7-Day New Year Holiday: Cairo, Aswan & Luxor
Sunday 27 December 2026 to Saturday 2 January 2027, with New Year's Eve in Luxor
The short answer
7-Day New Year Holiday: Cairo, Aswan & Luxor is a 7-day, 6-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 2 nights in Cairo, 2 in Aswan and 2 in Luxor. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,299 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Here is a week in Egypt timed for the new year, leaving on Sunday 27 December 2026 and finishing on Saturday 2 January 2027. You stay two nights each in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor. New Year's Eve is day 5, your first evening in Luxor.
Cairo gives you the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum. A short flight takes you to Aswan, where you visit Philae Temple and a Nubian village, then spend a whole day on the road to Abu Simbel. Next comes a motorboat trip to Elephantine Island and a drive to Luxor, and after that the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, Karnak and Luxor Temple. Both internal flights, every transfer and your hotels are booked for you, and an English-speaking Egyptologist guides each day of sightseeing.
The New Year gala dinner is not part of the price. Should your hotel put one on, you reserve and pay the hotel directly that evening. We have not planned any festive events, so how you spend New Year's Eve is up to you.
What lingers
- 01The Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, followed by the Egyptian Museum
- 02Philae Temple and a Nubian village at Aswan
- 03A full day by road to Abu Simbel
- 04Elephantine Island by private motorboat
- 05The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon
- 06Karnak and Luxor Temple on your last morning
- 07New Year's Eve on day 5, in Luxor
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 £1,2993★ hotels | Aswan · 2 nightsHapi Hotel Aswan Luxor · 2 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor | £1,299May–Sep: from £1,245 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,4414★ hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsJewel Sport City Luxor · 2 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | £1,441May–Sep: from £1,372 | |
| Classicfrom £1,5145★ hotels | £1,514May–Sep: from £1,412 | ||
| Prestigefrom £1,6995★ deluxe hotels | Aswan · 2 nightsTolip Aswan Luxor · 2 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor | £1,699May–Sep: from £1,631 | |
| Luxuryfrom £2,2205★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Aswan · 2 nightsThe Zen Wellness Resort Aswan Luxor · 2 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | £2,220May–Sep: from £2,161 |
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 · Egyptian Museum · Aswan · Philae Temple · Abu Simbel
- 1
Our representative meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel in a private vehicle. You then have the rest of the day free to recover from the journey. It is the first of two nights in Cairo.
- 2
Your Egyptologist guide takes you to the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx on a half-day tour, followed by a second half-day at the Egyptian Museum. Entrance fees and transport are covered. You finish back at your hotel for another night in Cairo.
- 3
After breakfast you drive to Cairo Airport for the one-hour internal flight to Aswan, where a representative meets you and takes you to your hotel. You spend the day at Philae Temple, which you reach by boat, and at a Nubian village. An English-speaking guide, the entrance fees and the transport are included.
- 4
The whole of today is given to Abu Simbel. Your guide travels with you by road from Aswan to the two great temples of Ramses II, and you are back in Aswan for a second night. It is an early start and a long day, so pack a warm layer for the morning. Entrance fees for Abu Simbel are included.
- 5
The morning begins with a private motorboat across to Elephantine Island and the Aswan Botanical Garden. Afterwards you are driven to Luxor in a private vehicle and check in at your hotel. This is New Year's Eve. The gala dinner is not included, and if your hotel holds one you pay the hotel directly on the night.
- 6
New Year's Day is a full day on the West Bank with your Egyptologist. You visit the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, the Colossi of Memnon and Medinet Habu, with entrance fees and transport included. Then it is back to your Luxor hotel for a second night.
- 7
Your last morning is spent on the East Bank, where a licensed Egyptologist shows you Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple. Entrance fees and transport between the sites are included. You then drive to Luxor Airport for the one-hour internal flight to Cairo. There is no hotel night in Cairo, so book a late-evening international flight. The holiday ends in Cairo.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Six hotel nights, two each in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor, with breakfast
- Internal flights from Cairo to Aswan and from Luxor to Cairo
- All airport and hotel transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle, plus the road transfer from Aswan to Luxor
- Abu Simbel by road, Philae, a Nubian village and Elephantine Island by private motorboat
- Entrance fees for the sites in the itinerary
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide on sightseeing days
- Meet-and-assist at Cairo Airport
- Bottled water on the Nubian village excursion
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- The New Year gala dinner, paid for at the hotel on the night
- Lunch, dinner and drinks
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
On the Abu Simbel road trip, choose a seat facing the lake for the best views, and carry water and a snack for the long drive.
- 02
A visit to the Nubian village goes down well if you bring something small to share, such as sweets, and take your time over tea.
- 03
At Giza, ask your guide for the panorama point where all three pyramids fit in one frame, then spend your remaining time at the Sphinx.
- 04
Do Karnak and Luxor Temple early on your final morning, which leaves a comfortable cushion before the flight back to Cairo.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel standard when booking. Ask us about adding a last night in Cairo for a safer connection, or extra nights in Luxor.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers who want a full first look at Egypt over the new year: the pyramids, Aswan and Abu Simbel, and the temples of Luxor. It suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy with two flights and long days on foot.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who prefer a slow pace. Days 3 and 4 begin early, and day 4 is a long drive.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor in seven days
- Flights, transfers and hotels all booked for you
- New Year's Eve is a free evening in Luxor
Things to Consider
- Early starts on days 3 and 4, and a long drive to Abu Simbel
- The New Year gala dinner is not included
- No hotel night in Cairo at the end, so the international flight should be a late one
Where it fits
A good fit if you want to see in the new year in Egypt and visit Abu Simbel too. If you would like a gala dinner, reserve it with your hotel for that night.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Plenty of New Year trips stop at Cairo and a Nile cruise. This one is hotel-based and adds a full day at Abu Simbel, with both internal flights and every transfer booked. The hotel standard is up to you; the sightseeing stays the same.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided multi-day holiday by hotel, timed for New Year
- Accommodation
- Hotels in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor, standard chosen when booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Egyptian Museum · Aswan · Philae Temple · Abu Simbel · Elephantine Island · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple
- Includes
- Two nights each in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor hotels with breakfast · Internal flights from Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo · Abu Simbel by road · Entrance fees to every listed site · English-speaking Egyptologist guide on sightseeing days · All transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Travellers who want to see in the new year in Egypt · First-time visitors · Those who want Abu Simbel and Luxor in a single 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 travel documents you need
- Comfortable walking shoes with a good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any medication you take
- A small day bag
- Layers for cool winter mornings and evenings
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for the daytime sun
- Closed shoes for temples and rough ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at temples and mosques
- A hat and sunglasses
- A warm layer or jacket for early starts and winter evenings
Children & families
Children are welcome. Each child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport and guiding cost the adult rate whatever the age. Entrance tickets are free for under-6s and full price from 6. Hotel costs depend on the child's age and the room used, and we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age when booking. Day 4 is a long journey to Abu Simbel, so weigh that up if your children are very young.
Accessibility
Who can join this
Expect plenty of walking on large archaeological sites, over uneven stone and sand, with steps and a few narrow tomb passages. Karnak and the Valley of the Kings have long open stretches with little shade. Getting to Philae Temple and Elephantine Island involves boarding a boat, with steps down to it. Day 4 is a full day's drive to Abu Simbel and back. The 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
The holiday uses two internal flights, private road transfers and motorboat trips, and the vehicles vary, so we make no claim of a carbon saving. Local Egyptologists guide the sightseeing and local suppliers in Cairo, Aswan and Luxor run it, which keeps much of your spending in the places you visit. We ask guests to carry a refillable water bottle and to keep their hands off 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
01Does the price include the New Year gala dinner?
No, the gala dinner is not in the price. Where your hotel holds one on New Year's Eve, you reserve it and settle the bill with the hotel that evening. We are happy to tell you more before you travel.02Where do we spend New Year's Eve?
In Luxor. Thursday 31 December is day 5, the day you arrive from Aswan for the first of two nights in Luxor. We have not arranged anything for the evening, so it is yours to enjoy.03What are the dates of this holiday?
It runs from Sunday 27 December 2026 to Saturday 2 January 2027. Day 1 is your arrival in Cairo, and day 7 is the morning at Karnak followed by the flight to Cairo.04Are the internal flights included?
Yes. The Cairo to Aswan flight on day 3 and the Luxor to Cairo flight on day 7 are booked for you and included. The airline sets the times. International flights are not included.05Will I make my international flight?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed internal flight can make you miss the connection. This holiday has no final hotel night in Cairo, so choose a late-evening or overnight international flight on day 7, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections. For a safer margin, ask us to add a last night in Cairo.06Do we go to Abu Simbel?
Yes. Day 4 is a full day at Abu Simbel by road from Aswan, with your guide and the entrance fees included. Expect an early start and a long day.07Which hotels do we stay in?
You pick a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the hotels for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing do not change with the standard.08Is a guide with us every sightseeing day?
Yes. An English-speaking Egyptologist guide, the entrance fees and the transport are included on the sightseeing days. Lunch and dinner are not included, so you can eat wherever you like.09How cold is Egypt at New Year?
Daytimes are mild to warm in Luxor and Aswan, while mornings and evenings turn cool, and Cairo is cooler still. Pack layers, a hat and sun cream.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-812412
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days · 6 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Luxor → Cairo
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 2 Aswan · 2 Luxor
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers