Egypt is a living timeline. From the Old Kingdom’s pyramids to New Kingdom tombs sealed with constellations, the country compresses five millennia of history along a storied river. Your six days focus on Cairo and Luxor—the beating heart of pharaonic wonders—balanced with flavorful eats, market wanderings, and golden-hour walks by the Nile.

In Cairo, you’ll meet the Great Pyramid, the Sphinx, and a treasure-house of antiquities at the Egyptian Museum and the vast new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). In Luxor, temple pylons rise like giant gateways to the sky, and the West Bank’s Valley of the Kings whispers tales of Tutankhamun and Ramses. Expect early starts, bright sun, and rewarding evenings.

Practical notes: Egypt welcomes visitors year-round. Dress modestly, hydrate, and carry small cash for tips (baksheesh). Ride-hailing (Uber/Careem) works well in Cairo. As of March 2025, GEM galleries are opening in phases—check on-site schedules when you arrive. Book flights via Trip.com or Kiwi.com, and consider a domestic hop for Cairo–Luxor.

Cairo

Cairo is colossal—part metropolis, part open-air museum. Giza’s limestone giants border leafy Zamalek and the medieval lanes of Islamic Cairo. The Nile divides neighborhoods with distinct character: modern New Cairo’s cafés, Downtown’s belle-époque facades, and Giza’s plateau where the desert begins.

• Top sights: Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, Khan el-Khalili bazaar, Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo Tower.
• Essential flavors: koshary at Abou Tarek (lentils-pasta-chickpeas with tangy tomato), grills at Sobhy Kaber, mezze and molokhia at Abou El Sid, classic pastries at Naguib Mahfouz Café.
• Good-to-know: Traffic is real—start pyramid visits early; sunsets over the plateau are spectacular from viewpoints like 9 Pyramids Lounge (reserve ahead).

Stay in Cairo: Search top stays on VRBO Cairo or compare hotels on Hotels.com Cairo.

Getting in: Fly into CAI with global carriers and regional airlines; search fares via Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Airport to Zamalek or Downtown: 45–75 minutes by Uber, ~$10–20 depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo, Nile Walk, and Classic Egyptian Dinner

Afternoon: Arrive and check in. Shake off jet lag with a gentle walk along the Nile Corniche or a quick ride up Cairo Tower for a skyline overview. Coffee break: 30 North (specialty roaster with Egyptian origins) or Brown Nose in Zamalek for flat whites and a quiet nook.

Evening: Welcome dinner. For Egyptian comfort food, book Abou El Sid (tagines, stuffed vine leaves, feteer) or head to Abou Tarek for the city’s most famous koshary—fast, filling, and beloved. Nightcap on a Nile-side rooftop at Crimson Zamalek for city lights and grilled seafood.

Day 2: Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx—Icons of the Ancient World

Morning: Beat the heat and crowds at Giza. Consider a guided experience for context and smooth access:

Optional ViP all-inclusive Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Inside Pyramid

The tour typically includes hotel pickup, an Egyptologist guide, a 30-minute camel ride, and entry options to go inside a pyramid. Budget 45–60 minutes each way by car (Uber ~$7–12 from central Cairo).

Afternoon: Lunch with a view near the plateau—9 Pyramids Lounge serves mezze, grilled kofta, and mint lemonade amid panoramic dunes. If you’re keen, add the Great Pyramid interior ticket (narrow, warm passageways) and visit the Sphinx enclosure for classic photos.

Evening: Return to town. Try Sobhy Kaber in Shubra for smoky lamb chops, tarb (kofta wrapped in fat), and fresh baladi bread. Dessert: kunafa or basbousa from a neighborhood pastry shop.

Day 3: Saqqara, Memphis, and Old Cairo Markets

Morning: Dive deeper into pyramid evolution at Saqqara and Dahshur with a guided outing:

Private Day Tour Saqqara Pyramids, Memphis and Dahshur Pyramids

See the Step Pyramid of Djoser, Unas Pyramid’s star-lit texts, and the Bent/Red Pyramids’ smooth angles—fewer crowds, huge rewards. Expect 30–45 minutes per site and 45–60 minutes’ driving between.

Afternoon: Head to Khan el-Khalili for brass lamps, inlaid boxes, and spices. Pause at Naguib Mahfouz Café for mint tea and a plate of mahshi (stuffed vegetables). If museums call, split time between the Egyptian Museum (Tahrir) and the GEM’s open areas and exhibits (hours vary in 2025; check on arrival).

