12-Day Cairo, Dahabiya & Red Sea Holiday
The pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, four nights on a traditional Nile sailing boat from Luxor to Aswan, then three nights beside the Red Sea. Internal flights, hotels and an Egyptologist are all included.
The short answer
12-Day Cairo, Dahabiya & Red Sea Holiday is a 12-day, 11-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada: 4 nights in Cairo, 4 on a dahabiya and 3 in Hurghada. Starts on Wednesdays, Fridays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £2,371 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Few holidays in Egypt change pace as neatly as this one. It opens in Cairo, with the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum, followed by the Citadel and the bazaar. You then fly to Luxor and board a dahabiya, a traditional sailing boat, for four nights going upriver to Aswan, calling at the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae on the way.
The Nile gives way to a long road journey, about seven hours, from Aswan to the Red Sea, and three nights in Hurghada. There is a free day there and a snorkelling trip to Orange Bay. A short flight returns you to Cairo for a final night before you go home. We arrange the internal flights, every transfer, your hotels and your dahabiya cabin. You choose the standard of hotel and boat when you book; the sightseeing is the same whichever you pick.
What lingers
- 01The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- 02The Citadel, the Muhammad Ali Mosque and Khan el-Khalili on an unhurried afternoon
- 03Four nights aboard a dahabiya, a traditional Nile sailing boat, from Luxor to Aswan
- 04The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon
- 05Edfu and Kom Ombo temples, then the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae
- 06Three nights in Hurghada with a free day and a snorkelling trip to Orange Bay
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfortfrom £2,3714★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsJewel Sport City Dahabiya · 4 nightsBens Dahabiya · Amoura Dahabiya Hurghada · 3 nightsSwiss Inn Resort Hurghada | £2,371May–Sep: from £2,280 | |
| Classicfrom £2,7345★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsIris Luxury Dahabiya · Royal Cleopatra Dahabiya Hurghada · 3 nightsAMC Royal Hotel & Spa | £2,734May–Sep: from £2,280 | |
| Prestigefrom £3,7625★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsAzhar Dahabiya Hurghada · 3 nightsHilton Hurghada Plaza | £3,762May–Sep: from £3,381 | |
| Luxuryfrom £5,9915★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Dahabiya · 4 nightsMinya Dahabiya | £5,991May–Sep: from £4,682 |
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
12 Days / 11 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Islamic Cairo · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Esna
- 1
You land at Cairo Airport and are met in the arrivals hall by our representative, who helps with your luggage and sees you into a private car for the hour's drive to your hotel. We have planned nothing more for today, so the evening is yours for a rest, a swim or a gentle wander nearby. Sightseeing begins in the morning.
- 2
This is a full day, about eight hours, with your Egyptologist, who picks you up at the hotel. You spend the first part at the Giza Plateau among the pyramids and in front of the Great Sphinx; allow 4 to 6 hours there. You have lunch with a view, then move on to the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The guide, entrance fees, air-conditioned vehicle and bottled water are all covered, and the day ends back at your hotel.
- 3
Your morning is unscheduled. After lunchtime your guide collects you for a half day in old Cairo, beginning at the Citadel of Salah El Din and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, which stand on a hill above the city. You then walk through Islamic Cairo and finish in the stalls of the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. The Citadel and mosque entrance fees are included, and a private vehicle returns you to the hotel.
- 4
A private transfer takes you from your hotel to the airport for the short, included flight to Luxor. On the West Bank, around six hours with your Egyptologist, you go into three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, visit Hatshepsut's temple and stop at the Colossi of Memnon. You are then driven privately to Esna, where your dahabiya is waiting and you spend the first of four nights on the river.
The airline sets the flight times, and the sightseeing is planned around them.
- 5
Life on a dahabiya runs at the speed of the current, which is why people choose one. You wake to palm groves and fields drifting past the rail. Your shore visit today is the Temple of Edfu, with your Egyptologist and the entrance ticket already paid for. Outside that stop you are free to read, rest or watch the bank go by before the boat ties up for a second night.
- 6
You continue upstream towards Aswan. Today's stop is the Temple of Kom Ombo, a double temple set on the very edge of the water, visited with your guide and with the admission ticket included. After that nothing is rushed. You can sit on deck while the valley narrows and the land turns drier, and you sleep on board for a third night.
- 7
Aswan brings a full day of sightseeing, about eight hours, with your Egyptologist. You start at the High Dam and move to the northern quarries, where the Unfinished Obelisk remains in the granite. A short motorboat crossing then takes you to Agilkia Island and the temple of Isis at Philae, where there is a pause for refreshments on the terrace. Fees, guide and vehicle are all included.
Tonight is your fourth and final night on the dahabiya.
- 8
Today is for travelling. Once you have had breakfast and left the dahabiya, a private vehicle drives you from Aswan to Hurghada, roughly seven hours, with a transfer representative to handle luggage and any questions. You reach the Red Sea coast and check in to your hotel. We have not planned any sightseeing, so you can simply enjoy watching the Nile valley give way to the coast.
- 9
There is no plan for today, by design. Spend it swimming, resting by the sea, reading or strolling the front. If you would like to add something, tell us beforehand and we will recommend what is worth doing close by. You keep the same hotel for a second night.
- 10
A driver picks you up at the hotel and brings you to the marina, where a motorboat makes the crossing to Orange Bay on Giftun Island. There are two guided snorkelling sessions, with masks, snorkels and life jackets supplied, and a sunbed on the beach for the time in between. A hot lunch and bottled water are part of the day.
The boat brings you back to the mainland and you are driven to your hotel for the evening.
- 11
Your driver takes you from the hotel in Hurghada to the airport for the flight to Cairo, which takes around an hour and is included. A representative greets you in Cairo and drives you to your hotel. The extra night in the capital is there on purpose, as a safety window in case a domestic flight runs late, so you never have to rush for the journey home. The rest of the day is free.
- 12
Breakfast is followed by checking out, and a private driver then takes you to Cairo Airport, with a transfer representative helping with luggage. Traffic in Cairo can be slow, so leave the hotel at the time we give you, which allows about 90 minutes for the drive. The holiday ends at the airport.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Eight hotel nights with breakfast: three in Cairo, three in Hurghada and a final night in Cairo
- Four nights aboard a dahabiya from Luxor to Aswan
- Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor and from Hurghada to Cairo
- All airport, hotel, boat and intercity transfers, including the road journey from Aswan to Hurghada
- Entrance fees to every site in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- A licensed English-speaking Egyptologist on every sightseeing day and aboard the dahabiya
- Lunch on the Giza day and on the Orange Bay day
- Snorkelling equipment, life jackets and a sunbed at Orange Bay
- Meet and assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and boat crew
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- The inside of the Khufu pyramid and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun's and Seti I's
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Choose a soft holdall over a rigid case for the dahabiya, as the cabins are compact and storage is limited.
- 02
Layer up for life on deck: early mornings on the Nile are brisk in winter, yet Edfu and Kom Ombo can feel hot by midday.
- 03
From the Citadel terrace you can look across the rooftops towards Giza on a clear morning, which makes a good wide photograph.
- 04
Pack a rash vest and aqua shoes for the Giftun Island day; snorkelling kit is provided, but the boat offers little shade.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel and dahabiya when you book. Ask us about adding Abu Simbel, extra nights in Hurghada or Cairo, 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
- First-time visitors who want Cairo, the temples of the Nile and a few days beside the sea. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who like a slower pace on the river and are happy with one long road journey.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site and the boat, or who dislike long drives. Day 8 is about seven hours by road.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Cairo, the West Bank, three Nile temples and Philae, then the Red Sea, in twelve days
- Four nights on a small traditional sailing boat, so no repacking along the river
- Internal flights and all transfers arranged for you, with a spare night in Cairo at the end
Things to Consider
- A seven-hour road journey on day 8
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- A dahabiya has narrow decks and a gangway, so it is not step-free
Where it fits
A good fit for a first trip to Egypt that mixes history, a quiet river and the sea. Allow for one seven-hour road journey between Aswan and Hurghada.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many holidays put the Nile on a large cruise ship. This one uses a dahabiya, a small traditional sailing boat, and adds a Red Sea stay to the same trip. The standard of hotel and boat 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 multi-day holiday with a Nile dahabiya and a Red Sea stay
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Hurghada hotels and a Nile dahabiya, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Islamic Cairo · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Philae Temple · Hurghada · Giftun Island
- Includes
- 7 hotel nights in Cairo and Hurghada with breakfast · 4 nights aboard a Nile dahabiya from Luxor to Aswan · Flights from Cairo to Luxor and Hurghada to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · Licensed Egyptologist on sightseeing days · All transfers, including the road journey from Aswan to Hurghada
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Those who want an unhurried stretch on the Nile · Travellers wanting history and some time by the sea in one holiday
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
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Swimming costume and a towel for the Hurghada days
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground, and flat grippy shoes for the dahabiya deck
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket or scarf for winter evenings on the river
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every child has a seat in the vehicle, 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. A dahabiya has open decks, steps and a gangway, so families with very young children should consider it carefully. Hotel and cabin prices depend on the child's age and the room used, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age at booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday involves a good deal of walking around large archaeological sites, on uneven stone and sand, with steps and a few narrow tomb passages. The Valley of the Kings, Edfu and the Aswan sites have long open stretches with little shade. A dahabiya is a small traditional boat, so boarding is by plank or gangway, the decks and stairs are narrow, and the boat to Philae has steps. Vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site or on the dahabiya. Tell us what you need when you book and we will say frankly which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday uses two internal flights, private road transfers, a sailing boat on the Nile and a motorboat to Orange Bay, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and arranged through local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Hurghada, so much of what you spend stays where you travel. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle, keep their hands off painted tomb walls and take care of the reef at Orange Bay.
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
01What exactly is a dahabiya?
It is a traditional sailing boat of the Nile, smaller and calmer than a large cruise ship. You spend four nights aboard travelling from Luxor to Aswan, with temple visits led by your Egyptologist.02Are the internal flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Luxor on day 4 and from Hurghada to Cairo on day 11 are booked for you and included in the holiday. International flights are not.03How long is the journey from Aswan to Hurghada?
Around seven hours on day 8, by private vehicle with a transfer representative. It is a travelling day with no sightseeing, and you arrive in time to check in and relax.04Which hotels and which dahabiya will we stay on?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the hotels and the boat for your dates. The itinerary and the sightseeing do not change between standards.05I am a nervous swimmer. Can I still snorkel?
Masks, snorkels and life jackets are provided on the Orange Bay trip, and the sessions are guided. Tell your guide how confident you feel and they will stay close.06Will I catch my flight home?
Internal and international tickets are booked separately, so a delayed domestic flight could make you miss a connection. That is why the holiday finishes with a last night in Cairo after the flight from Hurghada. If you alter the plan and fly into Cairo on the day you fly home, pick a late-evening or night departure and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.07What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides, drivers and boat crew, extras and drinks beyond those stated, and the inside of the Khufu pyramid or premium tombs.08Is the sightseeing private?
Your Egyptologist and driver are yours alone on the sightseeing days in Cairo, on the West Bank and in Aswan. On the dahabiya you may share the boat with other guests.09When is the best time of year to go?
October to April is cooler and easiest for temples and tombs. Summers are very hot in Luxor and Aswan, so days begin early; the Red Sea stays warm enough for swimming nearly all year.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-639395
At a glance
- Length
- 12 days · 11 nights
- Starts
- Wed, Fri or Sun
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Hurghada → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 4 dahabiya · 3 Hurghada
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers