14-Day Slow Travel Holiday in Egypt: Cairo, Luxor & Nile
Fourteen days, with few moves and long stays: three nights in Cairo, three in Luxor, four on the Nile and two in Aswan. Both internal flights are included.
The short answer
14-Day Slow Travel Holiday in Egypt: Cairo, Luxor & Nile is a 14-day, 13-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 4 nights in Cairo, 3 in Luxor, 4 on a Nile cruise and 2 in Aswan. Starts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £2,610 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Many Egypt itineraries have you on the move every morning. This holiday is built the other way round. You spend three nights in Cairo, three in Luxor, four aboard a Nile cruise ship and two in Aswan, so you pack and unpack just four times. Most days offer a single main sight, or two shorter visits with a break in between.
You begin with the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, fly south to Luxor, cruise upriver to Aswan and give Abu Simbel a day to itself. A second internal flight returns you to Cairo for one more night before you head home. We organise the flights, transfers, hotels and cabin. When you book, you pick the standard of hotel and ship; the sightseeing is the same whichever you choose.
What lingers
- 01Four changes of base in fourteen days, with three nights each in Cairo and Luxor
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in one full day
- 03A private food walk through Cairo after dark and an evening horse carriage ride in Luxor
- 04Four nights cruising from Luxor to Aswan, calling at Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae
- 05Abu Simbel by road, on a day with nothing else in it
- 06One more night in Cairo, then the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and its Royal Mummies before you fly home
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 £2,6103★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Luxor · 3 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNephtis · Al Nabilatan Aswan · 2 nightsHapi Hotel Aswan | £2,610May–Sep: from £2,363 | |
| Comfortfrom £2,8194★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 3 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ Nile Cruise · 4 nightsEmilio · Tower Prestige | £2,819May–Sep: from £2,673 | |
| Classicfrom £3,1075★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSun Times · Nile Dolphin | £3,107May–Sep: from £2,673 | |
| Prestigefrom £3,6965★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Luxor · 3 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess Aswan · 2 nightsTolip Aswan | £3,696May–Sep: from £3,513 | |
| Luxuryfrom £5,4845★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 3 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda Aswan · 2 nightsThe Zen Wellness Resort Aswan | £5,484May–Sep: from £4,463 |
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
14 Days / 13 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Islamic Cairo · Luxor · Deir el-Medina · Karnak Temple
- 1
Our representative greets you at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel, around an hour's drive. Take your time to settle in and rest. Later on, a private tasting walk leaves from your hotel, an easy introduction to Cairo's street food once the sun has gone down. Nothing more is planned, so if the journey has been long you can simply turn in early.
- 2
This is the biggest day in Cairo, around 8 hours in all, and for many guests the highlight. You are collected from your hotel and your Egyptologist leads you across the Giza Plateau to the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Lunch is at a restaurant with a view. After it you explore the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Guide, entrance fees and vehicle are all included, and you are driven back to the hotel afterwards.
- 3
The morning is free to relax. In the afternoon you are collected for half a day in Cairo's medieval quarter. You tour Saladin's Citadel and the Muhammad Ali Mosque, wander the lanes of Islamic Cairo and end in the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Your licensed Egyptologist goes with you, and the private vehicle and entrance fees are included. You then return to the hotel for a third night in the city.
- 4
After breakfast you are taken to Cairo Airport for your flight to Luxor, which lasts around an hour. The airline sets the times, and we plan the day around them. In Luxor you are met and driven to your hotel. This afternoon you visit the Luxor Museum for half a day, with statues and finds from the city's temples and tombs. Luxor will be your base for the next three nights.
- 5
You spend the day on the West Bank in two half-day visits, away from the busiest valley. The first takes in Deir el-Medina and the Tombs of the Nobles, whose painted walls show daily life in ancient Thebes. The second is the Valley of the Queens. Your Egyptologist goes with you, and guide, entrance fees and transport are included. The Valley of the Kings is saved for the cruise.
- 6
Half a day at the Mummification Museum with a private, licensed Egyptologist; the vehicle collects you from your hotel and the entry ticket is included. The rest of the day is yours. As evening comes, a horse carriage takes you on a private ride through Luxor, past the local market and to Luxor Temple, floodlit after dark. Tomorrow you move on to the ship.
- 7
You leave the hotel and join your Nile cruise ship in Luxor. The sightseeing package begins straight away at Karnak, Egypt's largest temple complex, where the visit includes the Sacred Lake. Luxor Temple is also listed for this day. An Egyptologist guides you, and entrance fees and transport are part of the package. Lunch and dinner are served on board, and the ship is your home for four nights.
- 8
The cruise package crosses to the West Bank for the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, where three tombs are included, and Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari. Your Egyptologist accompanies you, with entrance fees and transport covered.
Later, a private motorboat can take you from the ship to Banana Island, a trip of around three hours with fresh fruit, mint tea and water, as the light fades on the river.
- 9
The ship carries you upstream, and you step ashore twice. The Temple of Horus at Edfu is among the best-preserved in Egypt. At Kom Ombo, a temple dedicated to two gods stands close to the water's edge. Your Egyptologist leads both visits, and entrance fees and transport are included. Between stops, there is time to sit on deck and watch the Nile valley pass.
- 10
In Aswan your guide shows you Philae Temple, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, which still lies in its granite quarry. Entrance fees and transport are included. Later you visit a Nubian village, travelling by boat and vehicle with an English-speaking guide. You then return to the ship for a final night on board.
- 11
After breakfast you leave the ship, and a driver takes you to your hotel in Aswan. The cruise sightseeing package has nothing further to offer on this day, and no excursion is booked. Spend the afternoon by the river, along the corniche or simply resting before tomorrow's early outing. Aswan is your base for two nights.
- 12
The whole day is given to one place. You drive from Aswan to Abu Simbel, see the great temples of Ramesses II and his queen Nefertari, and drive back to Aswan the same day. Entrance fees are included. Nothing else is planned around it, because this is the longest outing of the fortnight. Have a good breakfast, and take water and a hat.
- 13
You start with a private half day at Kalabsha Temple and the Nubian Museum, your last sightseeing in Aswan. You are then taken to Aswan Airport for the flight to Cairo, around an hour long. The airline sets the timetable and we fit the visit around it. In Cairo a driver takes you to your hotel.
We include this last night deliberately: if an internal flight is delayed, your journey home is not put at risk.
- 14
The final visit is a guided half day, around four hours, at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, taking in the main exhibition hall and the Royal Mummies Hall. Guide, entrance fees and a set lunch are included. A private vehicle then takes you to Cairo Airport for your flight home. Book that flight for the afternoon or evening so the museum is not a rush.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Nine hotel nights with breakfast: three in Cairo, three in Luxor, two in Aswan and a final night in Cairo
- Four nights aboard a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan, on full board
- Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor and from Aswan to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and quayside transfers
- A licensed Egyptologist on sightseeing days
- Entrance fees to the sites in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- The cruise sightseeing package: guide, entrance fees and transport
- A private evening food walk in Cairo and an evening horse carriage ride in Luxor
- Banana Island by private motorboat, with fruit, mint tea and water
- Lunch on the Giza day and at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
- Meet and assist at the airport
Not included
- 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
Make the most of the horse-carriage ride by looking back at Luxor Temple as dusk falls; its floodlit columns are the highlight.
- 02
Slow down in the Deir el-Medina tombs and give your eyes a minute to adjust; the painted walls hold remarkable colour.
- 03
Wear a sunhat and carry water to Kalabsha Temple, where the open courtyards offer little shade by late morning.
- 04
Come hungry for the Cairo food walk on night one, keep dinner light beforehand, and sample whatever your guide recommends.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book. Ask us about extra nights in any city or other changes to the route.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers with a fortnight who want to see Egypt's main sites without changing base each day. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy walking over uneven ground and taking two short flights.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who want a fast-moving tour with somewhere new each day.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Three nights each in Cairo and Luxor, so very little packing and unpacking
- Abu Simbel has a day to itself, with no other sights that day
- Both internal flights, all transfers and a spare final night in Cairo arranged for you
Things to Consider
- Days 2 and 12 are long
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- Days 2 and 12 are the only full days; the rest are half days
Where it fits
A good fit for a fortnight where pace matters as much as the list of sights. Abu Simbel and the Grand Egyptian Museum are both included.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Egypt holidays cover the same sights in 8 to 10 days by changing base almost daily. This one takes fourteen days over a similar route, with three or four nights in each place and one main sight a day. 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
- Slow travel guided holiday with a Nile cruise
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan plus a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Islamic Cairo · Luxor · Deir el-Medina · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Abu Simbel · Kalabsha Temple
- Includes
- 9 hotel nights with breakfast in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan · 4 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo · Entrance fees to the listed sites · Licensed Egyptologist on sightseeing days · All airport, hotel and quayside transfers
- Best for
- Travellers who dislike being hurried · First-time and returning visitors with a fortnight · Couples and friends wanting time in each city
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
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag
- A light layer for the flights and the ship
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for winter evenings on the river and in the horse carriage
Children & families
Children are welcome. A child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport, guiding and meals are charged at the adult rate whatever the age. Entrance tickets are free for under-6s and full price from 6. Hotel and cabin costs depend on the child's age and the room used, so we quote the exact figure once you tell us the age when booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
Even at an easy pace, the sites mean walking on uneven stone, sand and steps, with little shade at Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel. Tomb corridors are narrow, and boarding the ship and river boats involves a gangway and steps. Day 12 to Abu Simbel is a full day on the road. 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 frankly which parts will suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday involves two internal flights, a Nile cruise ship and private road transfers, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Longer stays in each place do mean fewer transfers than a fast-moving itinerary. Guiding and day tours are arranged through local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, so a good share of your spending stays in those cities. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and to keep their hands off painted tomb walls.
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 makes this a slow travel holiday in Egypt?
You stay longer in each place: three nights in Cairo, three in Luxor, four on the Nile and two in Aswan. Most days have a single main sight, or two shorter visits with a gap between. The only long outing is Abu Simbel on day 12.02Are the internal flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Luxor on day 4 and from Aswan to Cairo on day 13 are booked for you, including baggage allowance and taxes. Times depend on the airline schedule. International flights are not included.03Will I make my international flight?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed internal flight could cost you the connection. That is why the holiday ends with one more night in Cairo. If you have to fly to Cairo and connect on the same day, choose a late-evening or night flight home. Do take out travel insurance that covers missed connections.04How many nights do we spend on the Nile?
Four nights on board, from Luxor to Aswan, on full board. The other nine nights are in hotels with breakfast: three in Cairo, three in Luxor, two in Aswan and a last night in Cairo.05Which hotels and ship will we stay in?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the hotels and ship for your dates. The route and the sightseeing are the same at every standard.06Does the holiday include Abu Simbel?
Yes. On day 12 you drive to Abu Simbel from your Aswan hotel and return the same day. It has the day to itself, and entrance fees are included.07Do we see the Grand Egyptian Museum?
Yes. It is part of the Giza day on day 2, alongside the pyramids, the Sphinx and lunch. Entrance fees for the plateau and the museum are included.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks and meals other than those stated, and travel insurance.09When is the best time to travel?
October to April is cooler and best for walking around the sites. Summers are very hot in Luxor and Aswan, so outings begin early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-374121
At a glance
- Length
- 14 days · 13 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Tue, Fri, Sat or Sun
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 3 Luxor · 4 Nile cruise · 2 Aswan
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers