From a short Nile cruise to a two-week grand tour, here's how to choose the right trip length for your first visit to Egypt.
"How many days do I need in Egypt?" is the question we hear most from first-time travelers. The short answer: seven to ten days lets you see the Pyramids of Giza and the great temples of the Nile at a comfortable pace. Add more days if you want the desert, Alexandria, the Red Sea or Jordan. Here's how to decide.
Why Egypt takes longer than you think
Egypt's main sights sit in two clusters, far apart. In the north are Cairo and Giza, with the pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum. In the south, more than 800 kilometres away, are Luxor and Aswan, home to Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Philae Temple.
Most visitors connect the two with a domestic flight of just over an hour, or an overnight train. Between Aswan and Luxor, the classic way to travel is a Nile cruise of three or four nights, stopping at the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu along the way. Once you count travel days, even a "short" Egypt trip needs about a week.
4 days: the Nile on its own
If you have already seen Cairo, or want to add Egypt's highlights to a longer trip, a short cruise is ideal. Nile Odyssey flies you from Cairo to Aswan and sails to Luxor in four days, covering Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings.
7 to 8 days: the classic first visit
This is the most popular trip length, and for good reason. It gives you the Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, plus a full Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor.
Wonders of the Nile covers the essentials in seven days using overnight trains. Egypt's Living Heritage does it in eight days with domestic flights, adds the pyramids of Saqqara and Dahshur, and includes the colossal temples of Abu Simbel.
9 to 10 days: the classics plus something more
With nine or ten days, you can add a second theme to your trip.
For more ancient Egypt, Escape to Egypt includes your flight to Cairo, a sunrise balloon flight over Luxor and the pyramids of Saqqara and Dahshur. The Royal Nile adds historic Coptic Cairo and Khan El Khalili Bazaar, with a 5-star hotel in Cairo.
To finish with the beach, Egypt in Nine Days and Pyramids to the Beach end with time on the Red Sea in Hurghada, Timeless Treasures adds a 5-star Hurghada resort, and Pyramids & the Red Sea ends in quieter Marsa Alam.
For the widest variety in ten days, The Complete Egypt combines the Nile cruise with Abu Simbel, a Luxor balloon flight, Alexandria and a Fayoum desert safari.
11 to 14 days: the full picture
Two weeks lets you see Egypt's full range, from the desert to the Mediterranean. The Grand Egyptian Circuit spends eleven days on the pyramids, a night camping in the White Desert, Alexandria and a Nile cruise. Egypt in Style takes fourteen days and adds a 5-star all-inclusive stay on the Red Sea.
Combining Egypt with Jordan or Turkey
Petra is just a short flight from Cairo, and many travelers combine the two. Allow at least ten days: Egypt & Jordan Discovery fits the pyramids, a Nile cruise, Petra, Madaba and Jerash into that time. With fourteen days, Two Lands of Wonder adds the White Desert and the Dead Sea.
For three countries in one trip, Three Ancient Worlds begins in Istanbul and continues through Egypt and Jordan in fourteen days, with the flights between them included.
Tips for making the most of your days
Fly between Cairo and Upper Egypt if your time is short; the overnight train saves money but costs you energy. Allow at least half a day for the Grand Egyptian Museum, which holds the treasures of Tutankhamun. Expect some very early starts: Abu Simbel and the Luxor balloon flights both begin before sunrise. And if you can, travel between October and April, when temperatures in Luxor and Aswan are far more comfortable than in the summer heat.
Still not sure?
Every traveler is different. If none of these trip lengths fits your plans, tell us your dates and interests and our specialists will design a tailor-made itinerary for you.
