Seven days is enough to see the highlights of Egypt: the Pyramids of Giza, the treasures of Tutankhamun, a Nile cruise and the great temples of Luxor. The trick is to fly between Cairo and the south instead of losing a day on the road.
This is the route we suggest most often to first-time visitors. It works in any season, at any budget level.
Day 1: Arrive in Cairo
Our representative meets you inside the airport, helps with your visa and takes you to your hotel. If you land early, relax by the pool or take an evening walk. Choose a hotel near the Pyramids if you can: waking up to that view is unforgettable.
Day 2: The Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum
Start early at the Giza Plateau, before the crowds and the heat. See the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, the panoramic viewpoint and the Great Sphinx. In the afternoon, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum next door. It holds the complete Tutankhamun collection for the first time in one place. Give it at least three hours.
Day 3: Fly to Aswan and board your Nile cruise
Take a short morning flight to Aswan (about 1 hour 20 minutes). Visit the High Dam and the island temple of Philae, then board your Nile cruise for lunch. In the late afternoon, sail around the islands on a felucca, a traditional sailing boat. Optional evening: the Sound and Light Show at Philae.
Day 4: Abu Simbel and Kom Ombo
Very early, drive or fly to Abu Simbel to see the colossal temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, moved stone by stone in the 1960s to save them from Lake Nasser. Return to the boat as it sails north to Kom Ombo, a double temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus.
Day 5: Edfu and sailing to Luxor
Visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, the best-preserved temple in Egypt. The afternoon is for the river itself: watch farms, palm groves and villages pass from the sun deck as you sail through the lock at Esna towards Luxor.
Day 6: Luxor West Bank and East Bank
For a sunrise to remember, start with an optional hot-air balloon flight over the West Bank. Then explore the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. In the afternoon cross to the East Bank for the vast Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple, lit beautifully after dark.
Day 7: Fly to Cairo and depart
Disembark after breakfast and fly back to Cairo for your international flight. With a late flight, add a visit to Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar on the way.
Can I do Egypt in 7 days without a cruise?
Yes. You can stay in hotels in Aswan and Luxor and travel between them by car. But a cruise is usually the easiest choice in a short trip: it is your hotel, your restaurant and your transport in one, and you unpack only once.
Want more time?
With 8 to 10 days you can add the Red Sea, Alexandria or a slower pace in Luxor. With two weeks you can add a desert night in the White Desert or a dahabiya cruise. Compare our classic Egypt tours for ready routes of 7 to 12 days, or plan your own dates on our Tailor-Made page.
Not sure when to go? Read our guide to the best time to visit Egypt.
