be back on home turf, shaking the sand from your shoes, later this evening.
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges
