11-Day Egypt Tour: Cairo, Nile Cruise, Sharm & Mount Sinai
The Giza Pyramids, four nights on the river from Luxor to Aswan, and four nights at the Red Sea with a night climb of Mount Sinai. Domestic flights and entrance fees are included.
The short answer
11-Day Egypt Tour: Cairo, Nile Cruise, Sharm & Mount Sinai is an 11-day, 10-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 2 nights in Cairo, 4 on a Nile cruise and 4 in Sharm El Sheikh. Starts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $2,469 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This tour covers three very different sides of Egypt. You begin in Cairo, with a Nile dinner cruise on arrival and a full day at the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum. Then you fly to Luxor and join your Nile cruise ship for four nights, sailing south to Aswan past the temples of Karnak, Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae, with a day on Luxor's West Bank.
On day 7 you leave the ship and fly, via Cairo, to Sharm El Sheikh on the Red Sea. The last four days are slower and wetter: snorkeling at Ras Mohammed, a night climb of Mount Sinai for sunrise, and a semi-submarine trip over the reef. You choose your hotel and ship standard when you book. The sightseeing stays the same.
What lingers
- 01A Nile dinner cruise with a live show on your first night in Cairo
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in one guided day
- 03Four nights on a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan, full board
- 04Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae with an Egyptologist
- 05Snorkeling and the Magic Lake at Ras Mohammed National Park
- 06A night climb of Mount Sinai for sunrise, then St Catherine's Monastery
- 07A semi-submarine trip over the Sharm El Sheikh reef
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 $2,4693★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNephtis · Magic I Sharm El Sheikh · 4 nightsFalcon Naama Star Hotel | $2,469May–Sep: from $2,306 | |
| Comfortfrom $2,8204★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 4 nightsTower Prestige · Royal La Terrasse Sharm El Sheikh · 4 nightsJaz NEO Naama Bay | $2,820May–Sep: from $2,635 | |
| Classicfrom $2,9955★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSun Times · Stephanie Sharm El Sheikh · 4 nightsParrotel Lagoon Waterpark Resort | $2,995May–Sep: from $2,635 | |
| Prestigefrom $3,6675★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess · Nile Excellence Sharm El Sheikh · 4 nightsNaama Bay Suites & Spa | $3,667May–Sep: from $3,243 | |
| Luxuryfrom $5,4065★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda | $5,406May–Sep: from $4,637 |
Hotels on bed & breakfast · 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.
- New
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
11 Days / 10 Nights · Cairo · Nile Dinner Cruise · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple
- 1
A representative meets you at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel. Take the afternoon as you like. That evening a driver collects you for a Nile dinner cruise of about three hours: a top-deck view at golden hour, a buffet dinner as the boat casts off, and a live show before you dock and ride back to the hotel.
- 2
Your Egyptologist picks you up at the hotel for a full day of about eight hours. First comes the Giza Plateau, with the three great pyramids and the Sphinx. Lunch follows at a restaurant with a view. In the afternoon you walk through the Grand Egyptian Museum. Entrance fees, bottled water and the air-conditioned vehicle are included, and you return to your hotel for a second night in Cairo.
- 3
After breakfast you transfer to Cairo Airport for the flight to Luxor; the airline sets the time. A driver takes you from Luxor Airport to the river, where you join your Nile cruise ship. Your Egyptologist then takes you through Karnak, including the Sacred Lake, and Luxor Temple. Guide, entrance tickets and transport are all part of the cruise sightseeing. Dinner and the night are on board.
- 4
Today you cross to the west side of the river with your Egyptologist. You stop at the two Colossi of Memnon, then go into the Valley of the Kings, where your ticket covers three tombs. The last visit is the terraced mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included. The rest of the day and the night are on the ship.
- 5
This is a day of temples on the way south. You go ashore to see the Temple of Edfu, then the Temple of Kom Ombo, which stands on a bend in the river. Your Egyptologist guides both visits, and the entrance fees and transport are included. Between stops you can sit on deck and watch the Nile Valley go by.
- 6
Your last day on the river is in Aswan. With your Egyptologist you visit Philae Temple, then the High Dam, then the Unfinished Obelisk, the huge granite shaft left in its quarry. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included. This tour does not include Abu Simbel. You spend your final night on the ship and pack for an early start.
