10 days Egypt: Cairo + Nile Cruise + Abu Simbel + Red Sea

Trip map

Click each numbered marker to see the corresponding day.

Day by day

1. 1

   Day 1

   Arrival Cairo

   Direct flight Paris-Cairo (4h30, EgyptAir or Air France, €350-600 return). On arrival at CAI, opt for the pre-printed e-visa ($25 via visa2egypt.gov.eg) rather than visa on arrival (long queues). Driver transfer (€50-80, 45 min to 1.5h depending on Cairo's legendary traffic).

   Check in at Mena House Marriott pyramid view in Giza (€250-400/night) or more central in Zamalek (green Nile island, Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah €180-300/night, Marriott Cairo €150-250). Quiet first evening: Nile dinner cruise (€40-60/person, 3h with tannoura show + belly dance) or immediate dive into the Khan el-Khalili bazaar (14th c.). Coffee and shisha at the legendary El Fishawi (250 years, €2-4). Sleep early to tackle Giza at 8am tomorrow.

   Tips

   • · E-visa: $25 on visa2egypt.gov.eg, print 5 days before departure — avoids 1h queue on arrival.
   • · Baksheesh: bring a roll of small notes (5-20 LE = €0.10-0.40) from the airport for porters, guards, occasional drivers.
   • · Uber Cairo: works perfectly, 3-4x cheaper than white taxis (centre-Giza ~€5-8). Download before departure.
   • · Water: only sealed bottled water (10-15 LE per litre = €0.20-0.30), even for brushing teeth in the first week.
   Cairo →
2. 2

   Day 2

   Giza: Pyramids + Grand Egyptian Museum

   Wake 6:30am, enter Giza Plateau at 8am sharp to beat heat and groups (€27 entry, +€18 Khufu interior, +€6 Khafre). The three pyramids — Khufu (146m, 2,560 BC, last standing of 7 Ancient Wonders), Khafre (intact limestone cap), Menkaure. Walk between complexes (1.5 km, bring hat + 2L water), Sphinx and Valley Temple. Camel ride behind pyramids (€15-25 after firm haggling) for the classic photo.

   Lunch Khufu's Restaurant Sphinx view (€35-50) or simpler at €15-20. Afternoon dedicated to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opened late 2024 (€30 adult, €15 child, dated online ticket on visit-gem.com). 100,000 pieces over 50 hectares, including the complete Tutankhamun collection (5,400 objects including gold mask) exhibited integrally for the first time. 4h minimum: grand atrium (Ramses II colossus), monumental stairway (80 statues), chronological gallery, Tutankhamun gallery as final highlight. Back to hotel and sound and light show at pyramids' foot (€20, 7:30pm French session).

   Tips

   • · GEM tickets: buy online at visit-gem.com 1-2 days ahead — on-site counter saturated in high season.
   • · Khufu interior: non-claustrophobic only (1m corridor over 36m, stifling heat, empty chamber). Prefer decorated Menkaure (+€6).
   • · Photographers: golden hour at sunset (5pm winter, 6:30pm summer) = best light. Plateau open until 5pm.
   • · Camels: never mount without negotiating price AND duration FIRST. Refuse "free selfies" — always charged.
   • · GEM logistics: large café (lunch €12-20), free bag storage. Tutankhamun gallery = 1.5h on its own, save for last.
   Giza →
3. 3

   Day 3

   Islamic + Coptic Cairo → Luxor flight

   Morning Islamic Cairo — 9am, Citadel of Saladin (12th c., €8) on Moqattam hill. Inside, Mohammed Ali Mosque (Ottoman style, alabaster domes, free) and panoramic view of Cairo to the pyramids on clear days. 1 km down to the Sultan Hassan Mosque (1356, Mamluk masterpiece, €4). Covered dress mandatory — shoulders, knees, scarf for women.

   Quick kushari lunch at Abu Tarek (€1-2, since 1950). Coptic Old Cairo (free entry, Mar Girgis metro): Hanging Church (Al-Muallaqa, 3rd-7th c.), Saint Sergius Church (Holy Family shelter per tradition), Ben Ezra Synagogue (9th c.).

   Early afternoon transfer to CAI airport (1h, allow 2h margin). EgyptAir Cairo-Luxor flight (1h, €80-150). Arrive LXR around 6pm, cruise driver welcome, transfer Luxor port and ship boarding (standard cabins 12-16 m², Nile balcony for upper categories). Buffet dinner on board, cruise briefing by French-speaking guide.

   Tips

   • · Mosque dress: shoulders-knees mandatory. Women: hair scarf. Men: no shorts. Shoes off.
   • · Khan el-Khalili: haggle, divide starting price by 3-4. Prefer artisans in the coppersmiths' quarter (sebei3).
   • · EgyptAir internal flight: book via egyptair.com official site or wait for package inclusion — strict 7 kg cabin baggage limit.
   • · Cruise tips: ship's "common pot" is €5-10/day/person — deposited at end of cruise. Private guide: €10-20/day.
   • · CAI airport margin: 2h minimum for internal flight (heavy security, terminal 1).
   Cairo →Luxor →
4. 4

   Day 4

   Luxor: Karnak + Luxor Temple

   Morning Karnak (€13, open 6am-5pm), the largest religious complex ever built — 2 km² of sanctuaries dedicated to Amun-Ra. Sphinxes avenue restored in 2021 linking Karnak to Luxor over 2.7 km. Discover the hypostyle hall (134 columns 23m tall), Hatshepsut's obelisks (one still standing, one beheaded), sacred lake, central sanctuary. Allow 2.5-3h with a guide. Back to boat for lunch and nap facing the Nile.

   Late afternoon: short sailing to central Luxor (15 min). Luxor Temple (€8, open until 10pm) — the only night-visitable site. Visit at dusk then illuminated: entrance via the now-reconstructed sphinxes avenue, monumental Ramses II pylon, twin obelisk of the one at Place de la Concorde in Paris (the other stayed in place), Ramses II court with pink granite colossi, Abu Haggag mosque built on top of the temple. Magical atmosphere with golden lighting. Dinner on board, start of overnight sailing south.

   Tips

   • · Karnak early morning: 6-9am less heat. Otherwise, after 3pm for golden hour on columns.
   • · Sphinxes avenue: UNESCO reconstruction now allows walking from Karnak to Luxor (2.7 km). Doable on foot or by carriage (€5).
   • · Luxor Temple evening: THE magic moment — come 6pm for sunset then illumination. Spectacular photos.
   • · Guard baksheesh: 20-50 LE (€0.40-1) to access "closed" chapels. Accept if curious, politely refuse otherwise.
   • · French-speaking guide tip: €10-15/day if private. Excellent investment given the mythological density.
   Luxor →
5. 5

   Day 5

   Luxor West Bank + Esna sailing

   BALLOON OPTION: 4:30am departure for dawn lift-off on the West Bank side (€120-180/person, 45-min flight, spectacular view over Valley of the Kings and Nile). Book 24-48h ahead (Magic Horizon, Sindbad accredited).

   7am official West Bank visit. Valley of the Kings (€27 including 3 tombs, +€4 per extra tomb, Tutankhamun +€27, Seti I +€13) — necropolis of New Kingdom pharaohs (1550-1070 BC). 63 identified tombs, 8-12 open in rotation. Priority: Ramses VI (KV9, astronomical ceiling), Ramses III (KV11, music scenes), Merenptah (KV8). Tutankhamun (KV62) — the mummy is there but treasure is at GEM. Photos now allowed (+€5 permit).

   Late morning Deir el-Bahari (Hatshepsut Temple, €12) — terraced temple set against the cliff, restored by Polish mission. Colossi of Memnon (free, 18m, fragments of Amenhotep III funerary temple). Back to boat for lunch. Sailing Luxor → Esna in afternoon (lock passage in evening, hawkers throwing goods from feluccas show).

   Tips

   • · Go early: 7am opening, by 10am temperature +35°C inside tombs (no ventilation). 3-4 tombs max otherwise saturation.
   • · Tutankhamun: room is tiny (4 people max), treasure is at GEM. Prefer Seti I supplement (KV17) — the most beautiful tomb.
   • · Balloon: magical but reserved for the non-fragile. Cancellation possible if windy — full refund.
   • · Water and snacks: no sales in the valley. Bring 2L water, dried fruit, biscuits. Comfortable sandals.
   • · Student rates: valid ISIC card = 50% discount on all Egypt entries. Get one before departure.
   Luxor →
6. 6

   Day 6

   Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan

   Morning Esna lock passage (show: vendor boats throw scarves and galabias from 5m below the deck — "madame, beautiful price!"). Breakfast on the upper deck facing the rural Nile — buffalo, date palms, farmers practising chebka (fishing nets).

   10am arrival Edfu. Typical horse carriage (included in cruise, otherwise €5 return) to the Edfu Temple (€10), the best-preserved in all of Egypt (dedicated to Horus, 2nd c. BC, 137m long, 36m high, hieroglyphs intact). 1.5h guided tour — interior walls tell the entire mythology of Horus vs Seth.

   Resume sailing after lunch — palm groves and Nubian villages. 4pm Kom Ombo — unique temple as dedicated to two deities (Sobek the crocodile and Haroeris-Horus, €9), 5 min walk from the dock on a promontory facing the Nile. Visit at sunset for golden atmosphere. Adjacent Crocodile Museum (free with ticket): 22 mummified crocodiles. Resume sailing, arrive Aswan in evening. On board: galabia party (Bedouin dress, oriental dance, themed dinner).

   Tips

   • · Edfu carriage: if not included, negotiate €5 return per carriage (4 people). Refuse carriages without visible health ticket.
   • · Kom Ombo sunset: best photo moment. Arrive 5pm, 30 min walk before dusk.
   • · Galabia party: kitsch disco vibe but fun. For a real galabia, wait for Aswan (€15-25 embroidered cotton).
   • · Edfu carriage tip: €1-2 to driver on top of fare, especially if he treated his horse well.
   • · Crocodile museum: small (15 min) but fascinating — all sizes mummified, gold scales intact.
   Aswan →
7. 7

   Day 7

   Aswan: Abu Simbel + Philae

   Wake 3:30am: Abu Simbel excursion — either Aswan-Abu Simbel flight (30 min, 5:45am take-off, €100-180/person, EgyptAir 2 rotations/day) or convoy road 280 km through the desert (3h one way, 4am escorted convoy departure for security reasons — gruelling option but included in some packages, €50-80). 3h on site.

   Abu Simbel (€47): two colossal temples of Ramses II (4 seated 20m statues on the façade, deep sanctuary where the sun penetrates twice a year — Feb 22 and Oct 22, astronomical alignment) and Nefertari (façade with 6 standing 10m statues, the only Egyptian temple where the queen is depicted at the same scale as the pharaoh). Relocated block by block in the 1960s by UNESCO and 50 countries to escape Lake Nasser waters after High Dam construction — one of the greatest heritage rescues in history. Return Aswan midday.

   Afternoon Philae Temple (€14 with mandatory shuttle boat) — Isis temple also relocated to escape Lake Nasser, reassembled stone by stone on Agilkia island. Hieroglyphs still visible, Ptolemaic-Roman architecture. 5pm sunset felucca (traditional sailboat, €20-40/group, negotiate on dock near Old Cataract Hotel) — Aswan's iconic moment with billowing white sails and pink granite rocks.

   Tips

   • · Flight vs convoy: pay €100 extra for the flight — saves 4h, comfortable, and Abu Simbel arrival in golden morning light. Convoy = exhausting (4am departure, 3h desert bus, 3h on site, 3h return).
   • · Abu Simbel allow 2-3h: Great Temple of Ramses II (1.5h), Small Temple of Nefertari (45 min), lake walk and photos (30 min).
   • · Solar alignment: if you travel on Feb 22 or Oct 22, it's the major event — 800 people watch the sun illuminate the sanctuary for 20 min at 6:25am.
   • · Felucca: 40 LE/person (€1) local rate, €20-40/group tourist rate. Bring a layer and scarf.
   • · Old Cataract Hotel: 19th-c. palace where Agatha Christie wrote "Death on the Nile" — tea on terrace €15-25/person (Nile + Elephantine Island view).
   Abu Simbel →Aswan →
8. 8

   Day 8

   Aswan → Hurghada flight (1h)

   Final breakfast on board. Cruise disembarkation 8-9am. EgyptAir Aswan-Hurghada internal flight (1h, €80-180) or bus alternative (6h, desert, tiring, €15-25). Flight strongly recommended to preserve energy for what's next. Arrive HRG around midday.

   Hotel transfer (30-60 min depending on zone). Red Sea zone choice — El Gouna (luxury, artificial lagoon marina, gourmet restaurants, Three Corners Ocean View €150-280), Sahl Hasheesh (calm, private beaches, protected lagoon, Premier Le Reve €180-320), Makadi Bay (families, water park, Jaz Aquaviva €130-220), Hurghada centre (lively, nightlife, downtown restaurants). All-inclusive regime standard: full board + drinks (alcohol included at most 4-5*).

   Afternoon pool or beach relax, first Red Sea contacts (water 22-28°C depending on season). Sunset over the Red Sea from beach or rooftop. Buffet dinner international (the average Middle Eastern all-inclusive is generous: fresh grills, salads, mezze, Oriental desserts).

   Tips

   • · Internal flight recommended: €80-180 vs 6h desert bus. Preserve energy for diving.
   • · Zone choice: El Gouna for luxury European vibe, Sahl Hasheesh for calm, Makadi for families, Hurghada centre for nightlife.
   • · All-inclusive: check if alcohol included (most 4-5* yes, except premium brands extra). Bottled water always included.
   • · Jellyfish and sea urchins: bring beach shoes (€5-15 on site or to take). Coral reefs = neoprene shoes nearly mandatory.
   • · Resort tips: €1-2/day housekeeping, €1/meal waiter. Not mandatory but appreciated.
   Hurghada →
9. 9

   Day 9

   Hurghada: diving or snorkelling

   Sea day. Two main options:

   OPTION 1 — Giftun Islands boat excursion (€30-50/person, departure 8-9am, return 4-5pm, BBQ lunch included). Two preserved islands in the Red Sea Marine National Park (€5 park fee). 2-3 snorkelling spots on intact reefs (visibility 25-40m, water 24-28°C, butterflyfish, angelfish, stingrays, sometimes reef sharks). White sand beach for lunch break. Advantage: accessible to all, kids 6+, mask-snorkel provided.

   OPTION 2 — Scuba diving with PADI/SSI accredited centre (recommended centres: ILIOS Dive Club, Subex El Gouna, Aldiana Diving Center). Try-dive (€50-80, first tank contact, 6m depth, individual supervision), 2 certified dives (€70-120, Open Water levels and above, sites Carless Reef, Shaab El Erg, El Fanadir, Erg Somaya — wrecks, coral gardens, drop-offs). Water 22-28°C depending on season, 3-5 mm wetsuit.

   Otherwise pool relax, hammam spa day (massage €25-40/h, hammam €20-30), Sakkala market shopping (souvenirs, haggle divide by 3). Resort evening.

   Tips

   • · Diving certification: bring your logbook and PADI/SSI/CMAS certification — otherwise you'll need a paid check-dive.
   • · Snorkelling Giftun: best reefs around Mahmya Beach and Giftun Sagheer (small island). Avoid boats that don't sail far (poor reefs).
   • · Diving safety: 24h no-fly after a dive. If you have a return flight D+1, dive only today, not tomorrow morning.
   • · Wetsuit: water at 22°C in winter = 5mm wetsuit rented €5-10/day. Water at 28°C in summer = 3mm shortie enough.
   • · Sakkala market: fierce haggling, divide starting price by 4. Avoid beach vendors (fake papyrus, copy watches).
   Hurghada →
10. 10

    Day 10

    Hurghada → Paris return

    Morning beach or pool relax depending on flight time. If flight after 2pm: last snorkelling session at Mahmya Beach (€12/person, hotel transfers included) or jet-ski ride (€40-60 for 30 min). WARNING: no scuba diving D-1 before flight (24h no-fly rule).

    If early flight (< midday): breakfast and direct transfer. Otherwise, last visit to Sakkala market (souvenirs, haggling), shisha café on the corniche (€3-5), final tasting of iced hibiscus (karkadeh) or fresh mango juice.

    HRG airport transfer (15-30 min depending on zone, €15-25). Hurghada-Paris flight — either direct charter (5h, operators FRAM, Marmara, TUI, seasonal flights October-May) or via Cairo (1h internal flight + 2h layover + 4h30 return, longer but more frequencies). At airport, last duty-free purchases (Memphis perfumes, hibiscus, dates, authentic papyrus with certificate). Avoid "antiquities" (always fake, French customs issues).

    End of trip. Keep €20-30 in LE for airport tips (porters).

    Tips

    • · 24h no-fly rule after scuba diving: no diving D-1 before flight (embolism risk). Snorkelling no issue.
    • · Direct Hurghada-Paris charters: seasonal flights October-May (TUI, FRAM, Marmara). Off-season, mandatory Cairo transit.
    • · Papyrus: buy ONLY from "government certified" shops — streets sell tinted banana paper. Atlas Papyrus in Cairo is the reference.
    • · Final tips: €5-10 to airport porter, €5 to transfer driver. Small bills.
    • · LE exit: limit return exchange (high commission). Better: spend remaining LE on water, snacks, last souvenirs before security.
    Hurghada →

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