11-Day Cairo, Nile Cruise, Sharm & Mount Sinai Holiday
The pyramids of Giza, four nights on the Nile from Luxor to Aswan, and a Red Sea finish in Sharm El Sheikh with a night climb up Mount Sinai. Internal flights and entrance fees are included.
The short answer
11-Day Cairo, Nile Cruise, Sharm & Mount Sinai Holiday is an 11-day, 10-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 2 nights in Cairo, 4 on a Nile cruise and 4 in Sharm El Sheikh. Starts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,825 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This holiday gives you three Egypts in one trip. In Cairo you spend your first evening on a Nile dinner cruise, then a full day among the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum. You then fly to Luxor and board your Nile cruise ship, which takes you upriver to Aswan over four nights, with Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae on the way.
On day 7 you leave the ship and make the long journey, by way of Cairo, to Sharm El Sheikh. The final four days are by the Red Sea: snorkelling at Ras Mohammed, a night climb of Mount Sinai to watch the sun come up, and a semi-submarine trip over the reef. You pick the standard of hotel and ship when you book, and the sightseeing does not change.
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 guided day
- 03Four nights on a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan, on full board
- 04Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae with your Egyptologist
- 05Snorkelling and the Magic Lake at Ras Mohammed National Park
- 06A night climb of Mount Sinai to see the sunrise, then St Catherine's Monastery
- 07A semi-submarine trip over the reef at Sharm El Sheikh
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 £1,8253★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNephtis · Magic I Sharm El Sheikh · 4 nightsFalcon Naama Star Hotel | £1,825May–Sep: from £1,704 | |
| Comfortfrom £2,0844★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 4 nightsTower Prestige · Royal La Terrasse Sharm El Sheikh · 4 nightsJaz NEO Naama Bay | £2,084May–Sep: from £1,948 | |
| Classicfrom £2,2145★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSun Times · Stephanie Sharm El Sheikh · 4 nightsParrotel Lagoon Waterpark Resort | £2,214May–Sep: from £1,948 | |
| Prestigefrom £2,7105★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess · Nile Excellence Sharm El Sheikh · 4 nightsNaama Bay Suites & Spa | £2,710May–Sep: from £2,397 | |
| Luxuryfrom £3,9965★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda | £3,996May–Sep: from £3,427 |
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
11 Days / 10 Nights · Cairo · Nile Dinner Cruise · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple
- 1
You are met in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and driven to your hotel, where the afternoon is your own. In the evening you are picked up for a three-hour Nile dinner cruise. There are views from the top deck as the light turns golden, a buffet dinner once the boat has left the bank, and a live show. You are then taken back to your hotel.
- 2
Your Egyptologist collects you from the hotel for a full day, lasting about eight hours. You start on the Giza Plateau among the three great pyramids and the Sphinx, then stop for a lunch with a view. The afternoon is spent inside the Grand Egyptian Museum. Entrance fees, bottled water and an air-conditioned vehicle are all included, and you return to the same hotel for your second night in Cairo.
- 3
After breakfast you are driven to Cairo Airport for the flight to Luxor, at a time set by the airline. A driver meets you at Luxor Airport and takes you to the riverbank, where you join your Nile cruise ship. Your Egyptologist then leads you around Karnak, with its Sacred Lake, and Luxor Temple. Guide, entrance tickets and transport are part of the cruise sightseeing.
You have dinner and sleep on board.
- 4
Today is spent on the west bank of the Nile with your Egyptologist. First you pause at the Colossi of Memnon, then enter the Valley of the Kings, where your ticket admits you to three tombs. Last is Hatshepsut's terraced mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari. The guide, entrance fees and transport are included. You return to the ship for the afternoon and the night.
- 5
The ship carries you south and you go ashore twice. The Temple of Edfu comes first, and then the Temple of Kom Ombo, which sits right on a curve of the Nile. Your Egyptologist leads both visits, with entrance fees and transport included. In between there is time to relax on deck and watch farmland and palm groves go past.
- 6
Your final day cruising is based around Aswan. Your Egyptologist takes you to Philae Temple, to the High Dam and to the Unfinished Obelisk, the vast granite shaft abandoned in its quarry. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included. Abu Simbel is not part of this holiday. You sleep one more night on the ship, ready for tomorrow's early departure.
- 7
Be ready for a long day of travel. You have breakfast, leave the ship and are driven to Aswan Airport. A flight takes you to Cairo, where you change, and a second flight takes you on to Sharm El Sheikh. You are met there and driven to your hotel. The hours follow the airlines' schedules, so you may arrive late and tired. There is no sightseeing, and lunch and dinner are not included.
- 8
A shared, air-conditioned minibus collects you from the hotel for a six-hour excursion to Ras Mohammed National Park, on the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula. An English-speaking guide accompanies the group. You snorkel, with mask and snorkel supplied, and see the Magic Lake. A picnic lunch with water is provided, and the park fee is paid for you. You are driven back to your hotel.
- 9
This is the toughest day of the holiday, and it is the only item planned. It takes about 17 hours and begins in the middle of the night, when a shared minibus picks you up at the hotel. A Bedouin mountain guide leads the climb of Mount Sinai: about three hours up in the dark and cold, with the last 750 steps cut into the rock taken on foot.
You see the sun rise from the top, then descend for breakfast. After that you visit St Catherine's Monastery and are driven back. Rest well.
- 10
Having been up all night on the mountain, you now get a slow start. Nothing is planned for the morning. In the later part of the day you are collected for a semi-submarine and glass-bottom boat trip to see the reef. The trip is around 90 minutes, shared with other guests, with a soft drink and water on board. You return to your hotel and the evening is free.
- 11
You have breakfast, check out and are driven from your hotel to Sharm El Sheikh Airport for your flight home. You book your international flight separately, so think about the time you choose. We recommend a later flight, or an extra night at the resort, in case a delay on the journey would otherwise cost you your connection home.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Two nights in a Cairo hotel and four nights in a Sharm El Sheikh hotel, with breakfast
- Four nights on a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan, on full board
- Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor, Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh
- All airport, hotel and ship transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- A Nile dinner cruise with a live show in Cairo
- Nile cruise sightseeing with an English-speaking Egyptologist, entrance fees and transport
- A pyramids, Sphinx and Grand Egyptian Museum day with Egyptologist, entrance fees and lunch
- The Ras Mohammed trip with guide, snorkelling gear, picnic lunch and park fee
- The Mount Sinai climb with a Bedouin mountain guide, breakfast after coming down, and monastery fees
- A semi-submarine and glass-bottom boat trip with a soft drink and water
- Meet and assist at Cairo Airport
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks on board and meals other than those stated
- Abu Simbel and any site not listed in the itinerary
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Take a fleece and sturdy trainers up Mount Sinai for sunrise, because the summit is bitterly cold before first light all year round.
- 02
At Ras Mohammed, use a reef-friendly sun cream and a rash vest; the Magic Lake is shallow and sheltered, so it suits steady swimmers.
- 03
Camera use is tightly controlled inside the Valley of the Kings tombs, so travel light and check the rules with your guide first.
- 04
Slip a thin jumper into your bag for the evening Nile dinner cruise in Cairo, as the river air turns cool once the sun goes.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book. Ask us about adding Abu Simbel, extra nights in Cairo or Sharm El Sheikh, or a later flight home.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Fit, curious travellers who want Cairo, the Nile temples and the Red Sea in one holiday. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are comfortable with several flights and one tough night on Mount Sinai.
Maybe not, if
- Young children, and anyone with bad knees or heart or breathing problems, if the Mount Sinai climb is planned. Also travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who dislike long days of travel.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- The pyramids, a Nile cruise and the Sinai coast in a single holiday
- Internal flights and all transfers arranged for you
- Four nights at one Red Sea hotel once the sightseeing is done
Things to Consider
- Day 7 is a long journey with two flights and a change in Cairo
- Day 9 is a demanding night climb of around 17 hours
- Abu Simbel is not included, and there is no spare night in Cairo before the flight home
Where it fits
Right for active travellers who want the pyramids, a river cruise and the Sinai mountain in one trip. Allow for a long day on day 7 and a hard night on day 9.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many holidays stop at the Nile or at the Red Sea. This one joins Cairo, the Nile temples and Sinai in eleven days, with the internal flights and transfers arranged for you. The sightseeing is identical at every standard of hotel and ship.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided multi-day holiday with a Nile cruise and a Red Sea stay
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Nile Dinner Cruise · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Ras Mohammed National Park · Mount Sinai
- Includes
- 2 nights in a Cairo hotel and 4 nights in a Sharm El Sheikh hotel, with breakfast · 4 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights from Cairo to Luxor, Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh · Entrance fees to the listed sites · Egyptologist on the Cairo and Nile sightseeing days · Mount Sinai climb with a Bedouin mountain guide
- Best for
- Active travellers who want history and a Red Sea finish · Those hoping to see the sun rise from Mount Sinai · First-time visitors with eleven days to spare
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, worn in before you travel
- Head torch or small torch for the Mount Sinai climb
- Swimming costume and towel for snorkelling at Ras Mohammed
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for the sites and the ship
- Closed shoes with grip for temples, tombs and the mountain
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at temples and the monastery
- Warm layers, a hat and gloves for Mount Sinai, which is cold before dawn
- A swimming costume under your clothes for Ras Mohammed
- A light jacket for evenings on the river in winter
Children & families
Children are welcome in Cairo, on the Nile and in Sharm. Each child has a seat in the vehicle and on the shared excursions, 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. Cabin and hotel prices depend on the child's age and the room used, so we quote the exact figure once you give us the age at booking. The Mount Sinai night climb on day 9 is not suitable for young children, as it runs to about 17 hours in the dark and cold and ends with 750 steps. Younger children can stay at the hotel that day.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday is demanding on the legs. The sites in Cairo and Luxor mean uneven stone, sand, steps and narrow tomb passages, with little shade. Boarding the ship involves a gangway and steps. The Mount Sinai climb on day 9 is the toughest part: you walk for around three hours in the dark and cold, and the final 750 steps are cut into the rock and taken on foot. It is not suitable for anyone with limited mobility, bad knees, or heart or breathing problems, and we do not recommend it for young children. You may skip it and rest at the hotel; tell us when you book and we will plan around it. Vehicles are air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday uses four internal flights, a Nile cruise ship and road transfers, and vehicles vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Guiding and excursions are run by local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Sharm El Sheikh, so much of what you spend stays in those places. At Ras Mohammed, please keep off the coral and snorkel only where your guide says. Bring a refillable water bottle, and carry your rubbish down from the mountain.
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. Cairo to Luxor on day 3, and Aswan to Cairo and Cairo to Sharm El Sheikh on day 7, are booked for you and included. International flights are not. Times are set by the airline.02How many nights do we spend on the Nile?
Four nights on board, from Luxor to Aswan, on full board. The other six nights are in hotels with breakfast: two in Cairo and four in Sharm El Sheikh.03How tough is the Mount Sinai climb?
It is tough. The day lasts around 17 hours with no sleep. You walk for about three hours uphill in the dark and cold, and the last 750 steps are cut into the rock and climbed on foot. A Bedouin mountain guide goes with you. It is not for young children or anyone with bad knees or heart or breathing problems. Expect to climb on foot.04Can I skip Mount Sinai?
Yes. If you would rather not climb, you can rest at the hotel on day 9. Let us know when you book and we will plan around it.05Why is the morning of day 10 empty?
Because day 9 is a night climb. We plan nothing for the morning so you can sleep. The semi-submarine trip takes place later in the day.06Does the holiday include Abu Simbel?
No. Abu Simbel is not part of this holiday. A longer itinerary can include it; ask and we will talk you through the options.07Will I make my international flight home?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed internal flight could cost you the connection. This holiday ends in Sharm El Sheikh, without a spare night in Cairo. Book a later flight home from Sharm, or add a night at the resort. Take travel insurance that covers missed connections.08Are the Sharm excursions private?
No. Ras Mohammed, Mount Sinai and the semi-submarine trip all use minibuses or boats shared with other guests. In Cairo and on the Nile your Egyptologist looks after your group.09What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks other than those stated, meals not listed, travel insurance and personal spending.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-975577
At a glance
- Length
- 11 days · 10 nights
- Starts
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri or Sat
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Sharm El Sheikh
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 4 Nile cruise · 4 Sharm El Sheikh
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers