11-Day Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan & Luxor Tour
The Giza Pyramids, Alexandria, Philae, Abu Simbel and Luxor's temples and tombs. Hotels, two domestic flights, guides and entrance fees are included.
The short answer
11-Day Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan & Luxor Tour is an 11-day, 10-night trip to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 4 nights in Cairo, 2 in Aswan and 4 in Luxor. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $2,856 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This tour is for people who want the history of Egypt in depth, on land and in hotels. You begin in Cairo with a Nile dinner cruise and a full day at the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum. The next day takes you to the Mediterranean coast and Alexandria.
A flight takes you to Aswan for the High Dam and Philae, and the following day is Abu Simbel. You then drive to Luxor by way of Kom Ombo and Edfu and stay four nights, with time for Karnak, the West Bank and Dendera and Abydos. A second flight returns you to Cairo for the Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo. You pick the standard of hotel when you book; the sightseeing is the same.
What lingers
- 01Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in one guided day
- 02A day in Alexandria: the catacombs, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Qaitbay Citadel
- 03Philae Temple, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan
- 04A full day trip by road to Abu Simbel
- 05Kom Ombo and Edfu on the road from Aswan to Luxor
- 06Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Medinet Habu and the Valley of the Queens
- 07Dendera and Abydos, then the Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentialfrom $2,8563★ hotels | Aswan · 2 nightsHapi Hotel Aswan Luxor · 4 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor | $2,856May–Sep: from $2,715 | |
| Comfortfrom $3,1494★ hotels | Cairo · 4 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 4 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | $3,149May–Sep: from $3,015 | |
| Classicfrom $3,3125★ hotels | $3,312May–Sep: from $3,123 | ||
| Prestigefrom $3,6655★ deluxe hotels | Aswan · 2 nightsTolip Aswan Luxor · 4 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor | $3,665May–Sep: from $3,600 | |
| Luxuryfrom $5,0705★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 4 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Aswan · 2 nightsThe Zen Wellness Resort Aswan Luxor · 4 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | $5,070May–Sep: from $4,937 |
Hotels on bed & breakfast. 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
11 Days / 10 Nights · Cairo · Alexandria · Aswan · Abu Simbel · Luxor · Dendera
- 1
Touch down at Cairo Airport and a driver will be waiting in the arrivals hall to take you to your hotel. Once you have settled in, a private transfer brings you to the Nile for an evening cruise with a buffet dinner, a live show and the city lights along both banks. The cruise lasts around two hours, and you are driven back to your hotel afterward.
- 2
Your English-speaking Egyptologist collects you from the hotel for the day's tour of Giza. The Pyramids and the Great Sphinx come first, and the plateau visit takes 4 to 6 hours. Lunch comes next, then the afternoon belongs to the Grand Egyptian Museum. Guide, entrance fees and transport are all included.
- 3
Alexandria is a drive of a few hours from Cairo, so the day is about 12 hours including the road, and it suits good walkers. The route takes in the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Citadel of Qaitbay and the Montaza Palace gardens, with a lunch stop that looks over the Mediterranean. A licensed Egyptologist leads, and entrance fees and transport are included.
You sleep back in Cairo.
- 4
After breakfast a private car runs you out to Cairo Airport for the flight south; the airline sets the departure time. In Aswan another driver is there when you land, and the sightseeing is timed around your arrival. Your local Egyptologist covers the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in the old quarries, then a short motorboat ride crosses to Agilkia Island and the Temple of Isis at Philae.
Guide, entrance fees and transport are included.
- 5
The road south from Aswan leads to Abu Simbel, and you travel there and back by vehicle. Ramesses II had the Great Temple carved into the rock above the river, and you go inside it and then into the smaller temple next door. Your guide, the entrance fees and the transport are included. Tonight is your second night in Aswan.
- 6
Today you change cities, driving north in an air-conditioned vehicle with two temple stops on the way. Kom Ombo comes first: a single temple shared by Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the falcon god. Then Edfu, where the Temple of Horus is one of the best preserved in the country.
Your Egyptologist travels with you, with entrance fees and transport included, and by evening you are in Luxor for four nights.
- 7
Karnak is the biggest temple complex in Egypt, and your Egyptologist walks you through its halls and courtyards. Luxor Temple, standing beside the river, is the second stop. That is all that is planned, which leaves the remainder of the day for you. The guide, the entrance fees and the transport are included.
- 8
Cross to the West Bank for a day among the great burial sites. The Valley of the Kings comes with entry to three tombs. After that you visit Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari, the Colossi of Memnon and Ramesses III's temple at Medinet Habu, and the Valley of the Queens is added as a half-day visit. Your private Egyptologist guide, the entrance fees and the transport are included.
- 9
Head north out of Luxor for two temples in Upper Egypt. Dendera honors the goddess Hathor, while Abydos is one of the oldest holy places in the country. You eat lunch at a local restaurant between the visits. Your Egyptologist guide, the entrance fees and the transport are included.
- 10
A car takes you to Luxor Airport for the flight to Cairo, with the airline setting the time, and the day is planned around it. Once you land, a private Egyptologist shows you the Egyptian Museum at Tahrir Square, Coptic Cairo, Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, with a local lunch. Expect about eight hours of sightseeing.
Ending with a night in Cairo is deliberate: it gives you a safety window if a domestic flight is delayed.
- 11
Eat breakfast, check out, and your private driver runs you to Cairo Airport for the flight home. Both domestic flights are behind you, so nothing today depends on one. A representative can help at the terminal if you want it.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Ten hotel nights with breakfast in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor
- Domestic flights Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and intercity transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Nile dinner cruise with a live show in Cairo on day 1
- Entrance fees to every site in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Lunch on days 2, 9 and 10, as listed in the itinerary
- Licensed English-speaking Egyptologist guide on all sightseeing days
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Meals and drinks 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
At Philae, the first boats usually mean quieter photos on the approach.
- 03
Karnak is best for long-shadow shots near opening time.
- 04
Abu Simbel visits work best with an overnight in Aswan before departure.
- 05
Bring small notes for tips and restroom stops, especially on longer road days.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel standard when you book. Ask us about adding a Nile cruise, extra nights in Luxor or Cairo, or a hot-air balloon flight in Luxor.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- History-minded travelers who want depth on land: Giza, Alexandria, Abu Simbel and a full set of Luxor sites. Suited to couples, friends and solo travelers who are comfortable with two flights and busy sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access to every site, or who prefer a slow pace. Days 2, 3, 5 and 10 are full days.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, Abu Simbel and four nights in Luxor in eleven days
- Hotels throughout, so no ship schedule to fit around
- Both domestic flights and all transfers handled for you
Things to Consider
- Full days at Giza, Alexandria, Abu Simbel and in Cairo on day 10
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- No Nile cruise on this itinerary
Where it fits
A good fit for a first full trip to Egypt if you want depth, prefer hotels to a ship and want Alexandria and Abu Simbel in the same trip.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many tours of Egypt skip Alexandria or fit Abu Simbel in as an extra. This itinerary includes both, with four nights in Luxor, using hotels, two domestic flights and private road transfers. Hotel standard is your choice; the sightseeing does not change.
Compare
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On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided Multi-Day Land Tour
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Alexandria · Aswan · Abu Simbel · Luxor · Dendera · Abydos · Cairo
- Includes
- 10 hotel nights with breakfast · Flights Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · English-speaking Egyptologist guide on sightseeing days · Nile dinner cruise on arrival night · All transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- History-focused travelers · Travelers who want hotels rather than a cruise · Travelers who want Alexandria and Abu Simbel in the same trip
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
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
- Light layer for flights and evenings
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 churches
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for winter evenings
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every child takes a seat in the vehicle, so transport and guiding are charged at the adult rate at any age. Entrance tickets are free for children under 6 and full price from 6. Hotel and flight prices depend on the child's age and the room used, so we give you the exact figure when you tell us the age at booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This tour involves a lot of walking on large archaeological sites, with uneven stone, sand, steps and some narrow tomb passages. Karnak and the West Bank have long outdoor stretches with little shade, and the Alexandria day takes about 12 hours including the drives. 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 and private road transfers, and vehicle types vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. Sightseeing is guided by local Egyptologists and arranged through local suppliers in Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan and Luxor, so most of the money you spend stays in the places you visit. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and not to touch painted walls in tombs.
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 flights from Cairo to Aswan on day 4 and from Luxor to Cairo on day 10 are booked for you and are included in the price. The airline sets the flight times. International flights are not included.02Is there a Nile cruise on this tour?
Only the Nile dinner cruise on your first evening in Cairo. Otherwise it is a land tour with hotels in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor, and you go from Aswan to Luxor by road with Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way. Ask us if you would like a ship added.03How do we see Abu Simbel?
Day 5 is a full day trip by road from Aswan, with a guide, the entrance fees and the transport included.04Is the Alexandria day too much?
It is about 12 hours including the drives, so it suits good walkers. An Egyptologist guides you throughout, and the route includes a lunch stop overlooking the sea.05Which meals are included?
Breakfast at the hotel every morning after your arrival night, dinner on the Nile cruise on day 1, and lunch on days 2, 9 and 10. Other meals and drinks are yours to choose and pay for.06How long are we in Luxor?
Four nights. Day 7 is Karnak and Luxor Temple, day 8 is the West Bank, and day 9 is Dendera and Abydos.07Which hotels will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the hotels for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are identical at every standard.08Will 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 night in Cairo after the last internal flight. If you add flights of your own and must connect the same day, choose a late-evening or night international flight, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.09What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks and meals other than those stated, the inside of the Khufu pyramid and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun's.10When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for walking around the sites. Summers are very hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan, so days start early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-650342
At a glance
- Length
- 11 days · 10 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Alexandria → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Luxor → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 2 Aswan · 4 Luxor
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers