13-Day Cairo, Aswan, Luxor & Hurghada Holiday
Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor, then three nights in Hurghada. Your hotels, both internal flights, guides and entrance fees are included.
The short answer
13-Day Cairo, Aswan, Luxor & Hurghada Holiday is a 13-day, 12-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Hurghada: 3 nights in Cairo, 2 in Aswan, 4 in Luxor and 3 in Hurghada. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £2,404 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
The temples come first on this holiday, and the seaside second, with hotels throughout and no cruise. It begins with an easy arrival in Cairo, followed by a full day among the Giza pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum. You fly to Aswan to see Philae and the High Dam and spend the next day at Abu Simbel.
A drive via Kom Ombo and Edfu takes you to Luxor for four nights, with Karnak, the West Bank, Dendera and Abydos. You then travel by private transfer to Hurghada for three nights on the Red Sea, with an introductory scuba dive and a quad bike safari. A flight back to Cairo leaves time for one more day of sightseeing. You choose the standard of hotel at booking.
What lingers
- 01The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- 02Philae Temple, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk at Aswan
- 03A full day at Abu Simbel, reached by road
- 04Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way from Aswan to Luxor
- 05Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Dendera and Abydos
- 06Three nights in Hurghada, with an introductory scuba dive day and a quad bike safari with dinner
- 07A final day in Cairo: the Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo
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 £2,4044★ hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 4 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ Hurghada · 3 nightsSwiss Inn Resort Hurghada | £2,404May–Sep: from £2,339 | |
| Classicfrom £2,4675★ hotels | Hurghada · 3 nightsAMC Royal Hotel & Spa | £2,467May–Sep: from £2,385 | |
| Prestigefrom £2,8955★ deluxe hotels | Aswan · 2 nightsTolip Aswan Luxor · 4 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Hurghada · 3 nightsHilton Hurghada Plaza | £2,895May–Sep: from £2,939 | |
| Luxuryfrom £3,8595★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Aswan · 2 nightsThe Zen Wellness Resort Aswan Luxor · 4 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | £3,859May–Sep: from £3,860 |
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.
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
13 Days / 12 Nights · Cairo · Giza · Saqqara · Aswan · Abu Simbel · Luxor
- 1
Your representative is waiting in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel. The evening is free, with time to unwind before the pyramids tomorrow. No dinner is arranged, so you can choose where to eat.
- 2
A full day with a private English-speaking Egyptologist. Giza comes first, with the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx, and the visit there takes between 4 and 6 hours. After lunch you go on to the Grand Egyptian Museum. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included.
- 3
A transfer takes you to Cairo Airport for the flight south, and a driver meets you at Aswan. Sightseeing is planned around the flight time. A local Egyptologist shows you the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and, after a short motorboat crossing, the temple of Philae on Agilkia Island. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included.
- 4
You spend the day at Abu Simbel, reached by road from Aswan. Ramesses II had the Great Temple carved into the cliff, and your guide takes you through it and the smaller temple beside it before you return to Aswan. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included.
- 5
An air-conditioned vehicle takes you from Aswan to Luxor, with two temples along the way. Kom Ombo is shared by Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the falcon god. At Edfu, the Temple of Horus is among the best preserved in Egypt. An Egyptologist goes with you, and entrance fees and transport are included. Luxor is home for the next four nights.
- 6
The Egyptologist takes you through Karnak, the biggest temple complex in Egypt, and on to Luxor Temple by the river. That is all that is planned, so the afternoon is free. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included.
- 7
The day is spent on the West Bank. You enter three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, see Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon, and visit Ramesses III's temple at Medinet Habu, then the Valley of the Queens. Private Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport are all included.
- 8
You drive out from Luxor to two of Upper Egypt's great temples. Dendera belongs to the goddess Hathor, and Abydos is one of Egypt's oldest sacred places. Lunch is at a local restaurant. Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport are included.
- 9
After breakfast a private air-conditioned vehicle takes you to Hurghada, which is about a five-hour drive. Once you have checked in to your hotel on the Red Sea, the rest of the day is yours to swim and rest.
- 10
A dive boat, shared with other guests, collects you from your hotel for the day. A certified instructor leads two guided introductory dives and all the equipment is provided. Lunch, soft drinks and water are served on board, and the marine park fees are included.
- 11
You are free until the afternoon, when you are picked up for a quad bike safari near Hurghada. A guide leads the way and you are given a helmet. On the safari there is a short camel ride, a barbecue dinner with soft drinks and tea, and a folklore show.
- 12
You are taken to Hurghada Airport for the flight to Cairo, and the day's sightseeing is planned around it. A private Egyptologist then leads you through the Egyptian Museum at Tahrir Square, Coptic Cairo, Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, with lunch at a local restaurant. It is a full day, with about eight hours of sightseeing.
We end with a Cairo night deliberately, as a margin in case a domestic flight is late.
