Egypt
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The pyramids with your own Egyptologist, a night on a felucca under the stars and a snorkel in the Blue Hole: this is Egypt from the Nile to the Red Sea. You’ll go from Cairo’s beautiful chaos to the Fayoum dunes, a Nubian village on the Nile and the temples of Luxor, with solo time in Aswan and Dahab to slow right down. Eat your way through Cairo’s back alleys, sit down with a local woman inside the city’s oldest mosque and share a Bedouin barbecue by candlelight in the Sinai mountains. Your nights are spent in a family-run Nubian guesthouse, a five-star Nile palace and a boutique hotel on the Red Sea, and by the end, Sam will have you laughing like you’ve known him for years.
Inclusions
Handpicked stays
A family-run Nubian guesthouse on the Nile, a five-star palace in Luxor, a boutique hotel on the Red Sea and a night on a felucca, plus handpicked hotels in Cairo and Fayoum.
20 meals
11 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners, including a Cairo food tour, a cooking class, a Nubian feast by the fire on the felucca and a Bedouin barbecue in the desert.
All activities, included
- ✓The pyramids and the Sphinx with an Egyptologist
- ✓The Grand Egyptian Museum
- ✓Ibn Tulun Mosque and Khan El Khalili
- ✓A Cairo food tour
- ✓A cooking class
- ✓A 4×4 desert safari with sandboarding
- ✓A pottery workshop
- ✓Philae Temple
- ✓A night sailing the Nile on a felucca, with a Nubian feast
- ✓Karnak and Luxor temples
- ✓The Valley of the Kings
- ✓Snorkeling the Blue Hole
- ✓A Bedouin barbecue in the desert
An Egyptologist guide
Sam has an Egyptology degree, 25 years of guiding and eight years of SoFe groups behind him. He’s with you every day, from the first night’s food tour to the last morning. He’s our only male guide on the team, which is testament to how much SoFe Travelers love him.
All transport
A VIP escort who meets you at Cairo airport and walks you through the visa, private air-conditioned vehicles, three domestic flights and a night sailing the Nile.
A matched roommate
Our compatibility quiz pairs you with someone you’ll actually click with. Hello, felucca buddy. Want your own space? Private rooms are available.
Most tips
Driver, porter, hotel and restaurant tips are all covered, so you’re not fumbling for Egyptian pounds. Tipping Sam is up to you.
Highlights
A night on the Nile
Sail by felucca, feast with a Nubian village by the fire and fall asleep under the stars
Sandboard a desert of whale fossils
4x4s over the Fayoum dunes to a valley of 40-million-year-old whale fossils, then a picnic by the Magic Lake
Eat your way through Cairo’s back alleys
A local-led street food tour on night one, through alleys and tucked-away cafés most visitors never find
Snorkel the Blue Hole
Float above coral walls that drop into the deep blue, with reef fish swirling all around you
Dinner under the desert stars
A Bedouin barbecue by candlelight in the Sinai mountains
A night on the Nile
Sail by felucca, feast with a Nubian village by the fire and fall asleep under the stars
Sandboard a desert of whale fossils
4x4s over the Fayoum dunes to a valley of 40-million-year-old whale fossils, then a picnic by the Magic Lake
Eat your way through Cairo’s back alleys
A local-led street food tour on night one, through alleys and tucked-away cafés most visitors never find
Snorkel the Blue Hole
Float above coral walls that drop into the deep blue, with reef fish swirling all around you
Dinner under the desert stars
A Bedouin barbecue by candlelight in the Sinai mountains
Your Itinerary
Pick a day to see where you are and what you’ll do.
AFTERNOONWalk out of Cairo airport to a VIP escort who guides you through the visa process and takes you straight to the hotel. Land by 3pm so you have time to settle in.
EVENINGMeet the group and hit the streets for a food tour with your Egyptologist, slipping into alleys and tucked-away cafés most visitors never find. Come hungry.
Dinner
MORNINGGrab breakfast at the welcome meeting, then head out to the Pyramids of Giza, where Sam brings 4,500 years of pharaohs and mysteries to life. Then say hi to the Sphinx. Go ahead, give him a cheeky kiss for the camera.
LUNCHRefuel with a traditional Egyptian feast at one of our favorite local spots.
AFTERNOONCome face to face with the complete treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb at the new Grand Egyptian Museum.
Breakfast, Lunch
MORNINGStep inside the Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo’s oldest surviving mosque, where a woman from a local NGO shares what her faith means to her. Nothing’s off-limits, so ask what you’ve always wondered. Then climb the spiral minaret for the view.
AFTERNOONGet lost in Khan El Khalili, Egypt’s biggest bazaar, all brass lamps and spice stalls, then Coptic Cairo and the Hanging Church, built over the gate of a Roman fortress.
EVENINGRoll up your sleeves for a cooking class, then sit down to the feast you made.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
MORNINGTrade Cairo’s car horns for the silence of the desert. Your 4x4s roll over golden dunes to the Valley of the Whales, a UNESCO site where 40-million-year-old whale fossils lie in the open sand.
AFTERNOONPicnic by the turquoise Magic Lake, race down a dune on a sandboard if you’re brave, then get your hands dirty at a pottery workshop with local makers.
EVENINGEnjoy a quiet night at the hotel, or join Sam for dinner in town.
Breakfast, Lunch
MORNINGHead back to Cairo and catch your flight south to Aswan.
AFTERNOONSettle into a quiet Nubian village on the Nile, all brightly painted houses and shaded lanes. Wander the riverbank or just watch the boats drift by.
Breakfast
OPTIONALRise at 4:15am for Abu Simbel, where four colossal statues of Ramses II guard a temple carved into the cliffs. It’s a long drive through the desert, and worth every mile.
AFTERNOONBrowse handmade crafts in the village or settle into a shaded café by the water, whether you’re back from Abu Simbel or chose to sleep in.
Breakfast
MORNINGTake a small boat across to Philae Temple, the island sanctuary of the goddess Isis.
AFTERNOONStep aboard your felucca and drift past palm groves and sleepy riverside villages.
EVENINGDock along the countryside for a bonfire, a home-cooked Nubian feast and music with the villagers, then fall asleep under the stars. The boat stays docked and still all night.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
MORNINGWake up on the river, then head to Luxor and the Temple of Karnak, the second-largest temple complex in the world, where you’ll crane your neck at columns carved top to bottom in hieroglyphs.
AFTERNOONWalk the avenue of stone sphinxes to Luxor Temple, then check in to the Steigenberger Nile Palace in time for a rooftop sunset.
Breakfast
OPTIONALFloat over Luxor in a hot-air balloon as the sun comes up over the Nile and the temples.
MORNINGExplore the Valley of the Kings, where painted tombs still guard Egypt’s greatest pharaohs, then stand before the terraced temple of Hatshepsut, Egypt’s most powerful female ruler, and the 3,000-year-old Colossi of Memnon.
EVENINGFly to Sharm El Sheikh and drive to Dahab, your laid-back base on the Red Sea.
Breakfast, Lunch
MORNINGSnorkel the legendary Blue Hole, where coral walls drop into the deep and schools of fish shimmer past. Gear and park fees are on us.
EVENINGHead into the desert for a Bedouin barbecue by candlelight, with the mountains glowing and a sky crowded with stars.
Breakfast, Dinner
ALL DAYLounge by the pool, wander Dahab’s little beachside town, snorkel or dive again, or try the optional ATV ride. Tonight, everyone ends up around the hotel’s fire pit.
Breakfast
MORNINGFly from Sharm El Sheikh back to Cairo, landing mid-morning. Book your flight home from Cairo for 2pm or later, and leave with a camera roll full of pyramids and a group chat full of new friends.
Breakfast
From $4,550 · 12 days · Max 14 women · $550 holds your spot
Where you’ll stay
ASWAN · 2 NIGHTS
Aro Kato Nubian Guesthouse
Family-run and right on the Nile, with views of Philae Temple and a Nubian kitchen that just might end up being one of the best meals of the trip. Reviews call it “home with five-star service,” and it’s ridiculously photogenic.
LUXOR · 1 NIGHT
Steigenberger Nile Palace
Five stars in the heart of Luxor, steps from Luxor Temple, with balconies over the Nile, two pools and rooftop sunsets.
DAHAB · 3 NIGHTS
Dahab Paradise
A boutique escape between the Sinai mountains and the Red Sea. Laze by the pool, eat from a family-run kitchen many call the best in Dahab, and end every night around the fire pit.
Roommates, matched
Our compatibility quiz, built with a matchmaker and psychologist, pairs you with someone you’ll actually click with. Or upgrade to a private room.
Who you’ll travel with
Up to 13 other women, most of whom booked on their own. They range from 28 to 88, and it’s the felucca nights, Cairo food stalls and Blue Hole snorkels that bond you. 92% of our travelers say they keep in touch after the trip ends.
✓Meet your group on WhatsApp before you fly
✓A food tour on night one, with Sam making the introductions
✓Solo time built in, so you’re never forced to be “on”
“I met an inspiring bunch of independent women of all ages who helped me to fulfill a dream.”
Ilaisanne C. · Egypt
The people behind your trip
Your guide
Sam
Sam is the only male guide on the SoFe team, and we just love him. Funny, attentive, and deeply passionate about Egypt, he has an Egyptology degree and 25 years of guiding behind him, and he’s won over SoFe travelers for the last eight years.
His favorite part of the trip is sailing down the Nile on the felucca. Expect a lot of laughs.
Founder
Amanda Black
After getting robbed as a backpacker, Amanda vowed no woman traveling alone should ever feel that stranded. Since 2018 and hundreds of group trips, she’s still keeping that promise.
Behind the scenes
Our operations team
You’ll see Sam on the ground. Behind him, our team follows every day of your trip to keep you safe and on track.
In their words
★★★★★ 4.7 on Trustpilot · Read all reviews
★★★★★
“The Egypt SoFe trip was life-changing, truly!”
Darlyne M.
Egypt
★★★★★
“How could a girl ever ask for more?”
Dani
Egypt
★★★★★
“I’m afraid of heights and I DID IT!!!”
Lyn L.
Egypt
Your Safety on tour
Never on your own, unless you want to be
“Sam made me feel very safe and he kept an eye on us at all times!”
Samantha · Egypt
An Egyptologist guide, every day
We meet you at the airport
Private transport, vetted routes
Pre-trip guides, so you land prepared
Guides who handle the hassle so you don’t have to
One guide in front, a whole team behind him
“Sam made me feel very safe and he kept an eye on us at all times!”
Samantha · Egypt
Choose your departure
$550 holds your spot
It comes off your total.
Pay at your pace
As much and as often as you like. Balance due 90 days out.
Plans change? Transfer for free
Move your spot to another date or trip with 90+ days’ notice.
Per person, USD · Other currencies at checkout · 🔒 Secure checkout with Stripe
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Questions women ask before booking
Is this trip right for me?
A night on a felucca. Our felucca is brand new, with individual beds, mosquito nets and western-style bathrooms. Sleeping on a boat might push your comfort zone, but it’s one of the best nights of the trip, and the boat stays docked and still all night.
Modest dress. Egypt is a conservative country. You don’t need to cover your hair, but loose clothes that cover your shoulders and knees are best in public.
Your guide is a man. Sam is the only male guide on the SoFe team, and our travelers adore him.
Some early starts. A few mornings start early to beat the heat and the crowds, including the 7:30am welcome meeting on day 2.
How active is this trip?
Moderate. Expect plenty of walking around temple complexes, often in the heat, with some stairs and uneven ground. Snorkeling the Blue Hole and sandboarding in Fayoum are part of the fun, and you can sit out anything you’re not up for.
You travel by private air-conditioned vehicle and three domestic flights, so there are no overnight bus rides.
Where do I arrive and leave from?
Arrive: Cairo International Airport (CAI), any time on day one. A VIP escort meets you with a SoFe sign, walks you through the visa and brings you to the hotel. Land by 3pm so you’re settled in time for the evening food tour.
Leave: Cairo (CAI). On the last morning you fly from Sharm El Sheikh back to Cairo, landing mid-morning, so book your flight home for 2pm or later.
Do I have to share a room?
Only if you want to. Twin-share rooms are included in the price, or you can upgrade to a private room. If you share, you’ll take our roommate compatibility quiz, built with a professional matchmaker and psychologist, and we pair you with someone who fits how you travel: early riser or night owl, social butterfly or quiet recharger.
Will we stay in the places shown on this page?
Usually, yes. These are the places we book. Now and then one is unavailable, and we swap it for a stay of the same standard or better.
Do I need a visa?
For most travelers, it’s easy. Most nationalities, including the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, can get a visa on arrival for $25 in cash, and your VIP escort walks you through the whole thing.
Requirements depend on your passport, so once you book, we’ll confirm exactly what you need.
Do I need travel insurance?
Yes, travel insurance is required for every traveler. When you book your spot, you can add a plan from our preferred insurance partner in a couple of clicks, or choose your own provider and add your policy details any time before departure.
What’s not included?
International flights.
Travel insurance, which is required.
Your Egypt visa, about $25.
Tips for your guide.
Your airport drop-off on the last day.
Optional extras, like Abu Simbel ($250) and the hot-air balloon ($275).
Meals and drinks not listed in the itinerary.
What if I need to cancel?
90 or more days before departure: we’ll transfer your deposit to another SoFe trip, any date or any destination. Or we’ll hold it for up to a year until you’re ready to choose.
Fewer than 90 days before departure: payments are non-refundable, so you’d claim through your travel insurance. That’s exactly what it’s there for.
How much luggage can I bring?
One checked bag and a carry-on. With three domestic flights, pack light enough to manage your own bag through airports and hotel lobbies.
Everything you need before you go
Visas, money and tipping, what to wear, and what to expect on the felucca.
Your spot is waiting.
From $4,550 · 12 days · Max 14 women · $550 holds your spot
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