Egypt’s Deluxe Edition – Cairo, Bahariya Oasis, Black & White Deserts and Luxor

Welcome to Cairo! You will have a “meet & greet” at the aiport, and your host will help you with your bags and introduce to you to your driver. Then you’ll have a transfer to your hotel, overlooking the Great Pyramids of Giza. Enjoy some time to settle in, relax, have a spa treatment (at your own expense), and enjoy the breathtaking views from the verandah. In the evening you’ll meet your guide and fellow travellers. Your host is Emma, originally from the UK but has been living in Egypt for over seven years. Her team will take you off the beaten path, away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist sights, and give you a unique, local perspective on life in Egypt. This is a truly authentic experience and the best way to experience this incredible country!

Start your holiday off with a relaxed morning and a buffet breakfast. You will be picked up from your hotel and head to the great Giza Pyramids for your first ride of the trip; a bucket-list moment! Feel the rush as you gallop across the golden sands of the Sahara desert atop a stunning and powerful Arabian horse. This ride is exhilarating and offers once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunities of you riding in front of the pyramids.  Ride time is approximately 2 hours. After your epic horse ride, you’ll have the opportunity to join an Egyptologist and explore the history, culture and magic of these wondrous monuments on foot.

After the tour, you will visit a local restaurant for an authentic Egyptian lunch before heading back to the hotel for a quick refresh. A driver will pick you up for the 1.5 hour transfer to Bahariya. Check in and enjoy a sumptious dinner.

Today the adventure steps up a gear as you ride deep into the Black Desert, known locally as Bahariya. Golden sands stretch endlessly, broken by dark volcanic hills that rise like silent guardians. This is a landscape built for speed, wide open, thrilling, alive.

The Arabians surge forward into long, powerful gallops, hooves drumming the desert floor, manes flying in the wind. The rhythm is addictive, a perfect harmony between rider and horse as the horizon rushes towards you. We pause for a picnic lunch in the stillness of the desert, before riding on again, tracing valleys and open plains until the light begins to soften.

As night falls, the pace slows. A campfire is lit, music and laughter drift into the night, and the desert sky, crowded with stars, becomes your ceiling. Enjoy dinner under the stars before heading back to your lodge.

Tomorrow, the scenery transforms completely, as the golden tones of the Black Desert give way to the surreal, chalky formations of the White Desert.

If the Black Desert is fierce and raw, the White Desert is a dreamscape. Here wind and time have sculpted the limestone into strange and beautiful forms — mushrooms, towers, and frozen waves of stone. Riding at speed between them is like threading through another world, your horse carrying you in bursts of canter and gallop across the glowing white ground.

You will stop for lunch surrounded by these natural sculptures before riding on into the afternoon. As the sun sets, you may return to the comfort of the lodge, or choose something truly unforgettable: camping overnight beneath the stars.

Camping in the White Desert is an experience like no other. After the horses return home, the silence deepens. The limestone formations glow silver in the moonlight, their strange shapes casting long shadows across the sand. A fire is lit, dinner is served beneath a sky ablaze with stars, and the stillness of the desert feels almost sacred. You fall asleep on soft sand, wrapped in the magic of one of the most extraordinary landscapes on earth. The desert dawn brings new adventures, blending ancient knowledge with modern thrills.

The camping is at an extra cost and paid locally, but highly recommended!

Morning greets you gently in the White Desert. Waking beneath a canvas of endless sky, the formations around you are bathed in soft golden light, a scene that feels almost unreal. After a simple camp breakfast, the day begins with exploration alongside Bedouin guides whose families have lived here for generations, sharing stories and hidden corners of their desert home.

Later, the tempo rises. 4×4 jeeps roar over the dunes, laughter follows as you sandboard down golden slopes, and finally there is the bliss of sinking into a natural hot spring, easing muscles after days of adrenaline-fuelled riding.

We return to the lodge for a refreshing shower and lunch before the onward drive back to Cairo. You leave with dust on your boots, warmth in your heart, and the memory of the desert’s wild gallops still echoing inside you.

Enjoy an authentic Egyptian breakfast overlooking the Pyramids from your hotel and a relaxing morning at the pool. For those wanting a bit of indulgence, this might be the perfect time for that spa treatment (at your own cost)

You will stop for lunch before visiting the newly inaugurated Grand Egyptian Museum, one of the largest archaeological museums in the world, showcasing a vast collection of artifacts spanning ancient Egyptian history. Visitors can expect to see treasures such as the belongings of King Tutankhamun and other iconic artifacts that have been meticulously preserved and displayed for public viewing.

After the morning activities, you will catch a short flight to Luxor, then check into your hotel for the evening (Flight not included)

Today you have the opportunity to choose your adventure. We have created two experiences for returning guests who do not wish to sightsee again but would rather dedicate their time with us to being in the saddle and those new to Luxor and wish to combine both riding and sightseeing into their stay. Option one is a non-riding tour of The Valley of the Kings, an Egyptian-styled lunch, and an introductory Luxor ride. Option two is a full-day trail ride in The Valley of the Kings with an Egyptian-styled lunch.

The Valley of the Kings, located on the remote west banks of the Nile, is where some of the most important pharaohs in Egyptian history built their crypts. Some of those pharaohs include Tutankhamun, or “The Boy King”, and Hatshepsut, one of the most successful and well-known women pharaohs in Egyptian history. The valley contains hundreds of beautifully painted and carefully sculpted limestone tombs with chambers filled with treasures for pharaohs to take to the afterlife. Discovered in 1922 by Howard Carter, this incredible site has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Explore these sites with a private, local Egyptologist, or see them through the ears of your trusty steed.

After a day of discovery or a thrilling desert ride, enjoy a delicious dinner and an evening belly dancing lesson on the Nile.

Today you will have the option of non-riding tours plus a sunset ride or a full day of riding. On the non-riding tour option, you will have the opportunity to discover the Karnak Temple and the Luxor Museum followed by lunch, then a gorgeous sunset ride to the Colossi of Memnon and Mount Thebes. On the full-day riding tour option, experience the nobility and sure-footedness of the Arabian and Balady (a local breed) horses in a stunning desert ride, finished off with a sunset excursion.

The Karnak Temple is one of the largest and most important religious complexes in ancient Egyptian history. The temple has been ever-changing for hundreds of years as pharaohs added their own tombs and constructions. The various architectural, artistic, and cultural details make it an invaluable piece of Egyptian history and evolution.

The Luxor Museum houses a brilliant display of antiques, artistic masterpieces, and ancient artefacts mostly gathered from Theban temples. The museum’s collection includes pieces dating back to the Old Kingdom and all the way through the Mamluk period.

As the sun begins to set, experience the mighty, towering statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, or the “colossi” from horseback. The 18m (60ft) sandstone statues once stood guardian to Amenhotep’s mortuary complex before it was claimed by Egypt’s floods and earthquakes. Continue on to the top of Mount Thebes as the sun settles and casts beautiful shadows over the sacred sands of the valley.

After a full day of activities, return to town for an authentic Egyptian dinner.

The sunrise balloon trail ride is one of Luxor’s most iconic experiences. Rise before the sun, saddle up, and head out into the quiet desert. Witness a breathtaking kaleidoscope of colours as the sun peaks over the horizon and catches the colourful balloons, gently rising above the dark sands like floating lanterns. (Note: this is weather dependent)

After a picturesque morning, you will return to the hotel for a delicious breakfast. Enjoy a few hours of relaxation at the hotel before checking out at 12h00. Late check-outs are available upon request, for an extra fee.