Nile Wellness & Ancient Egypt Retreat: Yoga, Breathwork & Private Temple Access

The trip runs 24 November to 1 December, with the first two nights in Cairo and five in Luxor. In Cairo you stay at the Four Seasons First Residence in a Nile or garden view room. Day one is arrival and settling in; day two is the big Giza day — the Pyramids, the Sphinx on a private visit, and the Grand Egyptian Museum. Meals are at the hotel and at a couple of spots picked by the hosts.

Then you fly to Luxor and check into Al Moudira, which is about 20 minutes from the temples on the west bank. Each day has a morning wellness session — yoga or breathwork, usually before breakfast — followed by temple visits. The Valley of the Kings is a full morning. Karnak and Luxor Temple are on the schedule too, but the Luxor Temple visit happens at night, privately, with a breathwork session inside the temple space. That's the one people talk about afterwards.

Afternoons are slower. There's a sunset cruise on a private felucca with drinks, and a day trip to Dendera Temple where you have lunch on a boat and then anchor for a while. There are spa treatments at Al Moudira and time to sit in the gardens. Sound healing and guided energy work sessions happen in the afternoons or early evenings, led by Erin Gulersen, who has been running these kinds of sessions for years.

What makes this different from a standard Nile cruise or a wellness retreat is that it's both at once. You're not doing sun salutations in a hotel ballroom — you're doing breathwork inside a 3,000-year-old temple with the lights low and no other visitors. And you're not just ticking off sites — there's built-in space to slow down. The group is small enough that you can ask the Egyptologist anything, and the itinerary has flex in it.

Philomena Schurer Merckoll, who co-hosts, lives between Marrakesh and Egypt and has run Egypt Beyond for years. She's the one who has relationships with the sites and can get the private access. Sophie Caulcutt founded Voyager Club and was named a Condé Nast Traveler Top Travel Specialist for 2025 and 2026. Erin Gulersen is the spiritual guide — she leads the meditation, breathwork and sound healing. Between the three of them you get logistics, cultural depth and the wellness programming.

What's included

- 2 nights at Four Seasons Cairo First Residence (Premier Nile or Garden View Room) - 5 nights at Al Moudira in Luxor (Deluxe, Junior, Signature or Luxury suite) - All meals and non-alcoholic beverages as specified in the itinerary - Internal flight from Cairo to Luxor - All transportation within Egypt as noted - Private guided tours to Pyramids, Sphinx, GEM, Valley of the Kings, Karnak, Luxor Temple, Dendera - Spiritual guide for breathwork, sound healing, meditation and heart-guided journeys - Sunset cruise on Al Moudira's private felucca - Private after-hours visit to Luxor Temple with breathwork session - Services of a dedicated trip host and local Egyptologist guides - Personalised trip documentation and materials

What's not included

- International and domestic airfare (unless stated) - Travel and cancellation insurance (mandatory) - Passport, visa and travel permit costs - Personal expenses such as spa services, laundry, phone calls - Alcoholic beverages - Optional tours, activities and excursions not in the itinerary - Gratuities for guides, drivers and hotel staff - Medical expenses and vaccinations - Baggage fees or excess luggage charges - Costs from delays, cancellations or schedule changes outside the operator's control