8-Day Budget Egypt Tour: Cairo, Nile Cruise & Luxor
The best of Egypt at a sensible standard: simple hotels, a 5-star Nile cruise ship, two domestic flights, an Egyptologist and every entrance fee.
The short answer
8-Day Budget Egypt Tour: Cairo, Nile Cruise & Luxor is an 8-day, 7-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 4 nights in Cairo and 3 on a Nile cruise. Starts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $2,240 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
You do not need a luxury budget to see Egypt properly. This tour keeps the sightseeing the same as our dearer tours and saves money on the rooms. You stay in simple, comfortable hotels in Cairo and spend three nights on a Nile cruise ship. Every Nile cruise ship is a 5-star ship, and this tour is offered on the two most affordable standards.
You begin with two nights in Cairo and a full day at the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum. Then you fly to Aswan and cruise north to Luxor, with Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings along the way. A flight takes you back to Cairo for two more nights, with Saqqara and a sunset felucca ride before you fly home.
What lingers
- 01Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in one guided day
- 02Three nights on a 5-star Nile cruise ship from Aswan to Luxor, full board
- 03Philae Temple, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk on your first afternoon
- 04Kom Ombo and Edfu temples, then Karnak and Luxor Temple
- 05Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon
- 06A horse-carriage ride in Luxor, Saqqara and a felucca on the Nile at sunset
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 $2,2403★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 3 nightsMagic I | $2,240May–Sep: from $2,086 | |
| Comfortfrom $2,3764★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 3 nightsRoyal Elite · Emilio | $2,376May–Sep: from $2,229 |
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
8 Days / 7 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Aswan · Philae Temple · High Dam
- 1
Your driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel, about an hour away. Nothing else is planned, so you can rest after the flight and get ready for the pyramids tomorrow. The first night is in Cairo.
- 2
You are collected at your hotel for a day of about eight hours. Your English-speaking Egyptologist takes you across the Giza Plateau to the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx. Lunch is served with a view. In the afternoon you go to the Grand Egyptian Museum, where the galleries hold the Tutankhamun collection and the great royal statues. The guide, the entrance fees and the vehicle are all included.
You return to your hotel for a second night in Cairo.
- 3
After breakfast a driver takes you to Cairo Airport for the flight to Aswan; the airline sets the time. Another driver meets you in Aswan. Your sightseeing begins straight away with the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk still lying in its quarry, and the temple of Isis at Philae on its island. You then join your Nile cruise ship, settle into your cabin and have dinner on board.
The guide, entrance fees and transport are included, and the afternoon is a full one.
- 4
The ship moves north through the day. You step ashore at Kom Ombo, a twin temple to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus that stands right on the bank. Later you visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, among the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Your Egyptologist, the entrance tickets and the transport to each temple are included.
The rest of the day is yours on deck, with palm groves and farmland drifting past.
- 5
In Luxor your Egyptologist walks you through Luxor Temple, then Karnak, the biggest temple complex in Egypt, including a visit to its Sacred Lake. Guide, tickets and transport are included. In the evening there is a private horse-carriage ride that takes in a local market and Luxor Temple lit up at night. You sleep on the ship for a third night.
- 6
After breakfast you leave the ship and cross to the West Bank. 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. Your Egyptologist, the tickets and the transport are included. A driver then takes you to Luxor Airport for the flight to Cairo, where you are met and driven to your hotel.
It is a long day, and the flight leaves when the airline's schedule says it does.
- 7
A half-day tour takes you to Saqqara, the ancient burial ground of Memphis, with your Egyptologist, the entrance fees and the vehicle included. The rest of the day is free. Near sunset you board a felucca, a traditional sailing boat, for a ride on the Nile in Cairo. Having this day in Cairo before you leave is deliberate: it is a safety window in case a domestic flight is late.
- 8
After breakfast you check out and your driver takes you to Cairo Airport for your flight home. Allow plenty of time: the transfer is planned so that you reach the airport about 90 minutes before the flight. A representative helps with your luggage.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Four nights in Cairo hotels with breakfast, and three nights on a 5-star Nile cruise ship on full board
- Domestic flights Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and port transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide on the sightseeing days
- Entrance fees to every site in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Lunch on the Giza day, and the Nile cruise sightseeing package
- Saqqara half-day tour and a sunset felucca ride
- Private evening horse-carriage ride in Luxor
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides, drivers and ship staff
- 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
The Luxor horse carriage ride is best taken after Karnak; the evening market is lively and Luxor Temple glows once the lights come on.
- 02
At Kom Ombo, look for the carved surgical instruments on the wall; the temple is quicker to see than Edfu, so use spare time to wander.
- 03
Take a shawl or light jacket for the Saqqara day; the Step Pyramid area is open and exposed to wind at the end of the trip.
- 04
In the Valley of the Kings, drink water before entering; the tombs are warm and there are no facilities close by once you start.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Ask us about adding Abu Simbel, extra nights in Luxor or Cairo, or a hot-air balloon flight in Luxor. Hotel and cabin are offered at the two most affordable standards only.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travelers who want the classic Egypt route, Cairo plus a Nile cruise, at a sensible standard. Suited to couples, friends and solo travelers who are happy with simple hotels and comfortable with two flights and a lot of walking on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access to every site, or who want high-end hotels. This tour is offered at the two simplest standards only.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, the main Nile temples and Saqqara in eight days
- Same sightseeing as higher-standard tours, with the saving in the rooms
- Three nights on a 5-star ship, so no repacking between Aswan and Luxor
Things to Consider
- Hotels and cabins are at the simplest standards
- Long days on days 2, 3 and 6, with uneven stone and little shade
- Abu Simbel is not included
Where it fits
A good first trip to Egypt for anyone watching the budget. Abu Simbel is not included, so add it if it is on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many budget Egypt tours save money by cutting sites or the guide. This one keeps the full sightseeing and the Egyptologist, and saves on the rooms: simple hotels and a standard cabin on a 5-star ship. Both flights and every transfer are booked for you.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Budget Guided Multi-Day Tour with Nile Cruise
- Accommodation
- Simple Cairo hotels and a 5-star Nile cruise ship, offered at the two most affordable standards
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Aswan · Philae Temple · High Dam · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Saqqara
- Includes
- 4 nights in Cairo hotels with breakfast · 3 nights on a 5-star Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · English-speaking Egyptologist on sightseeing days · All transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Budget-minded first-time visitors · Travelers who would rather spend on sightseeing than on rooms · Couples, friends and solo travelers who want pyramids and a Nile cruise in eight 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
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag for the sites
- A light layer for the ship and the felucca in the evening
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for evenings on the river in winter
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. Hotel and cabin 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.
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. The Valley of the Kings and Karnak have long outdoor stretches with little shade. Boarding the ship and getting to Philae involve steps and a gangway, and the felucca has no step-free access. 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 say honestly which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The tour uses two domestic flights, a Nile cruise ship and private road transfers, and vehicle types vary, so we do not claim a carbon saving. Sightseeing is guided by local Egyptologists and booked through suppliers in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. The felucca is a sailing boat. We ask guests to carry 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
01Why is this a budget tour?
The sightseeing is the same as on our higher-standard tours. The saving is in the rooms: simple, comfortable hotels in Cairo and a standard cabin on a Nile cruise ship. We offer this tour at the two most affordable standards only.02Is the cruise ship a good one?
Yes. Every Nile cruise ship is a 5-star ship. The cabin standard on this tour is the simplest, and we name the ship for your dates when you book.03Are the domestic flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Aswan on day 3 and from Luxor to Cairo on day 6 are booked for you and included. International flights are not. The airline sets the flight times.04How many nights are on the Nile cruise?
Three nights on board, from Aswan to Luxor, on full board. The other four nights are in Cairo hotels with breakfast.05Are the guide and entrance fees included?
Yes. An English-speaking Egyptologist, the entrance fees and the transport are included on the sightseeing days, with three tombs in the Valley of the Kings. The Khufu pyramid interior and premium tombs are not.06Will I make my international flight home?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late domestic flight could cost you your connection. That is why this tour keeps day 7 in Cairo. If you add changes and must fly to Cairo and connect the same day, choose a late-evening or night international flight. Take travel insurance that covers missed connections.07Is Abu Simbel included?
No. Abu Simbel is not part of this itinerary. Ask us if you would like to add it on a longer tour.08Is the tour private?
Your Egyptologist and driver are private for the sightseeing in Cairo and Luxor. On the ship you are with the other guests on board.09When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and best for walking around temples. Summers are hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan, so sightseeing starts early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-220922
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days · 7 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Tue, Wed or Sat
- Route
- Cairo → Aswan → Kom Ombo → Edfu → Luxor → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 3 Nile cruise
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers