5-Day Cairo & Alexandria Holiday
Giza's pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, then north to Alexandria for two nights. Four hotel nights, your transfers and entrance fees are included.
The short answer
5-Day Cairo & Alexandria Holiday is a 5-day, 4-night trip to Cairo and Alexandria: 2 nights in Cairo and 2 in Alexandria. It includes an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £720 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Most first visits to Egypt stop at Cairo. This holiday adds Alexandria, the old Mediterranean port, without any flights. You begin with two nights in Cairo and a day at Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, led by an English-speaking Egyptologist.
On day 3 you travel north, calling at the Coptic monasteries of Wadi Natrun and at Pompey's Pillar before you reach the city. Two nights in Alexandria give you a whole day for the catacombs, the Qaitbay Citadel and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Day 5 opens at the Graeco-Roman Museum and ends with the long road back to Cairo and your airport transfer. Choose your hotel standard 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 road to Alexandria, with a stop at Wadi Natrun's Coptic monasteries
- 03Pompey's Pillar and the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
- 04A whole day in Alexandria: the Qaitbay Citadel and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- 05The Graeco-Roman Museum on the morning you leave
- 06Four hotel nights, two in each city, with every transfer arranged
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 £7203★ hotels | Alexandria · 2 nightsSan Giovanni Stanley Hotel and Restaurant | £720May–Sep: from £684 | |
| Prestigefrom £9505★ deluxe hotels | Alexandria · 2 nightsHelnan Mamoura | £950May–Sep: from £953 | |
| Luxuryfrom £1,3455★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Alexandria · 2 nightsSteigenberger Cecil Hotel Alexandria | £1,345May–Sep: from £1,322 |
Hotels on bed & breakfast. 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
5 Days / 4 Nights · Cairo · Giza · Alexandria
- 1
A driver meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel, which is around an hour away. You have the rest of the day to recover from the flight. No meals are included on this first day, but the hotel can suggest places to eat close by.
- 2
A full day with your English-speaking Egyptologist. You are picked up at your hotel and head to the Giza Plateau to see the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Lunch is at a restaurant with a view, and the afternoon is spent at the Grand Egyptian Museum. Plan on 4 to 6 hours for the Giza visit.
The vehicle, entrance fees and bottled water are included, and you return to your Cairo hotel for a second night.
- 3
After breakfast you set off by road from Cairo to Alexandria. The first stop is Wadi Natrun, where you can see its Coptic monasteries, and Pompey's Pillar comes before you settle in the city. Transport, the entrance tickets for the Alexandria sites in this bundle and lunch are included, and you sleep in an Alexandria hotel. It is a long day in the vehicle, so we keep the pace gentle.
- 4
This day belongs to Alexandria. You explore the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, where Egyptian, Greek and Roman styles are mixed, the Citadel of Qaitbay, the fifteenth-century fort beside the harbour, and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern library close to the site of the ancient one. Entrance fees and transport are covered. You spend a second night in the city.
- 5
The morning is spent at the Graeco-Roman Museum, with the entrance fee included. After that you travel back to Cairo by way of Wadi Natrun and are taken to the airport for your departure. This is a long travel day. You only return to Cairo on the day you leave, so an afternoon or late-evening flight is the safest choice.
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Two nights in a Cairo hotel and two nights in an Alexandria hotel
- Breakfast on days 2 to 5, with lunch on days 2 and 3
- Airport arrival and departure transfers with meet and assist
- Air-conditioned road transport, including the drives to and from Alexandria via Wadi Natrun
- An English-speaking Egyptologist on the Giza and Grand Egyptian Museum day
- Entrance fees to the Giza Plateau and the Grand Egyptian Museum
- Entrance tickets to the Qaitbay Citadel, Pompey's Pillar, the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Graeco-Roman Museum
- Bottled water on the Giza day
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Dinners, drinks and meals other than those stated
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Start the Giza visit early, before the strongest sun and tour buses arrive.
- 02
At Khan El Khalili, ask the price first, then compare one nearby shop.
- 03
For mosque visits, wear long trousers or a skirt and bring a light scarf.
- 04
Alexandria is often windier than Cairo, so a light layer helps near Qaitbay Citadel.
- 05
The best photos at the Citadel are usually after midday haze lifts.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo, or adding a Nile cruise and Luxor to lengthen the holiday.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- First-time visitors who want Cairo's headline sights plus a second city on the coast. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy with long drives and several hours of walking on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who want the Nile and southern Egypt. Days 3 and 5 are long on the road.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- The pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Alexandria in five days
- No internal flights, with every transfer arranged for you
- Two nights in each city, so you repack just once
Things to Consider
- Long road days on days 3 and 5
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the main sites
- The Nile, Luxor and Aswan are not included
Where it fits
A good first trip to Egypt for anyone who wants the pyramids and the sea. Pick a later flight home, as you return to Cairo on the day you leave.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Cairo itineraries end at the pyramids or squeeze Alexandria into a rushed day trip. This holiday gives Alexandria two nights and a full day, with no internal flights. 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 holiday by road
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Alexandria hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza · Alexandria
- Includes
- 2 nights in a Cairo hotel and 2 in Alexandria · Breakfast on days 2 to 5, lunch on days 2 and 3 · Entrance fees to every listed site · Egyptologist on the Giza day · Airport transfers and road transport in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Travellers wanting the pyramids and a Mediterranean city · Those who would rather travel by road than fly
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 vehicles and the Alexandria seafront
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for monuments and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at the Wadi Natrun monasteries
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for winter evenings and the breezy Alexandria coast
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 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. Days 3 and 5 mean several hours on the road, so consider whether your child will cope with that.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday involves a good deal of walking around large sites, on uneven stone with steps, and the catacombs have narrow underground passages. The Giza Plateau is open and offers little shade. Days 3 and 5 include long drives between Cairo and Alexandria, and day 5 is a full travel day. Vehicles are 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
Travel is by road only, with no internal flights, and the drives between Cairo and Alexandria are long. Vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. You stay two nights in each city and so repack just once. Sightseeing is arranged through local suppliers in Cairo and Alexandria, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. Please bring a refillable water bottle.
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 there any internal flights on this holiday?
No. You go between Cairo and Alexandria by road both ways. The only flights are your own international ones into and out of Cairo.02How are the four hotel nights split?
Two nights in Cairo, then two in Alexandria. Breakfast is included on the mornings of days 2 to 5; day 1 has no meals.03Which 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 sightseeing is identical at every standard.04Will I make my international flight home?
There is no internal flight to go wrong, as you travel by road. The risk is that you only reach Cairo on the day you leave, so traffic or a delay on the road can shorten your time. An afternoon or late-evening departure is safest. Please take travel insurance that covers a missed connection.05How much time is spent on the road?
Days 3 and 5 each include a long drive between Cairo and Alexandria, calling at Wadi Natrun on the way. Day 5 is a full travel day: the Graeco-Roman Museum comes first, then the drive and your airport transfer.06Are the guide and entrance fees included?
On the Giza day an English-speaking Egyptologist, the entrance fees and the vehicle are all included. In Alexandria, transport and the entrance tickets for the listed sites are covered.07What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks other than those stated and any meals not listed. Dinner is not included on any day.08Does this holiday include the Nile or Luxor?
No. It covers Cairo and Alexandria only. Ask us about longer holidays that add a Nile cruise or the temples of Luxor and Aswan.09When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and best for sightseeing. Cairo is hot in summer, so days begin early. Alexandria can be breezy and cool in winter.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-718305
At a glance
- Length
- 5 days · 4 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Alexandria → Cairo
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 2 Alexandria
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers