5-Day Christmas Holiday in Cairo & Luxor
22 to 26 December 2026. Pyramids, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, with hotels, the internal flight and an Egyptologist all arranged for you.
The short answer
5-Day Christmas Holiday in Cairo & Luxor is a 5-day, 4-night trip to Cairo and Luxor: 2 nights in Cairo and 2 in Luxor. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £995 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
If you would like to swap a grey British December for sunshine, Egypt is a fine choice. Days are mild, the sites are open and the light is lovely. This holiday runs from Tuesday 22 to Saturday 26 December 2026, with Christmas Day on day 4 in Luxor.
It begins with a night-time look at Cairo. Day 2 is the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum. On day 3 you fly to Luxor for Karnak and a boat ride at sunset. Day 4 takes you across the river to the West Bank, and on day 5 you visit the Luxor Museum before flying back to Cairo.
Christmas on 25 December is an ordinary working day in Egypt, and Coptic Christmas falls on 7 January, so we have not invented any events. It is a busy time of year. If you would like a church service or a festive meal, just ask us. The Christmas Eve gala dinner is not part of the price: those who want to go pay at the hotel on the evening.
What lingers
- 01Cairo after dark: Cairo Tower and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar on the evening you arrive
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- 03An internal flight from Cairo to Luxor, then Karnak Temple the same day
- 04A private motorboat to Banana Island at sunset, with fruit and mint tea
- 05Luxor's West Bank: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu
- 06The Luxor Museum on your last morning, then the flight back to 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentialfrom £9953★ hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor | £995May–Sep: from £945 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,0704★ hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 2 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | £1,070May–Sep: from £1,039 | |
| Classicfrom £1,1165★ hotels | £1,116May–Sep: from £1,079 | ||
| Prestigefrom £1,1935★ deluxe hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor | £1,193May–Sep: from £1,212 | |
| Luxuryfrom £1,7105★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 2 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | £1,710May–Sep: from £1,670 |
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 · Cairo Tower · Khan el-Khalili · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Egyptian Museum
- 1
Tuesday 22 December. Your private representative is waiting in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel, around an hour's drive. Later in the day a private guide shows you Cairo at night, with the view from Cairo Tower and an evening wander through the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Transport is included. No meals are included today, so you can pick your own dinner in the bazaar.
- 2
Wednesday 23 December. Your English-speaking Egyptologist spends the whole day with you. First the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx, then the Egyptian Museum. Your private vehicle and the entrance fees are included. Plan on 4 to 6 hours at Giza itself. You finish at your Cairo hotel for a second night.
- 3
Thursday 24 December, Christmas Eve. After breakfast you are driven to Cairo Airport for the one-hour flight to Luxor. The airline sets the flight time, and the sightseeing is planned around it. In Luxor you are met and taken to your hotel, then your Egyptologist shows you Karnak Temple, including the Sacred Lake.
Towards evening a private motorboat takes you out on the Nile to Banana Island for around three hours, with fresh fruit, mint tea and bottled water. Transport, guiding and entrance fees are included. The Christmas Eve gala dinner is not; if you would like to go, you pay at the hotel that night.
- 4
Friday 25 December, Christmas Day. Today is a full day on the West Bank with your Egyptologist: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's Temple, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu. Your private vehicle and the entrance fees are included. An early start pays off, as the tombs and open ground are quieter in the morning. In the evening you are back at your Luxor hotel for a second night.
- 5
Saturday 26 December. You check out after breakfast and spend half a day at the Luxor Museum with your Egyptologist. A private transfer then takes you to Luxor Airport for the one-hour flight to Cairo, timed by the airline, with the museum visit planned around it. There is no hotel tonight, and the holiday ends here. Your international flight home is booked separately.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Two nights in a Cairo hotel and two nights in a Luxor hotel, with breakfast on the mornings after day 1
- Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor and Luxor to Cairo, with 23 kg of luggage
- All airport and hotel transfers in a private vehicle
- An evening tour of Cairo with Cairo Tower and Khan el-Khalili
- A private motorboat to Banana Island at sunset, with fruit, mint tea and water
- Entrance fees to every site in the itinerary
- An English-speaking Egyptologist guide on every sightseeing day
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Christmas Eve gala dinner, paid locally at the hotel on the night
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Meals not listed, and drinks
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Go up Cairo Tower on your first night for the skyline, then stroll the lamp-lit lanes of Khan el-Khalili once the shops have warmed up.
- 02
Your guide will do well to take you to the Sphinx first at Giza; the pyramid photo spots are far calmer before the coaches arrive.
- 03
Karnak is at its most photogenic in the afternoon sun, and the courtyards are exposed, so pack a sun hat and plenty of water.
- 04
Phones and cameras are not welcome inside the Valley of the Kings tombs, so save your shots for the Hatshepsut terraces at Deir el-Bahari.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about a last night in Cairo before your flight home, extra nights in Luxor, or a Nile cruise on a longer stay.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- People who would like to spend Christmas in Egypt and see the pyramids and Luxor's temples on a short, guided holiday. Suits couples, friends and families with older children who are happy with a flight 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 one place. Day 3 is long.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- The pyramids, the Egyptian Museum, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings in five days
- Flights and every transfer arranged for you
- Dated 22 to 26 December 2026, with Christmas Day in Luxor
Things to Consider
- A busy day 3 with a flight, Karnak and a boat trip
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the main sites
- The Christmas Eve gala dinner is not included
Where it fits
A good short break over Christmas. It ends in Cairo after a flight, so add a last night there if your flight home leaves the same day.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Christmas offers in Egypt are a single city or a long cruise. This holiday joins Cairo and Luxor in five days, with both flights and every transfer booked for you. The standard of hotel is your choice; the sightseeing stays the same.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided multi-day Christmas holiday
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Luxor hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Cairo Tower · Khan el-Khalili · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Banana Island · Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Luxor Museum
- Includes
- 2 nights in Cairo and 2 nights in Luxor, with breakfast after day 1 · Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor and Luxor to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · English-speaking Egyptologist on sightseeing days · All transfers in a private vehicle · Private motorboat to Banana Island at sunset
- Best for
- Those spending Christmas abroad · First-time visitors · Couples and families with older children
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 travel documents you need
- Comfortable walking shoes with a good grip
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any medication you take
- A small day bag
- A warm layer for Cairo in the evening and the boat at sunset
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for sunny days
- A jumper or light jacket for December evenings in Cairo and on the river
- Closed shoes for temples and rough ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
Children & families
Children are very welcome. Each child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport and guiding are charged at the adult rate whatever their age. Entrance tickets are free for under-6s and full price from 6. Hotel costs depend on the child's age and the room, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us their age. Christmas week is busy, so do book early if you are bringing children.
Accessibility
Who can join this
Expect plenty of walking at large archaeological sites, over uneven stone and sand, with steps and some narrow tomb passages. The Valley of the Kings and Karnak have long stretches in the open with little shade. Boarding the motorboat on day 3 means a short step down to the water. Vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access everywhere. 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 two internal flights, private road transfers and a small motorboat on the Nile, and the vehicles vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Guiding is by local Egyptologists and everything is arranged through suppliers based in Cairo and Luxor, which keeps most of your spending in the places you visit. Please bring a refillable water bottle and do not touch 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
01Is the gala dinner on Christmas Eve included?
No, it is not in the price of the holiday. Anyone who would like to join the gala dinner pays for it at the hotel on the evening. Ask us when you book and we will tell you what is planned.02What do we do on Christmas Day?
Christmas Day is day 4, a full day of sightseeing on Luxor's West Bank. In Egypt 25 December is a working day, and Coptic Christmas is on 7 January, so we have not planned any special events. If you would like a church service or a festive meal, tell us and we will help.03Are the internal flights included?
Yes. Cairo to Luxor on day 3 and Luxor to Cairo on day 5 are booked for you, with 23 kg of luggage. International flights are not included. The airline sets the flight times.04Will I make my flight home?
The holiday ends in Cairo on day 5 after an internal flight, with no hotel night. Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late internal flight could make you miss your connection. We would rather you stay one more night in Cairo, and we can add it. If you must connect the same day, book a late-evening or night flight home and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.05Which hotels will we stay in?
You pick a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the Cairo and Luxor hotels for your dates. The days and sightseeing are the same whichever you choose.06Does it include Abu Simbel or a Nile cruise?
No. You stay in hotels, two nights in Cairo and two in Luxor. If you would like a cruise or a longer stay, ask us and we will set out the choices.07Is the sightseeing private?
Yes. Your Egyptologist and driver are yours alone on sightseeing days, and the motorboat to Banana Island is private as well.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides and drivers, meals not listed, the Christmas Eve gala dinner and travel insurance.09How cold does it get in December?
Days are mild and pleasant for walking around temples. Evenings in Cairo and on the river can turn cool, so pack a warm layer.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-152231
At a glance
- Length
- 5 days · 4 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Cairo
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 2 Luxor
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers