7-Day Egypt Adventure Holiday: Cairo, Luxor & Aswan
Lakes and waterfalls in the Fayoum, a quad bike at sunset, a balloon at dawn, a felucca and Abu Simbel. Hotels, flights and guides are included.
The short answer
7-Day Egypt Adventure Holiday: Cairo, Luxor & Aswan is a 7-day, 6-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Fayoum: 2 nights in Cairo, 2 in Luxor and 2 in Aswan. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,274 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
If you would rather be outdoors than inside a coach, this holiday is for you. You arrive in Cairo and spend the next day in the Fayoum, a green corner of Egypt with lakes and waterfalls. After that you fly to Luxor, where a quad bike takes you across the West Bank in the evening light.
Day four begins in a hot air balloon, followed by the Valley of the Kings and the other great West Bank sites. Then comes the drive to Aswan, an hour on a felucca as the sun drops, and a long road trip to Abu Simbel. We arrange every flight, transfer and hotel. Many mornings begin early, so it suits travellers who do not mind that.
What lingers
- 01A day among the Fayoum lakes and the Wadi El Rayan waterfalls
- 02A private quad bike ride over the West Bank at sunset
- 03A hot air balloon at sunrise over Luxor, weather permitting
- 04The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu
- 05A felucca on the Nile at sunset in Aswan
- 06Abu Simbel by road from Aswan, with entrance fees paid
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 £1,2743★ hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor Aswan · 2 nightsHapi Hotel Aswan | £1,274May–Sep: from £1,220 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,4164★ hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 2 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | £1,416May–Sep: from £1,347 | |
| Classicfrom £1,4905★ hotels | £1,490May–Sep: from £1,388 | ||
| Prestigefrom £1,6745★ deluxe hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Aswan · 2 nightsTolip Aswan | £1,674May–Sep: from £1,607 | |
| Luxuryfrom £2,1965★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 2 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa Aswan · 2 nightsThe Zen Wellness Resort Aswan | £2,196May–Sep: from £2,137 |
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 · Fayoum Oasis · Wadi El Rayan · Luxor · Luxor West Bank · Valley of the Kings
- 1
Your representative waits in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport, sees you through the formalities and drives you to your hotel, around an hour. Nothing else is planned for the day, so unwind after the flight. Tomorrow's start is an early one.
- 2
You head out of Cairo to the Fayoum, a fertile oasis to the south-west. With a private vehicle and an English-speaking guide, you stop at Lake Qarun, walk beside the lakes and waterfalls of Wadi El Rayan and pass the old waterwheels in Fayoum town. Lunch is in a local restaurant. The day lasts about 10 hours, a good part of it driving, and you return to the same Cairo hotel.
- 3
After breakfast a car takes you to Cairo Airport for the one-hour flight to Luxor. You are met and driven into the city to your hotel. We have planned the day around the flight, so the afternoon is free. As the light softens, a private quad bike ride leads you across the West Bank, finishing as the sun sets.
- 4
You rise in the dark for a hot air balloon over Luxor, if conditions are right. Once you are back down, an English-speaking Egyptologist guide leads you around the West Bank: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu. Transport and entrance fees are covered. It makes for a full day and an early night.
- 5
Your private car takes you south from Luxor to your Aswan hotel. The drive follows the Nile and fills most of the day. After you check in, you board a felucca, the old-fashioned Nile sailing boat, and drift along the river as the sun goes down.
- 6
Set off very early for Abu Simbel by road. There you see the vast rock-cut temples of Ramesses II and, beside them, the smaller temple of his queen Nefertari. Your guide, the transport and your entrance fees are all arranged. It is a long day, and you are back in Aswan by the afternoon, with the evening to yourselves in the same hotel.
- 7
After breakfast you are taken to Aswan Airport for the flight to Cairo, which lasts about an hour. A private transfer then runs from Cairo to the international airport, timed around your departure. This holiday has no hotel night in Cairo at the end, so pick your flight home with the internal leg in mind (the questions below explain why).
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Six hotel nights with breakfast: two in Cairo, two in Luxor and two in Aswan
- Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor and from Aswan to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and intercity transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle
- A Fayoum and Wadi El Rayan day with a private English-speaking guide and lunch
- A private quad bike ride on Luxor's West Bank at sunset
- A sunrise hot air balloon over Luxor, weather permitting
- A West Bank day with an Egyptologist guide, transport and entrance fees
- A sunset felucca ride at Aswan
- Abu Simbel by road, with guide, transport and entrance fees
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Drinks and meals other than those listed
- The inside of the Khufu pyramid and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Climb to the viewpoint above the waterfalls at Wadi El Rayan early on; the outlook across the lakes and dunes is the highlight.
