Egypt

Few journeys match Egypt for sheer historical scale. The Great Pyramid of Giza has stood for around 4,500 years, the temples of Upper Egypt still carry painted reliefs of pharaohs and gods, and the Nile remains the lifeline it has been since the dawn of civilisation. For Indian travellers it is a bucket-list trip that is more accessible than many expect.

Our seven-night package begins in Cairo, where you stand before the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx and explore Egypt's vast collections of antiquities, including the treasures of Tutankhamun, now displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza. You also see Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. A short flight then takes you south to Aswan to board a three-night Nile cruise, the heart of the trip. The boat sails downstream past palm-fringed banks and villages, stopping at the riverside temples of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, and Edfu, the best-preserved temple in Egypt.

The cruise ends in Luxor, ancient Thebes, which holds a staggering concentration of monuments: the great hypostyle hall of Karnak, Luxor Temple lit up at night, and across the river the tombs of the Valley of the Kings and the temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Optional extras include an early-morning trip to Abu Simbel and a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over Luxor. Egypt suits families with older children, couples and history lovers. A good guide makes all the difference here, bringing the hieroglyphs and the stories of the pharaohs to life, so it is worth taking one at the major sites rather than exploring alone. Winter is the most comfortable season, when the desert days are warm but not punishing.