5-Day Cairo & Luxor Holiday by Sleeper Train
Cairo's pyramids, Luxor's temples and tombs, and two nights in your own cabin on the train. Hotels, transfers, an Egyptologist and dinner and breakfast on board are all arranged.
The short answer
5-Day Cairo & Luxor Holiday by Sleeper Train is a 5-day, 4-night trip to Cairo and Luxor: 1 night in Cairo, 2 on sleeper trains and 1 in Luxor. It includes sleeper trains, an Egyptologist guide and transfers. Prices start at £784 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Some of the best parts of this holiday happen while you are asleep. You arrive in Cairo and spend a night in a hotel, then give a day to the pyramids at Giza, Saqqara and Memphis. In the evening you board the sleeper train for Luxor, settle into a private cabin and have dinner on board while Egypt rolls past in the dark.
Luxor takes up the middle of the trip. You cross to the West Bank for the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon, spend a night in a hotel, and see Karnak the next day. A second sleeper takes you back to Cairo for the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and the airport. That makes four nights: two in hotels, two on the train. We have not included any internal flights.
What lingers
- 01Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis in a single guided day
- 02Two nights in a private cabin on the sleeper train between Cairo and Luxor
- 03Dinner and breakfast served on board
- 04The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon
- 05Karnak with a private Egyptologist, Sacred Lake included
- 06The Royal Mummies Hall at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization on your final morning
- 07Travel by rail, with no internal flights to catch
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 £7843★ hotels | Luxor · 1 nightEl Mesala Hotel Luxor | £784May–Sep: from £759 | |
| Comfortfrom £8224★ hotels | Cairo · 1 nightJewel Sport City Luxor · 1 nightIberotel Luxor by JAZ | £822May–Sep: from £806 | |
| Classicfrom £8455★ hotels | £845May–Sep: from £826 | ||
| Prestigefrom £8835★ deluxe hotels | Luxor · 1 nightSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor | £883May–Sep: from £893 | |
| Luxuryfrom £1,1425★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 1 nightSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 1 nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | £1,142May–Sep: from £1,122 |
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.
- New
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
5 Days / 4 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Memphis · Luxor · Valley of the Kings
- 1
A representative meets you as you come through arrivals at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel, around an hour's drive. There is nothing planned for the rest of the day, so you can rest after the flight and begin properly in the morning.
- 2
This is a full day of about 8 hours, with a private Egyptologist and an air-conditioned vehicle. You are collected from the hotel and taken to the Giza Pyramids complex, the Valley Temple and the Great Sphinx. After that you drive south through the countryside to lunch, then on to Saqqara, where the first pyramid was built, and Memphis, the first imperial capital.
Back at your hotel, you transfer to Giza train station, about 45 minutes away, and board the sleeper train for Luxor. Your cabin is private, dinner is served on board and the train runs overnight.
- 3
The journey takes about 12 hours and you pull into Luxor in the morning, having had breakfast on the train. A transfer takes you into Luxor. Later you cross to the West Bank for a half-day of about 6 hours with an Egyptologist guide and air-conditioned transport. You visit the Valley of the Kings, with tickets for three tombs included, then Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon.
Tonight you sleep in a Luxor hotel.
- 4
You spend a half-day at Karnak with a private licensed Egyptologist, collected from your Luxor hotel in a private vehicle. Tickets for the Karnak temples and the Sacred Lake are included. Later a transfer takes you to Luxor train station for the sleeper back to Cairo. You have your own cabin again, with dinner on board, and sleep as the train travels through the night.
- 5
The 12-hour journey ends in Cairo in the morning, and breakfast is on the train. You then spend about 4 hours at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization with a private Egyptologist and a private air-conditioned vehicle, taking in the main exhibition hall and the Royal Mummies Hall. Entry is included, and a set lunch follows at a restaurant close by.
Afterwards a private transfer takes you to Cairo Airport. Your guide and driver time the day around your flight.
Bundled in
- Sleeper train
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- One night in a Cairo hotel and one night in a Luxor hotel
- Two nights in a private cabin on the sleeper train, Cairo to Luxor and Luxor to Cairo
- Dinner and breakfast on the train
- Lunch on the Giza day and at the museum on the final day
- A private Egyptologist on every sightseeing day
- Private air-conditioned transport for sightseeing and transfers
- Entrance tickets to Karnak and the Sacred Lake, three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
- Airport arrival and departure transfers with meet-and-assist
- Transfers to and from the train stations
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Gratuities for guides and drivers
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Take a compact overnight bag onto the train, since your main case can stay safely at the hotel.
- 02
Choose sturdy shoes for Saqqara, where sandy paths surround the Step Pyramid and the walk to Memphis.
- 03
Ask to start the Valley of the Kings early on day three, while the temperature is still comfortable.
- 04
Allow time at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization to see the hall of royal mummies before your flight.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel standard when you book. Ask us about an extra night in Cairo for a safer connection home, more time in Luxor, or other sights.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Guests who want the pyramids and Luxor in a short break, and like the idea of a night train. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are comfortable with early starts and a lot of walking.
Maybe not, if
- Guests who need step-free access to every site, or who sleep badly on trains. Days 2 and 3 are long.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Pyramids, Saqqara, Memphis, Luxor's main sites and the royal mummies in five days
- Two nights on the train save two hotel nights and two flights
- Private cabin, with dinner and breakfast on board
Things to Consider
- Two 12-hour train journeys
- Long days on days 2 and 3
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
Where it fits
A compact first look at Egypt for guests who like trains. Add a night in Cairo at the end if you want extra margin before your flight home.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many itineraries fly between Cairo and Luxor. This one goes by sleeper train both ways, so the journey doubles as two of your four nights. Hotel standard 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 Short Break by Sleeper Train
- Accommodation
- A Cairo hotel, a Luxor hotel and private train cabins, hotel standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Saqqara · Memphis · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Karnak Temple · National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
- Includes
- 1 night in a Cairo hotel and 1 night in a Luxor hotel · 2 nights in a private sleeper train cabin · Dinner and breakfast on the train · Private Egyptologist on sightseeing days · Entrance tickets to Karnak, three tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization · Airport and train station transfers
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Rail fans · Guests who want Cairo and Luxor without internal flights
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
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- A small overnight bag for the train, so your main suitcase stays out of the way
- Any personal medication
- A light layer for the air-conditioned train and winter evenings
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for the sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples, tombs and uneven ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- Something comfortable to sleep in on the train
- A light jacket for cool evenings and the train
Children & families
Children are welcome. Each 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 under-6s and full price from 6. Hotel and train cabin arrangements depend on the child's age and how many are sharing, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age at booking. The 12-hour train journeys and long sightseeing days suit older children better than toddlers.
Accessibility
Who can join this
There is a great deal of walking on large archaeological sites, over uneven stone, sand and steps, and the tomb passages in the Valley of the Kings are narrow. Karnak and the West Bank have long, open stretches with little shade. Getting onto the train means a step up from the platform and a narrow corridor to your cabin, and the cabins are compact. Our vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site or on the train. Tell us what you need when you book and we will say honestly which parts will work for you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
This holiday uses the overnight train both ways rather than internal flights. We do not claim a carbon saving, as the vehicle for road transfers can vary. Sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and arranged through suppliers in Cairo and Luxor, so most of what you spend stays in the places you visit. Please bring a refillable water bottle and avoid touching 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
01Where do we sleep on this holiday?
Two of the four nights are on the sleeper train, in a private cabin: Cairo to Luxor on day 2 and Luxor to Cairo on day 4. The other two are in hotels, in Cairo on day 1 and in Luxor on day 3. We confirm the hotels for your dates once you have chosen a standard.02How long does each train journey take?
Around 12 hours in each direction. The train runs overnight, so you wake up in Luxor on day 3 and in Cairo on day 5. Dinner and breakfast are served on board.03Are internal flights included?
There are none on this holiday. The train covers Cairo to Luxor and back. International flights are not included.04Will I make my international flight?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late train could cost you your connection. Here you arrive in Cairo by train on the morning of day 5, visit the museum and go straight to the airport. Book an evening or night flight home on day 5 to leave room for delays, and make sure your travel insurance covers missed connections. If you would like more margin, we can add one more night in Cairo.05Is the Giza day a long one?
Yes. With the drives and lunch, the Giza, Saqqara and Memphis day takes about 8 hours, and you board the sleeper train that evening. Comfortable shoes and plenty of water help.06Are the guide, entrance fees and transport included?
For the listed visits, yes. You have an Egyptologist and private air-conditioned transport on sightseeing days. Tickets for the Karnak temples and Sacred Lake, three tombs in the Valley of the Kings and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization are included, as are transfers to and from the train stations.07Which meals are included?
Dinner and breakfast are served on the train. There is lunch on day 2 in the countryside and on day 5 near the museum. Day 3 includes breakfast, and day 4 breakfast and dinner. Day 1 has no meals.08Is the sightseeing private?
Yes. In Cairo and Luxor you have a private Egyptologist and a private vehicle, and you have your own cabin on the train.09What is left out?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks and meals not stated, travel insurance and personal spending.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-305775
At a glance
- Length
- 5 days · 4 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Cairo to Luxor → Luxor to Cairo → Cairo
- Nights
- 1 Cairo · 2 sleeper train · 1 Luxor
- Includes
- Sleeper trains, Egyptologist guide, transfers