Tour Details
| Duration |
12 Days / 11 Nights |
|---|---|
| Tour Location |
Cairo / Aswan / Kom Ombo / Edfu / Luxor / Istanbul / Mount Nemrut / Gobeklitepe |
| Tour Type |
Daily Tour |
| Pickup |
Cairo Airport or Istanbul Airport |
Archaeological 12 Day Egypt and Turkey tour With Cruise, Gobeklitepe & Nemrut
This 12 day Egypt and Turkey tour is the only itinerary that combines a classic Nile Cruise through the heart of ancient Egypt with both Gobeklitepe, the world's oldest known temple complex, and the colossal stone heads of Mount Nemrut in southeastern Turkey. As one of our exclusive Egypt multi destination tours, it is designed for travelers passionate about archaeology and ancient civilizations, connecting two of history's greatest cultural landscapes in a single seamless vacation.
Your classic journey begins on Day 1 with a Nile Dinner Cruise in Cairo. Day 2 explores the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, and the Grand Egyptian Museum before flying to Aswan. On Days 3–6, sail the Nile from Aswan to Luxor, visiting the Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon. Day 7 returns to Cairo for the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Salah El-Din Citadel, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Al-Muizz Street, and Khan El-Khalili Bazaar before flying to Istanbul on Day 8.
Why Book This Tour
- The Only 12 Day Egypt & Turkey Tour Combining a Nile Cruise, Gobeklitepe & Mount Nemrut
- Private Licensed Egyptologist Throughout Egypt
- Private Licensed Local Guide Throughout Turkey
- Private Air-Conditioned Transportation Across Egypt
- Private Vehicle Transfers and Touring Throughout Turkey
- Stay in Comfortable Hotels Across Egypt
- Sail for 3 Nights on a Nile Cruise
- Comfortable Hotel Across Turkey
- Domestic Flights Included Within Egypt and Turkey
- Entrance Fees Included for All Scheduled Attractions
- Fully Customizable Itinerary with 24/7 Travel Support
Included
- Meet and assist with the Tripidays representative at the airports
- 2 Nights of accommodations in Cairo hotel
- 1 Night of accommodations in Aswan hotel
- 3 Nights of accommodations on a Nile Cruise
- 1 Night of accommodations in Luxor hotel
- 3 Nights accommodation in Istanbul hotel
- 1 Night accommodation in Sanliurfa hotel
- Professional Tour Guides throughout your tours in Egypt and Turkey
- Private Air-Conditioned Transportation
- Domestic Flight tickets Cairo → Aswan, Luxor → Cairo, Istanbul → Adiyaman, Sanliurfa → Istanbul
- Entrance fees to all attractions mentioned in the Itinerary
- One free bottle of water during the tours
- Meals are provided as mentioned in the itinerary
- Our assistance during your stay
Excluded
- International Flights to Egypt and Home from Turkey
- The Cairo → Istanbul international flight
- Egypt Entry Visa
- Turkey e-Visa (Where Applicable)
- Travel Insurance
- Personal Expenses
- Tips and Gratuities
- Optional Tours and Activities
Highlights
Giza Attractions
- Pyramids of Giza
- The Great Sphinx
- Valley Temple of Khafre
- Grand Egyptian Museum
Aswan Attractions
- Aswan High Dam
- Unfinished Obelisk
- Philae Temple
- Kom Ombo Temple
- Edfu Temple
Luxor Attractions
- Luxor Temple
- Karnak Temple
- Valley of the Kings
- Hatshepsut Temple
- Colossi of Memnon
Cairo Attractions
- National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
- Salah El-Din Citadel
- Mohamed Ali Mosque
- Al-Muizz Street
- Khan El-Khalili Bazaar
Istanbul Attractions
- Hagia Sophia
- Blue Mosque
- Topkapi Palace
- The Grand Bazaar
- The Hippodrome
Adiyaman Attractions
- The Arsameia
- The Karakuş Tumulus
- The Cendere Bridge
- The Mount Nemrut
Sanliurfa Attractions
- The Sanliurfa Archaeological Museum
- The Gobeklitepe
- The Balikligol
Itinerary

A private representative welcomes you at Cairo International Airport and escorts you by private air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel. After time to relax, your first evening in Egypt begins with a memorable dinner cruise along the Nile.

Nile Dinner Cruise
Stepping aboard the elegant riverboat, the Nile Dinner Cruise introduces you to Cairo from the water as the city's illuminated skyline reflects across the Nile. During the two-hour cruise, you enjoy dinner while live entertainment creates the perfect welcome to Egypt.

Meals
Dinner

After breakfast, your private Egyptologist guide takes you across the Giza Plateau before visiting the Grand Egyptian Museum. In the evening, you board your flight to Aswan to begin your Nile adventure.

Pyramids of Giza
Arriving at the legendary Pyramids of Giza, your first view is the Great Pyramid dominating the desert horizon. Built from around 2.3 million limestone blocks, it remains the only surviving Wonder of the Ancient World.

The Great Sphinx
A short walk brings you face-to-face with the Great Sphinx, whose massive limestone body stretches 73 meters across the sands while guarding the pyramids after more than 4,500 years.

Grand Egyptian Museum
Inside the spectacular Grand Egyptian Museum, your guide introduces galleries displaying thousands of priceless treasures, including the complete collection of more than 5,000 artifacts recovered from Tutankhamun's tomb.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, your guide introduces Aswan's remarkable monuments before you board your Nile Cruise, beginning a timeless journey north toward Luxor. If you're planning a faster itinerary, consider our shorter Egypt & Turkey with Abu Simbel, which includes the magnificent temples of Ramses II while reducing the overall trip length.

Aswan High Dam
Standing atop the impressive Aswan High Dam, you overlook Lake Nasser, one of the world's largest artificial lakes. Completed in 1970, the dam transformed Egypt's agriculture and protected the Nile Valley from annual flooding.

Unfinished Obelisk
Walking through the ancient granite quarry, the enormous Unfinished Obelisk still rests where ancient craftsmen abandoned it. Had it been completed, it would have reached nearly 42 meters in height.

Philae Temple
A short boat ride takes you to the beautiful Philae Temple on Agilkia Island, where the Temple of Isis was carefully reconstructed stone by stone after the creation of Lake Nasser.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

As your cruise sails north, it reaches Kom Ombo for a morning visit before continuing along one of the Nile's most scenic stretches.

Kom Ombo Temple
Standing directly beside the Nile, Kom Ombo Temple is Egypt's only perfectly symmetrical double temple, dedicated equally to Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus the Elder.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, you travel by horse-drawn carriage to Edfu Temple before returning to your cruise and sailing toward Luxor, where the city's ancient sanctuary awaits beneath the evening lights.

Edfu Temple
Your guide leads you through the magnificent Edfu Temple, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Dedicated to Horus, it was constructed between 237 and 57 BC during the Ptolemaic period.

Luxor Temple
As darkness falls, the illuminated Luxor Temple reveals its towering columns and monumental statues. The famous Avenue of Sphinxes stretches northward, connecting the temple with Karnak.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Following breakfast, you disembark from your Nile Cruise and spend the day exploring the treasures of ancient Thebes with your private Egyptologist before checking into your Luxor hotel. If you'd like to add Siwa Oasis to your Egypt & Turkey ancient wonders journey, our 15-day itinerary extends this archaeological adventure beyond the Nile Valley to Egypt's legendary Western Desert before continuing to Turkey.

Karnak Temple
Exploring the vast Karnak Temple Complex, you walk through colossal columns, sacred lakes, towering obelisks, and monumental gateways created by generations of pharaohs over more than two thousand years.

Valley of the Kings
Hidden within the Theban cliffs, the famous Valley of the Kings reveals beautifully decorated royal tombs where Egypt's New Kingdom pharaohs prepared for eternity. More than sixty royal tombs have been discovered here.

Hatshepsut Temple
Built against the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari, the elegant Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut rises across three impressive terraces, celebrating the achievements of Egypt's greatest female pharaoh.

Colossi of Memnon
Before leaving Luxor's West Bank, you stop beside the towering Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues of Amenhotep III that have stood watch over the Theban plain for more than 3,400 years.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, you fly back to Cairo, where your guide introduces you to the city's Islamic heritage before ending the day in its vibrant medieval markets.

National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
Inside the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, you journey through Egypt's complete history while visiting the celebrated Royal Mummies Hall, home to many of the country's greatest rulers.

Salah El-Din Citadel
Standing high above Cairo, Salah El-Din Citadel has guarded the capital since the 12th century and remains one of the finest examples of medieval Islamic military architecture.

Mohamed Ali Mosque
Dominating the citadel skyline, the magnificent Mohamed Ali Mosque showcases elegant Ottoman architecture with its soaring domes and graceful twin minarets.

Al-Muizz Street
Walking along historic Al-Muizz Street, you pass centuries-old mosques, madrasas, palaces, and traditional houses that preserve the architectural heritage of Fatimid Cairo.

Khan El-Khalili Bazaar
The colorful lanes of Khan El-Khalili Bazaar invite you to browse handcrafted souvenirs, spices, jewelry, textiles, and traditional Egyptian treasures inside one of the Middle East's oldest marketplaces.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, you transfer to Cairo International Airport for your flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival, a local representative welcomes you and escorts you to your hotel, leaving the remainder of the day free to begin discovering Turkey. Travelers looking for a broader Egypt & Turkey experience in 13 days can choose an extended itinerary that includes additional cultural landmarks and more time exploring both destinations.

Meals
Breakfast

After breakfast, your private guide introduces the remarkable monuments of Istanbul's Old City, where Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations shaped one of the world's greatest capitals.

Hagia Sophia
Entering magnificent Hagia Sophia, you stand beneath its soaring central dome, an architectural masterpiece that has inspired visitors for nearly fifteen centuries.

Blue Mosque
The elegant Blue Mosque welcomes you with six graceful minarets and an interior decorated with more than 20,000 hand-painted İznik tiles.

The Hippodrome
Your guide reveals the fascinating history of the ancient Hippodrome of Constantinople, where emperors once watched thrilling chariot races surrounded by monumental obelisks.

Topkapi Palace
Exploring Topkapi Palace, you wander through imperial courtyards, royal chambers, and the famous Imperial Treasury, once home to the Ottoman sultans.

The Grand Bazaar
You conclude the day inside the legendary Grand Bazaar, where thousands of traditional shops fill its covered streets with Turkish crafts, spices, carpets, jewelry, and leather goods.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch

Following an early flight, you travel through southeastern Turkey, Adiyaman, to explore the remarkable legacy of the ancient Kingdom of Commagene before reaching Mount Nemrut for sunset.

Cendere Bridge
Crossing historic Cendere Bridge, you admire one of Turkey's finest surviving Roman bridges, constructed nearly 2,000 years ago without mortar.

Karakus Tumulus
The impressive Karakus Tumulus stands as the royal burial monument of the queens and princesses of Commagene, identified by its distinctive eagle-topped column.

Arsameia
At the ancient city of Arsameia, your guide explains how this former summer capital served the powerful rulers of the Kingdom of Commagene during the 3rd century BC.

Mount Nemrut
Reaching the summit of Mount Nemrut at sunset, you stand among the colossal stone heads of ancient gods and kings overlooking the surrounding mountains from 2,134 meters above sea level.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, your guide introduces the remarkable archaeological heritage of Sanliurfa before your afternoon flight returns you to Istanbul.

Gobeklitepe
Standing among the remarkable stone pillars of Göbeklitepe, you visit the world's oldest known temple complex, dating to around 9600 BC and predating Stonehenge by almost six thousand years.

Sanliurfa Archaeological Museum
Inside the impressive Şanlıurfa Archaeological Museum, you discover extraordinary artifacts from southeastern Turkey, including the famous Urfa Man statue, one of the world's oldest life-sized human sculptures.

Balikligol
Your journey continues to peaceful Balıklıgöl, the sacred Pools of Abraham, where protected carp swim beneath centuries-old traditions surrounded by historic mosques and gardens.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, you transfer to Istanbul Airport for your departure flight, bringing your unforgettable journey through the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Turkey to a memorable conclusion.

Meals
Breakfast
* You can let us know if you'd like to customize your tour itinerary to meet your needs. We value your input and aim to accommodate your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is the only Egypt & Turkey tour that combines a 4 day Nile Cruise through Upper Egypt with both Göbeklitepe, the world's oldest known temple complex dating to around 9600 BC, and the monumental stone heads of Mount Nemrut. It connects the civilizations of the ancient Pharaohs with two of Turkey's greatest archaeological sites in one seamless itinerary.
The tour includes a comfortable accommodation, a 4 day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor, private airport transfers, private sightseeing tours, a licensed Egyptologist and local guides, domestic flights within Egypt and Turkey, entrance fees to the attractions listed in the itinerary, and selected daily meals. The international flight between Cairo and Istanbul is not included.
The Egypt leg covers Cairo, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor. Highlights include the Pyramids of Giza, Great Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum, Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Salah El-Din Citadel, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Al-Muizz Street, and Khan El-Khalili Bazaar.
The Turkey itinerary begins in Istanbul, where you'll visit Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar. The journey continues to the ancient Kingdom of Commagene with visits to Cendere Bridge, Karakuş Tumulus, Arsameia, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mount Nemrut, before concluding in Şanlıurfa with Göbeklitepe, the Şanlıurfa Archaeological Museum, and Balıklıgöl.
Göbeklitepe is the world's oldest known temple complex, dating to around 9600 BC, making it more than 6,000 years older than Stonehenge and thousands of years older than the Egyptian pyramids. Visiting this UNESCO World Heritage Site offers a rare opportunity to explore one of the earliest monumental religious sites ever built by humanity.



























































































































































