13-Day Egypt Itinerary: Cairo, Abu Simbel, Luxor, Hurghada, Sharm & Bahariya Oasis

Relish your breakfast at the hotel, and meet your Egyptologist at the lobby to start your day tour.

Begin from the Saqqara Complex; meet the earliest large-scale cut stone construction in history, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, and explore the Unas Pyramid, the first pyramid to include Pyramid Texts (religious spells and prayers).

Transfer to Memphis, the first capital of unified Egypt, founded over 5,000 years ago; explore remnants of a once-great city that was once the political and religious heart of ancient Egypt, and the colossal statue of Ramses II lying on the ground of the Open air museum.

From the capital of ancient Egypt to the Giza Pyramids Plateau, meeting face-to-face the Great Pyramid of Cheops, the Chefren Pyramid, the Menkaure Pyramid, and the Great Statue of Sphinx. 

Conclude this day tour in Cairo by uncovering the Giza Pyramids mysteries and taking unbelievable photos, then proceed to Cairo International Airport for travelling to Aswan.

Your night is at the hotel in Aswan after check-in.

Meals:

Breakfast and lunch.

Early morning excursion to Abu Simbel Temples, arriving there by an AC vehicle, where you discover The Great Temple of Ramses II and The Small Temple dedicated to Queen Nefertari carved directly into a mountainside in the 13th century BCE during the reign of Ramses II, fronted by four colossal statues of Ramses II, each about 20 meters tall.

Proceed back to Aswan for Lunch at a local restaurant. Later, continue your day tour.

Arrive at the Aswan High Dam; from this one of the 20th century architectural marvels, you can enjoy a panoramic viewpoint over Lake Nasser, the largest man-made lake created by this dam.

Then, enjoy a relaxing sailing towards Philae Temple from Philae Port by a motorboat; it was the major center of worship for Isis, wife of Osiris and mother of Horus, and was one of the last places in Egypt where ancient Egyptian religion was practiced, even into the Roman era.

Spend your overnight in your hotel in Aswan.

Meals:

Breakfast and lunch.

After breakfast, depart from the hotel with your Egyptologist, riding the AC vehicle, travelling towards Thebes, Luxor now,  the capital of ancient Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms.

Cross through Kom Ombo Temple, the only double-designed temple in ancient Egypt with two temples in one—it is perfectly symmetrical, with twin entrances, halls, and sanctuaries—one side for Sobek, the other for Horus.

Return back to the vehicle to continue your trip, and have a lunch meal on the road.

Stop at the awe-inspiring Edfu Temple, one of the best-preserved ancient temples in Egypt; see its towering pylons, carved walls, and roofed halls.

Settle in Luxor, relishing a restful night at the hotel after check-in.

Meals:

Breakfast and lunch.

Take your breakfast at the hotel and be ready to wander through the largest global open-air museum.

Start from Karnak Temple, the greatest temple complex in ancient Egypt, constructed over 2,000 years by successive pharaohs and is primarily dedicated to the Theban triad. 

Proceed to Luxor Temple, from towering pharaonic statues to Roman chapels, this temple is a true symbol of Egypt’s layered past. Built by legendary pharaohs like Amenhotep III and Ramses II, it was the stage for royal coronations and the Opet Festival.

Later, relish your meal at a local restaurant, and then spend the rest of the day at your leisure; we arrive back at the hotel after lunch.

Meals:

Breakfast and lunch.

You have an optional early morning experience, riding a hot air balloon, soaring above the Thebes Necropolis. (With extra fees).

Relish your breakfast meal in the hotel, and start your explorations at the West Bank of Luxor.

Embark on the Valley of the Kings, hidden in a desert and surrounded by limestone cliffs, which served as the royal necropolis for pharaohs and nobles of the New Kingdom (18th to 20th Dynasties, ~1550–1070 BCE), teeming with more than 60 tombs covered completely by vivid inscriptions about the pharaonic afterworld beliefs.

