7-Day Cairo & Sharm El Sheikh Vacation
The Giza Pyramids and old Cairo with a private Egyptologist, then a flight to Sharm El Sheikh for city sights and two snorkeling days. Hotels, the flight and transfers are included.
The short answer
7-Day Cairo & Sharm El Sheikh Vacation is a 7-day, 6-night trip to Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh: 3 nights in Cairo and 3 in Sharm El Sheikh. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $1,182 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This vacation gives you both sides of Egypt in one week: the ancient capital and the Red Sea. You spend the first three nights in Cairo. There is a sunset felucca ride on the Nile when you arrive, a full day at the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis, and a morning in Islamic and Coptic Cairo.
On day 4 you fly to Sharm El Sheikh for the last three nights. You see the Old Market and SOHO Square, then spend two days on the water and in it: Ras Mohammed National Park and a boat day to Tiran Island, both with snorkeling gear provided. We book the domestic flight, every transfer and both hotels. You choose the standard of hotel when you book, and the sightseeing stays the same.
What lingers
- 01A sunset felucca ride on the Nile in Cairo
- 02Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis with a private Egyptologist
- 03Islamic and Coptic Cairo: the Citadel, Muhammad Ali Mosque and the Hanging Church
- 04Domestic flight from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh, with transfers at both ends
- 05Ras Mohammed National Park with snorkeling at the Magic Lake
- 06A full boat day to Tiran Island with snorkeling and lunch on board
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 $1,1823★ hotels | Sharm El Sheikh · 3 nightsFalcon Naama Star Hotel | $1,182May–Sep: from $1,149 | |
| Comfortfrom $1,3514★ hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City Sharm El Sheikh · 3 nightsJaz NEO Naama Bay | $1,351May–Sep: from $1,376 | |
| Classicfrom $1,4415★ hotels | Sharm El Sheikh · 3 nightsParrotel Lagoon Waterpark Resort | $1,441May–Sep: from $1,415 | |
| Prestigefrom $1,6925★ deluxe hotels | Sharm El Sheikh · 3 nightsNaama Bay Suites & Spa | $1,692May–Sep: from $1,805 | |
| Luxuryfrom $2,5265★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo | $2,526May–Sep: from $2,846 |
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
7 Days / 6 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Saqqara · Memphis · Islamic Cairo
- 1
Your driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel, about an hour away. Rest after your flight. Later you go out on the Nile for a sunset felucca ride, the traditional sailboat of the river. The ride is timed around your arrival, so send us your flight details early.
- 2
A full day, about eight hours, with your private Egyptologist in an air-conditioned vehicle. You are collected at your hotel and go first to the Giza Plateau for the pyramids and, at the Valley Temple, the Great Sphinx. A drive through the countryside to the south brings you to a rural lunch.
In the afternoon you visit Saqqara, where the first pyramid was built, and Memphis, the first capital of a united Egypt. Then you return to your hotel.
- 3
A half-day of about six hours with your private Egyptologist, a driver and an air-conditioned vehicle. You see the Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa'i mosques, then go up to Saladin's Citadel and the alabaster mosque of Muhammad Ali. You then cross to Old Coptic Cairo for the Hanging Church and the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, with a lunch break in Old Cairo.
Entrance fees to the Citadel and the four mosques are included, and bottled water is provided.
- 4
After breakfast a private transfer takes you from your Cairo hotel to the airport for the one-hour flight to Sharm El Sheikh. Another private transfer takes you to your hotel there. In the afternoon you join a four-hour city tour in a shared air-conditioned minibus with an English-speaking local guide: the Old Market, the Al Sahaba Mosque and SOHO Square.
Flight times follow the airline schedule, so we plan the tour around them.
- 5
A six-hour excursion by road in a shared air-conditioned minibus with an English-speaking guide. You are collected at your hotel and driven to Ras Mohammed National Park, at the tip of the Sinai peninsula. You snorkel with the mask and snorkel provided, visit the Magic Lake, and have a picnic lunch with water. The park fee is included. Then you return to your hotel.
- 6
A full day on the water, about eight hours, on a boat shared with other guests. You are collected at your hotel and sail out to the reefs around Tiran Island, with a snorkeling guide and a mask, snorkel and fins provided. Lunch is served on board with soft drinks and water. Marine park fees are included. In the evening you are brought back to your hotel.
- 7
After breakfast you check out and a private transfer takes you from your hotel to Sharm El Sheikh Airport, allowing about 90 minutes. Your tour ends at the airport. Book your onward flight from Sharm El Sheikh, and leave a comfortable margin on your last day.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Three nights in a Cairo hotel and three nights in a Sharm El Sheikh hotel
- Domestic flight from Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh, with baggage allowance and taxes
- Private airport and hotel transfers in Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh
- Sunset felucca ride on the Nile in Cairo
- Private Egyptologist guide and air-conditioned vehicle on the Giza and Islamic and Coptic Cairo days
- Entrance fees to the Citadel and the mosques on day 3, the Ras Mohammed park fee and the Tiran marine park fees
- Shared English-speaking guides and transport for the Sharm city tour and the Ras Mohammed trip
- Snorkeling gear: mask and snorkel, and fins on the Tiran trip
- Lunch on days 2, 5 and 6 (countryside lunch, picnic lunch, lunch on board), and bottled water on days 3, 4 and 5 as stated
- Meet-and-assist at Cairo Airport
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides, drivers and boat crew
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- Mount Sinai and any activity not listed in the itinerary
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Save your energy for the Citadel in Islamic Cairo; the climb through its courtyards is long, so wear shoes you can walk in comfortably.
- 02
Cover shoulders and knees for the mosques, and carry a light scarf, since you will take your shoes off at the entrances.
- 03
At Ras Mohammed, test your mask in the shallows before heading out to the drop-off, where the coral wall falls away.
- 04
On the Tiran boat day, take sea-sickness tablets if you are prone, because the Straits can be choppy in the afternoon.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel standard when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo or Sharm El Sheikh, or adding a Nile cruise or Luxor to a longer trip.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- First-time visitors who want the pyramids and a Red Sea resort in a single week. Suited to couples, friends and families with children who are comfortable in the water.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access to every site or boat, or who want a Nile cruise and the temples of Luxor and Aswan.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- The pyramids and the Red Sea in seven days with one short flight
- Flight, hotels and transfers handled for you
- Two snorkeling days with equipment provided
Things to Consider
- Sharm excursions are shared with other guests, not private
- Day 2 in Cairo is a long, full day
- No Nile cruise, Luxor or Aswan
Where it fits
A good first trip to Egypt for people who want the pyramids and some sea time. Mount Sinai, Luxor and a Nile cruise are not included.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh are often booked separately. This vacation joins them in one week with the flight and every transfer arranged. 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 city sightseeing in Cairo plus Red Sea excursions from Sharm El Sheikh
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Saqqara · Memphis · Islamic Cairo · Coptic Cairo · Sharm El Sheikh · Old Market · Ras Mohammed National Park · Tiran Island
- Includes
- 3 nights in a Cairo hotel and 3 nights in a Sharm El Sheikh hotel · Domestic flight Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh · Private Egyptologist on the Giza and Islamic and Coptic Cairo days · Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island excursions with snorkeling gear · Entrance and park fees listed in the itinerary · All airport and hotel transfers
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Travelers who want history and a Red Sea beach resort in one week · Snorkeling fans
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
- Swimsuit and a quick-dry towel for the snorkeling days
- Reef-safe 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 sun and heat
- Closed shoes for Giza, the Citadel and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees for mosques and churches
- A swimsuit under your clothes on the snorkeling days
- A light layer for the boat and for winter evenings
Children & families
Children are welcome on the Cairo days, which use a private vehicle with a seat for every child. The Sharm excursions are shared minibus and boat trips with snorkeling, so they suit children who are comfortable in the water. The pack does not set a minimum age, so tell us your child's age and swimming ability when you book and we will confirm what is suitable and give you the exact hotel and excursion terms for that age.
Accessibility
Who can join this
The Cairo days involve a lot of walking on uneven ground and stone, steps up to the Citadel area and into the old churches, and time in the sun at Giza. In Sharm El Sheikh the minibus excursions and the Tiran boat are shared with other guests, boarding the boat involves steps, and the snorkeling days mean getting into the sea. The Cairo vehicle is 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
This itinerary uses one domestic flight, private road transfers in Cairo and shared minibuses and boats in Sharm El Sheikh. Vehicle types vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. Guiding in Cairo is by local Egyptologists, and the Sharm excursions use local guides and boat crews, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. Ras Mohammed and the Tiran reefs are protected marine areas. Please do not touch or stand on coral, and take your rubbish back with you.
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 Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh flight included?
Yes. The one-hour domestic flight on day 4 is booked for you and included, along with the baggage allowance and taxes. International flights are not included.02Will I make my international flight?
The domestic flight is a separate booking from your international tickets, so a delay on day 4 could affect later plans. This tour flies you to Sharm on day 4 and you leave from Sharm on day 7, so no connection through Cairo is involved. Book your flight home from Sharm El Sheikh, leave a comfortable margin on day 7, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.03Which hotels will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the hotels for your dates. The sightseeing and excursions are the same at every standard.04Is the Giza day tiring?
It is a full day of about eight hours with the drive, five stops and lunch. You travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle with an Egyptologist, and you can take your time at each stop.05Do I need to be able to snorkel?
On days 5 and 6 mask and snorkel are provided, and on day 6 fins as well. You will be in the sea, so you should be comfortable in water. If you do not want to snorkel, tell us when you book and we will advise what suits you.06Are the Sharm excursions private?
No. The city tour and Ras Mohammed trip use a shared minibus, and the Tiran trip uses a boat shared with other guests. The Cairo sightseeing days are private.07Are entrance fees included?
The Citadel and mosque fees on day 3, the Ras Mohammed park fee on day 5 and the marine park fees on day 6 are included. Tips and drinks are not.08Does the tour include Mount Sinai?
No. Mount Sinai is not part of this itinerary. Ask us if you would like to talk about a longer trip that includes it.09When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for walking around Cairo. The Red Sea is warm for much of the year, and summers in Cairo are very hot, so sightseeing starts early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-288024
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days · 6 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Sharm El Sheikh
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 3 Sharm El Sheikh
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers