11-Day Egypt Honeymoon: Dahabiya & El Gouna
Eleven days from Cairo to El Gouna. Sunset at the Pyramids, four nights on a traditional Nile sailing boat, then a few days of snorkelling and rest by the sea.
The short answer
11-Day Egypt Honeymoon: Dahabiya & El Gouna is an 11-day, 10-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 2 nights in Cairo, 1 in Luxor, 4 on a Nile cruise and 3 in El Gouna. Starts on Wednesdays, Fridays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $3,661 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Most honeymoons in Egypt try to do two things: see the great sites and still feel like time away together. This route does both. You begin in Cairo with a sunset camel ride at Giza and a private day through the Pyramids, Saqqara and Memphis. Then you fly to Luxor for Karnak and the Valley of the Kings.
From Esna you spend four nights on a dahabiya, a traditional Nile sailing boat, visiting Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo and ending with Elephantine Island and Philae at Aswan. Your Egyptologist guide is with you for every visit, and the entrance fees are included. Two flights take you from Aswan to the Red Sea, where you spend three nights at El Gouna, with a snorkelling day at Orange Bay and a trip in a semi-submarine.
You choose the standard of hotel and dahabiya when you book, and we name the properties once we know your dates. We book the flights, transfers, sightseeing and guiding. The days on the river are slower than the rest, which is the point.
What lingers
- 01Private camel ride at the Giza Pyramids at sunset on your first evening
- 02A private day with an Egyptologist at the Pyramids, Saqqara and Memphis
- 03Karnak, Luxor Temple and three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- 04Four nights on a dahabiya, a traditional Nile sailing boat, with Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae
- 05A private motorboat trip to Elephantine Island and the Botanical Garden
- 06Three nights at El Gouna with an Orange Bay snorkelling day and a semi-submarine trip
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 $3,6614★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 1 nightIberotel Luxor by JAZ Dahabiya · 4 nightsBens Dahabiya · Amoura Dahabiya | $3,661May–Sep: from $3,431 | |
| Classicfrom $4,2585★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsIris Luxury Dahabiya · Royal Cleopatra Dahabiya El Gouna · 3 nightsSheraton Miramar Resort El Gouna | $4,258May–Sep: from $3,458 | |
| Prestigefrom $5,4315★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Luxor · 1 nightSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Dahabiya · 4 nightsAzhar Dahabiya | $5,431May–Sep: from $4,620 | |
| Luxuryfrom $8,0875★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 1 nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa Dahabiya · 4 nightsMinya Dahabiya El Gouna · 3 nightsCasa Cook El Gouna (Adults Only) | $8,087May–Sep: from $6,051 |
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 · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings
- 1
Your driver meets you after you land at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel in about an hour. Later in the day you are collected for a private camel ride at sunset at the Giza Pyramids. You ride for about an hour, one camel each, with a handler, and the whole outing takes around three hours. Tea and bottled water are included.
It is a gentle first evening, and a good way to start a honeymoon.
- 2
A private day of about eight hours with your own Egyptologist and an air-conditioned car. You see the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx with its Valley Temple, then drive through farmland to Saqqara, home of the first stepped pyramid, and on to Memphis, Egypt's first capital. Lunch is taken in the countryside along the way. Your guide sets the pace, so you can linger where you like.
- 3
After breakfast you transfer to Cairo Airport for the flight to Luxor. Flight times follow the airline schedule, and the sightseeing is arranged around them. Once you land, a driver takes you into Luxor. Your Egyptologist then walks you through Karnak, with its forest of columns, and Luxor Temple, which stands in the middle of town. Entrance fees and the car between the two sites are included.
- 4
This morning is for the west bank of the river: the Valley of the Kings, where you enter three tombs, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon. The tour takes about six hours, with an Egyptologist and a car. Afterward a private driver takes you from Luxor to Esna, where you step aboard your dahabiya, a traditional Nile sailing boat. Your voyage upriver begins here.
- 5
Today you visit two temples with your guide. The first is the small, deep Temple of Esna, where the roof still holds its painted ceiling carvings. The second is the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the falcon god Horus and among the best preserved in Egypt. Entrance tickets for both are included. The rest of the day is yours on board, with the riverbank sliding by.
- 6
The Temple of Kom Ombo sits right on the Nile. It is a double temple, shared by the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, so everything inside it comes in pairs. Your guide takes you round it and your entry ticket is included. There is little else planned, so this is the day to sit on deck, read, and enjoy the company you came with.
- 7
You are picked up from your dahabiya for a private motorboat trip of about four hours around Aswan, with an English-speaking Egyptologist. You land on Elephantine Island to see its ruins, then cross to the Botanical Garden, where the palms and flowering trees make a cool, shaded contrast to the bare rock around Aswan. Both entry tickets and bottled water are included.
You spend this last night on board.
- 8
A long travel day. In the morning you cross the water to Philae, the temple of Isis on Agilkia Island, with a guide. Then a private transfer takes you from the dahabiya or your Aswan hotel to the airport for two flights, Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Hurghada. Flight times follow the airline schedule and the Philae visit is fitted around them.
A driver takes you the last stretch, about an hour, to El Gouna.
- 9
A day on the water. A motorboat carries you across to Orange Bay on Giftun Island, with a hotel pick-up and drop-off. You make two guided snorkelling stops, with mask, snorkel and life jacket provided, and the rest of the time you spend on a sunbed on the beach. A hot lunch and bottled water come with the trip.
- 10
A lazier day. In the morning a driver collects you from your hotel for a three-hour outing on a semi-submarine, a boat with windows below the waterline so you can see the reef without getting wet. The trip lasts two hours and is shared with other guests. There is also a swim stop with mask and snorkel, and a soft drink or water on board. The afternoon and evening are free.
- 11
After breakfast you check out, and a private air-conditioned car takes you from El Gouna to Hurghada Airport, about an hour away. Our team meets you and helps with your luggage. The tour ends at the airport. If you are flying home, choose a flight that leaves after the transfer time, and we can suggest a pick-up time once you tell us your flight.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Six hotel nights with breakfast: two in Cairo, one in Luxor and three in El Gouna
- Four nights on a dahabiya on the Nile
- Domestic flights Cairo to Luxor, Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Hurghada
- All airport, hotel and boat transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Private sunset camel ride at the Giza Pyramids with tea and water
- Private day to the Pyramids, Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis with lunch
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide on all sightseeing days
- Entrance fees to every site listed, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Private motorboat to Elephantine Island and the Botanical Garden
- Orange Bay snorkelling day with equipment, sunbed and hot lunch
- Semi-submarine and glass-bottom boat trip with a swim stop
- Meet-and-assist at the airports
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides, drivers and crew
- Drinks 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
Book the sunset camel ride at Giza for your first evening, when the Pyramids glow and the plateau is calmer.
- 02
On the dahabiya, sit on deck at dawn; the quiet river with passing feluccas and palm groves makes lovely shared photos.
- 03
Ask your guide about the carved crocodile and calendar scenes at Kom Ombo, a temple that suits a romantic slow look.