- 02
Dress in layers and closed shoes for the Luxor balloon, since the pick-up is cold but it warms quickly after sunrise.
- 03
Wrap a thin scarf over your nose and mouth on the quad bike, as the West Bank desert throws up fine dust.
- 04
Glance up at the painted ceilings in Medinet Habu's first court; the colours have survived well and many groups walk straight past.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel standard when you book. Ask about adding a night in Cairo before you fly home, more nights in Luxor, or replacing an activity.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Active travellers who want more than temples: a day around the Fayoum lakes, a quad bike ride, a balloon over Luxor and Abu Simbel. It suits couples, friends and solo travellers who do not mind early mornings.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers needing step-free access to every site, or wanting an unhurried pace. Days 2, 4 and 6 are long.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- A quad bike, a balloon, a felucca and Abu Simbel in a single week
- Both internal flights and every transfer arranged for you
- Two nights in each place, so you rarely repack
Things to Consider
- Several early starts, with long days on days 2, 4 and 6
- Balloon flights depend on the weather
- No last night in Cairo before the flight home
Where it fits
Well suited to active first-timers, or returning visitors who want more than sightseeing. There is no final night in Cairo, so book a late flight home.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Plenty of Egypt holidays are temples and museums only. This one adds the Fayoum lakes, a quad bike ride and a dawn balloon, with Abu Simbel and both internal flights included. You choose the hotel standard.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Active guided multi-day holiday with quad bike and Nile activities
- Accommodation
- Cairo, Luxor and Aswan hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Fayoum Oasis · Wadi El Rayan · Luxor · Luxor West Bank · Valley of the Kings · Temple of Hatshepsut · Colossi of Memnon · Medinet Habu · Aswan · Abu Simbel
- Includes
- Two nights each in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, with breakfast · Flights from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo · Fayoum day, Luxor quad bike and dawn balloon · Entrance fees to the listed sites · English-speaking guides on sightseeing days · All transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Active travellers · First-time visitors wanting something different · Couples and friends who do not mind early starts
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
- Sturdy closed shoes that can get dusty
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- A scarf or buff against dust on the quad bike
- Reusable water bottle
- Any medication you take
- A warm layer for the dawn balloon
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for the heat
- Long trousers and closed shoes for the quad bike
- A warm layer for the early balloon flight, which is chilly even in summer
- Clothes covering shoulders and knees at temples
- A hat and sunglasses
Children & families
Children are welcome on the sightseeing days. 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-sixes and full price from six. The quad bike and balloon have their own age and height limits, so give us your children's ages when you book and we will confirm what each can join and what we can swap in.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday is moderately demanding, with several early starts. Expect walking on uneven stone and sand at the temples, and some climbing in and out of the quad bike, the balloon basket and the felucca. The Fayoum and Abu Simbel days involve long drives. Our vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access everywhere. Let us know about any mobility or health needs when you book and we will say frankly which activities will work and which we can replace.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
Two internal flights and private road transfers are used, and the vehicle can vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. The Fayoum and Wadi El Rayan day is spent in protected countryside, and we ask guests to take litter away with them and keep to the marked tracks. Guides, drivers and activity providers are based in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, which keeps much of your spending in the places you visit.
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. We book Cairo to Luxor on day 3 and Aswan to Cairo on day 7, and both are in the price. The airline sets the times. Flights to and from Egypt are not included.02Will I catch my flight home?
Internal and international flights are separate bookings, so a delay on the Aswan flight could make you miss the connection. We would much rather you added a final night in Cairo. If you need to connect on the same day, book a late-evening or overnight flight home, and make sure your travel insurance covers missed connections.03How fit should I be?
Reasonably fit. Days 2, 4 and 6 begin early and are long, you walk over uneven ground, and you get in and out of a quad bike, a balloon basket and a felucca. You do not have to be sporty.04What happens if the balloon cannot fly?
Balloons depend on the weather, and wind can ground them. If yours does not go up, we will let you know on the morning. Ask us before you travel if you want details.05Can a beginner do the quad bike?
Yes. The ride is private, so it goes at your pace, and you do not need any experience. Please tell us your age and any health concerns when you book.06Is the Abu Simbel day tiring?
It is a long day on the road with a very early start. Most guests feel the temples repay the effort. You can doze in the vehicle on the way.07Which hotels do we stay in?
You pick a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the hotels once your dates are fixed. The itinerary stays the same at every level.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks and meals other than those listed, the inside of the Khufu pyramid and premium tombs.09When is the best time to travel?
October to April is cooler and best for quad biking and walking around temples. Summer is very hot in Luxor and Aswan, so days start early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-179895
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days · 6 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Fayoum → Luxor → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Cairo
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 2 Luxor · 2 Aswan
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers