10-Day Cairo, Luxor & Sharm El Sheikh Holiday
Ten days that put the pyramids and Luxor's temples first and the Red Sea last. Three internal flights, nine hotel nights and every excursion are arranged for you.
The short answer
10-Day Cairo, Luxor & Sharm El Sheikh Holiday is a 10-day, 9-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh: 2 nights in Cairo, 2 in Luxor and 5 in Sharm El Sheikh. It includes an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,387 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Some holidays ask you to choose between sightseeing and the sea. This one gives you both, in that order. You begin with two nights in Cairo: a Nile dinner cruise on the evening you arrive, then a full day at the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum. A flight takes you to Luxor for two more nights. There you spend one day on the East Bank at Karnak and Luxor Temple, and one on the West Bank at the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon.
Day 5 is for travelling, with two flights, from Luxor to Cairo and on to Sharm El Sheikh, and no sightseeing planned. Then you have five nights by the Red Sea, with snorkelling at Ras Mohammed, a semi-submarine ride, a boat day at Tiran Island and a morning in Sharm's Old Market. Excursions leave from your hotel door.
What lingers
- 01A Nile dinner cruise with a live show on your first evening in Cairo
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single day with an Egyptologist
- 03Karnak and Luxor Temple, then the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon
- 04Three internal flights: Cairo to Luxor, Luxor to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh
- 05Snorkelling at Ras Mohammed National Park, with a stop at Magic Lake
- 06A semi-submarine and glass-bottom boat trip over the reef
- 07A full day by boat at Tiran Island, with snorkelling
Choose your comfort level
Prices are per person in GBP, 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 £1,3873★ hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor Sharm El Sheikh · 5 nightsFalcon Naama Star Hotel | £1,387May–Sep: from £1,367 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,6164★ hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 2 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ Sharm El Sheikh · 5 nightsJaz NEO Naama Bay | £1,616May–Sep: from £1,645 | |
| Classicfrom £1,6825★ hotels | Sharm El Sheikh · 5 nightsParrotel Lagoon Waterpark Resort | £1,682May–Sep: from £1,709 | |
| Prestigefrom £1,8765★ deluxe hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Sharm El Sheikh · 5 nightsNaama Bay Suites & Spa | £1,876May–Sep: from £1,986 | |
| Luxuryfrom £2,5125★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 2 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | £2,512May–Sep: from £2,965 |
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
10 Days / 9 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple
- 1
Our representative greets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel. Later you are collected for a Nile dinner cruise. It lasts about two hours, with an open buffet dinner, a live show and views of Cairo's lights from the top deck. A private transfer then returns you to your hotel.
- 2
This is a full day of around eight hours. You are collected from your hotel and driven to the Giza Plateau, where your licensed Egyptologist leads you round the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. You have lunch at a local restaurant, then spend the afternoon at the Grand Egyptian Museum. Your guide, the entrance fees and air-conditioned transport are included, along with bottled water.
In the evening you are taken back to your hotel for a second night in Cairo.
- 3
After breakfast a private transfer takes you from your Cairo hotel to the airport for the flight to Luxor, which lasts about an hour. A driver meets you on arrival, and the sightseeing is planned around your flight. On the East Bank your Egyptologist shows you Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple.
The guide, entrance fees and transfers between the sites in an air-conditioned vehicle are all included, with bottled water. Expect a full day.
- 4
Today's tour takes about six hours and crosses the river with your Egyptologist. You visit the Valley of the Kings, with three tombs included, then Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Air-conditioned transport from your pickup point and back is included. The rest of the day is free, and you spend a second night in the same Luxor hotel.
- 5
This is a travelling day, with no sightseeing planned. You are taken from your Luxor hotel to the airport and fly to Cairo, then on to Sharm El Sheikh. Each flight takes about an hour, and the airlines set the times. At Sharm a representative meets you for a private transfer to your hotel. The evening is for settling in.
- 6
You spend around six hours at Ras Mohammed National Park, reached by road, snorkelling and stopping at Magic Lake. An English-speaking guide accompanies the group in an air-conditioned minibus shared with other guests. Your mask and snorkel, the park fee, water and a picnic lunch are included. You are collected from and returned to your hotel.
- 7
A light day: the outing takes about three hours. You are collected from your hotel for a semi-submarine ride of around 90 minutes, shared with other guests, and a glass-bottom boat, so you can watch the reef without getting wet. A soft drink and water are served on board. You are then returned to your hotel and the rest of the day is yours.
- 8
You have about eight hours on a boat shared with other guests. It heads for Tiran Island and stops for snorkelling, led by a snorkelling guide. Mask, snorkel and fins are provided, with marine park fees, and lunch on board with soft drinks and water. You are collected from and returned to your hotel. There is little shade at sea, so bring a hat.
- 9
A gentler outing of about four hours, all on land. A local English-speaking guide takes your group by air-conditioned minibus to the Old Market, Al Sahaba Mosque and SOHO Square. Bottled water is included, and you are collected from and returned to your hotel. That leaves the rest of the day for the beach or the pool before your final night.
- 10
Check out after breakfast and leave your hotel for Sharm El Sheikh Airport. A representative accompanies you on the private transfer and helps with your luggage. Your holiday ends at the airport.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Nine hotel nights, two in Cairo, two in Luxor and five in Sharm El Sheikh, with breakfast
- Three internal flights: Cairo to Luxor, Luxor to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh, with 23 kg luggage and taxes
- All airport and hotel transfers
- A Nile dinner cruise with a live show and open buffet dinner in Cairo
- A licensed Egyptologist, entrance fees and air-conditioned transport on the Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum, Karnak, Luxor Temple and West Bank days
- Entry to three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Lunch on the Giza day and on the Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island days
- The Ras Mohammed, semi-submarine, Tiran Island and Sharm city tour excursions, with hotel pickup, guides, mask and snorkel, and park and marine fees as listed
- Meet and assist at Cairo Airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Meals and drinks other than those stated
- Optional extras and personal spending
- Travel insurance
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
The Nile dinner cruise on arrival night is a gentle first evening after travelling, with a show and nothing to organise.
- 02
Find Hatshepsut's obelisk at Karnak and ask your guide about its raising; revisit Luxor Temple once it is lit after dark.
- 03
Be at the Valley of the Kings early on the West Bank day, before the tomb passages warm up and fill.
- 04
The glass-bottom semi-submarine in Sharm lets you enjoy the coral without getting wet, handy for non-swimmers.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo, Luxor or Sharm El Sheikh.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- First-time visitors who want Egypt's best-known sights followed by time on the Red Sea. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy with three flights and with snorkelling from a boat.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who prefer a slow pace in one place. Days 2 and 5 are long.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- The pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Luxor's temples, then five nights by the sea
- All three internal flights and every transfer arranged for you
- Four Sharm excursions begin at your hotel, with park and marine fees included
Things to Consider
- Day 5 is a travelling day with two flights and no sightseeing
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the Cairo and Luxor sites
- No Mount Sinai and no multi-night Nile cruise
Where it fits
A good first trip to Egypt that finishes on the beach. It has no Nile cruise and no Mount Sinai, so choose a different holiday if either is on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many operators sell Cairo, Luxor and Sharm as separate trips. This holiday joins them in ten days, with every flight, transfer and excursion booked for you. The standard of hotel is your choice; the itinerary stays the same.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided multi-centre holiday with a Red Sea beach stay
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple · Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Colossi of Memnon · Sharm El Sheikh · Ras Mohammed National Park · Tiran Island
- Includes
- 9 hotel nights: 2 Cairo, 2 Luxor, 5 Sharm El Sheikh, with breakfast · 3 internal flights · Nile dinner cruise in Cairo · Licensed Egyptologist, entrance fees and transport in Cairo and Luxor · 4 Sharm El Sheikh excursions with hotel pickup · All transfers
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Those wanting sightseeing followed by a beach stay · Couples and friends who enjoy snorkelling
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 visa or travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Swimming costume and a quick-dry towel for the Red Sea days
- Reef-safe sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag
- Water shoes for getting into the sea from rocky shores
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at temples, tombs and the mosque in Sharm
- A hat and sunglasses
- Swimwear under light clothes on the boat days
- A light layer for the flights and for breezy boat decks
Children & families
Children are welcome. Entrance fees, hotel rates and excursion prices depend on the child's age, and the snorkelling trips depend on how confident the child is in the water. Tell us each child's age when you book and we will confirm the exact arrangements and cost for every day. Pushchairs are hard to use on stone and steps at the temples.
Accessibility
Who can join this
The days in Cairo and Luxor mean a good deal of walking around large archaeological sites, on uneven stone and sand, with steps and very little shade at Karnak and the Valley of the Kings. The tombs in the Valley of the Kings have steep, narrow passages. In Sharm El Sheikh you board boats and the semi-submarine by gangway or steps, and the Ras Mohammed and Tiran trips involve getting in and out of the sea. Transfers are by air-conditioned vehicle, and the Sharm excursions use minibuses and boats shared with other guests. We cannot promise wheelchair access at every site or on every boat. Tell us what you need when you book and we will say honestly which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday uses three internal flights, road transfers and boats, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. The reefs at Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island are protected, and park and marine fees are included. We ask guests not to touch or stand on coral, to wear reef-safe sun cream and to bring a refillable water bottle. Sightseeing is led by local guides and arranged through local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor and Sharm El Sheikh, so much of what you spend stays in those places.
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 soon you let us know and on the kind of holiday. See our current cancellation and refund terms
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01Are the internal flights included?
Yes. We book three flights for you: Cairo to Luxor on day 3, then Luxor to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh on day 5. Each comes with 23 kg of luggage and taxes, and the airlines set the times. International flights are not included.02How are the nine nights divided?
Two nights in Cairo, two in Luxor and five in Sharm El Sheikh, all in hotels with breakfast every morning after the first day.03Which hotels will we stay in?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the hotels for your dates. The itinerary and excursions are identical at every standard.04Will I make my flight home?
The holiday finishes in Sharm El Sheikh, and the internal flights fall on day 5, five nights before you leave, so none sits between you and your flight home. The last morning is simply a transfer from hotel to airport. Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so if you fly home from Cairo, add a night there or choose a late-evening or night flight. Take travel insurance that covers missed connections.05What is day 5 like?
It is a travelling day. You fly from Luxor to Cairo and on to Sharm El Sheikh, with transfers at each end and no sightseeing. Expect time in airports and pack a light carry-on.06Do I have to be a confident swimmer to snorkel?
Ras Mohammed and Tiran Island both include snorkelling, with mask and snorkel provided and fins on the Tiran trip. Being at ease in the water helps. On day 7 the semi-submarine and glass-bottom boat show you the reef without getting wet.07Is an Egyptologist with us throughout?
A licensed Egyptologist guides the Giza and museum day in Cairo and both days in Luxor. In Sharm each trip has an English-speaking or snorkelling guide, and those excursions are shared with other guests.08Where in Sharm El Sheikh do you collect guests?
Excursions collect from hotels in Naama Bay, Sharks Bay, Nabq, Hadaba and the Old Market area, and return you there. If your hotel is elsewhere, let us know when you book.09What does the price not cover?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides and drivers, meals and drinks other than those stated, optional extras and travel insurance.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-270898
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days · 9 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Sharm El Sheikh
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 2 Luxor · 5 Sharm El Sheikh
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers