11-day Egyptian Eclipse Trip (July 24–August 3, 2027)

Itinerary is subject to change. We will keep you updated. 

Because of extremely limited hotel space in Luxor, everyone must be double-occupancy in Luxor ONLY (you may be solo the rest of the trip). We will pair same gender.

On this trip, we are opting to travel by private bus between Aswan and Luxor for several reasons. We can stay longer at sites because we aren’t bound by the ship’s schedule, and the cruises do not get us into Luxor in time for the eclipse.

• 24 July – Cairo – Arrival Day – Welcome to Cairo! You’ll be met at the airport, escorted through Customs and Immigration, then whisked to your hotel in Giza where you’ll meet the rest of the group.

• 25 July – Giza – Black, Red, Step & Bent Pyramids – It’s off to Saqqara and Dahshur, where you’ll learn about the old pyramids…no, the Great Pyramid isn’t the oldest. By seeing the first pyramids ever built, you’ll learn how the ancients figured out the mathematics behind the structure of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

• 26 July – Giza – Great Pyramid and the new Grand Egyptian Museum – Now that we know a little about the old pyramids, we’ll explore the Great Pyramid, built by the Pharaoh Khufu, also known as Cheops. We’ll see where the Pharaohs and Queens were embalmed and we’ll even go into the burial chamber deep inside the Pyramid.

We’ll spend the heat of the afternoon exploring the new air-conditioned Grand Egyptian Museum plus view the 22 most important mummies of the Pharoahs, including: King Ramesses II, the most famous king of the modern state, King Seti II, son of King Merenptah, and Queen Ahmose Nefertari, and Queen Hapshepsut.

• 27 July – Cairo – Coptic and Islamic Cairo – We’ll learn how different religions, including Islam, Judaism and Christianity, influenced the Egyptian people through the millennia. We’ll see important historical places and learn about the people mentioned in the Koran, Torah and Bible. We’ll need this knowledge to help us understand the historical places we’ll soon be seeing.

• 28 July – Fly to Aswan – After landing, we’ll see Queen Hapshepsut’s unfinished obelisk, visit the Temple of Philae, and end the evening with a traditional sunset felucca ride under the Egyptian sky.

A felucca is a traditional Nubian sailboat.  Our Nubian hosts will entertain us with song and dance (yes, we’ll join in!). We’ll be offered traditional snacks, and they will offer handmade jewelry for sale that their own families made with semi-precious stones, crystals, and bone found in the Sahara Desert.

• 29 July – Kom Ombo and Edfu – We’ll visit the magnificent medical temple of Kom Ombo, a magnificent double temple honoring the gods Sobek and Haroesis.

You’ll explore the Temple of Horus, the falcon god. You’ll feel dwarfed next to soaring sandstone walls, covered in relief carvings and hieroglyphics. Thirty-two columns, each richly decorated, ring the colossal courtyard of the Grand Temple entranceway. We’ll pose with the gigantic statue of the god Horus, then we’ll have time to shop in the vendor’s stalls for authentic, locally made souvenirs.

• 30 July – Luxor Temple, Karnak and the Night Market – After breakfast, our first stop is the magnificent Karnak Temple, which is possibly the most impressive of all of the ancient Pharaohs’ monumental works. It’s one of the world’s most celebrated temple complexes, taking over 200 years to build. It was known as the “Chosen of Places.” Your jaw will drop as we walk the Avenue of Sphinxes, and the Great Temple of Amun, ponder the Obelisks of Queen Hatshepsut and Tutomosis III, and the stunning Temple of Amon, adorned with lotus and papyrus.

After lunch, you’ll explore the beautiful Luxor Temple close to sunset. This complex has been used as a place of worship right up until present day. We can still see the colossal Colonnade Hall, with 28 twenty-one-foot-high columns, undertaken by Tutankhamen around 1330 BC.   Think about that…you are going to touch the stones that King Tut touched, over 3300 years ago.

We’ll board chariots to take us back in time to the traditional, authentic Egyptian night market.  You’ll get a good glimpse of local life: the homes, shops, and streets of Luxor. Hundreds of stalls sell bread, vegetables, clothing, and more.

• 31 July – Dendera Temple – Located about 2.5 km southeast of Qena City, Dandara is one of the best preserved temple complexes in Egypt. Recently opened to the public, you’ll be among the first to visit the Sacred Lake, Sanatorium, Mammisi and view the only surviving image of the Pharaoh Cleopatra.  We’ll view the beautiful astronomical images on the ceiling and the mysterious reliefs in the crypt.

• 1 August – Hot Air Balloons, Valley of Kings, Queen Hapshepsut’s Temple and Colossi of Memnon  – We aren’t done with Luxor yet! You can opt for a sunrise Hot Air Balloon ride over the Luxor valley to welcome the day! You’ll see the lush green of the Nile Valley starkly contrasted with the red dunes of the Sahara Desert, ringed by mountains riddled with tombs.  You can see Karnak, Luxor, and Queen Hatshepsut’s temples from the balloon, as well as new discoveries that are currently being excavated.  If we are really lucky and the winds are just right, we’ll peek into the Valley of the Kings.

We want more than a peek, right? Let’s go to the royal burial site…the Valley of the Kings. The tombs of more than 60 pharaohs were hidden under the arid hills, richly decorated with hieroglyphs, reliefs and paintings, and filled with golden treasures to help them in the afterlife . King Tut’s tomb is always a highlight here…we’ve already seen his treasures, and now we’ll have the chance to see the Boy King. We’ve included the extra ticket to meet Tutankhamen. Yes, his mummy is still inside his tomb as of now…no one wants to risk the Curse of the Mummies!

We’ll go the Temple of Deir El Bahari and Queen Hapshepsut’s Temple today as well. Then it’s back to the hotel in time for a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow is the ECLIPSE!

• 2 August – Late breakfast, watch eclipse, fly back to Cairo, go to night market – Sleep in, the eclipse starts at 11:40 am. Totality will begin just after 1 pm, and you’ll be ready to watch and photograph the entire thing, including the 6-minute halo and “engagement ring” phase. Karen will make sure that your equipment is ready for the perfect shot! The eclipse completely ends at 2:26 pm. We’ll fly back to Cairo in the evening, checking in at the airport hotel. If you’re still up for adventure, we’ll go to the night market.

• 3 August – Departure Day – We’ll be at the airport hotel so you can rest and pack before your flight home. We never say goodbye at Blackwood Safaris–we say “See you next time!”  Or, you can extend your trip by joining us in Jordan to see Petra, Wadi Rum and the Perseid Meteor Showers in the darkest skies imaginable!

 

You’ll see, touch, and learn all about the history of ancient Egypt, from the first Pyramid to modern day architecture.

You can’t spend time in Egypt without immersing in the warm and welcoming culture of the Egyptian people. We’ll spend time with families and eat in local restaurants.  You will enjoy learning how daily life is lived in this part of the world.

Karen will be coaching photography on this trip.

Our Egyptian guides are Marwa, from Lower Egypt, and Eman, who is Bedouin.

Eman’s love of history and culture plus her firecracker personality have earned the respect of the male guides in Egypt. She endears herself to everyone she meets. She makes history come alive–there are no boring facts with this one! She weaves a tapestry of stories with her words, taking you back thousands of years until you are sitting at a Pharoah’s table.

Marwa is the master of logistics. Her knowledge of everything Egypt ensures that your trip goes smoothly, no matter what bumps might be in our road.

These two women are a formidable team, which is why Karen chooses to only travel with them.

While we are on the go and in our optional Photography Workshop, Karen will coach you in the use of your camera, help you set it up and customize your settings, and will make sure that your settings are right for all of the wonderful photographic moments we'll encounter until you know how to set your own settings. She'll make suggestions for "keeper" shots, teach how to take high-key and low-key shots, and to achieve other fun effects. Bring a stable tripod for night sky photos!

You'll go home with new confidence in your camera and your own ability to capture special moments, and tell special stories through photography.

Beginner to Pro. This is a once-in-our-lifetime trip–we won’t see an eclipse with a totality this long again until 2114. Cell phones and tablet cameras are welcome and Karen will show you how to maximize your shots. Bring a stable tripod for your camera for eclipse shots.

We have to be honest–it’s going to be HOT! Bring comfortable wicking clothing, a really good sun hat, a lightweight but sun-blocking scarf and a long-sleeved shirt to protect yourself from the sun. Additional tools: a spray fan, a cooling neckpiece, insulated water bottle, sun block. We’ll check the weather about a week ahead of your Egyptian Eclipse trip and email you so you can edit your packing list.

Speaking of Packing Lists, have you downloaded Karen’s Packing List, and her Travel Tips? Those documents really come in handy as checklists to keep you on track as you get ready for your travels! You don’t want to forget anything, and Karen’s Packing List covers everything you need.

We’ll do quite a bit of walking, but we’ll be moving at a slow pace. There are some hills and a couple of hikes on somewhat unstable footing, so you’ll want good shoes that offer support for this trip.

We take every precaution to keep you safe. Egypt is generally very safe for tourists. Tourist sites are heavily protected by police and military to ensure there are no incidents. Egypt has an agreement with the US that requires armed security to be with tourists, so we will have a security guard with us at all times outside of the hotel. 

Travel, Medical and Evacuation Insurance are MANDATORY for all Blackwood Safaris trips. We partner with several insurance companies that we have vetted for their reliability, but you are NOT required to purchase through our links. We do receive a small commission from our partners for sales. You can see information and links under our TRIP PLANNING tab.

This trip will be limited to 20 people maximum, not including Karen and our guides.

Egypt uses Type C outlets. Any universal travel adapter will have Type C included. Most electronics no longer require converters, as they can accept voltage from most major companies. Please check your own personal electronics to be certain, however.

Karen always brings her own power strip with USB ports so she only needs one adapter. Be sure your power strip has enough plugs for your laptop and battery chargers, and USB ports for your cell phone and other small devices.

Extra costs will include “photography permits” at certain sites, such as tombs in the Valley of the Kings. These average $2-3 USD and are for cameras other than cell phones/tablets.

The optional Hot Air Balloon ride over the Luxor Valley is $200, payable in cash at the beginning of the tour.

Personal purchases and souveniers are extra costs to you.

GRATUITIES FOR THE FOLLOWING ARE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKAGE:

• Guides
• Driver
• Security

GRATUITIES ARE NOT INCLUDED AS FOLLOWS, plan 10-15%:

• Waiters/Waitresses
• Bartenders
• Persons posing for photos for you ($1-5 depending on how long they pose)
• Guides outside of our provided guides
• Anyone not mentioned in “included”