Egypt rewards the curious. From the Giza Pyramids and the enigmatic Sphinx to the golden halls of the Grand Egyptian Museum, Cairo sets the stage. Follow the Nile south to Aswan and Luxor, where pharaonic temples rise from the desert like stone biographies of kings and queens.

For millennia, the Nile has been Egypt’s artery—cruising between Aswan and Luxor remains the most graceful way to see Kom Ombo, Edfu, and the West Bank. Add a dawn hot-air balloon flight over Luxor’s necropolis and a pre-dawn pilgrimage to Abu Simbel, and your trip becomes a timeline you can walk.

Practical notes: Egypt uses the Egyptian pound (EGP); cash and small notes are handy for tipping (known as baksheesh). Dress modestly for mosques, stay hydrated, and expect warm days with cooler evenings from October–April. Check current advisories, carry a local SIM, and use rideshares or hotel taxis for convenience.

Cairo

Cairo is kinetic and storied—minarets, markets, and the mightiest pyramids on Earth. Spend time on the Giza Plateau, wander Islamic Cairo’s medieval lanes, and savor Egyptian comfort foods like koshary and molokhia.

• Top sights: Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Saqqara & Memphis, Citadel and Old Cairo, Khan el-Khalili.
• Why stay: World-class museums, legendary street food, river sunsets, and easy flight connections south.
• Food notes: Try koshary at Koshary Abou Tarek, mezze at Abou El Sid, and classic mint tea at El Fishawy.

Where to stay (Cairo): Browse stays on VRBO Cairo or compare hotels on Hotels.com Cairo. Consider Zamalek for leafy, walkable nights, Downtown for history and access, or Giza for pyramid views.

Getting to Egypt: Check international flights on Trip.com (flights) or Kiwi.com. Round-trip fares into Cairo vary widely by season; winter highs and spring shoulder season are popular.

Day 1: Arrival, Nile Sunset, and Egyptian Comfort Food

Morning: Fly into Cairo. If you land early, recharge with specialty coffee at 30 North (Zamalek) and a flaky croissant from TBS (The Bakery Shop).

Afternoon: Check in and shake off jet lag with a gentle stroll on Zamalek’s riverfront. Pop into galleries and bookshops to get your bearings.

Evening: Dine at Abou El Sid (classic Egyptian—tagines, stuffed vine leaves, and molokhia). Cap the night with a private felucca sail at golden hour, then mint tea at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant & Café near Khan el-Khalili for atmosphere.

Day 2: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, and Giza Eats

Morning: Head to the Giza Plateau with a certified Egyptologist. This private tour includes time inside a pyramid, camel ride, and lunch—ideal for a deep, unhurried visit.

Top Rated Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Camel ride, lunch & inside pyramids

Afternoon: Pause for mezze with a view at 9 Pyramids Lounge or Khufu’s Restaurant on the plateau. If time allows, continue to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza—check current opening hours; galleries have been progressively opening and timed tickets are required.

Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza Pyramids and Sphinx in Private Tour

Evening: Dinner in Zamalek: Sachi (inventive Mediterranean plates) or Crimson for terrace views. Dessert at El Abd Patisserie—Egyptian classics like basbousa and konafa.

Day 3: Saqqara, Memphis & Dahshur; Nile Dinner Cruise

Morning: Venture to the origins of pyramid building at Saqqara (Step Pyramid of Djoser) and Memphis. Dahshur’s Bent and Red Pyramids show the engineering experiments that led to Giza.

Private Day Tour Saqqara Pyramids, Memphis and Dahshur Pyramids

Afternoon: Late lunch at El Prince in Imbaba (beloved for slow-cooked meats and liver sandwiches) or head back to Downtown for koshary at Koshary Abou Tarek—fast, filling, and iconic.

Evening: Celebrate on the water with a dinner cruise—Egyptian buffet, whirling tanoura, and belly-dance show as the city lights glide by.

Cairo Dinner Cruise in Nile River With Belly Dancer show

Day 4: Citadel, Coptic & Islamic Cairo, Khan el-Khalili

Morning: Fuel up at Eish + Malh (Downtown) before the Saladin Citadel and the alabaster Mohammed Ali Mosque. The views over Cairo’s sea of domes set the tone.

Afternoon: Explore Coptic Cairo (Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue) and the Museum of Islamic Art if time allows. Lunch at Zooba (taameya, hawawshi, and egyptian pickles).

Evening: Wander Khan el-Khalili’s brass and spice alleys; pause at El Fishawy café (since 1773). Dinner at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant for classic Nile perch or pigeon with fragrant rice.

Aswan & 3-Night Nile Cruise to Luxor

Aswan is the Nile at its most serene—granite outcrops, feluccas, and Nubian color. It’s your springboard for Abu Simbel and the start of a storied cruise north to Luxor via Kom Ombo and Edfu.

• Top sights: Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk, Nubian villages, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Edfu.
• Why cruise: See riverside temples without packing/unpacking; sunsets and starry decks are part of the experience.
• Dining notes: Try Nubian fish and karkadeh (hibiscus) tea; save one night for a special meal at the Old Cataract’s 1902.

Getting to Aswan (Day 5 morning): Fly Cairo–Aswan (~1 hr 25 min, often US$60–120 one way). Search options on Trip.com (flights) or Kiwi.com. A sleeper train exists (12–13 hrs); flights save a full day.

Where to stay (Aswan, pre/post cruise): If you add a night, browse VRBO Aswan or Hotels.com Aswan. Nubian guesthouses on the islands are especially atmospheric.

Day 5: Fly to Aswan, Board Your Nile Cruise, Philae Temple

Morning: Fly Cairo to Aswan. Transfer to your ship and settle into your cabin. Most boats serve a buffet lunch on board.