- 7
This is a travel day, and a long one. After breakfast you check out of the ship and a driver takes you to Aswan Airport. You fly to Cairo, change planes, and fly on to Sharm El Sheikh. A driver meets you there and takes you to your hotel. Airline schedules decide the hours, so expect to arrive tired. No sightseeing is planned, and lunch and dinner are not included.
- 8
An air-conditioned minibus collects you from your hotel for a six-hour trip to Ras Mohammed National Park at the tip of the Sinai peninsula. An English-speaking guide goes with the group, which is shared with other guests. You snorkel with the mask and snorkel provided and visit the Magic Lake. A picnic lunch and water are included, and so is the park fee. The minibus brings you back to the hotel.
- 9
This is the hardest day of the trip and the only thing planned for it. It lasts about 17 hours and starts in the night, when a shared minibus collects you from the hotel. You climb Mount Sinai with a Bedouin mountain guide, about three hours up in the dark and cold, finishing the last 750 steps cut into the rock on foot. You watch the sun rise from the summit, come down, and have breakfast.
Then you visit St Catherine's Monastery before the ride back. Rest well afterward.
- 10
After the Sinai night you get a slow morning, and nothing starts early today. Later in the day a driver collects you for the semi-submarine and glass-bottom boat trip over the reef. The ride is about 90 minutes, shared with other guests, and a soft drink and water are on board. You are back at your hotel afterward and the evening is free.
- 11
After breakfast you check out and a driver takes you from your hotel to Sharm El Sheikh Airport for your flight home. International flights are booked separately, so choose the departure time with care. Our advice is to pick a later flight, or add a night at the resort, so a flight delay on the way does not cost you your trip home.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Two nights in a Cairo hotel and four nights in a Sharm El Sheikh hotel, with breakfast
- Four nights on a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan, on full board
- Domestic flights Cairo to Luxor, Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh
- All airport, hotel and cruise transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Nile dinner cruise with a live show in Cairo
- Nile cruise sightseeing with an English-speaking Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport
- Pyramids, Sphinx and Grand Egyptian Museum day with Egyptologist, entrance fees and lunch
- Ras Mohammed trip with guide, snorkeling gear, picnic lunch and park fee
- Mount Sinai climb with Bedouin mountain guide, breakfast after the descent, and monastery fees
- Semi-submarine and glass-bottom boat trip with a soft drink and water
- Meet-and-assist at Cairo Airport
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
- Abu Simbel and any site not listed in the itinerary
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Wear closed shoes and a warm layer for the Mount Sinai sunrise climb; the summit is cold before dawn, even in summer.
- 02
Pack reef-safe sunscreen for Ras Mohammed; it is a protected national park and the Magic Lake is a calm, shallow snorkeling spot.
- 03
Photography rules inside the Valley of the Kings tombs are strict, so carry a small bag and ask your guide what is allowed.
- 04
Bring a light jacket for the Nile dinner cruise in Cairo; the breeze off the river cools quickly after sunset.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel and ship standard when you book. Ask us about adding Abu Simbel, extra nights in Cairo or Sharm El Sheikh, or a later flight home.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Fit, curious travelers who want Cairo, the Nile temples and the Red Sea in one tour. Suited to couples, friends and solo travelers who are happy with several flights and a demanding night on Mount Sinai.
Maybe not, if
- Young children, and anyone with bad knees or heart or breathing problems, for the Mount Sinai climb. Also travelers who need step-free access to every site, or who dislike long travel days.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- Pyramids, a Nile cruise and the Sinai coast in one trip
- Domestic flights and all transfers booked for you
- Four nights in one Red Sea hotel after the sightseeing
Things to Consider
- Day 7 is a long travel day with two flights and a change in Cairo
- Day 9 is a hard night climb of about 17 hours
- Abu Simbel is not included, and there is no spare night in Cairo before your flight home
Where it fits
A good fit if you are active and want the pyramids, a river cruise and the Sinai mountain in one trip. Allow for a long day on day 7 and a hard night on day 9.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many tours stop at the Nile or at the Red Sea. This one joins Cairo, the Nile temples and Sinai in 11 days, with the domestic flights and transfers booked for you. The sightseeing is the same at every hotel and ship standard.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
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 Sharm El Sheikh hotels and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Nile Dinner Cruise · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Ras Mohammed National Park · Mount Sinai
- Includes
- 2 nights in a Cairo hotel and 4 nights in a Sharm El Sheikh hotel, with breakfast · 4 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights Cairo to Luxor, Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh · Entrance fees to the listed sites · Egyptologist on the Cairo and Nile sightseeing days · Mount Sinai climb with a Bedouin mountain guide
- Best for
- Active travelers who want history and a Red Sea finish · Travelers who want a Mount Sinai sunrise · First-time visitors with 11 days to spend
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, broken in before the trip
- Head torch or small flashlight for the Mount Sinai climb
- Swimsuit and a towel for the Ras Mohammed snorkeling
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for the sites and the ship
- Closed shoes with grip for temples, tombs and the mountain
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at temples and the monastery
- Warm layers, a hat and gloves for the Mount Sinai climb, which is cold before sunrise
- A swimsuit under your clothes for Ras Mohammed
- A light jacket for evenings on the river in winter
Children & families
Children are welcome on the Cairo, Nile and Sharm days. Every child takes a seat in the vehicle and on the shared excursions, 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. Cabin and hotel 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. The Mount Sinai night climb on day 9 is not suitable for young children: it is about 17 hours, in the dark and cold, with 750 steps at the end. Younger children can rest at the hotel that day.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This tour asks a lot of your legs. The Cairo and Luxor sites have uneven stone, sand, steps and narrow tomb passages, with little shade. Boarding the ship involves a gangway and steps. The Mount Sinai climb on day 9 is the hardest part: you walk for about three hours in the dark and cold, and the last 750 steps are cut into the rock and done on foot. It is not suitable for people with mobility limits, bad knees, or heart or breathing problems, and we do not recommend it for young children. You can skip it and rest at the hotel; tell us when you book and we will plan around it. Vehicles are air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
This itinerary uses four domestic flights, a Nile cruise ship and road transfers, and the vehicle type can vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. Guiding and excursions are run by local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Sharm El Sheikh, so most of the money you spend stays in those places. At Ras Mohammed, please do not touch or stand on the coral and use the mask and snorkel only over the areas your guide points out. Bring a refillable water bottle and take your litter off the mountain.
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. Cairo to Luxor on day 3, and Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh on day 7, are booked for you and included. International flights are not. The airline sets the times.02How many nights are on the Nile cruise?
Four nights on board, from Luxor to Aswan, on full board. The other six nights are in hotels: two in Cairo and four in Sharm El Sheikh, with breakfast.03How hard is the Mount Sinai climb?
It is hard. The day lasts about 17 hours with no sleep. You walk for about three hours up in the dark and cold, and the last 750 steps are cut into the rock and climbed on foot. A Bedouin mountain guide goes with you. It is not for young children or for anyone with bad knees, heart or breathing problems. Plan on climbing on foot.04Do I have to climb Mount Sinai?
No. If you would rather not, you can rest at your hotel on day 9. Tell us when you book and we will plan around it.05Why does day 10 start late?
Because day 9 is a night climb. Nothing is planned for the morning of day 10. The semi-submarine trip is later in the day, so you can sleep and recover.06Is Abu Simbel included?
No. This tour does not include Abu Simbel. It can be added on a longer itinerary; ask us and we will show you the options.07Will I make my international flight?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed domestic flight can cost you the connection. This tour ends in Sharm El Sheikh, with no spare night in Cairo. Choose a later flight home from Sharm, or add a night at the resort. Take travel insurance that covers missed connections.08Are the Sharm excursions private?
No. Ras Mohammed, Mount Sinai and the semi-submarine trip all run in minibuses or boats shared with other guests. In Cairo and on the Nile your Egyptologist guides your group.09What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks other than those stated, meals other than those listed, travel insurance and personal expenses.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-975577
At a glance
- Length
- 11 days · 10 nights
- Starts
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri or Sat
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Sharm El Sheikh
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 4 Nile cruise · 4 Sharm El Sheikh
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers