7-Day Cairo & El Gouna Holiday
Three nights in Cairo for the pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Citadel and Coptic Cairo, then a short flight south-east to El Gouna and three nights by the sea. Hotels, the flight and your Egyptologist are all arranged.
The short answer
7-Day Cairo & El Gouna Holiday is a 7-day, 6-night trip to Cairo and Hurghada: 3 nights in Cairo and 3 in El Gouna. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,155 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Many people want Egypt's history and a bit of sea in the same week. This holiday does exactly that. You land in Cairo and spend your first evening on a Nile dinner cruise. Day 2 belongs to the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, and day 3 to medieval Cairo's Citadel and the Christian quarter known as Coptic Cairo.
Then you fly to Hurghada and drive on to El Gouna, a lagoon resort town on the Red Sea. A boat trip to Giftun Island gives you snorkelling and a beach lunch, and a semi-submarine ride shows you the reef without getting wet. The final morning is a transfer to the airport. We book the internal flight, the transfers and the hotels. You choose the standard of hotel; the plan stays the same.
What lingers
- 01A Nile dinner cruise with a live show on your first night in Cairo
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- 03The Citadel of Saladin, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali and a terrace over the city
- 04Coptic Cairo's Hanging Church, the Ben Ezra Synagogue and a pause for mint tea
- 05A boat day to Orange Bay on Giftun Island with two snorkelling sessions and a hot lunch
- 06A semi-submarine ride above the Red Sea reef
- 07Three nights in El Gouna, reached by an internal flight we book for you
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 £1,1553★ hotels | El Gouna · 3 nightsMovenpick Resort & Spa El Gouna | £1,155May–Sep: from £952 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,2974★ hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City | £1,297May–Sep: from £1,230 | |
| Classicfrom £1,4275★ hotels | El Gouna · 3 nightsSheraton Miramar Resort El Gouna | £1,427May–Sep: from £1,278 | |
| Prestigefrom £1,6635★ deluxe hotels | £1,663May–Sep: from £1,594 | ||
| Luxuryfrom £2,3335★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo El Gouna · 3 nightsCasa Cook El Gouna (Adults Only) | £2,333May–Sep: from £2,119 |
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
7 Days / 6 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Saladin Citadel · Coptic Cairo · Hurghada
- 1
Your driver is waiting at Cairo Airport and takes you to your hotel, around an hour away. After you have unpacked and rested, you are collected for the evening. The Nile dinner cruise takes about three hours from pick-up to drop-off: you board at golden hour, eat from a buffet on the river and watch a live show as the lights of Cairo drift by. A car returns you to your hotel afterwards.
We fit the evening around when you land, so do tell us your flight time.
- 2
Day 2 is the one most people come for. Your Egyptologist collects you from the hotel and takes you to the Giza Plateau, where you spend 4 to 6 hours among the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Lunch has a view. In the afternoon you go to the Grand Egyptian Museum and its Tutankhamun collection, then drive back. The day lasts around eight hours.
Entrance fees, the vehicle and bottled water are covered. It is hot, sandy and a lot of walking, so wear sensible shoes.
- 3
Two half-day visits fill today, both with your Egyptologist and a private vehicle. First comes the Citadel of Saladin: you pass through its great gateway to the alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali, take in the Mosque of Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad and stand on a terrace above the city.
Then you cross to Coptic Cairo, where you see the Hanging Church, the Greek Orthodox church of St George, the crypt at the Church of Abu Serga and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, finishing with mint tea and a pastry. Cover shoulders and knees. The remaining hours are your own.
- 4
This is a moving day. Following breakfast, you are driven to Cairo Airport for the internal flight to Hurghada, which takes about an hour; the airline sets the timings. A representative meets you on arrival and drives you to your El Gouna hotel, roughly another hour. El Gouna is a lagoon resort town on the Red Sea, some 25 km north of Hurghada. Spend what is left of the day by the water.
- 5
You are collected from your hotel in El Gouna for a day on the water. A motorboat carries you across to Orange Bay on Giftun Island for two guided snorkelling sessions, with masks, snorkels and life jackets provided, and sunbeds on the beach between swims. A hot lunch and bottled water are included. The boat brings you back in the afternoon. Take swimwear, a towel and plenty of sun cream.
- 6
A quieter day afloat. You are picked up in El Gouna for a three-hour outing on a semi-submarine, shared with other passengers. Seated below the waterline, you look out at the reef and its fish through the glass. There is also a swim stop with mask and snorkel, and a soft drink and water on board. Afterwards the day is yours: the hotel beach or a wander through town.
- 7
Have breakfast, check out, and a private air-conditioned car runs you from El Gouna to Hurghada Airport, about an hour. A representative helps you through the airport. The holiday ends here. Please plan your onward flight with this transfer in mind, and tell us the departure time so we can set the pick-up.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Three nights in a Cairo hotel and three in an El Gouna hotel, with breakfast
- Internal flight from Cairo to Hurghada
- All airport and hotel transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle, with meet-and-assist
- Nile dinner cruise with an evening show in Cairo
- Licensed Egyptologist guide on the Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum, Citadel and Coptic Cairo days
- Entrance fees for the Giza Plateau, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Citadel
- Lunch on the Giza day and a hot lunch on the Orange Bay boat day
- Orange Bay boat trip with two guided snorkelling sessions, equipment and life jackets
- Semi-submarine trip with a swim stop, mask and snorkel
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Drinks and meals not listed
- Optional extras that are not in the itinerary
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Ask your guide to time the Grand Egyptian Museum visit for the pyramids view from its upper windows.
- 02
Cover shoulders and knees for the Citadel mosque and the Coptic churches, and wear shoes that slip off easily.
- 03
Pack a waterproof phone pouch and a rash vest for the Orange Bay and semi-submarine days.
- 04
On the sea days take a thin jumper; it can feel brisk on deck once the boat is moving.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the hotel standard when you book. Ask about an extra night in Cairo before flying home, or additional nights in El Gouna.
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 main sights followed by a few easy days on the Red Sea. Suits couples, friends and families with older children who can manage one long sightseeing day.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who want a long beach stay. The Red Sea part is three nights.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- The pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Citadel and Coptic Cairo, then the sea, in a week
- Flight and transfers arranged for you
- Two easy days on the water to finish after Cairo's busy ones
Things to Consider
- Day 2 at Giza is long, with 4 to 6 hours at the pyramids
- Day 4 is mostly travel, with a flight and two transfers
- The tour ends at Hurghada, so you need a plan for your flight home
Where it fits
A good first week in Egypt for people who want landmarks and a rest by the sea, without a Nile cruise. It ends at Hurghada, so plan how you fly home.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many operators sell Cairo and the Red Sea separately. This holiday joins them in a week, with the flight and every transfer booked. The standard of hotel is your choice; the plan stays the same.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided city break with a Red Sea beach stay
- Accommodation
- Cairo and El Gouna hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Saladin Citadel · Coptic Cairo · Hurghada · El Gouna · Orange Bay Island · Giftun Island
- Includes
- 3 nights in a Cairo hotel with breakfast · 3 nights in an El Gouna hotel with breakfast · Internal flight Cairo to Hurghada · Nile dinner cruise with a show · Licensed Egyptologist on the Cairo sightseeing days · Orange Bay snorkelling boat day and a semi-submarine trip
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Couples and friends · Travellers wanting sights and a beach in one week
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
- Swimming costume and a quick-dry towel for the boat day
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for the pyramids, Citadel and old churches
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and churches
- Swimwear and a cover-up for El Gouna
- A light layer for the boat and for winter evenings
Children & families
Children are welcome. Hotel and transport costs depend on a child's age and the room they use, so we quote the exact figure once you give us their age. Most sites charge nothing for young children and the full ticket from about age 6. Giza takes 4 to 6 hours, which is a lot for small children. On the boat day, snorkelling and the semi-submarine suit children who are happy near water; tell us their ages and how well they swim and we will check what applies.
Accessibility
Who can join this
The Cairo days mean plenty of walking over uneven stone and sand, steps in the churches of Coptic Cairo, a climb up to the Citadel terraces and little shade at Giza. The Orange Bay day uses a motorboat and a beach landing, and snorkelling requires you to be at ease in the water wearing a life jacket. The semi-submarine has a short gangway and steps down to the viewing deck. Our vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every stop. Tell us what you need when you book and we will be frank about what suits you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday uses one internal flight and private road transfers, and vehicles vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. The Red Sea reef is delicate: please do not stand on or touch the coral, and go easy on sun cream before you snorkel. Guides and hotels come from local firms in Cairo and El Gouna, which keeps much of your spending in the places you visit. Pack 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
01Is the internal flight from Cairo to Hurghada included?
Yes. The flight on day 4 is booked for you and included, along with the transfers at both ends. International flights are not.02How is the week split between Cairo and El Gouna?
You spend three nights in Cairo and three in El Gouna, all with hotel breakfast. The first evening in Cairo includes a Nile dinner cruise.03Will I make my international flight?
The holiday ends at Hurghada Airport on day 7. Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late domestic flight could make you miss the connection. We would rather you spend one more night in Cairo before flying home. If you have to connect on the same day, pick a late-evening or night international flight, and buy travel insurance that covers missed connections.04Which hotels will we stay in?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we tell you which hotels are booked for your dates. Sightseeing and boat trips are the same whatever you choose.05How long do we spend at the pyramids?
Allow 4 to 6 hours at Giza with your guide, then the Grand Egyptian Museum later in the day. It is a full day: take a hat, water and good shoes.06Do I need to be a strong swimmer for Orange Bay?
No. Life jackets come with the two guided snorkelling sessions, and you can stay on a sunbed on the beach if you prefer. Tell us about any worries when you book.07Is the semi-submarine a true submarine?
No. It is a boat with a viewing deck below the waterline, so you see the reef through windows and stay dry. The trip lasts about three hours and you share it with other passengers.08What does the price not cover?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks and meals not listed, and travel insurance.09When is the best time to travel?
October to April is cooler and kinder for walking round Cairo. The sea stays warm enough for swimming for much of the year, while summer is hot and sightseeing starts early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-478973
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days · 6 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → El Gouna → Hurghada
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 3 El Gouna
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers