10-Day Cairo, Nile Cruise & Hurghada Tour
The pyramids, three nights cruising from Aswan to Luxor, and a snorkeling day on the Red Sea. Flights, hotels, your cruise cabin and an Egyptologist are included.
The short answer
10-Day Cairo, Nile Cruise & Hurghada Tour is a 10-day, 9-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada: 4 nights in Cairo, 3 on a Nile cruise and 2 in Hurghada. Starts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $2,502 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This tour does the big sights first and the beach last. You spend three nights in Cairo with the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the old Islamic and Coptic quarters. Then you fly to Aswan and join your Nile cruise ship for three nights, with Philae, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings along the way.
A private car takes you from Luxor to Hurghada, about five hours by road. You get two nights by the Red Sea and a day of snorkeling at Orange Bay. A flight brings you back to Cairo for one last night before you fly home. We book the domestic flights, every transfer, your hotels and your cruise cabin. You choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book.
What lingers
- 01Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in one guided day
- 02A Nile dinner cruise with an evening show on your first night
- 03Three nights on a Nile cruise ship from Aswan to Luxor, full board
- 04Philae, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Karnak and Luxor Temple with an English-speaking Egyptologist
- 05The Valley of the Kings, with three tombs, on Luxor's West Bank
- 06A snorkeling day at Orange Bay, Giftun Island, with two guided swims and a hot lunch
Choose your comfort level
Prices are per person in USD, from 2 people sharing a double room, including accommodation at the properties listed or similar.
| Comfort level | Where you stay or similar | Per personfrom, Oct–Apr | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfortfrom $2,5024★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 3 nightsEmilio · Tower Prestige Hurghada · 2 nightsSwiss Inn Resort Hurghada | $2,502May–Sep: from $2,439 | |
| Classicfrom $2,7435★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSun Times · Nile Dolphin Hurghada · 2 nightsAMC Royal Hotel & Spa | $2,743May–Sep: from $2,439 | |
| Prestigefrom $3,4685★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess Hurghada · 2 nightsHilton Hurghada Plaza | $3,468May–Sep: from $3,474 | |
| Luxuryfrom $5,3845★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda | $5,384May–Sep: from $4,414 |
Nile cruise on full board. You'll stay in these properties, or a similar choice of the same quality. Choose your date in the booking panel for the exact price.
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
10 Days / 9 Nights · Cairo · Giza · Saqqara · Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu
- 1
Your driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel. Rest after your flight. In the evening you are collected for a Nile dinner cruise: about three hours door to door, with a buffet dinner, a live show and the lights of Cairo along the river. A private car brings you back to your hotel.
- 2
A full day of about eight hours with your English-speaking Egyptologist. You are picked up at your hotel and driven to the Giza Plateau for the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Lunch comes with a view. In the afternoon you visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, then return to your hotel. Entrance fees, the air-conditioned vehicle and bottled water are included.
- 3
Today you explore the older side of the city on a guided tour of Islamic and Coptic Cairo, with an English-speaking Egyptologist. It is a quieter day than the pyramids and a good contrast to them. Your guide sets the order of the stops on the day. The guide, entrance fees and transport are included. You spend your third night in Cairo.
- 4
A driver takes you from your hotel to Cairo Airport for the one-hour flight to Aswan. The flight time is set by the airline schedule. In Aswan another driver meets you and takes you to the river, where you join your Nile cruise ship, settle into your cabin and have the rest of the day on board. This is a travel day, so there is no sightseeing. The cruise is on full board.
- 5
Your first day of cruise sightseeing is in Aswan. With an English-speaking Egyptologist you visit Philae Temple, the temple of Isis on its island, then the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, the giant granite shaft that cracked in the quarry and was left in place. The Egyptologist, the entrance fees and the transport are all part of the cruise sightseeing package. You spend the night on board.
- 6
A full day of temples. You visit the Temple of Edfu and the Temple of Kom Ombo, then at Luxor the Karnak Temples, including the Sacred Lake, and Luxor Temple. Your English-speaking Egyptologist goes with you, and the entrance fees and transport are included. Between visits you are back on board, with full board and your last night on the ship.
- 7
After breakfast you leave the ship and cross to the West Bank with your Egyptologist. You see the Valley of the Kings, with three tombs included, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. Entrance fees and transport are included. From there a private air-conditioned car takes you to Hurghada, about five hours by road, to your hotel on the Red Sea.
- 8
A day on the water. You are collected from your hotel and taken by motorboat to Orange Bay on Giftun Island. There are two guided snorkeling sessions, with snorkeling gear and life jackets provided, and a sunbed on the beach in between. A hot lunch and bottled water are included. In the afternoon the boat brings you back to Hurghada and you return to your hotel.
- 9
A private car takes you from your hotel to Hurghada Airport for the flight to Cairo. The flight time is set by the airline schedule. In Cairo a driver meets you and takes you to your hotel. We build this last night into the tour on purpose. It gives you a safety window if a domestic flight is delayed, so you reach your international flight rested and on time.
- 10
After breakfast you check out. A private driver takes you from the hotel to Cairo Airport for your flight home. Allow plenty of time, as the transfer is about 90 minutes in Cairo traffic. A representative helps you with your luggage at the airport.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Four nights in Cairo hotels and two nights in Hurghada, all with breakfast, and three nights on a Nile cruise ship on full board
- Domestic flights Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo
- Private air-conditioned transfer from Luxor to Hurghada
- All airport, hotel and port transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Nile dinner cruise with an evening show in Cairo
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport on the Giza, Islamic and Coptic Cairo and cruise sightseeing days, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Lunch and bottled water on the Giza day
- Orange Bay boat crossing, two guided snorkeling sessions, snorkeling gear, life jackets, sunbed, hot lunch and bottled water
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks on board and meals other than those stated
- Khufu pyramid interior and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Visit Giza early, before midday haze builds over the plateau.
- 02
Philae photos are cleaner in the first boat rotation, before heavy foot traffic.
- 03
Carry small cash for bathroom stops and optional drinks in Luxor and Aswan.
- 04
At Karnak, the open court is warmer than the hypostyle hall, plan your route accordingly.
- 05
In Hurghada, snorkeling visibility is often better in calmer morning water.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel and ship standard when you book. Ask us about adding Abu Simbel or extra nights in Luxor, Hurghada or Cairo.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- First-time visitors who want Cairo, a Nile cruise and some time by the sea. Suited to couples, friends and solo travelers who are comfortable with two flights, a long drive and several hours of walking on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access to every site, or who want a slow pace in one place. Days 4, 7 and 9 are travel days.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- Pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum, the main Nile temples and a Red Sea day in ten days
- Both domestic flights and all transfers handled for you
- Three nights on a ship, so no repacking between Aswan and Luxor
- A built-in last night in Cairo protects your flight home
Things to Consider
- A five-hour drive from Luxor to Hurghada on day 7
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- Abu Simbel is not included
Where it fits
A good first trip to Egypt for people who want history first and a swim afterward. Abu Simbel is not included, so add it if it is on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many operators sell Cairo, the Nile and the Red Sea as separate trips. This itinerary joins them, with both flights and every transfer booked for you. Hotel and ship standard is your choice; the sightseeing does not change.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
- 10-Day Cairo, Nile Cruise, Abu Simbel, Hurghada & Alexandria Tour
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On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided Multi-Day Tour with Nile Cruise and Red Sea stay
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Hurghada hotels and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza · Saqqara · Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor · Hurghada
- Includes
- 4 nights in Cairo hotels and 2 in Hurghada, with breakfast · 3 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo · Entrance fees on all sightseeing days · English-speaking Egyptologist on sightseeing days · Orange Bay snorkeling day with lunch
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Travelers who want temples and some beach time · Couples and friends who like a mix of ship and hotel
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Cairo International Airport (CAI), Arrivals HallMap
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Passport and any required travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Swimsuit and a towel for the snorkeling day
- Reef-safe sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag and a light layer for the ship and flights
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- Swimwear and a cover-up for Orange Bay
- A light jacket for evenings on the river in winter
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every child takes a seat in the vehicle, so transport, guiding and meals are charged at the adult rate at any age. Entrance tickets are free for children under 6 and full price from 6. Cabin and hotel prices depend on the child's age and the room or cabin used, so we give you the exact figure when you tell us the age at booking. Life jackets are provided on the snorkeling day, but whether a child is comfortable in open water is for the parents to judge.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This tour involves a lot of walking on large archaeological sites, with uneven stone, steps and some narrow tomb passages. Karnak and the Valley of the Kings have long outdoor stretches with little shade. Boarding the ship involves a gangway, and the Orange Bay day involves a boat crossing, a beach and getting in and out of the water. The vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site. Tell us your needs when you book and we will tell you honestly which parts are suitable.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The tour uses two domestic flights, a Nile cruise ship, private road transfers and a boat to Orange Bay, and vehicle types can vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. Sightseeing is guided by local Egyptologists and arranged through local suppliers in Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada, so most of the money you spend stays in the places you visit. We ask guests to carry a refillable water bottle, not to touch painted walls in tombs, and not to stand on or break the coral when snorkeling.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
If you cancel, your refund depends on how early you tell us and on the type of trip. Read our current cancellation and refund policy
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01Are the domestic flights included?
Yes. The flight from Cairo to Aswan on day 4 and the flight from Hurghada to Cairo on day 9 are booked for you and included in the price. International flights are not.02How many nights are on the Nile cruise?
Three nights on board, from Aswan to Luxor, on full board: breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. The other six nights are in hotels with breakfast: four in Cairo and two in Hurghada.03Which cruise ship and hotels will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the ship and hotels for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are the same at every standard.04How long is the drive from Luxor to Hurghada?
About five hours by private, air-conditioned car. It follows your morning on Luxor's West Bank on day 7, so it is a full day. Sleep well on the ship the night before.05What happens on the Orange Bay day?
You cross by motorboat from Hurghada to Orange Bay on Giftun Island for two guided snorkeling sessions. Snorkeling gear and life jackets are provided. You also get a sunbed on the beach, a hot lunch and bottled water. Bring your own swimsuit and towel.06Will I make my international flight?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed domestic flight can cost you the connection. That is why this tour ends with a last night in Cairo on day 9. If you change the plan and connect on the same day, choose a late-evening or night international flight, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.07Is Abu Simbel included?
No. This itinerary does not include Abu Simbel. Ask us if you want to add it and we will show you the options.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks other than those stated, the Khufu pyramid interior and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun's.09When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for walking around temples. Summers are hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan, so sightseeing starts early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-387056
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days · 9 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Tue, Fri or Sun
- Route
- Cairo → Aswan → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Luxor → Hurghada → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 3 Nile cruise · 2 Hurghada
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers