12-Day Christmas & New Year Egypt Holiday
22 December to 2 January. Cairo, a three-night Nile cruise with Abu Simbel and three nights in Hurghada. Internal flights, hotels, your cabin and an Egyptologist are included.
The short answer
12-Day Christmas & New Year Egypt Holiday is a 12-day, 11-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Hurghada: 4 nights in Cairo, 3 on a Nile cruise, 1 in Luxor and 3 in Hurghada. Starts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £2,447 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This holiday has fixed dates. It starts on Tuesday 22 December 2026 and finishes on Saturday 2 January 2027. You are on the Nile on Christmas Day, which is day 4, and at a Red Sea hotel in Hurghada for New Year's Eve on day 10.
The first three nights are in Cairo, with the Giza Pyramids, Saqqara, Memphis, the Citadel and Khan el-Khalili. You then fly to Aswan for three nights on a Nile cruise ship, calling at Philae, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings. After a night in a Luxor hotel you cross to the coast for three nights in Hurghada, with two days out on the water. We finish with one more night in Cairo, a deliberate cushion before your flight home. We organise the internal flights, all transfers, your hotels and your cabin, and you choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book.
Please note that a gala dinner on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve is not included in the price. Should your hotel or ship hold one, you pay for it there on the night.
What lingers
- 01Fixed dates, 22 December 2026 to 2 January 2027, with Christmas Day on the Nile and New Year's Eve in Hurghada
- 02A full day in Cairo taking in the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis
- 03Three nights on a Nile cruise ship between Aswan and Luxor, full board
- 04Abu Simbel by road from Aswan, with Philae, Kom Ombo and Edfu
- 05Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings with your Egyptologist
- 06Snorkelling at Dolphin House and a beach day on Paradise Island from Hurghada
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 £2,4474★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 3 nightsEmilio · Tower Prestige Luxor · 1 nightIberotel Luxor by JAZ Hurghada · 3 nightsSwiss Inn Resort Hurghada | £2,447May–Sep: from £2,401 | |
| Classicfrom £2,6175★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSun Times · Nile Dolphin Hurghada · 3 nightsAMC Royal Hotel & Spa | £2,617May–Sep: from £2,401 | |
| Prestigefrom £3,2215★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess Luxor · 1 nightSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Hurghada · 3 nightsHilton Hurghada Plaza | £3,221May–Sep: from £3,260 | |
| Luxuryfrom £4,7505★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Nile Cruise · 3 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda Luxor · 1 nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | £4,750May–Sep: from £4,060 |
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 · Saqqara · Memphis · Islamic Cairo · Aswan
- 1
Your driver is waiting in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel, where you can rest after the flight. If you have the energy, the evening offers a private tour of Cairo by night: the view from Cairo Tower, then a stroll through the alleys of the Khan el-Khalili bazaar.
- 2
This is a full day, around eight hours, with your private Egyptologist; the vehicle and entrance fees are included. The morning is spent at the Giza Pyramids, the Valley Temple and the Great Sphinx. You then drive through farmland to a countryside lunch. After lunch come Saqqara, site of the first pyramid, and Memphis, the first capital of united Egypt.
You return to your hotel for a second night in the city.
- 3
You have a relaxed morning, then you are collected in the afternoon for a half-day with a licensed Egyptologist, a private vehicle and entrance fees included. You see the Citadel of Saladin and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, wander through Islamic Cairo and end in Khan el-Khalili. This evening you can take a private tasting walk through the city's food streets.
A gala dinner on Christmas Eve is not included; if your hotel holds one, you pay for it there.
- 4
You are taken to Cairo Airport for the flight to Aswan; sightseeing is planned around the flight, whose time is set by the airline. A driver meets you in Aswan and takes you to the river. With your Egyptologist you visit Philae Temple, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, with transport and entrance fees included.