Afternoon: Visit the island Temple of Isis at Philae and the Aswan High Dam. Optional stop at a Nubian perfume workshop.

Evening: Dinner on board. For a special splurge, book 1902 Restaurant at the Sofitel Old Cataract (jacket suggested) on a free night. Otherwise, try Al Dokka (grilled fish) or Kato Dool (Nubian dishes) before turning in.

4-Day 3-Night Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor & Abu Simbel + Balloon

Day 6: Abu Simbel at Dawn, Sail to Kom Ombo

Morning: Depart before sunrise to Abu Simbel (about 3.5 hrs by road). Standing before Ramses II’s colossi is a lifetime moment; the temple’s relocation above Lake Nasser is an engineering epic.

Private Day Tour to Abu Simbel Temples from Aswan

Afternoon: Return to the ship for lunch, then sail toward Kom Ombo. Visit the twin temple at dusk—unique for its symmetry and its small crocodile museum.

Evening: On-deck barbecue or themed dinner. Try karkadeh (iced hibiscus) while watching the river turn copper at sunset.

Day 7: Temple of Edfu, River Time, Arrive Luxor

Morning: Horse-drawn carriage to Edfu Temple (dedicated to Horus). Its towering pylons and intact reliefs are among Egypt’s best preserved.

Afternoon: Sail to Luxor. Enjoy tea on the sun deck, a dip in the pool, and a good book as the Nile villages drift by.

Evening: Dock in Luxor. If energy allows, see Luxor Temple lit at night—Avenue of Sphinxes stretching like a runway to Karnak.

Day 8: West Bank Highlights, Disembark in Luxor

Morning: Check out after breakfast, then tour the West Bank: Valley of the Kings (consider Tutankhamun’s tomb), Queen Hatshepsut’s terrace temple, and the Colossi of Memnon.

Afternoon: Disembark and transfer to your hotel on the East Bank or a quiet West Bank guesthouse. Late lunch at Al-Sahaby Lane (roof terrace, Egyptian staples) or Sofra Restaurant & Café (vintage setting, stuffed pigeons and stews).

Evening: Free time. Consider Karnak’s Sound & Light show or a twilight stroll along the Corniche.

Luxor

Luxor is an open-air museum: two banks, two worlds—temples of life on the East, tombs of eternity on the West. Here, pharaohs whisper through hypostyle halls and cliff-cut tombs painted with stars.

• Top sights: Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings/Queens, Deir el-Medina, Medinet Habu, Luxor Museum.
• Why stay: Sunrise ballooning, endless archaeology, and evenings amid lantern-lit courtyards.
• Food notes: Traditional fare at Sofra; fine dining at 1886 (Winter Palace); bakery breakfasts at Wenkie’s.

Where to stay (Luxor): Compare options on VRBO Luxor or Hotels.com Luxor. East Bank is central; West Bank is calmer and closer to tombs.

Day 9: Sunrise Balloon Ride, East Bank Temples

Morning: Take to the skies at dawn for a balloon flight over the West Bank—fields, the Nile, and temple roofs awash in pink light.

Luxury Sunrise Balloon Ride in Luxor with Hotel Pickup

After landing, celebrate with coffee and pastries at Wenkie’s German Bakery (excellent breads and fresh juices).

Afternoon: Explore Karnak’s forest of columns and sacred lake, then stroll (or taxi) the Avenue of Sphinxes to Luxor Temple. Lunch at Al-Sahaby Lane (kofta, tahini, fresh pita).

Evening: Dinner at Sofra (mezze, oven-baked pigeons, and cinnamon-scented rice). Nightcap on the Corniche or a mellow felucca sail.

Day 10: Luxor Museum, Last Bites, and Departure

Morning: Luxor Museum is compact but superb—finely displayed statuary and New Kingdom treasures. Coffee near Luxor Temple or a return to Wenkie’s for one last flakey pastry.

Afternoon: Lunch at Sunflower Restaurant (West Bank) or El-Kababgy (grilled meats) before your flight. Most international departures connect via Cairo; Luxor–Cairo flights take ~1 hr and often run US$50–110 one way. Check times on Trip.com (flights) or Kiwi.com.

Evening: Depart Egypt with a camera full of golden light and sandstone memories.

Optional Add-Ons (time permitting)

Prefer a coastal finale? Swap Day 9–10 for two Red Sea days in Hurghada (snorkeling and beach time) and do a one-day Luxor highlights tour:

Hurghada: Luxor Valley of the Kings & Tutankhamun Tomb Trip

History deep-dive from Cairo? Consider a day in Alexandria’s Greco-Roman heritage:

Alexandria Day Trip From Cairo

One More Way to See Luxor (if you add a day)

Full Day Tour to East and West Banks of Luxor

This comprehensive guided day pairs perfectly with a free morning for the balloon or with a relaxed afternoon at your hotel pool.

Dining Cheat Sheet (highlights you’ll visit):

• Cairo: Koshary Abou Tarek (koshary institution), Abou El Sid (classic Egyptian), Zooba (modern street food), Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant (Old Cairo ambiance), El Prince (grilled meats), El Abd Patisserie (sweets).
• Aswan: 1902 (fine dining in the Old Cataract), Al Dokka (island-grilled fish), Kato Dool (Nubian cuisine), karkadeh tea everywhere.
• Luxor: Sofra (traditional plates), Al-Sahaby Lane (rooftop Egyptian), 1886 at Winter Palace (formal), Wenkie’s German Bakery (breakfast/coffee).

In ten days, you’ll chart a course from the Giza Plateau to the Valley of the Kings, with the Nile itself as your constant companion. Egypt’s stories are carved in stone, but it’s the warm welcomes, river breezes, and spiced meals that make them unforgettable.