Gallery
Egypt Tour 10 Days “Glory of the Gods”: Abu Simbel + Grand Egyptian Museum
Our glory of the gods circuit is the signature 10-day journey we built for lovers of archaeology, mythology and the great temples of Egypt. This Egypt tour 10 days gathers EVERY pharaonic must-see into a single itinerary: the pyramids of Giza, the great egyptian museum (GEM) that opened in 2024, the necropolis of Memphis Saqqara, a 5★ Nile cruise calling at Karnak Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae Aswan, then the majestic Abu Simbel, INCLUDED rather than sold as a paid extra the way our competitors do. At £1,760 for the Essential formula, it is the keenest priced egypt temples tour over 10 days with Abu Simbel included that you will find on the English-speaking market.
Why the name “Glory of the Gods”? Because each day of this pharaonic tour honours one of the pantheon's great deities: Re, the sun, at Abu Simbel; Amun at Karnak; Hathor with the optional Dendera visit; Isis at Philae; Osiris at Memphis; Ptah at Saqqara; Horus at Edfu; Sobek at Kom Ombo. This Egypt trip 10 days is as much about theology as archaeology: your dedicated English-speaking Egyptologist unpacks the Heliopolitan creation story, the myth of Osiris, burial rites, hieroglyphs, temples aligned to the sun and the doctrines of the Ramesside kings. Rather than touring ruins, you walk through a pantheon that is still alive.
This cairo luxor aswan tour keeps an unhurried rhythm (no more than 2 sites a day, with time for a siesta between 1pm and 4pm when the heat peaks) yet takes in MORE sites than the usual 8-day tours. Worth noting: Memphis and Saqqara (the step pyramid of Djoser, the oldest in Egypt, 2650 BC) tend to be dropped from shorter circuits; here they get the whole of day 3. Likewise Abu Simbel: the return flight from Aswan (45 min each way) and a guided visit of the 2 temples come as standard, not as a +£140 supplement as with Salaun or TUI. As for the GEM, we give it 3-4 hours on days 1-2: 100,000 artefacts, the complete Tutankhamun treasure among them, a world record under one roof.
At £1,760, our Egypt tour 10 days sits well below the competition: Voyage Privé's “Glory of the Pharaohs” begins at £1,540 (9 days, Abu Simbel not always included), Kuoni's “The secret of the hieroglyphs” costs £3,720 (13 days), Fairmoove asks £3,660 and Voyageurs du Monde £3,000+. Only TUI (from £1,390) and Salaun (£1,530) undercut us, and they do it without Abu Simbel, without the GEM and without a dedicated guide (TUI runs shared groups of 25+ against our small groups of 12 at most). Like for like, you pay 15 to 50% less with us because we sell direct, with no tour operator taking a cut. Ask for your quote on WhatsApp: reply within 24 hours, pay in 3 instalments with no fees.
Three ways to book the Glory of the Gods circuit
Essential Formula
All inclusive accessible
- 10 days / 9 nights
- Domestic flights Cairo-Luxor + Aswan-Cairo included (organized by us)
- 3★ superior in Cairo, 5★ cruise outside cabin
- Abu Simbel INCLUDED (return flight)
- Memphis, Saqqara, Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
- Dedicated English-speaking Egyptologist guide
- Full board cruise + half board Cairo
Signature Formula
Superior comfort Meridien 5★
- All the Essentials +
- Hotel Le Méridien Pyramids 5★ pyramid view
- Nile view panoramic cabin cruise + spa
- Tutankhamun Tomb (VIP access)
- Dinner dinner show Sound and Light Karnak
- Private driver transfer for the entire duration
Prestige Formula
Suite + Giza helicopter
- All the Signature +
- Cruise junior suite with private balcony
- 30 min by helicopter above the Giza pyramids
- Dinner under the stars beside the Sphinx at the 9 Pyramids Lounge
- Unlimited spa + 2 massages 60 min
- Cairo business airport lounge return
What makes SEV's Glory of the Gods circuit different?
Abu Simbel INCLUDED
Flight Aswan to Abu Simbel and back, plus a guided visit of the 2 temples, INCLUDED in every package. TUI and Salaun charge +£140 for it. No surprises here.
Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
Opened in 2024: 100,000 artefacts and the whole of Tutankhamun's treasure. A 3-4 hour guided visit is built in. No archaeological museum on earth is bigger.
Memphis + Saqqara
Usually cut from an 8-day circuit. Here it fills day 3: Djoser's step pyramid (2650 BC), the mastaba of Mereruka and the colossus of Ramses II.
Dedicated Egyptologist guide
Never a shared coach party (TUI runs 25+). One English-speaking guide stays with you at every temple, Cairo to Abu Simbel, 12 people at most.
5★ panoramic cruise
4 nights aboard the 5★ deluxe MS Moon Dance, MS Kon Tiki or MS Steigenberger: an outside cabin with Nile view on Essential, a panoramic one on Signature and Prestige.
WhatsApp 24 hours French speaking
English-speaking support before, during and after the trip: tailored advice, help in an emergency, and souvenir photos sent afterwards.
How the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) reshapes a 2026 visit
The great egyptian museum at Giza opened its doors to the public in November 2024, 15 years after building began, and instantly became the archaeological event of the decade. 100,000 artefacts (the old Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square in Cairo held 30,000), 81,000 m² of galleries, holographic displays, a grand staircase lined with pharaonic statues rising over 60 m, a gallery holding the COMPLETE Tutankhamun treasure (5,398 pieces, shown together for the first time since 1922), royal mummies and restored obelisks. Every one of our 2026 tours builds in a 3-4 hour guided visit to the GEM: Cairo without it in 2026 would be like London without the British Museum.
How our 10-day Egypt tour with Abu Simbel compares
In plain figures, here is where our Egypt tour 10 days stands next to comparable English-language circuits that include Abu Simbel and the GEM.
| Agency | Price | Duration | Abu Simbel | GEM | Dedicated guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEV (us) | £1,760 | 10d | ✅ INCLUDED | ✅ INCLUDED | ✅ Yes |
| Private Travel | £1,540-£1,920 | 9-11d | ⚠️ sometimes option | ❓ not mentioned | ⚠️ Shared |
| TUI Splendors | £1,390-£1,770 | 10d | ⚠️ +£140 option | ❌ | ❌ group 25+ |
| Salaun Wonders | £1,530 | 9d | ⚠️ +£140 option | ❌ | ⚠️ Shared |
| Club Med Mizan | £2,070 | 10d | ✅ Inclus | ❌ | ⚠️ Shared |
| World Travelers | £3,000+ | 10d | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ Private |
| Kuoni Hieroglyphics | £3,720 | 13d | ✅ | ❓ | ✅ Private |
| Fairmoove | £3,660 | 13d | ✅ | ❓ | ✅ Private |
SEV pairs the personalised service of Voyageurs du Monde (a dedicated guide, groups of 12) with prices 40% lower, because we sell direct. Fancy a 9-day mythological alternative taking in Abydos and Denderah? Have a look at our Legend of Osiris.
Customer testimonials Glory of the Gods circuit
“A first-rate agency: professional, attentive and good-humoured, which is exactly what a trip like this needs. The 10-day Glory of the Gods circuit was a joy: the pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Abu Simbel included, and a panoramic cabin looking out over the Nile. Our dedicated English-speaking Egyptologist brought every temple to life. Value for money you will not beat.”
“10 flawless days: 3 nights in Cairo with the GEM and Memphis Saqqara, a flight to Luxor, 4 nights cruising Luxor to Aswan past Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae, then Abu Simbel as the grand finale. Signature package at Le Méridien Pyramids: waking up to the pyramids from our room. A guide we could not have done without.”
“Prestige package for our golden wedding: a helicopter over Giza, dinner at the 9 Pyramids Lounge beneath the Sphinx, a panoramic suite on the cruise. The best of our 50 years together. Everything ran smoothly, the WhatsApp concierge answered around the clock, nothing was sprung on us, the Abu Simbel return flight was seamless. The pharaonic circuit to end them all.”
Glory of the Gods 10-Day Egypt Tour: Your Questions
1. Does the price genuinely cover the Abu Simbel excursion?
Yes, whichever formula you pick (Essential £1,760, Signature £2,070, Prestige £2,530). The Aswan to Abu Simbel return flight (45 min each way) and a guided visit of the 2 temples (the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Small Temple of Hathor and Nefertari) are built into days 7-8 of the itinerary. TUI and Salaun, by contrast, sell it as a +£140 option.
2. Can you visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in 2026?
Yes. The great Egyptian museum formally opened its doors in November 2024. On days 1-2 of the circuit we spend 3-4 guided hours inside: the full Tutankhamun gallery (5,398 objects), the grand staircase, royal obelisks and the pharaohs' mummies. At 81,000 m² it is the biggest archaeological museum anywhere.
3. Where does the name “Glory of the Gods” come from?
Every day honours one of the great deities of the Egyptian pantheon: Re at Abu Simbel, Amun at Karnak, Isis at Philae, Osiris at Memphis, Ptah at Saqqara, Horus at Edfu, Sobek at Kom Ombo and Hathor with the optional Denderah visit. Theology and archaeology travel side by side on this pharaonic circuit.
4. Which months suit this 10-day Egypt trip best?
October to April is the sweet spot: 20-28°C, reliable sunshine, a calm Nile. May to September, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel get seriously hot (38-45°C), though prices drop. Departures guaranteed every week of the year, booked over WhatsApp, 12 people at most.
5. How comfortable are the hotels and the boat?
Essential: 3★ superior hotel in Cairo (Fairmont or similar), 5★ cruise, outside Nile-view cabin. Signature: Le Méridien Pyramids 5★, pyramids visible from your room, panoramic cabin and spa aboard. Prestige: premium room at Le Méridien Pyramids 5★, junior suite with private balcony on the boat, Giza helicopter flight.
6. Are domestic flights included?
Yes. All domestic flights in Egypt are organized and included by us: Cairo-Luxor after visiting Memphis/Saqqara, Aswan-Cairo after Abu Simbel, as well as the Aswan-Abu Simbel round trip. You only book your flight to Egypt. We use EgyptAir for domestic connections, baggage 23 kg included.
7. What is covered by the Nile cruise on this 10-day tour?
4 nights afloat from Luxor to Aswan via Edfu and Kom Ombo, on the 5★ deluxe MS Moon Dance, MS Kon Tiki or MS Steigenberger. Buffet full board, pool, spa, panoramic lounge. Excursions: Karnak, Luxor temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, the High Dam, a felucca sail.
8. How does it differ from the Smile of the Sphinx circuit?
Smile of the Sphinx: 8 days with Abu Simbel included but no GEM and no Memphis/Saqqara, from £1,150. Glory of the Gods: 10 days, adding 2 days given over to Memphis/Saqqara and the Great Egyptian Museum, from £1,760. The £620 gap buys those 2 extra days of exclusive visits and a higher grade of accommodation.
9. Are children accepted?
Yes, from age 6. Children aged 6-11 sharing the room or cabin pay a reduced rate, as do 2-5 year olds. The pace suits families: 1-2 sites a day, afternoons free on board and a pool. Flying to Abu Simbel instead of a 3h30 coach ride each way makes it far easier with children.
10. How to book or cancel?
Pay in 3 instalments with no fees. Our cancellation and date-change terms are flexible and spelled out in full on your quote, with force majeure covered separately below.
