From the great pyramids to the Nile River and the intermingling Christian/Arabic influences, Egypt is the perfect place to explore the cradle of ancient civilizations, the mysteries of the Sahara and the rich, vibrant culture of the Arabic world. This guide includes a fully planned out itinerary, budget and map of all the locations.

10 Days in Egypt

As the capital of Egypt, Cairo boasts of being the sixth largest city in the world with a whooping population of 22 million people. To experience what Cairo has to offer, I recommend spending 3 to 4 days exploring this urban center.

 A bustling city, with something for every traveler.

You can easily dedicate a full day exploring the magnificent pyramids of Egypt. There are so many pyramids in the area that it can be difficult to decide which ones to visit. 

Of course, the pyramids of Giza and the sphinx are a must-see on everyone's bucket list. The Great Pyramids were built about 5000 years ago as a resting place for three different pharaohs in ancient Egypt. They are an absolute marvel of engineering and architecture. The pyramids of Giza are also an excellent place to try out camel riding! Expect to pay anywhere between $20 to $25 USD (depending on your bargaining skills) and please ensure the animals are being taken care of properly.

The experience of sailing down the Nile River like the ancient Egyptians did several thousand years ago is a crucial part of any travel itinerary to Egypt. Watching the deeply orange-red sunrises and sunsets on the lush river banks surrounded by the bleak sand dunes is awe-inspiring. It'll give you a chance to explore Egyptian temples and monuments dedicated to various ancient Gods in a fully planned excursion. These cruises are usually four days long and take you from Aswan at the very southern border of Egypt all the way to Luxor where the Valley of the Kings is located. 

Further south of the Nile, there are a handful of other pyramids to explore including the Bent Pyramid, the Red Pyramid and the Step Pyramid. Although these pyramids may not be as well known as their more famous cousin, they have an equally fascinating history.

If you wish to cover all the pyramids in a single go, then plan to start early in the day.

Despite Egypt's current status as an Islamic nation, this country has deep roots in Christianity. Before the Arabic conquest of the Byzantine Empire in 600 AC, Egypt was a predominantly Coptic Orthodox country. By the 10th to 12th century, Islam became the dominant religion. The interesting thing about Cairo is that depending on which parts of the city you are exploring, you can find small pockets of Christian architecture amongst the main Arabic influences.

Here's a list of places I recommend checking out:

2. Khan el-Khalili Market: there are various historical spots scattered throughout this market, including many mosques and Sultan tombs.

Another must-see location in Cairo is the Egyptian museum. This building houses an incredible number of well-preserved ancient Egyptian artifacts and mummies within it's walls. They also currently have the King Tut exhibition, an assortment of beautiful gold and luxury items that were placed in the king's tomb for the afterlife. You can easily spend a whole day here reading about ancient Egypt's history, mythology and technology and studying the unique array of Egyptian objects. They also have a number of real mummies on display.

Another well-kept secret of Cairo is the Faiyum Oasis. This unique area is home to the earliest evidence of farming in Egypt. It's murky waters provided the land with much needed hydration and fertility for many generations to come. The Faiyum Oasis is tucked away behind endless sand dunes and towering cliffs that cut through the desert. 

The typical set-up for the Nile River Cruises looks like:

On the first day of the cruise, you can expect to visit the Aswan Dam and Temple of Philae. The Aswan Dam was built throughout the 1960s to protect the Egyptian farmers from both floods and droughts and provide them with a constant flow of water to irrigate their crops regardless of weather. The Temple of Philae is the only island-based temple in Egypt and is dedicated to the goddess Isis. 

The second day includes visiting the jaw-dropping Abu-Simbel temple complex. Abu-Simbel was directly carved into cliffs by Pharoah Ramses II to serve as a place for his worship proceeding his death. The next stop is the Kom Ombo Temple where Horus (the Falcon God) and Sobek (the crocodile god) were worshipped. 

The Temple of Edfu is dedicated to the God, Horus. Its seen as a place of healing and protection where people seeking spiritual guidance gather. On the other hand, Luxor Temple is unique in the sense that it was not dedicated to a single God or Pharoah, but instead for a new King's coronation. Most Egyptian Pharoahs were crowned under these looming columns and statues.

Day 4 - Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak 

As the cruise comes to an end, Valley of the Kings is one of the last stops. Valley of the Kings served as a burial ground for the Pharoahs of Egypt for over 500 years as kings were buried with ceremonial goods and servants to follow them into the afterlife. The Temple of Hatshepsut was built by Egypt's only queen to honor the Amun-Ra, the god of sun, light and creation. The tour ends at the Temple of Karnak. It marks the location where ancient Egyptians believe creation began.

Once the tour is finished, I suggest spending an extra night or two in Luxor to explore the western banks. In Luxor, Uber is not yet well established so hiring a taxi or driver for the day is best and costs about 20 USD/day.

The water in Egypt is not clean. I recommend using bottled water for all your drinking, cooking needs and even for brushing your teeth.

Many people warn about the street food in Egypt, however all the street food we ate was well-cooked. It was the cruise food that proved problematic so make sure to check everything before eating.

At many of the temples and pyramids, people like to guard "special" locations. Locals may come up to you and offer to show or take you somewhere "off bounds" and will then lead you to a normal room in the temple (which is open to everyone) to show you a dead rattlesnake or something of those sorts. After this, they will demand money. So if someone approaches you to show you something at a touristic site then I recommend politely declining by saying shukran (no thank you in Arabic).

Uber is king for getting around Cairo. Its super convenient and cheap with a 30 minute trip from the airport to downtown Cairo only costing 5 USD! And with the crazy traffic in Cairo, it's definitely not recommendable to rent a car. For further excursions to pyramids or the oasis, tour groups or hiring a driver are best.

I recommend purchasing a SIM card at the airport. They are about 15 USD for two weeks. 

Expect to do a lot of walking around pyramids, temples and ancient complexes so comfortable shoes are a must.

1. The Valley of the Queens: a very underrated location where the original paint and tombs is better preserved than the Valley of the Kings!

2. Medinet Habu: the mortuary temple of Ramses III and a place of worship for Amun-Ra

Additionally, beware of locals asking to take your pictures. They may either ask for money or steal your camera afterwards.

For both men and women, light breathable clothes are a must. When visiting mosques, both men and women must be dressed modestly. Men are not allowed to wear shorts and T-shirts and women must be in long dresses, covering their arms and legs as well as a head scarf. For women, when with a tour group, it is safe to wear T-shirts, pants and more comfortable clothes for the heat. However, if exploring Cairo without a tour, I recommend dressing very modestly and wearing a head scarf as the local men can be persistent. Even when dressed modestly, there is a possibility that men will approach with marriage offers.

Sellers always have discounts and deals when you pay in cash. There are also several places that don't accept credit cards or debit cards as a form of payment.

Some stores will drastically increase prices if they see foreigners. Sometimes they will double or triple prices. When buying items do your due diligence and look at the same item in a handful of different stores and compare prices. Another tip is to avoid buying items when in a tour group as they will increase prices since the tour guide receives a commission if an item is bought.

The cruises typically cost about 350 USD and include accommodation, buffet style meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and transportation in air-conditioned buses. The tour does not include the cost of entrances which is about $80 USD for adults and $40 USD for students. Some of the tours also include an air balloon ride above Luxor.

Tourists have three options for reaching Aswan: airplane, train or bus. The train is the worst option as it is the slowest and about in the middle in terms of prices. There is both the public train (55 USD) and night train (120 USD) option which take 12 to 15 hours. The bus is the best choice for budget travelers as they are quite comfortable to sleep in and takes 10 to 12 hours. Flights are the best for travelers who want to optimize time.

The prices listed here may fluctuate depending on economic circumstances and the prices were updated as of March 2024.

10 Days in Egypt

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