Tour of Cairo from Luxor by Train with First Class Seat

The journey begins at 6pm when your driver picks you up from your Luxor hotel, transfers you to the train station, and completes all formalities. The trip to Cairo, in comfortable first-class seat, takes around 10 hours: you'll arrive at Giza station about 5am.

Your qualified Egyptologist tour guide will be waiting for you on the platform holding a sign with your name on it, ready to start your day tour with an early-morning visit to the Giza Pyramids, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. If you didn't eat on the train, there will be time to grab snacks or coffee, while your air-conditioned vehicle includes bottled water.

First, you'll get a close-up look at the three major pyramids: the tombs of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Then you'll stroll out into the desert for a stunning panoramic view of the pyramids silhouetted against the desert sands. See the Valley Temple, where the high priests mummified the corpse of King Khafre, and admire the mighty Sphinx. Capture more great images in front of this gigantic monumental sculpture with the body of a lion and the head of a human.

Enjoy an included lunch at a local restaurant before driving half an hour or so into the city of Cairo proper. Your first stop will be the Egyptian Antiquities Museum, home to what's considered the largest and most precious collection of ancient Egyptian art in the world: your guide will steer you to the highlights of its echoing halls.

Now, it's time to discover some of Cairo's more recent history with a trip to UNESCO-listed Old Cairo. You'll visit the ancient Coptic Christian Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, before finishing the day at a Cairo classic: the Khan al-Khalili bazaar. Shop for souvenirs or just soak up the atmosphere at this stunning medieval market before you drive back to Giza station. You'll arrive around 7pm, in good time for your train back.

Get a good night's sleep in your first-class seat before your representative collects you from Luxor station around 5am, and transfers you back to your hotel in Luxor.

Please note: the air-conditioning on the train can be quite powerful. A fleece is recommended.