You can also go by private motor boat around Elephantine Island and the Aswan Botanical Garden. You then join your cruise ship for the night. A gala dinner on board is not included.
- 5
You set off early by road from Aswan to Abu Simbel, where Ramses II carved his two great temples into the rock. Your Egyptologist is with you, and transport and entrance fees are included. Afterwards you return to the ship, which then sails north. At Kom Ombo you see the double temple of the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, right on the riverbank.
It is a full day, so go to bed early the night before.
- 6
Your Egyptologist leads you ashore at Edfu for the Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. The ship then arrives in Luxor, where you see Luxor Temple and Karnak, the largest temple complex in Egypt, with its forest of columns and the Sacred Lake. Entrance fees and transport are included. You spend a final night on board.
- 7
After breakfast you leave the ship and cross to the West Bank with your Egyptologist. You explore the Valley of the Kings, with three tombs included, the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. Entrance fees and transport are included. You are then taken into Luxor and stay the night in a hotel.
- 8
A private air-conditioned car or minibus drives you from Luxor to Hurghada, a journey of around five hours. Nothing else is planned for today, so once you have checked in the rest of the afternoon is yours at the hotel. Your three nights by the Red Sea begin here.
- 9
You take a boat from Hurghada out to Dolphin House, a reef where dolphins are often spotted. You snorkel from the boat in the Red Sea. It is an easy day on the water, and you are back at your hotel afterwards. Pack a swimming costume, a towel, sun cream and a warm layer for the boat.
- 10
Today's boat takes you to Paradise Island for snorkelling and time on the beach, and lunch is part of the trip. You return to your hotel in the afternoon. It is New Year's Eve this evening. A gala dinner at your hotel is not included in the price; if the hotel holds one, you pay for it there on the night.
- 11
You are taken to Hurghada Airport for the flight to Cairo, and a driver then takes you to your Cairo hotel. We have deliberately kept this last night in the capital as a safety window: should an internal flight run late, it does not put your flight home at risk. The afternoon and evening are free.
- 12
After breakfast you check out of the hotel. A driver and a representative take you to Cairo Airport for your flight home and help with your luggage. Allow plenty of time at the airport; we will tell you what time to leave the hotel.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Four nights in Cairo hotels, one in Luxor and three in Hurghada, all with breakfast, plus three nights on a Nile cruise ship on full board
- Internal flights from Cairo to Aswan and from Hurghada to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and quayside transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle, including Luxor to Hurghada
- An English-speaking Egyptologist, transport and entrance fees on the Cairo and cruise sightseeing days
- Abu Simbel by road from Aswan, with entrance fees
- Three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- The Dolphin House snorkelling trip and a Paradise Island beach day with lunch
- Lunch on the day at Giza, Saqqara and Memphis
- Meet and assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- Gala dinners on Christmas Eve, Christmas night and New Year's Eve, paid for locally at the hotel or ship on the night
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
At Saqqara, start with the Step Pyramid and then ask your guide to open up the painted tomb chapels, which many visitors miss.
- 02
Bring a proper coat for the Abu Simbel departure, as late December mornings are cold before the desert sun warms the road.
- 03
Be on deck around dusk on Christmas Day to watch the sun drop behind the felucca sails; it is the best photo of the cruise.
- 04
Reserve any New Year's Eve dinner in Hurghada well ahead, and keep your morning relaxed because the Dolphin House boats leave early.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo or Luxor, or about joining a gala dinner at your hotel or ship, which is paid for locally.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers who want to spend Christmas and New Year in Egypt and see the major sites before unwinding by the sea. Suits couples, friends and families with older children who are happy with two flights, early starts and several hours of walking.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, who cannot travel on these dates, or who prefer a gentle pace. Day 5 is a very early start.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Christmas Day on the Nile and New Year's Eve beside the Red Sea, on dates already set
- The pyramids, Abu Simbel, the main Nile temples and two boat days in one holiday
- A final night in Cairo protects your flight home from internal delays
Things to Consider
- Fixed dates only: 22 December 2026 to 2 January 2027
- Day 5 begins very early for Abu Simbel and day 2 lasts about eight hours
- Gala dinners are not included
Where it fits
A good fit if you want to be in Egypt over the festive period and end with days by the sea. It runs only on these dates, so check them against your diary before you book.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many festive trips to Egypt revolve around a single city or a short cruise. This holiday joins Cairo, a Nile cruise with Abu Simbel and a stay on the Red Sea, with both internal flights and every transfer booked for you. The standard of hotel and ship is your choice; the sightseeing does not change.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Fixed-date guided holiday with a Nile cruise and Red Sea stay
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Luxor and Hurghada and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Memphis · Islamic Cairo · Aswan · Philae Temple · Abu Simbel · Edfu · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Hurghada
- Includes
- 8 hotel nights with breakfast · 3 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights from Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo · Abu Simbel by road, entrance fees to listed sites · English-speaking Egyptologist on sightseeing days · All transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Travellers spending Christmas and New Year abroad · First-time visitors · Those who want sightseeing followed by days by the sea
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 boat days in Hurghada
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag
- A light layer for the ship, the early starts and the flights
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Warm layers for December mornings and evenings, especially on the river and at sea
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- Swimwear and a cover-up for the boat trips
- Something smart for Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve dinner if you plan to join a gala
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every child has 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 once you tell us the age at booking. Day 5 starts very early for Abu Simbel and day 2 lasts about eight hours, so consider whether your child will cope with them.
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 some narrow tomb passages. Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Citadel have long, open stretches with little shade. Boarding the ship, the motor boat at Aswan and the snorkelling boats at Hurghada all involve steps and a gangway. Abu Simbel is a long journey by road from Aswan, and the transfer from Luxor to Hurghada takes around five hours. 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 suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday uses two internal flights, a Nile cruise ship, boat trips on the Red Sea and private road transfers, 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, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. We ask guests to bring refillable water bottles, to take litter back from the beach and the boats, and to keep their hands off the 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 soon you let us know and on the kind of holiday. See our current cancellation and refund terms
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01When does this holiday run?
On fixed dates only. It starts in Cairo on Tuesday 22 December 2026 and ends on Saturday 2 January 2027. Christmas Day is day 4 and New Year's Eve is day 10.02Is a Christmas Eve or New Year gala dinner included?
No. Any gala dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas night or New Year's Eve is not covered by the price. If your hotel or ship holds one, you pay for it there on the night.03Are the internal flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Aswan on day 4 and from Hurghada to Cairo on day 11 are booked for you and included in the price. Times depend on the airline's schedule. International flights are not included.04How many nights do we spend on the Nile?
Three nights on board, from Aswan to Luxor, on full board with breakfast, lunch and dinner. The other eight nights are in hotels with breakfast: three in Cairo, one in Luxor, three in Hurghada and a last night in Cairo.05Which ship and which hotels will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the ship and hotels for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are identical at every standard.06How is Abu Simbel organised?
On day 5 you travel by road from Aswan to Abu Simbel and come back to the ship. It means an early start and a full day. Your Egyptologist, transport and entrance fees are included.07Will I make my flight home?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late internal flight could cost you your connection. For that reason this holiday finishes with a night in Cairo. If you alter the plan and connect on the same day, pick a late-evening or night flight home and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, gala dinners, drinks other than those stated, and travel insurance.09Can I snorkel if I am not a confident swimmer?
Both Hurghada days are boat trips with snorkelling in the Red Sea. Let us know when you book if you are a nervous swimmer or have never snorkelled, and we will explain what to expect.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-585045
At a glance
- Length
- 12 days · 11 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Tue, Fri or Sun
- Route
- Cairo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Kom Ombo → Edfu → Luxor → Hurghada → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 3 Nile cruise · 1 Luxor · 3 Hurghada
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers