Few destinations stir the imagination like مصر. From the first cut stones of the Step Pyramid to the colossi guarding Luxor’s West Bank, Egypt is a living archive of human ingenuity. In five days you can trace millennia, cross the Nile at sunset, and taste a cuisine that runs from humble koshary to royal banquets.

Expect a vivid sensory tapestry: the call to prayer over Fatimid alleys, chisels frozen in sandstone reliefs, cardamom coffee in bustling cafés. Cairo gives you scale and energy—pyramids, mosques, markets—while Luxor is the open-air museum of your dreams, where pharaonic art glows in desert light.

Practical notes: Dress modestly for mosques and historic quarters, carry small bills for tips, and hydrate—midday heat can be intense. Uber/Careem work well in Cairo, while Luxor is best explored with licensed drivers or guides. Peak season is October–April; during Ramadan, hours shift and evenings come alive after iftar.

Cairo

Welcome to the city of a thousand minarets and the world’s most famous skyline. Cairo’s contrasts are irresistible: ancient necropolises at Giza and Saqqara, Mamluk masterpieces around the Citadel, and contemporary café culture along the Nile.

• Top sights: Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Saqqara & Dahshur, Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (Royal Mummies), Coptic Cairo, Al-Muizz Street, Khan el-Khalili, the Citadel with Sultan Hassan & Al-Rifa’i.
• Food scene highlights: Koshary at the legendary Abou Tarek; refined Egyptian at Zitouni; grills at Sobhy Kaber; classic mezze at Abou El Sid; modern Egyptian street food at Zooba; tea at 200-year-old El-Fishawi.
• Where to stay: For Nile views and easy logistics, base in Zamalek or Garden City; for Old Cairo mood, consider Islamic Cairo-adjacent stays. Browse Cairo stays on VRBO or Hotels.com.
• Getting in: Fly into CAI. Compare fares on Trip.com flights and Kiwi.com.

Day 1 – Arrival, Nile breeze, and an old Cairo dinner

Afternoon: Arrive in Cairo and check in. Shake off the flight with a leisurely stroll along the Nile in Zamalek. For a first sip of the city, grab specialty coffee at 30 North (single-origin brews, Egyptian dates on the side) or a fresh juice from TBS – The Bakery Shop.

Evening: Classic Egyptian dinner at Abou El Sid (molokhia with rabbit, stuffed vine leaves, and pigeon for the adventurous); candlelight, mashrabiyya woodwork, and a deep menu of regional dishes. Prefer river views? Zitouni at Four Seasons Nile Plaza plates heirloom recipes—try the fattah and slow-cooked lamb shank. Cap the night with a gentle felucca ride from Zamalek docks; bring a light jacket—Nile breezes can surprise.

Night: Tea and people-watching at Crimson Bar & Grill’s terrace in Zamalek (for skyline views) or a quiet mint tea at the neighborhood Café Corniche.

Day 2 – Giza, Saqqara, and desert geometry

Morning: Set out early for the Giza Plateau to beat the crowds and heat (45–60 min from central Cairo by car). Start at the Panorama Point for a sweeping view of Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure. Optional: short camel ride with a fixed price agreed in advance. Breakfast with a view at 9 Pyramids Lounge—baladi bread baskets, foul, and eggs while the pyramids rise from the sand.

Afternoon: Continue to Saqqara to see Djoser’s Step Pyramid—the world’s earliest large stone monument—plus the Imhotep Museum and beautifully painted Old Kingdom tombs (look for the vivid geese and carp scenes). If time/energy allow, add Dahshur’s Bent and Red Pyramids for fewer crowds and textbook pyramid evolution. Late lunch at Andrea New Giza (charcoal-grilled chicken, tahini, and warm pitas on a breezy terrace).

Evening: Return to the city. Casual Egyptian street-food dinner at Zooba (ta’ameya sandwiches fried in-front, beet tahini, koshary with all the toppings). Optional: Giza Sound & Light Show if you want a theatrical retelling under the stars.

Day 3 – Museums, Old Cairo, and the glow of Al-Muizz

Morning: Choose your museum focus. The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir remains a treasure of Old Kingdom statuary and New Kingdom jewelry; the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Fustat houses the Royal Mummies in a superbly curated gallery. Coffee at Granita Zamalek or a quick sit-down at Paul in Garden City.

Afternoon: Explore Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church, the Coptic Museum’s textiles and icons, and Ben Ezra Synagogue. Continue to the Citadel area to admire the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i opposite—fourteenth-century grandeur at its peak. Lunch in downtown at Felfela (mezze, kebab, and Egyptian casseroles in a lush, old-school setting).

Evening: Dive into Islamic Cairo: stroll Al-Muizz Street’s medieval facades, then browse Khan el-Khalili’s brass lamps and spices. Rest over mint tea at El-Fishawi, Cairo’s oldest café, where poets once lingered. Dinner in the souq at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant & Café—try the pigeon stuffed with freekeh and the umm ali dessert. If you have energy, wander the lit facades of restored mosques before turning in.

Luxor

Luxor is the world’s greatest open-air museum: a river bisects the City of the Living (East Bank) and the City of the Dead (West Bank). Here, pylons glow at sunset, hypostyle halls dwarf you, and tomb paintings look freshly brushed after 3,000 years.

• Top sights: Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Avenue of Sphinxes, Luxor Museum, West Bank’s Valley of the Kings (including Tutankhamun), Hatshepsut’s mortuary temple, Medinet Habu, and the Colossi of Memnon.
• Dining favorites: Sofra Restaurant & Café (home-style Egyptian in a heritage house), Al-Sahaby Lane (rooftop with temple views), El Kababgy at Steigenberger Nile Palace (riverside grills), and 1886 at the Winter Palace for white-tablecloth indulgence.
• Where to stay: East Bank along the Corniche for easy access to both sides of the Nile; West Bank guesthouses for quiet palms and bird song. Browse Luxor stays on VRBO or Hotels.com.

Day 4 – Fly to Luxor, Karnak’s colossi, and Luxor Temple at golden hour

Morning: Fly Cairo (CAI) → Luxor (LXR): ~1 hr 10 min; typical fares $60–140 one-way. Search on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Check in and refresh—most sights are a short drive from the Corniche.

Afternoon: Light lunch at Sofra Restaurant & Café (try the mezza trays, molokhia, and pigeon soup), then head to Karnak. Marvel at the Hypostyle Hall’s 134 papyrus-bundle columns; look for faint pigments on capitals and the sacred lake where priests purified.

Evening: Walk or drive to Luxor Temple for sunset when sandstone blushes and columns silhouette against the sky. Dinner at Al-Sahaby Lane—grills, stuffed vegetables, and rooftop views over Luxor Temple and the market lanes. Nightcap: mango juice or karkadeh (hibiscus) as the city quiets.

Day 5 – West Bank masterpieces, a last felucca, and departure

Morning: Optional bucket-list hot air balloon at sunrise over the West Bank (45–60 min flight; pickup around 4–5 am). Otherwise, begin with the Valley of the Kings: your base ticket covers multiple tombs—ask your guide which are open and vivid; Ramesses IV and Ramesses IX are reliably colorful, and Tutankhamun’s small tomb charms with context. Continue to Hatshepsut’s terraced temple at Deir el-Bahri, then pause at the Colossi of Memnon for photos.

Afternoon: Lunch at Marsam Restaurant on the West Bank (garden setting, home-style stews) or El Kababgy back on the East Bank (riverside grills and fresh bread). If time remains, visit the excellent Luxor Museum for a compact, beautifully lit collection—royal statuary and chariots shine here. Short felucca drift on the Nile as a farewell.

Evening: Depart from Luxor Airport. If you’re flying onward internationally via Cairo, allow generous connection time. Search outbound flights on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Local tips and logistics

• Guides and tickets: Hiring licensed guides at Giza and Luxor brings the reliefs and inscriptions to life; ask your hotel to arrange or book in advance. Major sites accept cards, but carry cash for smaller vendors.
• Timing: Start early for outdoor sites; save museums and indoor mosques for midday heat. Friday mornings are quieter at markets.
• Etiquette: Shoulders/knees covered at mosques; shoes off inside. Always ask before photographing people. Avoid filming security sites.
• Transport: In Cairo, Uber/Careem are dependable. In Luxor, hire a driver for half-day/day tours on each bank; ferries cross the Nile frequently.

In five days you’ve traced the spine of ancient Egypt—from the geometric audacity of Giza to Luxor’s spellbinding ritual landscapes. Keep your hat and curiosity handy—you’ll want to return for Aswan, Abu Simbel, and a full Nile cruise next time.