Are you heading to Egypt with the hopes of taking in as much culture and history as possible? My 10-Day Egypt Travel Itinerary will help you do just that.
It covers the major points of interest and gets you the best of the best while leading you down the iconic Nile River on an epic adventure.
But be prepared, if you’re going to see everything I did, you’re going to be busy.
Ancient, regal, and majestic. There are lots of things that can be said about Egypt, and I consider it to be one of my favorite trips in terms of culture and history, even if I did almost drown while diving in the Red Sea.
COVID Restrictions 2023
Be at ease, everyone. While there were stringent COVID restrictions when I visited Egypt, you’ll be pleased to know that they are no more.
Passengers traveling to Egypt are not required to take a COVID-19 test to fly to Egypt. Egypt’s COVID-19 entry restrictions were lifted on June 17, 2022.
*Deep sigh of relief.*
My Ultimate 9-10 Day Egypt Travel Itinerary
Day 1 Cairo
Your first day in Egypt!
After you arrive at Cairo airport, I’d recommend staying in the direction of Giza to make the pyramids a quick jump.
Depending on what time you arrive, things might take a little finessing. I arrived mid-day, a touch too late for seeing the pyramids, so instead, I went to the Cairo Mall and picked up the spare things I usually leave behind for the sake of traveling light.
Another good option, and in retrospect, what I would have preferred, would have been seeing Khan el-Khalili which is the famous bazaar and souq in the historic center of Cairo.
This would have been better for the first (partial) day, and with daily operating hours of 10:00 AM – 11:30 PM, it’s something that you can easily fit in around a flight that arrives late.
Day 2 The Necropolis of Giza, the Egyptian Pyramids, and The Grand Egyptian Museum
The Great Pyramids and the Sphinx on the Giza Plateau are the crown jewels on top of any Egypt travel itinerary. As such, you’re going to want to see them bright and early as they can get crowded.
One big thing here, and I talk about it more in my Egypt Travel Tips post, is that you should get the Pyramid Pass and go inside the Great Pyramid. It’s only $22.
I have seen many people say in their Egypt travel itinerary guides to skip entering the Great Pyramid. Even my escort for the day said to skip it because we’d be seeing a “better” pyramid later that didn’t cost extra.
Ignore that and go in. Who cares if it’s empty? It’s one of the Seven Wonders of the World!
Think of it… Friend: “Wow you were in Egypt?! Did you go inside the pyramids?” You: “Nah some random dude who I just met told me not to bother because he didn’t like it when he went in.”
After seeing the Pyramids and /booping the Sphinx, if it’s open, head over to the brand new Grand Egyptian Museum.
The new state-of-the-art museum is perfectly placed near The Necropolis, unlike the old museum which is on the other side of the city.
It’s not slated to open until late 2023, but once it’s fully open, this will be one of the world’s premier museums. In fact, most of the old museum’s best stuff has made its way over here, including the King Tutankhamun exhibit.
It’s currently holding a soft opening, but tickets are apparently quite difficult to obtain.
No Photographs!
Unfortunately, no pictures are allowed of the artifacts. Given that I am 100% for following the rules, I am firmly against sneaking any pictures. The photo below is a pure coincidence.
After the Pyramids and the museum, your last stop for the day will be The Step Pyramid at Saqqara, which was the first completed pyramid in Egypt.
While there you can also see some ancient Pharaonic tombs. Just be wary of the scams.
I guarantee you there will be someone inside wanting to help you get an off-limits, once-in-a-lifetime picture. And then overcharge you for it. Price too high? Want to delete it instead? Not a chance.
Once the picture is taken, you’re on the hook, and he is 100% friends with security.
I didn’t fall for it, but the others did. It’s a scam of sorts, and Egypt has a million of them.
I know this is a very full day, but as long as you start early, you should be fine. Plus the Steppe Pyramid doesn’t take nearly as much time to see.
The Pyramids of Giza and the Steppe Pyramid are open daily from 8:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. in the summer, and from 8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. in the winter. Unfortunately, the hours for the new Grand Museum have yet to be released.
I know you’re tired at this point, and it’s far, but from here I took an overnight train to Aswan. Busses and private vehicles (inquire through your hotel) are also available.
Or if you’re fine with spending the money, another common way to get here is by taking a short flight.
Day 3 Aswan
The place to see in Aswan is the Philae Temple. This temple is important because it’s one of the last places of worship to be built in the classical Egyptian style. Then, on top of that, it’s located on a small, picturesque island that can only be reached by boat. This is a perfect early-morning site.
Other things to see later in the day include the Unfinished Obelisk, the Nubian Museum, and the Temple of Kom Ombo.
The Unfinished Obelisk is especially important if you’re of the conspiracy theory type since you can see with your own two eyes how these massive objects were made without the help of aliens.
Day 4 River Cruise, Kom Ombo, and Abu Simbel
After some jam-packed days with lots of sightseeing, Day 4 allows for some good rest and relaxation with a traditional Felucca cruise.
You’ll watch the world go by as you sail down the Nile and observe rural life on the shores while taking in the changing landscape of the famous river.
If given the opportunity (you may need to do is ask), I’d recommend hopping in the Nile for a quick swim. Don’t worry, there are no crocodiles north of the dam so it’s completely safe.
Cruises vary in length. I personally took a day-and-a-half-long cruise.
If you’re looking for a short cruise, after a night on the river, wake up early the next day and visit Kom Ombo. After that, look to swing over to the famous Abu Simbel – also known as The Sun Temple of Ramses the Great. It’s close at only about 25 minutes by taxi!
Or, if you’re in the market for a longer cruise, hop back on your boat and continue up the Nile to Luxor.
*If sleeping on an open-air, traditional felucca isn’t your idea of fun, there is another, more modern option. I didn’t take one, so I don’t have the details, but there are river cruises that will take you up this same stretch of river on a modern boat.
There are multiple companies to choose from for your cruise depending on what you want to see and how far you want to go. This two day long cruise, for example, will take you all the way to Luxor, stopping at Kom Ombo along the way.
Day 5 Luxor
Luxor! It’s often described as the world’s greatest open-air museum and it’s for good reason. This area is home to some of the grandest monuments that have survived from ancient Thebes.
Here you’ll check out Karnak which is considered by some to be Egypt’s most important Pharonic site.
Then, wrap things up at the Luxor Temple where you’ll be greeted by the impressive Avenue of Sphinxes. Sphinxeses. Sphinxez?
The plural of Sphinx is Sphinxes. This really threw me for a loop while I was there.
Of the two, Karnak was my favorite.
Have some extra time to spare? Check out Le Scarabe Papyrus Museum. Here you’ll learn how papyrus was made and have the opportunity to shop for some beautiful, traditional paintings.
These are so good that you’re given a certificate of authenticity so you’re not stopped in the airport for removing artifacts.
*Note* You’ll see “papyrus” paintings being sold all over, but these are on real papyrus while the ones you’ll find elsewhere are fakes painted on what are actually banana leaves made to look like papyrus.
Day 6 Luxor
On Day 6 I HIGHLY recommend being up before dawn for a hot air balloon ride over the West Bank of Luxor. It was amazing being able to see the buildings from above. We also went much higher than I did while taking a hot air balloon ride in Cappadocia.
Prices for these Luxor Hot Air Balloon Rides are a lot more reasonable than what I’ve seen in other countries. The company I used cost me about $60 at the time. I can’t seem to find the name of it, but they’re all more or less the same.
After your balloon, it’s time to explore the West Bank of Luxor on foot.
First, it’s the world-famous Valley of the Kings. Going down into those tombs was so cool! Especially seeing all of the vibrant colors still intact.
Movies like The Mummy and Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy had me thinking that ancient Egypt was extremely monotone. The reality is that everything was vividly painted, but you can only really see it deep down where tombs were protected from the elements.
I was heartbroken to learn these movies weren’t historically accurate.
After the Valley of Kings, be sure to check out the Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir al-Bahri), which was built for the only woman to reign over Egypt as pharaoh. Her engineers loved her so much that they built their own little tombs nearby and killed themselves to be with her in death. Turbo simps.
Then finally check out the Colossi of Memnon which are the last remains of Amenophis III’s temple. Now when I say last remains, I mean last remains. Without knowing more, it looks like someone just built two giant statues in a random empty field.
They’re cool to see, but will only take you about five minutes. I spent more time feeding the stray dogs a loaf of bread I bought them than I did looking at the Colossi.
Once you’re done here, hop into your transportation and head towards what’s considered to be one of Egypt’s main tourist centers.
Day 7 – 8 Hurghada, Red Sea
Fond of beach resorts? You’re going to love it here.
A beach resort town of 248,000, Hurghada is considered to be one of Egypt’s main tourist centers.
I stayed in Hurghada for two full days and it felt like the perfect break from all the driving.
It’s here that you’ll be able to find beautiful, all-inclusive hotels, beach bars, plenty of other tourists, and 14,742 unfinished buildings that look like they haven’t been touched in years. (I asked… they blame them on COVID… even if they have been sitting around for far longer.)
Is a lazy beach, not your scene? Mine either. All-inclusive resorts bore the daylights out of me so I popped smoke and went diving instead.
Even though I ran into a few issues with my operator, I 1000% recommend going either diving or snorkeling while here. I’ve seen a lot of different reefs over the years and these were by far the most vibrant with the clearest water.
Diving not your thing? Then maybe renting a jet ski to stay on top of the water is more your speed. Still too wet? An ATV tour out into the desert will leave you nice and parched. And unlike most ATV tours I’ve seen, these let you go fast.
Day 9 Cairo
Back to Cairo!
So this is personal preference really. Do you want to see Cairo all at once in the beginning? Or split it up? I personally prefer splitting it up, because I don’t like the rush that often comes with the beginning or end of a trip. Driving straight from Hurghada to Alexandria or the airport would be a bit much.
Regardless, this is going to be a full day!
Starting early, it’s off to the old Egyptian Museum in Cairo, not to be confused with the aforementioned Grand Egyptian Museum.
I know a lot of the best stuff may be off in the new Grand Museum, but there will still be plenty of unique artifacts to see here!
The original museum hours are 9:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
From the Egyptian Museum, it’s an easy walk through Tahrir Square to the Qasr al-Nile Bridge. From here you can walk across the Nile. Once on the opposite side of the bridge, it is just a short hop to the Cairo Tower where there’s an open-air observation deck on top. The telescopes offer unbelievable views of Cairo and its surrounding area.
After the tower, it’s off to the Coptic area of old Cairo. Here you’ll visit the famous hanging church, followed by the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. If you have to choose only one, I preferred the Mosque.
I know this sounds like a lot, but these sites are all very close together and can be driven amongst each other in under 20 minutes, traffic notwithstanding.
Afterward, my favorite part of old Cairo, it’s the world-famous Bazaar, Khan El Khalili, with its twisting maze of alleyways that are packed full of shops. Sure, there are lots of fakes and replicas being sold here, but there is also plenty of real stuff.
Now maybe you already saw this on your first day as I suggested. Or maybe you want to go back and buy something large that you didn’t want to carry around. Either way is fine, but given how late it’s open, 11:30 P.M., it’s the perfect way to end your night.
Day 10 Alexandria
Are you up for one more day? Or are you content with calling it a wrap? I’m never content so I hired a driver and went to Alexandria for the day.
My primary motivation was I wanted to see The Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Now I know this isn’t the famous, ancient library that was once civilization’s center of scholarly learning, but it’s still impressive in size.
Or at least I think it is. I couldn’t tell you, because I got there and it was still closed due to COVID. Whoop Whoop!
Not to fear though as it has since reopened completely. The Library is currently open from 10:00 A.M. – 2:00 P.M. and is closed on Fridays.
The other great see in Alexandria is The Citadel of Qaitbay. A 15th-century defensive fortress located on the Mediterranean Sea, the Citadel is exactly what you’d expect an old fortress to look like in terms of size and structure.
This is an extremely popular site, so expect it to be packed. Of all the places I went to in Egypt, this had by far the most tourists. I found that fact a bit odd. I also posed for more pictures with the locals here than everywhere else combined.
It’s well worth visiting as most other citadels and castles I’ve seen around the world tend to lack the scope of what you’d expect.
Egypt Itinerary Outro
Queue the dramatic music…
And thus concludes my ten-day Egypt Travel Itinerary. So what do you think? Would you add the final day in Alexandria? Or skip that and call it a wrap from Cairo?
Admittedly, as you can see, Egypt isn’t the most tourist-friendly of destinations. It’s not like Athens where you can stay put and see twenty-five top-level historic sites over the course of four days. Here, everything is spread out in what I occasionally refer to as tourism clusters.
These clusters of historic sites may be far from each other, but once you get to one, there’s more than enough for you to fill your day with.
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