8-Day Cairo & Hurghada Diving Holiday
Three nights in Cairo, then a flight to Hurghada for an intro scuba day and two snorkelling boat trips. Your hotels, transfers and internal flight are all arranged.
The short answer
8-Day Cairo & Hurghada Diving Holiday is an 8-day, 7-night trip to Cairo and Hurghada: 3 nights in Cairo and 4 in Hurghada. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,160 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
The holiday is a tale of two halves. Cairo comes first: a Nile dinner cruise on the night you land, a long day among the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, and a third day at the Egyptian Museum and in the lanes of Islamic Cairo. A licensed Egyptologist is with you throughout.
On day 4 you fly to Hurghada and the pace changes. Three days are spent on boats: one for an intro scuba session with two guided dives, one snorkelling at Dolphin House, and one on the sand at Paradise Island. Boat days are long, so there is a single outing each day and the rest of your time is your own. Intro dives are a first taste of diving, not a qualification.
What lingers
- 01A Nile dinner cruise with live entertainment on the night you arrive
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- 03The Egyptian Museum, then a stroll through Islamic Cairo and Khan el-Khalili
- 04An intro scuba day from Hurghada with two guided dives led by a certified instructor
- 05A snorkelling boat trip to Dolphin House, where dolphins may appear
- 06A day at Paradise Island with a sunbed, a parasol, snorkelling and lunch on the boat
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfortfrom £1,1604★ hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City Hurghada · 4 nightsSwiss Inn Resort Hurghada | £1,160May–Sep: from £1,181 | |
| Classicfrom £1,1645★ hotels | Hurghada · 4 nightsAMC Royal Hotel & Spa | £1,164May–Sep: from £1,181 | |
| Prestigefrom £1,5545★ deluxe hotels | Hurghada · 4 nightsHilton Hurghada Plaza | £1,554May–Sep: from £1,717 | |
| Luxuryfrom £2,2405★ luxury hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo | £2,240May–Sep: from £2,288 |
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
8 Days / 7 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Grand Egyptian Museum · Egyptian Museum · Islamic Cairo
- 1
Our representative greets you at Cairo Airport and takes you by car to your hotel. You have a few quiet hours before you are collected for the Nile dinner cruise. Expect about two hours afloat, with a buffet dinner, live entertainment and a seat for the show, before you are driven back to the hotel.
- 2
Allow about eight hours for this full day. Your English-speaking Egyptologist guide collects you from the hotel and heads to the Giza Plateau to see the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. You then have lunch at a restaurant with a view. The afternoon is spent inside the Grand Egyptian Museum.
The guide, the entrance fees and the air-conditioned vehicle are all included, and you are taken back to your hotel at the end.
- 3
Your Egyptologist guide leads a visit of around four hours to the Egyptian Museum, with skip-the-line entry to the main galleries and a break for coffee or tea. The Mummies Room is not covered by the ticket. Afterwards you walk along Al-Muizz Street and into the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, a walking tour of three to four hours. The guide, entrance fees and transport are included.
Lunch is not, so you can eat in the bazaar at your own cost.
- 4
Following breakfast you are driven to Cairo Airport for the internal flight to Hurghada, which we book for you. A driver is waiting at Hurghada Airport to take you to your hotel by the sea. The rest of the day is yours for a swim, a rest or a stroll along the shore.
- 5
You are collected from your hotel for a day on a shared dive boat, around eight hours in total. A certified instructor takes you through two intro dives, and the full scuba equipment is supplied. A medical questionnaire comes first. The dives suit beginners but not everyone, so people with heart conditions, asthma, ear problems or pregnancy should not take part.
Lunch, soft drinks and water are on board and marine park fees are paid. Trips run as sea and weather permit, and the captain may change or cancel a sailing for safety. This is an introduction to diving, not a course.
- 6
This is a boat day of about eight hours, shared with other guests. A snorkelling guide comes along, and a mask, snorkel and fins are supplied. The boat makes for Dolphin House, a reef where dolphins are sometimes spotted. They are wild animals, so a sighting cannot be promised. Lunch, soft drinks and water are served on board and marine park fees are covered.
The captain decides each morning whether the sea is safe to sail.
- 7
Your final full day is a second boat outing of around eight hours. Entry to Paradise Island is included, along with a sunbed and parasol on the beach. A snorkelling guide takes you over the reef, and a mask, snorkel and fins are supplied. Lunch, soft drinks and water are on board and marine park fees are paid. As with the other sea days, the trip goes ahead if the weather allows.
- 8
You check out after breakfast. A driver runs you to Hurghada Airport for your flight onward, where the holiday ends. Breakfast is included, and the morning is unhurried. Allow plenty of time ahead of your departure, and tell us your flight details beforehand so the pickup time suits it.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Three nights in a Cairo hotel and four nights in a Hurghada hotel, with breakfast
- Internal flight from Cairo to Hurghada
- Airport and hotel transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- A Nile dinner cruise with an evening show
- A licensed Egyptologist guide and entrance fees on the Cairo sightseeing days
- Lunch on the day at Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum
- An intro scuba day with two guided dives, full scuba equipment, lunch and marine park fees
- Dolphin House and Paradise Island boat days with mask, snorkel and fins, lunch on board and marine park fees
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and boat crews
- Meals and drinks other than those stated
- The Mummies Room at the Egyptian Museum
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Mention any ear or sinus problems to your instructor ahead of the try dives; gentle equalising on descent keeps the day comfortable.
- 02
Leave a full day between your final dive and the flight home, which the itinerary already allows by placing diving mid-week.
- 03
Slide quietly into the water at Dolphin House and let the dolphins come to you, as calm swimmers get the longest encounters.
- 04
Take a rash vest and sunhat for the Paradise Island trip, since the sea breeze on deck hides how fierce the sun is.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo or Hurghada, or adding sights such as Luxor.
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 and a taste of Red Sea diving in a single holiday. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy with a flight and full days on boats.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers with a heart condition, asthma, ear problems or pregnancy who hope to dive, those needing step-free access everywhere, or anyone wanting a slow pace in Cairo.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- The pyramids, two museums and Islamic Cairo before the beach
- A beginner-friendly intro dive day and two snorkelling boat days
- Hotels, transfers, the internal flight and marine park fees all arranged
Things to Consider
- Boat days are long, around eight hours each, and depend on the weather
- Intro dives are not a qualification and not for everyone
- Wildlife sightings, dolphins included, are never guaranteed
Where it fits
A good fit for a first trip to Egypt that mixes history with time on the water. It is not a diving course, so look elsewhere if you want a qualification.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many holidays sell Cairo sightseeing and a Red Sea dive stay separately. This one joins them in a single booking, with the flight and transfers looked after. The dives are an introduction, not a qualification.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided city sightseeing with Red Sea boat and dive days
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Hurghada hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Great Sphinx · Grand Egyptian Museum · Egyptian Museum · Islamic Cairo · Al-Muizz Street · Khan el-Khalili · Hurghada · Dolphin House · Paradise Island
- Includes
- 3 nights in Cairo and 4 nights in Hurghada, with breakfast · Internal flight from Cairo to Hurghada · Intro scuba day with two guided dives · Dolphin House and Paradise Island boat trips · Licensed Egyptologist and entrance fees on the Cairo days · All transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- First-time visitors wanting Cairo and the Red Sea · Beginners curious about scuba diving · Those who like sightseeing followed by beach and boat time
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
- Swimming costume and a quick-dry towel
- Reef-safe sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for the museums and uneven ground in Cairo
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for mosques and Islamic Cairo
- A swimming costume and a light cover-up for the boat days
- A light jacket or wrap for the boat, where the breeze can feel cool
Children & families
Children are welcome on the Cairo days and the snorkelling boat trips. Every child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport and guiding are charged at the adult rate at any age. Hotel and boat prices depend on the child's age, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age at booking. The operator confirms any age limits for the intro dives when you book, and children who are not diving can usually stay on the boat.
Accessibility
Who can join this
The Cairo days mean plenty of walking over uneven stone, steps and busy streets, and the Giza Plateau offers little shade. Islamic Cairo is explored on foot over old paving. On the Hurghada boat days you board from a jetty and move about on a deck that rocks, and the intro dives call for reasonable fitness and a medical questionnaire. Vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site or aboard the boats. 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 one internal flight, private road transfers and shared day boats, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Marine park fees are included on the boat days, and the boats are shared with other guests. Guides, drivers and boat crews are local, so much of what you spend stays in Cairo and Hurghada. We ask you not to touch or stand on coral and to wear a reef-safe sun cream.
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
01Do I need any diving experience?
No. Day 5 is an introductory dive day for beginners. A certified instructor guides both dives and the boat supplies all the equipment. It is a first taste of diving, not a qualification.02Who should avoid the intro dives?
Anyone with a heart condition, asthma, ear problems or pregnancy should not dive. You complete a medical questionnaire first. The operator confirms any age limits when you book.03Is the internal flight included?
Yes. The flight from Cairo to Hurghada on day 4 is booked for you and included. Flight times follow the airline's schedule. International flights are not included.04Will we see dolphins at Dolphin House?
Possibly. The dolphins are wild and move about, so a sighting is likely at best and never guaranteed. The reef is lovely to snorkel either way.05What happens if the sea is rough?
Boat trips go ahead when sea and weather allow. The captain may change or cancel a sailing for safety. Should that happen we will go through the options with you, and any refund follows our cancellation text.06Is snorkelling equipment included?
Yes. On the Dolphin House and Paradise Island days a mask, snorkel and fins are supplied, with a snorkelling guide. Scuba equipment is supplied on the intro dive day.07Will I make my flight home?
The holiday ends at Hurghada Airport, so you can fly home from there. Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so if you change in Cairo a delay could cost you your connection. Allow plenty of time, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.08Are all the days busy?
In Hurghada each day is one outing, with the rest of the day free. The Cairo days are fuller, particularly days 2 and 3.09What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides and drivers, drinks other than those stated, lunch on day 3, the Mummies Room at the Egyptian Museum and travel insurance.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-728983
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days · 7 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Cairo → Hurghada
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 4 Hurghada
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers