7-Day Cairo & Luxor Holiday with Dendera & Abydos
Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, then three nights in Luxor with a day out to Dendera and Abydos. Both internal flights, your hotels and an Egyptologist are included.
The short answer
7-Day Cairo & Luxor Holiday with Dendera & Abydos is a 7-day, 6-night trip to Cairo and Luxor: 3 nights in Cairo and 3 in Luxor. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,242 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Plenty of week-long itineraries give Luxor a single night. This holiday package gives it three, and that changes the feel of the trip. You arrive in Cairo with the evening to yourself, then have a full day among the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum. On day 3 you fly south. Luxor's East Bank temples, its West Bank tombs and a long day out to Dendera and Abydos each have a day to themselves.
You then fly back to Cairo for a half day at Saqqara and Memphis and a final night in the city. We organise both internal flights, all transfers and your hotels, and a licensed Egyptologist leads every sightseeing day. Pick the standard of hotel when you book; the sightseeing is the same whichever you choose.
What lingers
- 01The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- 02Two Cairo sightseeing days: Giza and the museum, then Saqqara and Memphis
- 03Three nights in Luxor, leaving time for Karnak and the West Bank
- 04The Valley of the Kings with three tombs, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon
- 05A full day out to the temples of Dendera and Abydos
- 06Saqqara and Memphis, then a final night in Cairo before your flight 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 £1,2423★ hotels | Luxor · 3 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor | £1,242May–Sep: from £1,166 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,3544★ hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 3 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | £1,354May–Sep: from £1,308 | |
| Classicfrom £1,4245★ hotels | £1,424May–Sep: from £1,368 | ||
| Prestigefrom £1,5395★ deluxe hotels | Luxor · 3 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor | £1,539May–Sep: from £1,568 | |
| Luxuryfrom £2,3145★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 3 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | £2,314May–Sep: from £2,255 |
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 · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple
- 1
A driver greets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel, roughly an hour away. Nothing else is planned for the day, so the evening is yours to unwind after the flight. How much you do depends on when you land. Sightseeing begins in the morning.
- 2
This is a full day of around eight hours with your Egyptologist, collected from your hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle. The visit to Giza itself takes four to six hours, beginning with the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. Lunch is taken at a restaurant with a view, and the afternoon goes to the Grand Egyptian Museum. Entrance to the plateau and the museum is covered.
You are dropped back at your hotel for a second night in Cairo.
- 3
You are driven to Cairo Airport for the one-hour flight to Luxor. The airline sets the departure time, and the sightseeing is planned around it. From Luxor Airport a driver takes you into town, and your Egyptologist shows you Karnak and Luxor Temple on the East Bank. The guide, entrance fees and transport are all covered. Your hotel in Luxor is home for the next three nights.
- 4
Today you cross to the West Bank for about six hours with your Egyptologist and an air-conditioned vehicle. You go into three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, see Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari and pause at the Colossi of Memnon. Tickets for the three tombs are included. The remainder of the day is free to spend in Luxor as you like.
- 5
Today is a full day out from Luxor to two temples that many holidays miss. Your Egyptologist takes you to Dendera, the temple of Hathor, and to Abydos, the great centre of the Osiris cult. You are collected from your hotel, and the guide, every entrance fee, lunch at a local restaurant, a bottle of water and the air-conditioned vehicle are covered.
Expect a lot of time on the road, so comfortable shoes help.
- 6
After breakfast you are taken to Luxor Airport for the flight to Cairo, which takes about an hour. The airline sets the time, and the rest of the day is planned around it. A driver meets you and takes you to your hotel, and your private Egyptologist then leads a half day of about five hours at Saqqara and Memphis. Spending one more night in Cairo is intentional.
It leaves a margin in case the internal flight is delayed.
- 7
Check out after breakfast. Your private driver takes you to Cairo Airport, allowing around 90 minutes for the journey. Nothing is planned for today, so you may book any departure time that suits you.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Three nights in Cairo and three nights in Luxor, in hotels with breakfast
- Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor and from Luxor to Cairo, with 23 kg of luggage
- Private airport and hotel transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Hotel collection and drop-off on the Giza and Grand Egyptian Museum day
- A licensed Egyptologist on all sightseeing days
- Entrance fees to the sites in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Lunch on the Giza day and on the Dendera and Abydos day
- Bottled water on the sightseeing days stated
- Meet and assist at Cairo Airport
- Local taxes and service charges
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Drinks and meals other than those stated
- The inside of the Khufu pyramid and tombs beyond the three included
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Keep the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum for different halves of the day, so you can savour both.
- 02
At Abydos, ask your guide to show you the famous list of kings carved in Seti I's temple.
- 03
Carry sun cream and plenty of water into the West Bank valleys, where there is little shade and the ground is dry.
- 04
Enjoy Saqqara and Memphis at a gentle pace on your return to Cairo, as the sites are scattered across the desert edge.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about adding Abu Simbel, a Nile cruise, extra nights in Luxor or Cairo, or a hot-air balloon flight over Luxor.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers who want Cairo's highlights and a proper stay in Luxor, including Dendera and Abydos. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy with two flights 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. Day 2 and the Dendera and Abydos day are full days.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Three nights in Luxor, with the East Bank, the West Bank and a separate day for Dendera and Abydos
- The Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- Both internal flights and all transfers arranged for you
Things to Consider
- Early starts on flight days and a full day on the road to Dendera and Abydos
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- No Nile cruise or Abu Simbel
Where it fits
A good first trip to Egypt for anyone who cares more about temples and tombs than a cruise. Abu Simbel and a Nile cruise are not included, so add them if they are on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Shorter Cairo and Luxor holidays give Luxor one or two nights. This holiday package gives it three and adds a full day at Dendera and Abydos. 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 hotel-based holiday with two internal flights
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Luxor hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple · Valley of the Kings · Dendera · Abydos · Saqqara · Memphis
- Includes
- 3 nights in Cairo and 3 nights in Luxor, with breakfast · Flights from Cairo to Luxor and Luxor to Cairo · Entrance fees to the listed sites · Licensed Egyptologist on sightseeing days · Hotel pickup and drop-off on the Giza day · All transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Travellers interested in history · Those who want more than one night in Luxor
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 cooler evenings
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 cooler winter evenings
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every 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 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.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday involves a good deal of walking around large archaeological sites, on uneven stone and sand, with steps and some narrow tomb passages. The Valley of the Kings, Karnak and the temples at Dendera and Abydos have long, open stretches with little shade. 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 honestly which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday uses two internal flights and private road transfers, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and arranged through local suppliers in Cairo and Luxor, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and to keep their hands off the painted walls in tombs and temples.
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 the internal flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Luxor on day 3 and from Luxor to Cairo on day 6 are booked for you and include 23 kg of luggage. International flights are not included.02Will I make my international flight home?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late internal flight could cost you your connection. That is why the holiday finishes with a night in Cairo; please do not book a flight home on day 6. If you have to fly to Cairo and connect on the same day, choose a late-evening or overnight international flight, and make sure your travel insurance covers missed connections.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. There are two nights in Cairo, three in Luxor and a final one in Cairo. The sightseeing is identical at every standard.04What will we see at Dendera and Abydos?
Dendera is the temple of Hathor, known for its painted ceilings. Abydos is a sacred site of Osiris and has the Temple of Seti I. Both lie a long drive from Luxor, which is why day 5 is a full day out.05How long are the days?
Day 2 is about eight hours including lunch and the museum, of which Giza takes four to six. The West Bank day is around six hours. Dendera and Abydos is a full day out. The Saqqara and Memphis half day is about five hours.06Does the holiday include Abu Simbel or a Nile cruise?
No. This holiday is hotel-based and has neither Abu Simbel nor a Nile cruise. Ask us if you would like either added.07What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks other than the water mentioned, meals other than those listed, the inside of the Khufu pyramid and tombs beyond the three included in the Valley of the Kings.08Is the sightseeing private?
Yes. Your Egyptologist and driver are yours alone on the sightseeing days, and the airport and hotel transfers are private too.09When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for exploring the temples. Summers are very hot, especially in Luxor, so days start early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-382863
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days · 6 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Cairo
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 3 Luxor
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers