Egypt Basic

Women only tour to Egypt

Meetup Tour Style: Basic

Inclusions

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Notes

Weather in Egypt can reach high temperatures, especially in summer. All of our accommodation and transportation is air conditioned, but some sites have little shade. Be aware that exposure to the elements is at times unavoidable.

Proof of travel insurance is required before joining day 1 of any Meetup Tour. International flights are not included. All SoFe Travelers are required to prove that they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19 OR produce a negative test taken at least 72 hours before the start of the Meetup Tour.

Highlights

Marvel at Abu Simbel, one of the most coveted Egyptian sites (optional)

Sleep under the stars on a Felucca on the Nile

ATV in the desert, while the sun sets over the pyramids behind you. (optional)

Unearth local foodie gems on a cooking class at a local's home.

Tour a mosque with sweeping views of Cairo

Float above the temples at sunrise (optional)

Day 1

Meals: none
Airport pickup not included.

WELCOME TO CAIRO

Welcome to Egypt! Check in is at 4pm, but if you get here earlier, the hotel can hold your bags while you explore or wait for the rest of the group to arrive. Meet up with your fellow travelers by letting then know you’ve arrived in your private group in The Network. You’ll meet your guide at 6pm for a welcome meeting in the lobby. It’s important you attend the meeting to be ready for the adventure ahead!

Day 2

CAIRO
Pyramids of Giza, cooking demo with lunch & optional ATV ride

This morning we’ll listen to stories of ancient Egypt on the short drive to the famous Pyramids of Giza! Learn why these stunning tombs exist, and how they are so well preserved. There’s time to wander solo and absorb the grandeur. Once we’ve worked up an appetite, we will be welcomed into a local woman’s home for a short cooking demo and lunch. Don’t give into that food coma just yet though, because it’s time to see the Sphinx (and maybe give him a kiss for a photo!). From here, we satisfy our inner adrenaline junkies and hop onto an an optional ATV ride to watch the sunset behind the pyramids.

Meals: breakfast & lunch
Included activities: Pyramids of Giza, cooking demo, Sphinx
Optional activities: sunset ATV ride

Day 3

Meals: breakfast
Transportation: domestic flight
Included activities: Philae Temple

ASWAN
Flight to Aswan, Philae Temple & solo afternoon

We’ll hop on an early morning flight to Aswan, approximately 2 hours flying time. After landing, we visit Philae Temple located on an island in the middle of the mighty Nile River. Dedicated to the goddess Isis, we’ll wander through the temple learning about women’s roles in ancient Egypt. Before we go, say hello to the many cats hanging out like locals at the cafe (which has excellent lemon mint juice). We check into our hotel for a free evening.

DAY 4

ASWAN
Abu Simbel (optional) & overnight on a felucca

Next to the pyramids, Abu Simbel is arguably one of the most impressive Egyptian sites. Afterwards, we settle in onboard a felucca, and float the day away as we cruise down the Nile river with a delicious lunch and dinner spread generously prepared by Nubian villagers. There’s no better way to watch the sun set than drink in hand, new friends all around and the glimmering Nile waters before you.

Meals: breakfast, lunch & dinner
Dive time: 5 hours
Included activities: Nubian village tour and day on the Felucca

DAY 5

Meals: breakfast
Transportation: 3 hours by train
Included activities: Karnak & Luxor Temples

LUXOR
Train ride to Luxor, Karnak & Luxor Temples

This morning we set off on a train journey past villages and lush farms on our way to Luxor. Once in Luxor, we take the opportunity to marvel at the second largest temple complex in the world – the awesome Temple of Karnak. The massive engraved columns, towering obelisk and offering table room are highlights of this magnificent temple. Once the sun goes down, the Temple of Luxor lights up beautifully. We’ll do a night walking tour to see some of the most important carvings in ancient Egypt.

DAY 6

LUXOR
Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut Temple

This morning, choose between waking up for sunrise and doing an optional hot air balloon ride (when in Egypt…) or sleeping in and enjoying a more genteel start to the day. We’ll meet up for a tour to Luxor’s best ancient wonders: the Valley of Kings! We’ll see hieroglyphic covered tombs belonging to famous pharaohs. Following the Valley of Kings, we visit the female-focused Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of the few female Egyptian rulers. This evening, we will board our accommodation for the night – an overnight train to Cairo.

Meals: breakfast
Transportation: overnight train
Included activities: Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut Temple
Optional activities: hot air balloon ride

DAY 7

Meals: breakfast & lunch
Included activities: Egyptian Museum, mosque tour, Khan El Khalili Market

CAIRO
Overnight train to Cairo, Egyptian Museum & Khan El Khalili Market

We’ll arrive to Cairo in the morning and start the day with a visit to the Egyptian Museum packed full of artifacts, mummies, tombs, statues, hieroglyphics, and much more. Before you wander off to explore all the nooks and crannies, our Egyptologist guide will describe fascinating aspects of Egyptian history. For lunch, we recommend one of Egypt’s most beloved dishes – koshary. Bellies full, we visit the Mosque of Ibn Tulun and climb the stairs to the minaret to be rewarded with views over Cairo, or simply enjoy the intricate details of this beautiful mosque. We’ll finish the afternoon by exploring the biggest market in Egypt: Khan El Khalili Market. The winding alleyways of the market house souvenirs, gifts and Egyptian food.

DAY 8

FAREWELL FOR NOW

It’s the last day of The Egypt Meetup Tour, but it doesn’t have to end! Either check out any time today (your guide can help you arrange transportation to the airport) for your flight home, or stay on with us as we continue to Dahab for a full-blown beach vacation. Dahab details below!

Add 5 days in Dahab

Dahab is a beachy paradise on The Red Sea. It’s the darling seaside escape for both Egyptian and international visitors, but isn’t so built up that it loses any of its charm. The town is small and colorful. Seaside restaurants abound, and make for ideal sunset hangouts and refueling spots in-between dives. On that note, the snorkeling and diving in Dahab is some of the very best- and most affordable- in the world.

How it works: arrive early to Egypt and meet us in Cairo, where we hop onto a flight to Sharm el-Sheik and arrive in Dahab in time for a welcome lunch and afternoon chill session. The next few days have a range of activities planned, from snorkeling to a 4×4 desert tour and stargazing at a Bedouin camp. There’ll be plenty time to kick back and soak up the glorious Egyptian sun, dive, read or hangout with new friends. Note that this extension starts before The Egypt Meetup Tour: Basic, so adds 4 days, not 5, to your whole trip.

What's included:

If booking both The Egypt Meetup Tour as well as The Dahab Meetup Tour, choose Dahab as an add-on when purchasing Egypt.

Hand-picked Accommodation

Our accommodation is carefully chosen to give you the best combination of comfort, location, and style. These are photos from our collection of favorite hotels and resorts to give you a sense of the accommodation you can expect with on your Meetup Tour. All of our accommodation is of 4 and 5 star level in prime locations, and many have gorgeous views to boot.

Pyramids Park Hotel

Offering a delicious breakfast and a central location in the heart of the city, the Steigenberger Hotel will serve as your home base in the bustling city of Cairo.

Tolip Hotel, Aswan

Sweeping views of the Nile and a beautiful outdoor lounge area are ideal backdrops for those sundowners with new friends.

Steigenberger Luxor

5 star amenities and the location (right on the Nile!) make this one of our favorite hotels for a dip in the pool between iconic temple visits.

Details

What are the arrival and departure details?

Arrival:
Cairo International Airport (CAI)

We strongly recommend that you arrive by 3pm to make it in time for the welcome meeting. We are happy to book an airport pickup for you at an extra charge. The airport transfer will meet you with a sign with the SoFe Travel logo. He will lead you through customs and wait while you get your bags. The transfer will take you from the airport to our group hotel in Cairo. If fellow travelers arrive around the same time, we’ll bring you to the hotel together.

Departure:
Cairo International Airport (CAI)

Hotel check out is at 10am. You are welcome to leave any time today. Ask your guide to help you arrange a ride to the airport or share a transfer with fellow travelers.

What's not included?

International airfares
Tips for restarts, divers, and the guide
Egyptian Visa fee
Travel insurance (mandatory for all travelers)
Airport pickup and dropoff
Covid PCR test(s) if required
Any meals not listed under inclusions
Any optional activities as indicated in the itinerary

Payment & Refund Policy

A non-refundable $500 deposit is required to hold your spot.
Final payment is due 60 days before departure.
Pay as much as often as you like until the due date.
If you cancel your spot earlier than 60 days before departure, you can apply your payment to any trip within the next year.
No refunds on deposits.

Domestic Flights

On rare occasions, any domestic flight that we include in this trip may be changed or canceled with little notice. Remember, we cannot control the decisions that airlines make, so sometimes amendments will need to be made to our mode of transportation. Rest assured that if this happens, we will still get you to your destination. Part of the unique experience of traveling in any form is having the flexibility and grace to embrace detours.

Do I need a visa?

Most countries, including the USA, UK, Canada, and Australia, are able to get a visa upon arrival to Egypt. In fact, we recommend getting it on arrival because the process is straightforward and fast. With the VIP service that we have arranged for our travelers on day 1, our airport escort will walk you through the entire process.

All you need to get an Egyptian visa on arrival is your passport and $25 USD in cash. The rest is super simple. If you are not a US passport holder, please check to be sure your country qualifies for a visa upon arrival, but the majority of them do.

Will this itinerary change?

The itinerary is subject to change due for any reason – weather, unexpected cancellations, impromptu local opportunities, or surprise additions.

All bookings are subject to our terms and conditions.

Do I need travel insurance?

Comprehensive travel insurance is mandatory or you may be refused to join the tour. See our guide for help choosing a plan.

How much luggage can I bring?

The baggage allowance for our internal flights is 1 check in suitcase that is a maximum of 50lbs/23kg and 1 carryon. An additional fee applies to bags that exceeds this.

What our travelers say

This tour was epic in every way

“This was my 2nd solo trip with SoFe. I initially went to Bali and because that tour was so good I decided to go to Egypt meetup and I am so happy that I did. This tour was EPIC. I am even planning on going on this same tour again to experience it all over again!” Aihee R. | Egypt & Bali

everything and morE!

“I’m 100% going to book another trip, although this one will be hard to beat. This trip was everything and more I could ever ask for. I saw places I only ever saw in photos, experienced “Egyptian Hospitality” first hand, had stereotypes of the middle east shattered, watched the sunrise over the Sahara, swam in the Nile AND the Red Sea, and danced to the sound of Nubian drums on a felucca at sunset on the Nile. How could a girl ever ask for more? This trip was the perfect blend of history and education, culture, great food, bucket list items completed, and topped off with even better company.” Dani B. | Egypt

The Egypt Meetup was life-changing.

“The Egypt SoFe trip was life-changing, truly! From our amazing egyptologist guide, Sameh, to the sites and wonders of Egypt, and the amazing women that I got to meet and travel with, it was extraordinary. The experiences shared and the memories made are unparalleled and will hold a place in my heart forever. Thank you SoFe Traveler Network.” Darlyne M. | Egypt

Photos from the road

We looove to collect and share photos from our Solo Female Traveler Meetup Tours. To see more images from Egypt, check out the stories on our Instagram! @solofemaletravel. When you travel with us, tag @sofetravel so we can find your posts.

Click to see the Egypt Instagram highlight!