- 04
Save the El Gouna days for lazy beaches, then take Orange Bay Island as the one active day to keep things easy.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel and dahabiya standard when you book. Ask us about adding Abu Simbel, an extra night in Cairo before your flight home, or more days at El Gouna.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Couples planning a honeymoon who want Egypt's main sites and a rest by the sea. Suited to people who are comfortable with three flights, a boat with a gangway, and several hours of walking on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access to every site, or who want a large ship with extensive facilities. Day 8 is a long travel day.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- Pyramids, Luxor and a four-night Nile journey, then the Red Sea, in eleven days
- Domestic flights, transfers and entrance fees handled for you
- A quiet beach finish after the sightseeing
Things to Consider
- Day 8 is long, with a temple visit, two flights and a drive
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- Abu Simbel is not included
Where it fits
A good fit for couples who want to see the major sites and still end on a beach. Abu Simbel is not included, so add it if it is on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many honeymoon packages choose either the Nile or the beach. This one combines a four-night dahabiya trip, the quietest way to see the Nile temples, with a Red Sea finish. Flights and transfers are booked for you, and the standard of hotel and boat is your choice.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided honeymoon package with a Nile dahabiya
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Luxor and El Gouna and a Nile dahabiya, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Philae Temple · El Gouna
- Includes
- 6 hotel nights with breakfast (Cairo 2, Luxor 1, El Gouna 3) · 4 nights on a Nile dahabiya · Flights Cairo to Luxor, Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Hurghada · Entrance fees to every listed site · Egyptologist guide on sightseeing days · All transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Honeymooners · Couples who want culture and a beach in one trip · Travelers who like a slow river journey
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, preferably reef-safe
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Swimsuit and a light towel for the Red Sea days
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag for the boats
- A light layer for evenings on the river and for 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
- Sandals or water shoes for the boats and the beach
- A light jacket or scarf for evenings on the water in winter
Children & families
Children are welcome, though this itinerary is built for couples and has long days. 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. Hotel and dahabiya prices depend on the child's age and the room or cabin used, so tell us the age at booking and we give you the exact figure. The dahabiya has gangways and steps, so we talk through the suitability for young children with you first.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This honeymoon involves a lot of walking on temple sites and in tombs, with uneven stone, sand and steps, and long outdoor stretches with little shade. You board the dahabiya by a gangway, and you use boats for Elephantine Island, Philae, Orange Bay and the semi-submarine, all of which involve steps. Day 8 has two flights and a long journey. The vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site or on the dahabiya. Tell us your needs when you book and we will say honestly which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
This trip uses three domestic flights, a dahabiya, boats on the Red Sea and private road transfers, and the vehicle types vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. Guiding and services come from local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea coast, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. At Orange Bay and on the semi-submarine trip we ask guests not to touch or stand on coral, and to use reef-safe sunscreen. Please take refillable water bottles.
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
01How many nights are on the dahabiya?
Four nights, from day 4 to day 7. You board at Esna after the Luxor West Bank visits and spend your last night on board before the flights on day 8. The other six nights are in hotels: two in Cairo, one in Luxor and three in El Gouna.02What is a dahabiya?
It is a traditional Nile sailing boat, smaller and simpler than a big cruise ship. You get time on deck and a slow pace on the river. We do not describe it as private, and facilities vary with the standard you choose.03Is this an adults-only or couples-only trip?
No. It is built for couples, but we do not promise adults-only hotels or room upgrades. Tell us when you book that you are travelling for a honeymoon, and we will pass on what is possible for the standard you choose.04Are the domestic flights included?
Yes. Cairo to Luxor on day 3, and Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Hurghada on day 8 are booked for you. Flight times follow the airline schedule. International flights are not included.05Will I make my international flight?
The tour ends at Hurghada Airport on day 11, with no domestic flight that day, so a flight home from Hurghada is simple. The risk is on day 8: it has two domestic flights, and domestic and international tickets are separate bookings. If you fly home through Cairo, we prefer you add a night there. If you must connect the same day, choose a late-evening or night flight, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.06Is day 8 tiring?
Yes. You visit Philae, transfer to Aswan Airport, take two flights, and drive about an hour to El Gouna. Flight times follow the airline schedule. Most couples find the beach days that follow worth it.07Is the guide with us on the dahabiya days?
Yes. An English-speaking Egyptologist guides the visits at Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Elephantine Island and Philae, and entrance tickets are included.08Can we swim and snorkel if we are not strong swimmers?
Yes. Snorkel equipment and life jackets are provided at Orange Bay, and the semi-submarine lets you see the reef from inside the boat. Tell your guide how comfortable you are in the water.09What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides, drivers and crew, drinks and meals other than those stated, the Khufu pyramid interior and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun's, and travel insurance.10When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for temples and tombs. The Red Sea is warm in spring and autumn. Summers are very hot in Luxor and Aswan, so sightseeing starts early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-870023
At a glance
- Length
- 11 days · 10 nights
- Starts
- Wed, Fri or Sun
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Esna → Edfu → Kom Ombo → El Gouna → Hurghada
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 1 Luxor · 4 Nile cruise · 3 El Gouna
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers