Egypt 7-day itinerary

Discover Egypt’s highlights in an unforgettable week 

Day 1 & 2- Cairo, where it all begins

There is no better way to experience Egypt and its glory than by visiting the Cairo museums. This was our first day, and we wanted to relax after a long flight. The Egyptian Museum (EMC) is the oldest archaeological museum and houses the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world. We chose the EMC because it gives a "real feeling" of Egypt. There are amazing artefacts such as the Narmer Palette, Merenptah's Stelae, statues of Khafre and Khufu, and many, many others. We spent half a day inside 

On Day 2, we visited the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), a modern and shiny museum that opened in 2025 to replace the overcrowded EMC. The GEM has massive statues and offers a good overview of artefacts. It is more geared towards tourists, with plenty of shops and coffee spots. The most important attraction is the complete Tutankhamun collection.

We started early at the GEM, and in the afternoon we visited the Al-Hakim Mosque. This is a must-see landmark in Islamic Cairo. Sri was able to visit the mosque simply wearing a headscarf. The marble floor is a prominent feature of its modern restoration, and it is stunning. Five minutes away, we visited Bayt al-Suhaymi, a historic Ottoman house and an example of how a wealthy merchant lived in medieval Cairo.

In the evening, we flew to Luxor and had a quick dinner there. 

Day 3- Luxor, heart of ancient Egypt

For today, we booked an East and West Bank private full-day tour. For most of our tours, we chose a private driver without a guide. At the end of this page, we will explain why this is an essential tip to make your trip unforgettable and hassle-free. 

Like most of our days, we woke up super early to avoid the heat and the crowds.
First stop is the Valley of the Kings; spend about 1.5 hours there and focus only on the most famous tombs. Then drive to the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut and spend another 1.5 hours. Stop to take a picture of the Colossi of Memnon. Now is a good time to ask the driver if he knows a good and cheap falafel spot. Once you are ready to continue your tour, drive to Medinet Habu and spend about 1 hour.

Note: most tours might not include Medinet Habu, and you may need to add it as an extra for $10. You do not want to miss this temple complex, one of our favorites.

Then drive to Karnak Temple and spend about 1 hour. Karnak Temple closes at 5:30 pm, so keep an eye on the time. The last stops are Luxor Temple and the Luxor Museum, which close later in the evening. You do not need to rush here. The driver will leave you here, and from there you can take a taxi back to your hotel.

Today was packed with ancient Egyptian history, and you will fall in love with this country.

We arrived at our hotel before sunset. They had feluccas departing from their dock, so we took the last one before sunset, avoiding the premium sunset rate. As you sail, you can sip tea, enjoy the view of Luxor Temple, and take pictures of other feluccas reflecting on the river.

Summary: Valley of the Kings  → Temple of Queen Hatshepsut → Colossi of Memnon → Medinet Habu → Karnak temple → Luxor temple → Luxor museum → Felucca sunset cruise 

Day 4- Luxor to Aswan 

Also, for today, we booked a private driver. When you book, make sure to add 2-hour stops in both Kom Ombo and Edfu.

The Temple of Kom Ombo is located on the east bank, with one half dedicated to Sobek and the other to Haroeris. Do not miss the mummified crocodiles.

The Temple of Edfu is located on the west bank; it is the second-largest temple in Egypt. It features massive pylons, a bustling birth house, and detailed scenes of the conflict between Horus and Seth.

Day 5 - Aswan, the southernmost city of Egypt

Today, we decided to relax and cool down from the extreme heat. Aswan is a bit off the tourist trail, but a must on this 10-day itinerary. In the morning, we took an Uber to the Temple of Philae. It is the most visited attraction on Agilkia Island in Aswan. To reach the temple, you need to take a water taxi. Boats depart from the Philae Temple Marina. Make sure you negotiate the right price. They will propose higher rates, but you can drop it to 400 EGP round-trip.

Another attraction is the unfinished 42-meter-long obelisk, which would have been the largest ever made if... finished. The obelisk was not completed because of a crack in the granite. We skipped it because we wanted to relax in the hotel pool. Before that, we stopped in the old town, and Marco got a haircut from a local barber (a long tradition he has—getting his hair cut by local barbers when traveling).

Even though we were on Elephantine Island, there was no direct access to the Nubian villages. We had to take a boat to the mainland, and then another boat to reach the Nubian villages back on Elephantine Island. Once there, you will find a few colorful restaurants to try Nubian cuisine. We tried King Jamaica Restaurant & Cafe, which has a nice terrace and view.

Day 6 - Abu Simbel and its mirages.

Today is another day on the road. With a private car and driver, we left in the morning and reached Abu Simbel around noon. This is the perfect time to have the temple to yourself. All the tours from the cruises arrive early in the morning, and with a private car, you can decide your arrival time. Abu Simbel is 280 km from Aswan. Along the way, you can easily see mirages. They are a common and real optical illusion on the road between Aswan and the Abu Simbel Temples. They appear as shimmering patches that look like water on the road. They are caused by intense heat bending light near the desert surface, creating what’s known as an “inferior mirage.” The effect can make distant rocks or objects seem as if they’re surrounded by water.

The archaeological complex of Abu Simbel consists mainly of two enormous rock-cut temples carved into the mountainside by the pharaoh Ramesses II in the 13th century BC. They were built to intimidate the neighboring Nubians and to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh. This was one of our favorite places of the whole trip. It is very far away, but well worth the drive.

On the way back, the driver can drop you off at the airport, which is on the route back to Aswan. Make sure to let the driver know in advance, and do not forget to bring your luggage from the hotel in the morning. There are a few options in the evening to travel back to Cairo to close the loop.

Day 7 - Cairo and its pyramids

Although Abu Simbel was our favorite, we came to Egypt to see the pyramids. We decided to save this for our last adventure.

We recommend booking a private car with a driver to visit all the pyramids. In our case, we decided to also book a guide along with the driver. This was a mistake; don't repeat our mistake.

We recommend going directly to the Dahshur site, where you can visit your first three pyramids: the Red Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid, and the Black Pyramid. These are some of the earliest, best-preserved pyramids. This complex serves as a quieter alternative to Giza (for now), showcasing critical evolutions in pyramid construction. We entered the Red Pyramid via a steep tunnel, with absolutely no crowds.

After these three pyramids, stop by Memphis to visit the Colossus of Ramses II, a massive statue over 10 meters (30 feet) long. There are a lot of cafes around, and it is a great time to sip some tea. After your quick break, visit the Step Pyramid of Djoser, which is the earliest large-scale stone structure. It was built around 50 years before the Bent Pyramid. The pyramid sits inside a larger complex of buildings, and it might take a full hour to explore everything.

Now that you have a good understanding of how the construction of pyramids evolved, take a quick break for a falafel sandwich before heading to the Giza Pyramids.

You will arrive at the Giza Pyramids after lunch. This is the perfect time. All the vendors, fake guides, and touts are tired from the morning or have reached their daily quota, so they will not hassle you. The crowds are also much reduced. The Giza Pyramids complex is composed of three main pyramids (Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure) and the Great Sphinx. The pyramids were built around 10 years after the Dahshur pyramids. They are more majestic due to their immense scale and precise engineering. We did not go inside the Great Pyramid of Giza because we had already gone into the Red Pyramid. The Great Sphinx is also very fascinating—a 74-meter-long (241-foot) limestone statue with a lion's body and a human head acting as the guardian.

From here, your time with the driver will be up, and they will drive you back to the hotel.

Summary: Dahshur site  → Memphis → Tea → Step Pyramid of Djoser → Lunch → Giza Pyramids

Know before you go

How to make your trip unforgettable, hassle-free. 

Airport: If you arrive at the Cairo International Airport, we recommend booking a ride to your hotel in advance. If it is your first time in Egypt, the airport can be overwhelming. This will take away a lot of stress and anxiety after a long flight. 

Rent a private car and driver: you will skip fake guides and touts by arriving at places in a private car. In Egypt, everything is a negotiation. Booking a private car in advance will save you the negotiation hassle.

Note: We booked all our private rides through our credit card's travel portal (Chase). We found that the costs were half the price of what we saw elsewhere online. Check your credit card travel portal to see if you can save some money. Once you book a tour and get their WhatsApp number, you can ask if they can organize other private cars in different locations. Creating a combo is the best way to save money.

Nile Cruise vs. private land tour: Cruises are a relaxing, all-inclusive, and secure way to visit the temples between Luxor and Aswan. However, they have strict schedules, offer limited time at the sites, and you will often encounter large crowds at the temples. With private tours, like the one in this itinerary, you can create a customized schedule and set your own pace. The trade-off is that they require managing more daily logistics and navigating long road journeys. For instance, both times we took evening flights, they were delayed; we arrived super late and could only buy chips for dinner.

Places to stay

Cairo

Tahrir Plaza Suites is in Tahrir Square.  It included breakfast and was very close to EMC.

Luxor

Steigenberger Nile Palace Luxor - Convention Center. Ask for a room with a view of the Nile. From their dock, you can get a Felucca ride. 

Aswan

Mövenpick Resort Aswan is located on its own island, with spectacular views over the River Nile.

Places to eat

Luxor

The Lantern Room Restaurant is the restaurant that we can truly recommend. It is a great little restaurant with a varied menu of Egyptian specialties.

Quick Reference Directory

Tours (for private cars and drivers)

• Luxor Airport, Luxor, and Luxor to Aswan: Horus Egypt Tours

  • The Hack: Contact them directly and ask for a combo price.

• Cairo, Aswan, and Abu Simbel: Emo Tours Egypt

  • The Hack: Contact them directly and ask for a combo price.