Adventures of Luxor & Makadi Bay

Upon arrival in Luxor, you will be collected for your road transfer to your hotel in Luxor. Check in to El Gezira Garden Hotel. Nestled on Luxor’s serene West Bank, it is the perfect place to find tranquillity surrounded by trees and fragrant citrus fruits—ideal for unwinding after a day of riding and sightseeing. The hotel boasts amenities such as a swimming pool with sun loungers and a bar and provides air-conditioned rooms with Wi-Fi. Conveniently located just a 10-minute drive from the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut, the hotel offers accommodations with a simple yet cozy décor featuring warm colors. Each unit includes a private bathroom and a balcony with views of the pool, garden, or village. The El Gezira Garden Hotel will be your home from home for the next 4 nights.

As guests will be arriving at different times, we encourage everyone to arrive in the afternoon so that they can join the team for dinner at 8 PM. It’s a great way to meet your fellow adventurers as well as get to know your host and guides.

Welcome to Luxor, the home of Ride Egypt! This morning marks the start of your first horse adventures. A short tuk-tuk ride takes you to the stables, where you’ll discover a Bedouin-style yard built by local Egyptians on the West Bank of the Nile. Surrounded by lush plantation fields and with mountains as a backdrop, the stables are alive with the energy of happy horses, donkeys, and camels.

Your first ride is kept gentle and easy, giving you time to get acquainted with your horse before a full trail day ahead. You’ll ride through small villages shaded by palm trees, eventually reaching the River Nile. The waters here are wonderfully peaceful, with buffalo grazing lazily along the banks. After a couple of hours in the saddle, you’ll return to your hotel for lunch. Riding time is around two to three hours.

In the afternoon, you’ll step away from the saddle and dive into the ancient history that makes Luxor so extraordinary. Exploring the Valley of the Kings, you’ll begin to understand why this site was chosen as the burial place of Egypt’s New Kingdom pharaohs, who wished to rest closer to their dynastic roots in the south. Here, crypts were carved into the barren hillsides, creating what is now known as the Valley of the Kings – or Valley of the Dead.

OPTIONAL EXTRA: Visit the Valley of the Queens where the wives of pharaohs we buried in ancient times. Nefertiti’s tomb is considered of the most stunning tombs in Egypt, and although an expensive entry fee, this should not discourage visitors from witnessing such unimaginable beauty so well preserved.

Your first full day riding – prepare to fall in love with both Arabian and Baladi (local breed) horses who are famed for their beauty and endurance. These wonderful breeds are chosen for their ability to form a deep connection with humans, and they are good-natured, quick to learn, and eager to please. Longer trails allow you to experience the traditional country life, and you will see farmers working their fields just as their ancestors did. By mid-morning, you will be amazed by a panoramic view of Luxor as you ride behind the Valley of the Kings and to the top of Mount Thebes.

Lunch will be served at a local restaurant before riding past the Colossi of Memnon on the way home. The two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, who reigned in Egypt during the Dynasty XVIII, offer an incredible photo opportunity on horseback. They have stood in the Theban Necropolis for the past 3,400 years! Arrive back at the stables to say goodbye to the horses before heading back to the hotel for dinner.

Rise and shine for a 7 am departure, time for another tick off the bucket list for many visitors to Luxor – a visit to Madinet Habu Temple. Leaving the stables early, it will take about 2 hours to ride up to Habu Temple, passing through local villages and sugar cane fields. On arrival, you will dismount and tether the horses outside in the shade before heading inside this magnificent complex to explore and learn more about its fascinating history. Built as a mortuary temple for Ramses III (1186-1155 BC), one of the great pharaohs of ancient Egypt, Habu Temple was built on land that was considered to have magical powers by local farmers long before his time. Ramses often lived in the adjacent palace, but other deities resided at Medinet Habu permanently. During the Libyan invasions of the late Twentieth Dynasty, Medinet Habu sheltered the entire popular of Thebes.

Enjoy a light brunch after your visit, before riding back to the hotel to change for your afternoon adventures and a non-riding tour to the East Bank of Luxor, starting with the incredible Karnak Temple – the largest religious complex on the planet. Forget all you have come to expect regarding scale and space, and be astonished by the Temples of Amun-Ra. Your guides will be on hand to show you through the labyrinth and explain the purpose, meaning and history of the amazing ruins of Karnak and the open-air museum. Enter the Great Hypostyle Hall built by Seti I, father of Ramesses the Great – over 6000 sqm, 134 columns.

After Karnak, visit Luxor Temple, built mainly by the New Kingdom pharaohs Amenhotep III and Ramses II. The day concludes with a tour of the Luxor Museum – this wonderful museum boasts a well-chosen and brilliantly displayed collection of antiquities, dating from the end of the Old Kingdom to the Mamluk period, mostly gathered from the Theban temples and necropolis. This is one of the most rewarding sights in Luxor and one of the best museums in Egypt. This is your last evening in this region and you will finish your Luxor adventures with a belly dancing show and Egyptian BBQ dinner.

OPTIONAL ADD-ONS:

Guided Souk tour (free) / Sunrise Balloon Tour USD $150 / Private Boat Dinner on the Nile (Price on request)

No trip to Luxor would be complete without a sunrise balloon trail. This has become one of your most iconic rides! You’ll wake up early in the morning before sunrise and head off in the dark towards the Valley of the Kings. On arrival, you’ll be able to witness the colourful break of dawn as the sun rises and the balloons take flight. The riding tour then takes you up to the desert, where you can witness a kaleidoscope of magical skies and panoramic views of the farms and mountains.

After breakfast, you will have a road transfer to Hurghada. Your drive gives you a last glimpse of the River Nile before heading into the desert, ending with views of the shimmering Red Sea. Arriving around lunchtime, you will check in to your hotel, located just a few minutes from the stable and right on the beach. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure.

Full day trail ride with the “desert Arabians”. The horses in Hurghada are chosen for their forward-going nature and their ability to gallop endlessly in the deserts. This a superb day of riding including the beach, sea and deserts that Makadi is famous for. For those who want a full day out in the desert, you will be met by tuk-tuk and enjoy a picnic out in the desert, while the horses take a break and enjoy a snack of their own. For less experienced or fit riders there is an option to divide the day, riding two hours in the morning and then riding again in the afternoon with lunch at your hotel in between. In the evening, take in the breathtaking sunset over the Red Sea.

Today enjoy full day’s boat trip on the Red Sea. If you’re lucky, you may see dolphins, and tick off the bucket list experience of swimming with these majestic, playful creatures – a truly memorable experience! The area is also ideal for snorkeling and offers a chance to see the underwater beauty that hides beneath the surface and you’ll visit a few favourite snorkelling spots. Indulge in a fresh seafood lunch on board and have plenty of time to enjoy being out on the water. Then return to the hotel, blissfully tired after the day’s adventure.

A last bucket list activity – Swimming with horses in the Red Sea! This is a full morning ride with lots of exhilarating canters along the desert before arriving at the sea. On arrival, you’ll dismount and remove your saddle before splashing into the sea with your horse. The horses swimming and it is exhilarating feeling their muscles below you as they swim, plus lots of fun moments as they splash and play.

After your swim you’ll have some time to dry off in the warm sunshine before riding back to the hotel to freshen up. Check out is by 12:00 (late check-outs on request at the hotel) and then it’s time to head back to the airport to head home or continue with your travels.

OPTIONAL EXTENTIONS: 3 Nights Cairo & Fayoum / 3 Nights Awan & Abu Simbel (Price on request)