Evening: Sunset felucca sail on the Nile—calm, timeless, photogenic. For a packaged option that bundles evening river experiences with logistics, consider:

Pyramids Sphinx Camel ATV Bike Shopping and Nile Dinner Cruise

Dinner afterward: El Prince in Imbaba for sizzling liver sandwiches and hawawshi, or Zooba (multiple branches) for elevated street-food staples.

Luxor

Luxor is ancient Thebes, the world’s greatest open-air museum. The East Bank glows with Luxor Temple and Karnak’s hypostyle hall of 134 papyrus-bundle columns; the West Bank hides mortuary temples and tombs painted with star maps and solar boats.

• Top sights: Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings (KV), Hatshepsut’s Temple (Deir el-Bahari), Colossi of Memnon, Medinet Habu.
• Food & cafés: Sofra (1930s villa; classic Egyptian stews), Al-Sahaby Lane (terrace with Nile views), Wenkie’s (German-run coffee and ice cream), The Lantern Room (hearty grills).
• Fun fact: The avenue of sphinxes once linked Karnak and Luxor Temples; parts of it have been beautifully restored for modern visitors.

Stay in Luxor: Browse character stays on VRBO Luxor or compare riverfront hotels on Hotels.com Luxor.

Getting from Cairo to Luxor: Morning flights take ~1h10m and often cost ~$50–120 one way. Search and book via Trip.com or Kiwi.com. An overnight sleeper train takes ~9–10 hours; it’s atmospheric but slower.

Day 4: Fly to Luxor, Golden-Hour Temples

Morning: Fly Cairo → Luxor. Taxi or hotel transfer to the East Bank (20–30 minutes). Drop bags and recharge with Arabic coffee and date cake at Wenkie’s.

Afternoon: Explore Luxor Temple first—compact, richly carved, and magical in late light. Then stroll a section of the restored Avenue of Sphinxes toward the Nile, noting pharaonic cartouches along the way.

Evening: Dinner at Sofra: start with tahini and pickled carrots, then order pigeon mahshi or rabbit molokhia with rice. If you prefer a view, Al-Sahaby Lane’s rooftop serves grilled fish and lemon-mint juice overlooking the river.

Day 5: West and East Banks—The Best of Luxor in a Day

Maximize your time with a curated full-day tour that hits the major highlights efficiently and with expert context:

Full Day Tour to East and West Banks of Luxor

Typical route: Valley of the Kings (aim for three tombs—KV11 Ramses III has bold reliefs; KV14 Tausert/Setnakht shows layered history; add KV62 Tutankhamun if you’d like to see the boy king’s resting place), Hatshepsut’s Temple beneath towering cliffs, the Colossi of Memnon, then Karnak’s vast sanctuaries and the forest of columns. Bring water, hat, and small bills for site shuttles.

Day 6: Sunrise Options and Departure

Morning: Optional sunrise hot-air balloon over the West Bank (weather dependent; hotel can arrange) for a sweeping view of fields, the Nile, and temple outlines. Alternatively, visit Howard Carter’s House and the small museum of excavation tools, then grab a relaxed breakfast—omelets and fresh bread—at a West Bank guesthouse café.

Afternoon: Last stroll along the Corniche. Depart Luxor for Cairo to connect to your international flight. The airport is compact; plan to arrive ~1.5–2 hours before departure. Search flights on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Evening: In transit or on board—pack your photos and a final box of date-filled maamoul for home.

Extra tips and bites to try throughout:

• Breakfast favorites: tameya (Egyptian falafel) sandwiches, foul medames with olive oil and cumin, and fresh pomegranate juice.
• Street snacks: hawawshi (spiced meat in baked bread), koshary, and sugarcane juice—refreshing after hot sites.
• Shopping: Look for hand-blown glass, copper trays, and alabaster in Luxor. Haggle politely; start around 40–60% of the opening price.
• Etiquette: Shoulders/knees covered at mosques; ask before photographing people; tip guards and drivers small amounts for help.

Handy transport snapshot: Cairo ⇄ Giza: 45–60 minutes by Uber (non-peak), ~$7–12. Cairo ⇄ Luxor flight: ~1h10m, often $50–120 one-way. Luxor local taxis: short hops ~$2–5; agree on price before riding.

This 6-day Egypt itinerary stitches together the big hitters—Giza, GEM, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings—with Cairo’s street food and unhurried Nile moments. You’ll leave with sand on your shoes, history under your skin, and a new appreciation for how the Nile still shapes life each day.