A few minutes far away from the Valley of the Kings, we arrive at Hatshepsut Temple, the temple is a masterpiece of symmetry and harmony, blending perfectly into the surrounding desert landscape, built on three terraces rising dramatically against the cliffs, and featuring colonnades, ramps, shrines, and sanctuaries, all aligned in perfect symmetry.

Stop also at the Colossi of Memnon, two massive seated statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, near the entrance to the Theban necropolis. Rising about 18 meters (60 feet) high.

Discover the Habu Temple, also called Medinet Habu, one of the most impressive and best-preserved temples in all of Egypt, which was built by Pharaoh Ramses III of the 20th Dynasty (circa 1184–1153 BCE) as his mortuary temple.

Take your rest in a local restaurant before travelling to Hurghada by air-conditioned vehicle. Your overnight stay is at the hotel in Hurghada after check-in.

Meals:

Breakfast and lunch.

Relish your breakfast at the hotel, and then embark on a full-day snorkeling tour, taking a well-prepared boat and sailing to snorkeling stops teeming with unbelievable sea creatures and rare marine life. Soak in the water with an expert coach.

Lunch is served on the boat. Enjoy a unique, restful sailing, backing to Hurghada Marina.

Arrive back at the hotel by the air-conditioned vehicle for a relaxing night.

Meals:

Breakfast and lunch.

After breakfast, spend some free time experiencing sea activities. Later on, from Hurghada airport, take a domestic flight to Cairo.

In the evening, join a unique night on board a Nile Cruise for dinner, enjoying this amazing atmosphere and romantic times.

Your overnight stay is at the hotel in Cairo after check-in.

Meals:

Breakfast and lunch.

Enjoy your breakfast at the hotel, and then transfer to Cairo International Airport for a domestic flight to Sharm El-Khalili.

The rest of the day is free for you to relax or enjoy optional activities.

Overnight in a hotel in Sharm El Sheikh after check-in.

Meals:

 Breakfast

Early morning departure to St. Catherine in the Sinai Mountains, where spirituality, history, and nature meet in one of the most peaceful corners of Egypt. It is one of the oldest working Christian monasteries in the world, built at the foot of the legendary Mount Sinai.

Descend in Sharm El Sheikh for a relaxing time and overnight in your hotel.

Meals:

 Breakfast

Optional Safari Tour to the Colored Canyon (extra fees): walk through twisting sandstone walls, narrow passages, and layers of red, yellow, orange, and pink rock to feel like walking amid a natural painting carved by wind and time. 

After lunch, check out from the hotel and fly to Cairo.

Overnight at a Cairo hotel.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch (if safari is chosen).

Relish your Breakfast at the hotel, then travel in an air‑conditioned vehicle to Bahariya Oasis with scenic stops. 

Upon arrival, enjoy a Bedouin welcome and traditional lunch in a local Bedouin House.

After that, take your seat in the 4x4 vehicle, launching through the sand dunes to start your safari.

Arrive at the Black Desert, wandering through the myelin volcanic landscapes, and explore El Heiz Village for an unbelievably relaxing time with a cold spring swim option.

Marvel at the Crystal Mountain with its quartz formations and the Aqabat Valley, which is an ocean floor dried since the Miocene; you discover nature's wonders.

Enjoy hibiscus tea and dates before visiting the Old White Desert and New White Desert with their chalk formations, and where you are camping under the stars with a tasty BBQ dinner.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

Wake up to spend an unforgettable morning amid the tranquil White Desert and enjoy a Bedouin breakfast.

After your morning exploration of the New White Desert with its famous animal‑shaped rock formations, take your seat in the AC vehicle, returning back to Cairo.

Once you arrive in Cairo, visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC), the home of the Royal Mummies Hall, including Ramses II, Hatshepsut, and Seti I, which are displayed in a chilling, respectful, and atmospheric hall.

Meals:

Breakfast