10-Day Egypt Archaeology Holiday: Cairo, Luxor & Aswan
From the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum to Saqqara, Dendera, Abydos, Karnak, Abu Simbel and Philae. Hotels, internal flights, entry fees and an Egyptologist guide are all included.
The short answer
10-Day Egypt Archaeology Holiday: Cairo, Luxor & Aswan is a 10-day, 9-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 3 nights in Cairo, 4 in Luxor and 2 in Aswan. It includes an Egyptologist guide and transfers. Prices start at £1,875 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
If you have seen the famous sights and want to understand them, this holiday is built for you. It starts in Cairo with Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, then gives a whole day to the early pyramids of Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur. An internal flight brings you to Luxor for four nights, enough to cover the Luxor Museum, the West Bank, Dendera and Abydos on a full day out, Karnak, Luxor Temple and the village of Deir el-Medina without rushing. From there you drive south to Aswan, calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo, and the last days belong to Abu Simbel and Philae. Your English-speaking Egyptologist guide, the entry fees and the transport are included every sightseeing day.
What lingers
- 01The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum, all in a single guided day
- 02The Step Pyramid at Saqqara, the site of Memphis and the Bent and Red Pyramids at Dahshur
- 03A full day at Dendera and Abydos, two temples far quieter than Luxor
- 04The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, Karnak and Luxor Temple with your Egyptologist
- 05Deir el-Medina, where the tomb builders lived, and the Tombs of the Nobles
- 06Edfu and Kom Ombo along the road to Aswan, then Abu Simbel and Philae
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 £1,8753★ hotels | Luxor · 4 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor Aswan · 2 nightsHapi Hotel Aswan | £1,875May–Sep: from £1,785 | |
| Comfortfrom £2,0814★ hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 4 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | £2,081May–Sep: from £1,988 | |
| Classicfrom £2,1835★ hotels | £2,183May–Sep: from £2,063 | ||
| Prestigefrom £2,4065★ deluxe hotels | Luxor · 4 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Aswan · 2 nightsTolip Aswan | £2,406May–Sep: from £2,348 | |
| Luxuryfrom £3,2635★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 4 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa Aswan · 2 nightsThe Zen Wellness Resort Aswan | £3,263May–Sep: from £3,184 |
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 · Saqqara · Dahshur · Luxor · Valley of the Kings
- 1
A representative greets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport, looks after your luggage and drives you to your hotel, roughly an hour away. Nothing else is planned today. Use the evening to unwind after the journey, because the Giza Pyramids come early tomorrow. If your flight lands late, the pick-up simply moves to suit it.
- 2
Your Egyptologist collects you from the hotel for a full day. First comes the Giza Plateau and the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, with the Great Sphinx; plan on four to six hours there, with no hurry. After a lunch with a view you move on to the Grand Egyptian Museum, home to the Tutankhamun galleries and the huge royal statues. This is the only day the museum is on the programme.
Guide, entry fees, lunch and transport are all covered.
- 3
Today is about where pyramids began. With your Egyptologist and a private vehicle, you start at Saqqara and the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Egypt's first big stone building. Memphis, the Old Kingdom capital, has little standing above ground, so a good guide makes all the difference. At Dahshur you meet the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, the two where the builders learned to get the shape right.
Guide, entry fees and transport are included, but lunch is not.
- 4
After breakfast you are driven from your Cairo hotel to the airport and fly to Luxor on the internal flight, at a time fixed by the airline. Another driver meets you on arrival and takes you into town. In the course of the day your Egyptologist shows you the Luxor Museum.
It is compact and beautifully lit, a gentle first look at the kings and gods of Thebes before you visit the places they ruled from. Flight, guide, entry fee and transfers are included.
- 5
Today you cross the Nile to the west bank, the burial ground of ancient Thebes. You go down into the Valley of the Kings, climb to the colonnades of Queen Hatshepsut's temple and pause at the Colossi of Memnon. Medinet Habu closes the day: Ramesses III's great temple, with battle scenes carved across its walls. Your Egyptologist reads the tomb paintings with you.
Guide, entry fees and transport are included. Ask us about the separate ticket for the best-known tombs.
- 6
You leave Luxor by road for a long day at two of Egypt's finest temples. Dendera belongs to the goddess Hathor and keeps a richly painted ceiling. Abydos was the holy city of Osiris, and the temple of Seti I there has superb carved reliefs. Neither draws the crowds of Luxor, so your Egyptologist can take time over the detail.
Lunch at a local restaurant, a bottle of water, entry fees and transport are all part of the day. Back in Luxor by evening.
- 7
East bank first, with your Egyptologist. Karnak is the biggest temple site in Egypt, added to over some 2,000 years, and its forest of columns is unforgettable. Luxor Temple is in the middle of the town and looks different as the light shifts. Then you go back across the river to Deir el-Medina and the Tombs of the Nobles.
The craftsmen who decorated the royal tombs lived at Deir el-Medina, and their own tombs are warm, lively and full of family scenes. Guide, entry fees and transport included.
- 8
You travel from Luxor to Aswan by private vehicle with your Egyptologist, and the journey is part of the sightseeing. You call at Edfu, where the temple of Horus is among the best preserved in Egypt, and at Kom Ombo, a double temple standing right on the river bank. It is a long stretch on the road, so carry water and a light layer for the car. You reach your hotel in Aswan in the evening.
Guide, entry fees and transport are included. We will confirm the running order of the stops before you travel.
- 9
Abu Simbel gets a day of its own, and it is a big one. You set off early from Aswan by road to reach the great rock temples of Ramesses II and his queen, Nefertari. Because nothing else is planned, you can stay as long as you like once there. Your Egyptologist explains how the temples were cut out and raised up when the High Dam was built. Guide, Abu Simbel entry fees and transport are included.
You sleep in Aswan again tonight.
- 10
The final morning belongs to Philae, the island temple of Isis, which you reach by a short boat trip. Your Egyptologist guides you round, and the guide, entry fee and transport are covered. A private driver then takes you to Aswan Airport for the internal flight to Cairo, and a further transfer gets you to Cairo Airport for your flight home. The morning is planned around your flight schedule.
There is no hotel night in Cairo at the end of this holiday.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Three nights in a Cairo hotel, four in Luxor and two in Aswan, each with breakfast
- Internal flights Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo
- Every airport and hotel transfer, plus the private road journey from Luxor to Aswan, in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Entry fees for every site on the itinerary, including Abu Simbel and the Grand Egyptian Museum
- Lunch on the Giza day and on the Dendera and Abydos day
- An English-speaking Egyptologist guide on all sightseeing days
- Meet and assist at Cairo Airport
- Bottled water on the touring days that list it
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Drinks and any meals not stated
- Separate tickets for premium tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Head to Dahshur before Giza if you can, since the Bent and Red Pyramids are wonderfully quiet by comparison.
- 02
Bring a small torch to Dendera and gaze up at the carved astronomical ceiling and the narrow crypt passages.
- 03
Ask your guide to explain the workmen's tombs at Deir el-Medina, which are full of scenes of daily village life.
- 04
Get an early night before the Abu Simbel day, as the road south is a long drive that is well worth the effort.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about adding a night in Cairo before your flight home, extra nights in Luxor or a hot-air balloon flight over Luxor.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- History enthusiasts and returning visitors who want to understand what they are looking at. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy with early starts, long drives and several hours on their feet on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access at every site, or who prefer a relaxed pace. Days 8 and 9 include long road journeys.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Includes Saqqara, Dahshur, Dendera, Abydos and Deir el-Medina, beyond the usual highlights
- Four nights in Luxor, so Thebes is not rushed
- Abu Simbel has a whole day to itself
Things to Consider
- Long days, especially days 6, 8 and 9, with plenty of road time
- No spare night in Cairo before the flight home
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at many sites
Where it fits
A good second trip to Egypt, or a first trip for anyone with a serious interest in archaeology. Ask about an extra night in Cairo at the end if your flight home is a tight connection.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Plenty of Egypt itineraries race through Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. This holiday adds Saqqara, Memphis, Dahshur, Dendera, Abydos and Deir el-Medina, and gives Abu Simbel its own day. The standard of hotel is your choice; the sightseeing stays the same.
Compare
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On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided archaeology holiday with internal flights
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Dahshur · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Dendera · Abydos · Karnak Temple · Aswan · Abu Simbel · Philae Temple
- Includes
- 3 nights in Cairo, 4 in Luxor and 2 in Aswan, with breakfast · Internal flights Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo · Entry fees including Abu Simbel and the Grand Egyptian Museum · English-speaking Egyptologist guide on every sightseeing day · All airport, hotel and intercity transfers · Lunch on the Giza day and the Dendera and Abydos day
- Best for
- History and archaeology enthusiasts · Returning visitors who want more depth · Travellers who enjoy full days of sightseeing
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 travel documents you need
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
- A small torch for dim tomb passages
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Tops and trousers or skirts that cover shoulders and knees at temples and mosques
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for chilly early mornings in winter
Children & families
Children are welcome. Each child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport, guiding and meals are charged at the adult rate whatever their age. Entry tickets are free under 6 and full price from 6. Hotel costs depend on the child's age and the room, so tell us the age when you book and we will give you the exact figure. The days are long and packed with sites, so the holiday works best for older children.
Accessibility
Who can join this
Expect plenty of walking at large archaeological sites, over uneven stone and sand, with steps and a few narrow tomb passages. Karnak, the West Bank and Abydos have long open stretches with little shade, and days 8 and 9 involve long road journeys. Our vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site. Tell us what you need when you book and we will say honestly which parts will work for you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
There are two internal flights and private road transfers on this holiday, and vehicles vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Guiding is by local Egyptologists and the services are run by suppliers based in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, which keeps most of your spending in the communities you visit. Please bring a refillable water bottle and keep your hands off painted tomb walls, where the pigment is fragile.
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. The flights from Cairo to Luxor on day 4 and from Aswan to Cairo on day 10 are booked for you and covered in the price. International flights are not, and the airline sets the flight times.02What makes this an archaeology holiday?
You spend longer at fewer places and see sites that shorter itineraries skip: Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur, a full day at Dendera and Abydos, Deir el-Medina and the Luxor Museum. An English-speaking Egyptologist guide comes with you on every sightseeing day.03Will I make my international flight home?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late internal flight can make you miss the connection. On day 10 you fly from Aswan to Cairo and go directly to the airport, with no spare night in the city. We would rather you had one last night in Cairo. If you must connect on the same day, book a late-evening or night flight home, and make sure your travel insurance covers missed connections.04What hotels will we stay in?
Three nights in Cairo, four in Luxor and two in Aswan. You choose the standard, from budget to luxury, and we give you the hotel name for your dates. Breakfast comes with every hotel night.05Does the holiday include Abu Simbel?
Yes. Day 9 is a whole day at Abu Simbel by road from Aswan, with an early start and a long drive each way. Guide, entry fees and transport are included.06Do we go to the Grand Egyptian Museum twice?
No. The museum is visited once, on day 2, along with the Giza Pyramids. Day 3 is then free for Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur.07How tiring is day 8?
It is a long one. You drive from Luxor to Aswan by road and stop at Edfu and Kom Ombo on the way, so it is a day of sightseeing as well as travel. Take water and a light layer for the car.08What does the price leave out?
International flights, the Egypt entry visa, tips for guides and drivers, meals not listed in the itinerary, drinks, the separate tickets for premium tombs in the Valley of the Kings, travel insurance and personal spending.09Is the guiding private?
Yes. Your Egyptologist and driver are with you and your party alone on the sightseeing days, and the airport and hotel transfers are private as well.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-202761
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days · 9 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Aswan → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Abu Simbel → Cairo
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 4 Luxor · 2 Aswan
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, transfers