- Duration8 Days / 7 Nights
- Tour typePrivate tour
- StartsMeet and assist at Cairo International Airport
- PriceFrom $1,290 per person based on 6+ travellers
OverviewItineraryWhat’s includedPricesFAQ
Tour Overview
Easter in Egypt 2027 brings together two very different celebrations, and this 8-day private tour lets you choose either. Western Easter Sunday falls on 28 March 2027 and Coptic Orthodox Easter on 2 May 2027, followed the next day by Sham El-Nessim, the spring festival Egyptians have marked since pharaonic times. You start in Cairo with the Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the ancient churches of Coptic Cairo, then fly south for a 5★ Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, finishing among the temples and royal tombs of ancient Thebes.
We time the trip so that Easter Sunday lands on your third day, which we spend in Coptic Cairo. Here the Hanging Church, the Church of St Sergius and the Ben Ezra Synagogue sit inside the walls of the old Roman fortress of Babylon. If you would like to attend a service, we will help you find one that suits you, whether that is a Coptic Orthodox liturgy or a Western Easter service at one of Cairo’s Anglican or Catholic churches. Your guide will explain the etiquette and what to wear beforehand.
Easter is a busy time to travel in Egypt. The spring weather is pleasant, schools in Europe and Egypt are on holiday, and flights, cruise cabins and good hotels fill early, so booking a few months ahead is wise. The Easter dates are already priced in, so there is no holiday surcharge on top of the rates shown. As always, Nile cruise sailing times are set by the ship and the river authorities, and we simply adjust the order of sightseeing if they change.
Highlights
- Easter Sunday in Coptic Cairo, with help to attend a service if you wish
- Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum
- Three nights on a 5★ Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, full board
- Philae, Kom Ombo and Edfu temples with your private Egyptologist
- Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s temple and Karnak in Luxor
- Runs for Western Easter (28 March) or Coptic Easter (2 May) 2027
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive in Cairo
Our representative meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo International Airport, helps you through the visa desk if you need it, and takes you by private car to your 4★ hotel. Depending on when you land, the rest of the day is yours to rest after the journey. In the evening your guide calls in to say hello, talk you through the week ahead and answer any questions about Easter services, what to wear and anything else on your mind.
Meals: None
Day 2 – Pyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum
After breakfast you drive out to the Giza Plateau with your private Egyptologist. You walk around the Great Pyramid of Khufu and the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, enjoy the view from the panoramic point, then stand before the Sphinx and its Valley Temple. The afternoon is spent at the Grand Egyptian Museum, where the Tutankhamun galleries show his complete burial treasure. On the Coptic Easter departure you can join the Saturday night Easter vigil at a Cairo church.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3 – Easter Sunday in Coptic Cairo
Today is Easter Sunday. If you choose a morning service, your driver takes you there and collects you afterwards. Later you explore Coptic Cairo with your guide: the Hanging Church raised above a Roman gatehouse, the Church of St Sergius where tradition says the Holy Family sheltered, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. In the afternoon you meet the royal mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, then finish the day wandering the lanes of Khan el-Khalili.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 4 – Fly to Aswan & Board Your Nile Cruise
After an early breakfast you transfer to the airport for the short domestic flight to Aswan. Your guide meets you and you visit the High Dam, then take a small motorboat across to the island temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis. You board your 5★ Nile cruise in time for lunch. On the Coptic Easter departure today is Sham El-Nessim, so expect families picnicking along the riverbanks and a cheerful holiday mood all over town.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 – Aswan, Optional Abu Simbel & Kom Ombo
If you would like to see the great temples of Ramses II and Nefertari, you can take the optional early trip to Abu Simbel. It is a long road journey of roughly three and a half hours each way, and convoy times are set by the authorities, so we cannot fix them in advance. Everyone else enjoys a relaxed morning and a felucca sail around Elephantine Island. The ship then sails north to Kom Ombo, where you visit the double temple of Sobek and Haroeris.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 – Edfu Temple & Sail to Luxor
In the morning a horse carriage or minibus takes you from the quay to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, the best preserved temple in Egypt, with its towering pylon and dark inner sanctuary still roofed. Back on board, you spend a lazy afternoon on the sun deck as the ship passes through the lock at Esna and continues towards Luxor. In the evening, if the ship arrives in good time, your guide takes you to see Luxor Temple lit up after dark.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7 – Valley of the Kings & Karnak
After breakfast you disembark and cross to the West Bank. At the Valley of the Kings your ticket covers three tombs, with Tutankhamun’s tomb available as an extra. You continue to the terraced Temple of Hatshepsut and stop at the Colossi of Memnon. In the afternoon you explore the vast temple complex of Karnak, walking through the Great Hypostyle Hall and its forest of 134 columns, before checking in to your 4★ hotel in Luxor for the night.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 – Fly to Cairo & Depart
Enjoy a slow breakfast and some free time, perhaps by the hotel pool or with a stroll along the Corniche to watch the feluccas. At the agreed time your driver takes you to Luxor Airport for the flight to Cairo, where you connect with your international flight home. If you would rather not rush back, we can easily add extra nights in Luxor, in Cairo or on the Red Sea coast before you leave Egypt.
Meals: Breakfast
Good to know: Two departures: Western Easter (Easter Sunday 28 March 2027) and Coptic Orthodox Easter (Easter Sunday 2 May 2027). Prices already include the Easter season.
What’s Included
Included
- 3 nights in a 4★ hotel in Cairo with breakfast
- 3 nights on a 5★ Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor, full board
- 1 night in a 4★ hotel in Luxor with breakfast
- Domestic flights Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo
- Private Egyptologist guide for all sightseeing
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for all transfers and tours
- Airport meet and assist on arrival and departure
- Entry fees to all sites listed in the itinerary
- Help arranging attendance at an Easter church service
- Lunches on sightseeing days in Cairo and Luxor
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- International flights
- Egypt entry visa
- Optional Abu Simbel trip
- Tutankhamun’s tomb in the Valley of the Kings and pyramid interiors
- Drinks with meals
- Tips for guides, drivers and cruise staff
- Travel insurance
- Personal spending
Prices
| Group size | Price per person |
|---|---|
| Single traveller | $2,230 |
| 2 travellers | $1,590 |
| 3–5 travellers | $1,420 |
| 6+ travellers | $1,290 |
Per person in USD. Easter dates are already priced in, with no holiday surcharge. Child prices depend on age and the services included – ask us for a child price before you book.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Easter does this tour follow?
Either. Western Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027 and Coptic Orthodox Easter Sunday is 2 May 2027, with Sham El-Nessim on Monday 3 May. Tell us which you would like and we arrange your dates so that Easter Sunday falls on day three in Cairo. You can also travel on other dates around Easter if that works better for you.
Can I attend an Easter church service in Cairo?
Yes. We can help you attend a Coptic Orthodox service, including the late Saturday night vigil for Coptic Easter, or a Western Easter service at one of Cairo’s Anglican or Catholic churches. Your driver takes you there and back. Services can be very crowded, so your guide will advise on arrival times, modest dress and how to follow the liturgy respectfully.
Is there an extra charge for travelling at Easter?
No. Our usual holiday surcharge for Easter does not apply here, because this tour is built around the holiday and the Easter dates are already priced in. The rates you see are the rates you pay per person. Hotels, flights and cruise cabins do fill up quickly over Easter, so we recommend booking a few months ahead.
How do I pay for the tour?
Because this package includes hotels, domestic flights and a Nile cruise, we ask for a deposit to secure those bookings once you confirm. The balance is then paid on arrival in Egypt. We will send you the exact amount and payment details when we confirm your dates, and you are welcome to ask us any questions before you commit.
What is the weather like in Egypt at Easter?
Late March is lovely, with Cairo in the low to mid twenties Celsius and Luxor and Aswan a few degrees warmer. By early May it is noticeably hotter, often in the mid thirties in the south, so we plan temple visits for the morning. Bring sun protection, a hat and a light layer for cool evenings on the river.
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Want to combine tours or change anything? Contact us or message us on WhatsApp and we will tailor it for you.
