Overview
Egypt's classic route follows the Nile: the pyramids and museums of Cairo, the temples and royal tombs of Luxor, and Aswan's granite islands and Nubian villages, with Abu Simbel as a day trip from there. The Red Sea coast adds world-class diving and snorkeling. With the Grand Egyptian Museum now fully open beside the Giza pyramids, Cairo deserves more time than it used to get. Ten days covers Cairo, a Nile cruise or train to Luxor and Aswan, and Abu Simbel; add three or four days for the Red Sea.
Main regions
Cairo and Giza. Start with our Cairo destination page and the 4-day Cairo itinerary. The Giza pyramids and the Sphinx sit on the city's western edge, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) beside them; downtown are the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, the mosques and bazaars of Islamic Cairo, and Coptic Cairo. The step pyramid at Saqqara makes an easy half-day trip.
Luxor. Ancient Thebes has the densest concentration of monuments in Egypt: the Karnak and Luxor temples on the east bank; the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and Hatshepsut's temple on the west bank. Sunrise balloon flights over the west bank are a highlight.
Aswan and Abu Simbel. Aswan is the calmest city on the Nile: felucca sailing at sunset, the island temple of Philae, and colorful Nubian villages. Abu Simbel's colossal temples of Ramses II are about three and a half hours south by road, or a short flight.
The Red Sea and Sinai. Hurghada, El Gouna and Marsa Alam on the mainland coast; Sharm el-Sheikh and laid-back Dahab in Sinai. Coral reefs start right off the beach, and Mount Sinai's sunrise hike starts from nearby St Catherine's Monastery.
Alexandria and the desert. Alexandria for Mediterranean seafood and the modern Bibliotheca; the Siwa oasis and the White Desert for camping and dunes.
Best time to visit
- October to April: the best window, with warm, dry days and cool evenings. December and January are the peak months, with the highest prices; book Nile cruises and good hotels early.
- May and September: hot but manageable, with fewer crowds and lower prices.
- June to August: very hot, with Luxor and Aswan regularly passing 40°C. Sightseeing is only comfortable at dawn and dusk. The Red Sea coast is still pleasant.
During Ramadan (roughly February to March in 2027), sites stay open but with shorter hours, and many restaurants close until sunset. Evenings are festive. The Red Sea is warm enough to swim year-round, though the water is coolest (about 22°C) from January to March.
Getting around
- Domestic flights: EgyptAir links Cairo with Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Red Sea in about an hour.
- Sleeper and day trains: the overnight sleeper train from Cairo takes about 10 hours to Luxor and 13–14 to Aswan, which saves a hotel night. Day trains are cheaper but slower.
- Nile cruises: three- or four-night cruises between Luxor and Aswan include guided visits to the temples along the way (Edfu, Kom Ombo). Dahabiyas, small sailing boats with a handful of cabins, are the slower and more intimate alternative.
- In Cairo: Uber and Careem are cheap and avoid taxi haggling. Traffic is heavy, so give yourself plenty of time to reach Giza.
- Private drivers and guides: good value, and they make a real difference at the big sites, where hustlers target independent visitors.
Visa basics
Citizens of the US, UK, EU, Canada and Australia can buy a single-entry tourist visa on arrival at the airport for $30 (usually payable in US dollars cash), or get an e-visa in advance on the official portal (visa2egypt.gov.eg) for $30 single entry or $65 multiple entry. Avoid third-party sites that charge extra. Visitors flying directly to Sharm el-Sheikh and staying only in the South Sinai resorts can get a free entry stamp for up to 15 days instead. Your passport needs at least six months' validity.
Typical daily costs
Prices as of September 2026, at about 52 Egyptian pounds to the US dollar:
- Budget (about $30–45, 1,550–2,350 pounds): guesthouse or budget hotel, street food like koshari and ful, metro and Uber.
- Mid-range (about $90–150, 4,700–7,800 pounds): a good hotel or Nile-view room, restaurant meals, a driver or guide for the day.
- Comfort (about $250+, 13,000+ pounds): 5-star hotels, private guides, luxury cruises.
Entrance fees are the real cost. The Giza pyramid plateau is 700 pounds, with 1,500 more to go inside the Great Pyramid. The Grand Egyptian Museum is 1,450 pounds for foreign adults, rising to $35 from 1 November 2026, and tickets must be bought online in advance. A Luxor–Aswan cruise costs roughly $440–1,200 per person depending on the ship. Most major sites now accept cards only at the ticket office, so carry a credit card. Keep a stack of small notes (20–50 pounds) for tips; baksheesh is expected for almost every small service.
Top destinations
- Cairo and Giza: start with the Cairo destination guide and the full Cairo travel guide for the pyramids, the museums and Islamic Cairo.
- Luxor: Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and a west-bank balloon flight.
- Aswan: Philae, feluccas and Nubian villages.
- Abu Simbel: the great temples of Ramses II and Nefertari.
- Dahab and the Red Sea: snorkeling the Blue Hole and a Mount Sinai sunrise.
Egypt connects easily across the region: Petra is a short flight away via Amman or Aqaba, and Dubai about three and a half hours from Cairo. Or let our trip planner build a day-by-day Egypt route around your dates.