5-Day Christmas in Egypt: Cairo & Luxor
22 to 26 December 2026. The Giza Pyramids, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, with your hotels, the flight to Luxor and an Egyptologist included.
The short answer
5-Day Christmas in Egypt: Cairo & Luxor is a 5-day, 4-night trip to Cairo and Luxor: 2 nights in Cairo and 2 in Luxor. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $1,346 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Christmas week is a good time to see Egypt. The days are mild, the sites are open and the light is soft. This five-day tour runs from Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 December 2026, so Christmas Day falls on day 4, in Luxor.
You start in Cairo with an evening tour of the city, then spend a full day at the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum. On day 3 you fly to Luxor for Karnak Temple and a sunset boat ride to Banana Island. Day 4 is the West Bank, and day 5 ends at the Luxor Museum before your flight back to Cairo.
Western Christmas is a normal working day in Egypt, and Coptic Christmas is on 7 January, so we have not planned any special events. This is a busy, popular week, and you are welcome to ask us about church services and festive meals. The Christmas Eve gala dinner at the hotel is not included in the price. Guests who want it pay for it at the hotel on the night.
What lingers
- 01Cairo by night: Cairo Tower and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar on your arrival evening
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum in one guided day
- 03A flight from Cairo to Luxor, with Karnak Temple the same afternoon
- 04Sunset on the Nile by private motorboat to Banana Island, with fruit and mint tea
- 05The West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu
- 06The Luxor Museum on your last morning, before the flight to 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 $1,3463★ hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor | $1,346May–Sep: from $1,278 | |
| Comfortfrom $1,4474★ hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 2 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | $1,447May–Sep: from $1,406 | |
| Classicfrom $1,5105★ hotels | $1,510May–Sep: from $1,460 | ||
| Prestigefrom $1,6145★ deluxe hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor | $1,614May–Sep: from $1,640 | |
| Luxuryfrom $2,3135★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 2 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | $2,313May–Sep: from $2,260 |
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.
- New
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
5 Days / 4 Nights · Cairo · Cairo Tower · Khan el-Khalili · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Egyptian Museum
- 1
Tuesday 22 December. A private representative meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel, about an hour away. In the evening a private guide takes you out for a tour of Cairo by night: the view from Cairo Tower and a walk through the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. The transport is included. Meals are not included today, so you can choose your own dinner in the bazaar.
- 2
Wednesday 23 December. A full day with your English-speaking Egyptologist. You see the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx, then the Egyptian Museum. The private vehicle and the entrance fees are included. Allow 4 to 6 hours at Giza. Back to your hotel for a second night in Cairo.
- 3
Thursday 24 December, Christmas Eve. After breakfast you are driven to Cairo Airport for the one-hour flight to Luxor. The flight time is set by the airline schedule, and the sightseeing is arranged around it. In Luxor you are met and taken to your hotel, then visit Karnak Temple with your Egyptologist, including the Sacred Lake.
Late in the day a private motorboat takes you on the Nile to Banana Island for about three hours, with fresh fruit, mint tea and bottled water. Transport, guiding and entrance fees are included. The Christmas Eve gala dinner at the hotel is not included; if you want to join it, you pay at the hotel on the night.
- 4
Friday 25 December, Christmas Day. A full day on Luxor's West Bank with your Egyptologist. You visit the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu. The private vehicle and the entrance fees are included. Start early, because the tombs and open ground are quieter in the morning. You return to your Luxor hotel for a second night.
- 5
Saturday 26 December. After breakfast and hotel check-out, you spend a half day at the Luxor Museum with your Egyptologist. Then a private transfer takes you to Luxor Airport for the one-hour flight to Cairo. The flight time is set by the airline schedule, and the museum visit is arranged around it. No hotel is included tonight, and this is the end of the tour.
Your international flight home is booked separately.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Two nights in a Cairo hotel and two nights in a Luxor hotel, with breakfast on the mornings after day 1
- Domestic flights Cairo to Luxor and Luxor to Cairo, with 23 kg of luggage
- All airport and hotel transfers by private vehicle
- Cairo by night evening tour with Cairo Tower and Khan el-Khalili
- Private motorboat to Banana Island at sunset, with fruit, mint tea and water
- Entrance fees to every site in the itinerary
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide on all sightseeing days
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Christmas Eve gala dinner, paid locally at the hotel on the night
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Meals other than those stated, and drinks
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Climb Cairo Tower on your arrival evening for the city lights, then walk Khan el-Khalili while the lanterns are lit and bargaining is at its liveliest.
- 02
Ask your guide to start at the Great Sphinx on Giza day, then move to the pyramid viewpoints before the tour buses crowd the plateau.
- 03
Book the Karnak visit for the late afternoon so the light turns the pylons golden, and bring a hat for the long open courtyards.
- 04
At the Valley of the Kings, cameras are restricted inside the tombs, so use the exterior viewpoint and the Hatshepsut terraces for your photos.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel standard when you book. Ask us about adding a last night in Cairo before your flight home, extra nights in Luxor, or a Nile cruise on a longer trip.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travelers who want to spend Christmas in Egypt and see the pyramids and Luxor's temples in a short, guided trip. Suited to couples, friends and families with older children who are comfortable with a flight 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. Day 3 is long.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings in five days
- Flights and all transfers handled for you
- Dated for 22 to 26 December 2026, with Christmas Day in Luxor
Things to Consider
- A busy day 3 with a flight, Karnak and a boat ride
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- The Christmas Eve gala dinner is not included
Where it fits
A good short trip over Christmas. It ends in Cairo after a flight, so add a last night there if you have a flight home the same day.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Christmas offers in Egypt are a single city or a long cruise. This tour joins Cairo and Luxor in five days, with both flights and every transfer booked for you. Hotel 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
- Guided Multi-Day Christmas Tour
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Luxor hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Cairo Tower · Khan el-Khalili · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Banana Island · Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Luxor Museum
- Includes
- 2 nights in Cairo and 2 nights in Luxor, with breakfast after day 1 · Flights Cairo to Luxor and Luxor to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · English-speaking Egyptologist on sightseeing days · All transfers by private vehicle · Private motorboat to Banana Island at sunset
- Best for
- Travelers spending Christmas away · First-time visitors · Couples and families with older children
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
- A warm layer for Cairo evenings and the boat ride at sunset
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sunny days
- A sweater or light jacket for evenings in Cairo and on the river in December
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
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 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. Christmas week is busy, so book early if you are traveling with children.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This tour involves a lot of walking at large archaeological sites, with uneven stone, sand, steps and some narrow tomb passages. The Valley of the Kings and Karnak have long outdoor stretches with little shade. Getting into the motorboat on day 3 involves a short step down to the water. 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, private road transfers and a small motorboat on the Nile, and vehicle types can vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. Sightseeing is guided by local Egyptologists and arranged through suppliers in Cairo and Luxor, so most of what 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
01Is the Christmas Eve gala dinner included?
No. The gala dinner on Christmas Eve is not part of the tour price. If you want to join it, you pay for it at the hotel on the night. We can tell you what is on offer when you book.02What happens on Christmas Day?
Christmas Day is day 4, a full sightseeing day on Luxor's West Bank. Western Christmas is a normal working day in Egypt, and Coptic Christmas is on 7 January, so we have not planned any special event. Ask us if you would like help finding a church service or a festive meal.03Are the domestic flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Luxor on day 3 and from Luxor to Cairo on day 5 are booked for you and included, with 23 kg of luggage. International flights are not. Flight times are set by the airline schedule.04Will I make my international flight?
This tour ends in Cairo on day 5 after a domestic flight, with no hotel night. Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed domestic flight can cost you the connection. We prefer one last night in Cairo, and we can add it. If you must connect on the same day, choose a late-evening or night international flight, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.05Which hotels will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the hotels in Cairo and Luxor for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are the same at every standard.06Is Abu Simbel or a Nile cruise included?
No. This tour stays in hotels, with two nights in Cairo and two in Luxor. If you would like a Nile cruise or a longer trip, ask us and we will show you the options.07Is this tour private?
Yes. Your Egyptologist and driver are private on the sightseeing days, and the Banana Island motorboat is private too.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, meals other than those stated, the Christmas Eve gala dinner, and travel insurance.09What is the weather like in late December?
Days are mild and comfortable for walking around temples, and evenings in Cairo and on the Nile can be cool. Bring a warm layer.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-152231
At a glance
- Length
- 5 days · 4 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Cairo
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 2 Luxor
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers