Private experiences
Choose a place, follow a fascination, or simply begin. Every experience is private and can become part of a longer journey.
01Stand before the last surviving wonder of the ancient world with a private Egyptologist who brings its builders to life. Walk around the Great Pyramid, Khafre and Menkaure, then step back to the panoramic desert viewpoint for the classic sweep of all three. Finish face to face with the Great Sphinx and its valley temple as the light turns gold. A relaxed, unhurried introduction to Giza, shaped around your pace and your questions.
02Pair Egypt’s most famous skyline with its newest landmark in one seamless private day. Begin on the Giza Plateau with the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx, explored with expert context rather than a rushed checklist. Then step into the Grand Egyptian Museum, home to the complete Tutankhamun collection and the colossal statue of Ramesses II. It is the ancient story told twice: once in stone on the desert edge, once in breathtaking modern galleries.
03Travel south of Cairo to where the age of the pyramids truly began. At Saqqara, see Djoser’s Step Pyramid, the world’s oldest monumental stone building, and richly carved noble tombs. In Memphis, Egypt’s first capital, meet the giant fallen statue of Ramesses II in a quiet palm-grove museum. End at Dahshur with the Bent and Red Pyramids, where you can often explore with barely another visitor in sight.
04Discover a thousand years of Cairo in one rich day, beginning with the Royal Mummies Room and its pharaohs. Wander through Coptic Cairo’s ancient churches, then climb to Salah El Din’s Citadel and the domed Mohamed Ali Mosque. Descend into El Moez Street, an open-air museum of Islamic architecture lined with mosques and sabils. Close the day in the lanes of Khan El Khalili, with mint tea, spices and lantern-lit stalls.
05Journey north to Egypt’s Mediterranean city, founded by Alexander the Great and shaped by Greeks, Romans and poets. Explore the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, a haunting blend of Egyptian and Roman art carved deep underground. Visit the towering Roman Pillar, then walk the walls of Qaitbay Citadel where the ancient Pharos lighthouse once stood. End at the striking Bibliotheca Alexandria, a modern tribute to the greatest library of the ancient world.
06Experience Luxor’s two great temples as the afternoon softens into evening. At Karnak, walk among the 134 giant columns of the Hypostyle Hall, the largest religious complex ever built. Follow the ancient Avenue of Sphinxes toward Luxor Temple, rising elegantly beside the Nile in the heart of the city. Stay as the sandstone glows amber and the lights come on, revealing carvings in a completely different mood.
07Cross the Nile to the land of the dead, where pharaohs carved their eternal homes into desert cliffs. In the Valley of the Kings, enter beautifully painted royal tombs with an Egyptologist explaining every scene. Visit the dramatic terraced temple of Queen Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s few female pharaohs, set against towering rock. Pause at the Colossi of Memnon, two giant guardians that have watched over the fields for 3,400 years.
08Rise silently into the sky over Luxor as the sun appears above the eastern desert. Drift above the West Bank’s temples, villages, sugarcane fields and the shining ribbon of the Nile. Watch dozens of colorful balloons float around you in the soft pink morning light, an unforgettable sight from above. Includes hotel pickup, a short boat crossing, flight certificate and a gentle return before breakfast.
09Discover Aswan’s beauty on land and water in one easy, memorable day. Take a private boat to Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis and rescued stone by stone onto its own island. See the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying in its granite quarry and revealing how ancient Egyptians cut giant monuments. Then sail to a colorful Nubian village for tea, local hospitality, music and the warm traditions of southern Egypt.
10Travel by private car across the open Nubian desert to one of the most spectacular sites on earth. Stand before the four colossal statues of Ramesses II, carved directly into the mountain on the shores of Lake Nasser. Step inside the Great Temple and the Temple of Nefertari, filled with vivid carvings of battles and gods. Learn how the entire complex was moved, block by block, to save it from rising waters — an engineering marvel.
11Escape Cairo for a private day in Fayoum, Egypt’s green oasis bordered by golden desert. Stand beside the Wadi El Rayan waterfalls, the only falls in Egypt, then reach the turquoise Magic Lake framed by tall dunes. Try sandboarding down the slopes or simply watch the colors of the water change with the light. End in Tunis Village, a peaceful hillside community famous for its handmade pottery and lake views.
12Head deep into the Western Desert by private 4x4 on an unforgettable overnight safari. Cross the volcanic hills of the Black Desert, stop at the shimmering quartz of Crystal Mountain, and soak in Bahariya’s hot springs. Arrive in the White Desert as sunset paints its giant chalk sculptures in shades of gold and pink. Share a Bedouin dinner by the campfire, then sleep beneath one of the clearest, starriest skies on earth.