- 13
After breakfast your driver takes you to Cairo Airport for the flight home, and a representative can help you at the terminal. The last internal flight was on day 12, so you are not depending on one to reach your departure.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Twelve hotel nights with breakfast in Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada
- Internal flights from Cairo to Aswan and from Hurghada to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and intercity transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle, including Luxor to Hurghada
- Entrance fees to every site in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Lunch on the sightseeing days as listed
- A licensed Egyptologist on all sightseeing days
- An introductory scuba dive day with two guided dives, equipment, lunch and marine park fees
- A quad bike safari with guide, helmet, camel ride, barbecue dinner and folklore show
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and instructors
- Meals and drinks 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
Abu Simbel photographs best at opening time, before the coach arrivals build up.
- 02
Karnak Temple is quieter near closing, when the hypostyle hall has softer light.
- 03
Save extra time at the Valley of the Kings if you want a premium tomb ticket.
- 04
Hurghada sea visibility is often better in the morning, before surface wind picks up.
- 05
Carry small cash for rest stops and toilets on the Aswan to Luxor road corridor.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about adding a Nile cruise, extra nights in Hurghada or 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
- Travellers who want a full tour of the Nile valley followed by a few days by the sea. Suits couples, friends and active solo travellers who are happy with two flights, a five-hour transfer and several hours of walking on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who prefer a slow pace in the first week. Days 2, 3, 4 and 9 are long.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Luxor and the Red Sea in thirteen days
- Hotels all the way, so no ship timetable
- Both internal flights and every transfer arranged for you
Things to Consider
- Several long days: Abu Simbel and the Luxor to Hurghada drive
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- No Nile cruise on this itinerary
Where it fits
A good fit for a first full trip to Egypt if you want the history first and then a few days to dive, ride or rest by the sea.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many operators sell Egypt's temples and the Red Sea as separate trips. This holiday joins them without a cruise, using hotels, two internal flights and private road transfers. The standard of hotel 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 land holiday with Red Sea days
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza · Saqqara · Aswan · Abu Simbel · Luxor · Dendera · Abydos · Hurghada
- Includes
- 12 hotel nights with breakfast · Flights from Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · Licensed Egyptologist on sightseeing days · Introductory scuba dive day and quad bike safari · All transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Travellers who want temples first and a seaside stay after · Active travellers who want to dive or ride quad bikes · First-time visitors who prefer hotels to a cruise
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 required travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Swimming costume and towel for Hurghada
- Small day bag
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothes for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A scarf or bandana for the quad bike safari, where dust is likely
Children & families
Children are welcome on the sightseeing days. 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. The scuba and quad bike activities may have age or size limits, so give us your child's age and we will check before you book. Hotel and flight prices depend on the child's age and the room used.
Accessibility
Who can join this
Expect a good deal of walking around large archaeological sites, on uneven stone and sand, with steps and some narrow tomb passages. Karnak and the West Bank have long, open stretches with little shade. Day 9 includes a drive of about five hours. The dive day means boarding a boat and wearing equipment, and the quad bike safari is on sand and rough ground. 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 long road transfer, a dive boat and quad bikes, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and the Red Sea days are run by local operators in Hurghada, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle, to leave coral and marine life untouched when diving and to keep to the marked tracks on the safari.
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 flight from Cairo to Aswan on day 3 and the one from Hurghada to Cairo on day 12 are booked for you and included in the price. Getting from Luxor to Hurghada on day 9 is a private road transfer of about five hours. International flights are not included.02Does this holiday include a Nile cruise?
No, it is a land holiday with a hotel in each place. The journey from Aswan to Luxor is by road. Ask us if you would like to add a ship.03Do I need to have dived before?
No. Day 10 is an introductory dive day, with two guided dives led by a certified instructor and all the equipment supplied. Tell us about any medical conditions when you book so we can check it is suitable.04What happens on the quad bike safari?
You are collected from your hotel in the afternoon for about five hours on the safari. Each rider has a bike, or you can share one, and a guide and helmet are provided. There is a short camel ride on the safari, followed by a barbecue dinner and a folklore show.05Is the journey from Luxor to Hurghada tiring?
It takes about five hours by private air-conditioned vehicle. Nothing else is planned that day, so you arrive with time to settle in and use the hotel.06Which 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 sightseeing are the same at every standard.07Will I make my international flight home?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed internal flight could cost you a connection. That is why the holiday ends with a night in Cairo after the final internal flight on day 12. If you add flights of your own and have to connect the same day, pick a late-evening or night international flight, and buy travel insurance that covers missed connections.08What does the price leave out?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks and meals other than those stated, the inside of the Khufu pyramid and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun's.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-793332
At a glance
- Length
- 13 days · 12 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Luxor → Hurghada → Cairo
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 2 Aswan · 4 Luxor · 3 Hurghada
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers