12-Day Christmas & New Year Egypt Tour
December 22 to January 2. The pyramids, Abu Simbel, a three-night Nile cruise and three nights in Hurghada. Flights, hotels, your cabin and an Egyptologist are included.
The short answer
12-Day Christmas & New Year Egypt Tour is a 12-day, 11-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Hurghada: 4 nights in Cairo, 3 on a Nile cruise, 1 in Luxor and 3 in Hurghada. Starts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $3,311 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This tour runs on fixed dates: it begins on Tuesday, December 22, 2026, and ends on Saturday, January 2, 2027. Christmas Day is day 4, the day you fly south to Aswan and join your Nile cruise ship. New Year's Eve is day 10, at a beach hotel in Hurghada.
You start with three nights in Cairo: the Giza Pyramids, Saqqara and Memphis, then the Citadel and Khan el-Khalili. After three nights on the river, with Philae, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, you spend a night in Luxor and drive to the Red Sea for three nights of boat trips and beach time. A last night in Cairo gives you a safety window before your flight home. We book the domestic flights, every transfer, your hotels and your cabin. You choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book.
A gala dinner on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve is not included in the price. If your hotel or ship holds one, you pay for it there on the night.
What lingers
- 01Fixed dates: December 22, 2026 to January 2, 2027, with Christmas Day on the Nile and New Year's Eve in Hurghada
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis on a full day in Cairo
- 03Three nights on a Nile cruise ship from Aswan to Luxor, full board
- 04Abu Simbel by road from Aswan, plus Philae, Kom Ombo and Edfu
- 05Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings with your Egyptologist
- 06A Dolphin House snorkeling trip and a Paradise Island beach day from Hurghada
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 $3,3114★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 3 nightsEmilio · Tower Prestige Luxor · 1 nightIberotel Luxor by JAZ Hurghada · 3 nightsSwiss Inn Resort Hurghada | $3,311May–Sep: from $3,248 | |
| Classicfrom $3,5415★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSun Times · Nile Dolphin Hurghada · 3 nightsAMC Royal Hotel & Spa | $3,541May–Sep: from $3,248 | |
| Prestigefrom $4,3585★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess Luxor · 1 nightSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Hurghada · 3 nightsHilton Hurghada Plaza | $4,358May–Sep: from $4,410 | |
| Luxuryfrom $6,4275★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda Luxor · 1 nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | $6,427May–Sep: from $5,493 |
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
12 Days / 11 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Memphis · Islamic Cairo · Aswan
- 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 can join a private tour of Cairo by night, with the view from Cairo Tower and a walk through the lanes of Khan el-Khalili bazaar.
- 2
A full day of about eight hours with your private Egyptologist, a vehicle and the entrance fees included. You start at the Giza Pyramids complex, then the Valley Temple and the Great Sphinx. A drive through the countryside takes you to lunch at a farm-style restaurant. In the afternoon you see Saqqara, where the first pyramid was built, and Memphis, the first capital of a united Egypt.
Back to your hotel for a second night.
- 3
After a slow morning you are collected in the afternoon for a half-day tour with a licensed Egyptologist, a private vehicle and the entrance fees. You visit the Citadel of Saladin and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, walk through Islamic Cairo and finish in Khan el-Khalili. In the evening you can join a private tasting walk through Cairo's food streets.
A gala dinner at your hotel on Christmas Eve is not included; if the hotel offers one, you pay for it there.
- 4
You transfer to Cairo Airport for the flight to Aswan. Sightseeing is arranged around the flight time, which is set by the airline schedule. In Aswan a driver takes you to the river. With your Egyptologist you visit Philae Temple, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, with entrance fees and transport included.
You can also take a private motorboat around Elephantine Island and the Aswan Botanical Garden. You join your cruise ship for the night, and a gala dinner on board is not included.
- 5
An early start for the road trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel, where Ramses II built his two great rock temples. Your Egyptologist guides you, and the entrance fees and transport are included. You return to the ship, which then sails north. You visit Kom Ombo, the double temple of the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, standing on the riverbank.
This is a full day, so come rested and ready for the early start.
- 6
Your Egyptologist takes you ashore at Edfu to see the Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. The ship reaches Luxor, where you visit Luxor Temple and Karnak, the largest temple complex in Egypt, with its forest of columns and the Sacred Lake. Entrance fees and transport are included. Your last night is on board.
- 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. A transfer then takes you into Luxor, and you spend the night in a hotel.
- 8
A private air-conditioned vehicle takes you from Luxor to Hurghada. The drive takes about five hours. There is no sightseeing planned today, so the rest of the afternoon is yours at the hotel. This is the start of your three nights on the Red Sea.
- 9
Today is a boat trip from Hurghada to Dolphin House, a reef where dolphins are often seen. You snorkel from the boat in the Red Sea. The trip is a relaxed day on the water, and you return to your hotel afterward. Bring a swimsuit, a towel, sunscreen and a warm layer for the boat.
- 10
A boat day to Paradise Island, with snorkeling and a beach stop. The trip includes lunch. You are back at your hotel in the afternoon. New Year's Eve is tonight. A gala dinner at your hotel is not included in the price; if the hotel holds one, you pay for it there on the night.
- 11
A transfer takes you to Hurghada Airport for the flight to Cairo. On arrival a driver takes you to your Cairo hotel. This last night in Cairo is a deliberate safety window: if a domestic flight is delayed, it will not cost you your flight home. The afternoon and evening are free.
- 12
After breakfast you check out. A driver with a representative takes you to Cairo Airport for your flight home, with help with luggage. Allow plenty of time for the airport, and we will tell you when to leave the hotel.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Four nights in Cairo hotels, one in Luxor and three 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
- All airport, hotel and port transfers by air-conditioned vehicle, including Luxor to Hurghada
- An English-speaking Egyptologist guide, the transport and entrance fees on the Cairo and cruise sightseeing days
- Abu Simbel by road from Aswan, with entrance fees
- Three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Dolphin House snorkeling boat trip and Paradise Island beach day with lunch
- Lunch on the Giza, Saqqara and Memphis day
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- Gala dinners on Christmas Eve, Christmas night and New Year's Eve, paid locally at the hotel or ship on the night
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Spend your Saqqara time at the Step Pyramid first, then ask your guide to show the decorated tomb chapels that most tours skip.
- 02
Pack a warm layer for the Abu Simbel road trip; the pre-dawn start is chilly in late December even though the day warms quickly.
- 03
On Christmas Day on the Nile, step out on deck at dusk; the light over the river and the passing felucca sails make a lovely photo.
- 04
For New Year's Eve in Hurghada, book any evening dining early and keep the next morning free, since boat trips depart soon after breakfast.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel and ship standard when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo or Luxor, or about joining a gala dinner at your hotel or ship, which is paid locally.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travelers who want to spend Christmas and New Year in Egypt and see the main sites before relaxing by the sea. Suited to couples, friends and families with older children who are comfortable with two flights, early starts and several hours of walking.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access to every site, who cannot travel on these dates, or who want a slow pace. Day 5 is a very early start.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- Christmas Day on the Nile and New Year's Eve on the Red Sea, with fixed dates and no choosing
- Pyramids, Abu Simbel, the main Nile temples and two boat days in one trip
- A last night in Cairo protects your flight home from domestic delays
Things to Consider
- Fixed dates only: December 22, 2026 to January 2, 2027
- Day 5 starts very early for Abu Simbel and day 2 is about eight hours
- Gala dinners are not included
Where it fits
A good fit if you want to be in Egypt for Christmas and New Year and finish with beach days. It only runs on these dates, so check them against your calendar before you book.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Christmas trips to Egypt are built around one city or a short cruise. This tour joins Cairo, a Nile cruise with Abu Simbel and a Red Sea stay, with both domestic flights and every transfer booked for you. Hotel and ship standard is your choice; the sightseeing does not change.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Fixed-date guided tour with a Nile cruise and Red Sea stay
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Luxor and Hurghada and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Memphis · Islamic Cairo · Aswan · Philae Temple · Abu Simbel · Edfu · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Hurghada
- Includes
- 8 hotel nights with breakfast · 3 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo · Abu Simbel by road, entrance fees to listed sites · English-speaking Egyptologist on sightseeing days · All transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Travelers spending Christmas and New Year away · First-time visitors · Travelers who want sightseeing followed by beach days
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
- Swimsuit and a towel for the Hurghada boat days
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
- Light layer for the ship, early starts and flights
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Warm layers for December mornings and evenings, especially on the river and at sea
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- Swimwear and a cover-up for the boat trips
- Something smart for dinner on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve if you plan to join a gala dinner
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. Day 5 begins very early for Abu Simbel and day 2 is about eight hours, so think about whether your child can manage them.
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, the Valley of the Kings and the Citadel have long outdoor stretches with little shade. Boarding the ship, the motorboat at Aswan and the snorkeling boats at Hurghada involve steps and a gangway. Abu Simbel is a long road journey from Aswan, and the Luxor to Hurghada transfer is about five hours by road. 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 itinerary uses two domestic flights, a Nile cruise ship, boat trips on the Red Sea and private road transfers, and the vehicle type 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 take refillable water bottles, to take litter back from the beach and boats, 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
01What are the dates of this tour?
It runs on fixed dates: it begins in Cairo on Tuesday, December 22, 2026, and ends on Saturday, January 2, 2027. Christmas Day is day 4 and New Year's Eve is day 10.02Is the Christmas Eve or New Year gala dinner included?
No. A gala dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas night or New Year's Eve is not included in the price. If your hotel or ship holds one, you pay for it there on the night.03Are the domestic flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Aswan on day 4 and from Hurghada to Cairo on day 11 are booked for you and included. Times are set by the airline schedule. International flights are not included.04How many nights are on the Nile cruise?
Three nights on board, sailing from Aswan to Luxor, on full board: breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. You spend three nights in Cairo, one in Luxor, three in Hurghada and a last night in Cairo in hotels with breakfast.05Which 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.06How does Abu Simbel work on this tour?
On day 5 you go by road from Aswan to Abu Simbel and return to the ship. It is an early start and a full day. Your Egyptologist, the transport and the entrance fees are included.07Will I make my international flight?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed domestic flight could cost you your connection. That is why this tour ends with a last night in Cairo. If you change the plan to connect on the same day, choose a late-evening or night international flight, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, gala dinners, drinks other than those stated, and travel insurance.09Can I snorkel if I am not a strong swimmer?
The Hurghada days are boat trips with snorkeling in the Red Sea. Tell us at booking if you are a weak swimmer or have never snorkeled, and we will tell you what to expect.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-585045
At a glance
- Length
- 12 days · 11 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Tue, Fri or Sun
- Route
- Cairo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Kom Ombo → Edfu → Luxor → Hurghada → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 3 Nile cruise · 1 Luxor · 3 Hurghada
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers