Pyramids to the Oasis: Cairo & Siwa

Welcome to Cairo, where your journey begins among the energy and contrasts of Egypt’s capital. Meet the EGYPTIA team at the airport and travel to your hotel, then take the rest of the day to settle in after your flight. Your first evening is free to rest or discover the city at your own pace.

Stand beneath the Pyramids of Giza and meet the watchful Sphinx as your guide brings the stories of the ancient plateau to life. After lunch, continue to the Grand Egyptian Museum for a closer look at the art, daily life and royal history behind the monuments. This is a full day devoted to Egypt’s most recognizable wonders.

See another side of Cairo at Salah El-Din Citadel and the Mohamed Ali Mosque, then explore the Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue in Old Cairo. After lunch, follow the lanes of Khan El Khalili, where workshops, lanterns and market stalls fill the historic quarter. An optional Nile dinner cruise offers a different view of the city after dark.

Leave Cairo behind and travel west toward Siwa, watching the scenery gradually open into the Western Desert. The long journey includes breaks along the way, making the changing landscape part of the experience. Arrive in the oasis and settle in for four nights of desert scenery and local heritage.

Set out with local guides in 4×4 vehicles for a day in the Great Sand Sea. Explore sweeping dune scenery, pause for photographs and try sandboarding if you would like a more playful way to meet the desert. The route follows local conditions and permitted access, with time to appreciate the stillness as well as the adventure.

Walk through the remains of Shali and discover Siwa’s layered oasis history before visiting the Temple of the Oracle. After lunch, slow down and enjoy a free afternoon in the town. On the New Year departure, the evening brings a shared celebration and dinner; the January departure keeps the evening free.

Enjoy Siwa’s striking salt-lake scenery and visit Cleopatra’s Spring, with any swimming entirely your choice. Later, make your way to Fatnas as the sun lowers over the palms and water. The day is deliberately unhurried, leaving room for the sights and atmosphere of the oasis to stay with you.

Say farewell to Siwa and cross the desert back toward Cairo, with breaks on the long road journey. Arriving in the capital for a final night gives you time to rest before your onward flight. It is a chance to look back on the contrast between Cairo’s monuments and the quiet of the oasis.

Enjoy breakfast, then transfer to Cairo airport for your onward journey. Your tour ends with the Pyramids, desert dunes and Siwa’s palm-lined landscapes all part of one Egyptian story.