Ancient Egypt wasn’t built in a day—and you shouldn’t rush it either. This 7-day Egypt itinerary hits the high notes of Cairo and Luxor, two cities where pharaohs, pyramids, and the Nile braid into everyday life. You’ll stand beneath the Great Pyramid of Khufu, drift past hieroglyphs at Luxor Temple after dusk, and sip mint tea in old markets where brass lamps catch the sun.

Egypt’s story stretches back over 5,000 years. In Cairo, the Giza Plateau anchors the skyline alongside the ever-evolving Grand Egyptian Museum. In Luxor—once Thebes—colossal columns, royal tombs, and sunrise balloon views bring the New Kingdom to life in cinematic fashion.

Practical notes: Egypt’s best seasons are October–April; summer heat can be intense. Dress modestly in religious sites, carry cash for tips (baksheesh), and expect security checks at major attractions. For food, try koshari, taameya (Egyptian falafel), molokhia, and slow-cooked fattah—comfort classics perfected over centuries.

Cairo

Cairo is kinetic—a symphony of honking horns, minarets, Nile bridges, and the world’s most recognizable silhouette: the Giza Pyramids. Beyond the postcard, there’s medieval architecture along Al-Muizz Street, Coptic lanes, and neighborhoods like Zamalek that pair leafy streets with strong espresso.

Top sights include the Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx, the Grand Egyptian Museum’s new galleries (check current opening hours), the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, Salah El-Din Citadel, the mosques of Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i, Coptic Cairo’s Hanging Church, and Khan el‑Khalili’s historic bazaar.

• Stay: Browse stays on VRBO Cairo or hotels on Hotels.com Cairo. Aim for Giza (pyramid views), Zamalek (leafy and central), or Downtown (near museums).
• Arriving flights: Compare fares to CAI on Trip.com flights and Kiwi.com.
• Where to eat and drink: Breakfast at Kafein (specialty coffee, Zamalek) or El Abd Patisserie (fresh bakes). Lunch at Abou Tarek (benchmark koshari) or Zooba (taameya in baladi bread, creative dips). Dinner at Felfela (classics in a greenery-lined space), Abou El Sid (slow-cooked molokhia, stuffed pigeons), or 9 Pyramids Lounge for a desert‑edge meal with views. Post-dinner mint tea at El Fishawi in Khan el‑Khalili.

Day 1: Arrival in Cairo

Afternoon: Land at Cairo International Airport. Transfer to your hotel in Zamalek or Giza and settle in. Shake off jet lag with a Nile-side stroll along the corniche.

Evening: Casual dinner at Felfela (share meze, then grilled kofta or pigeon). If you want a nightcap with a view, head to a Zamalek rooftop and watch feluccas drift under Qasr El Nil Bridge.

Day 2: Giza Pyramids and Sphinx + Museum Highlights

Morning: Kick off with a guided visit to the Giza Plateau. This private tour includes hotel pickup, the pyramids, Great Sphinx, and a short camel ride—ideal for photos from the panoramic viewpoint.

Private Most Popular Giza Pyramids Tour | Trusted by Thousands (Viator)

Expect ~4–5 hours door-to-door; typical rates from around $40–90 per person depending on group size and inclusions.

Afternoon: Lunch at 9 Pyramids Lounge (house-baked baladi bread, grilled meats, and a panorama that delivers). Then visit the Grand Egyptian Museum’s accessible areas (new galleries opening in phases) or the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir for Tutankhamun-era treasures and royal mummies. Ride-hailing apps are convenient for the cross-town hop.

Evening: Dinner at Abou El Sid (try molokhia and veal tajin). Prefer an on-the-water experience? Book a Nile dinner cruise with live music and tanoura show:

Cairo Dinner Cruise in Nile River With Belly Dancer show (Viator)

Day 3: Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur + Old Cairo Evening

Morning: Explore Egypt’s pyramid prototypes on a guided day trip—Saqqara’s Step Pyramid of Djoser (the template for all pyramids), Memphis (ancient capital with a colossal Ramses II), and Dahshur’s Bent and Red Pyramids (less crowded, wonderfully photogenic).

Private Day Tour Saqqara Pyramids, Memphis and Dahshur Pyramids (Viator)

Plan ~6–8 hours; many tours include lunch and admission upgrades.

Afternoon: Return to Cairo and dive into Islamic Cairo. Walk Al‑Muizz Street’s restored Mamluk facades, then browse Khan el‑Khalili for brass lamps, inlaid boxes, and hand‑woven rugs. Pause for a sugary mint tea at El Fishawi, a café that’s kept conversations humming for centuries.

Evening: Dinner in the bazaar quarter—Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant (mezze, tagines) is atmospheric and convenient. If you still have energy, taxi to the Citadel overlook for twinkling city views.

Luxor

Luxor is an open-air museum on both banks of the Nile. The East Bank glows with the hypostyle hall at Karnak—the forest of columns that inspired temple architecture across empires—while the West Bank shelters the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut’s cliff-cut temple, and Medinet Habu’s vivid reliefs.

Sunrise balloon rides drift above the river and sugarcane fields, then the day flows between tombs, colossi, and quiet felucca sails at sunset. Evenings are for lantern-lit alleys near Luxor Temple and plates of slow-cooked rabbit or stuffed vine leaves at local favorites.

• Stay: Search riverfront stays near Luxor Temple on VRBO Luxor or compare hotels on Hotels.com Luxor. East Bank is convenient; West Bank is quieter and closer to sunrise pickups.
• Getting there from Cairo: Morning flight CAI→LXR is ~1 hr 10 min, often $50–120 one-way. Compare on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Sleeper trains take ~9–10 hours if you prefer overland travel.
• Where to eat and drink: Breakfast/coffee at Aboudi Café (temple views) or Wenkie’s German Ice Cream & Coffee (West Bank). Lunch at Al‑Sahaby Lane (rooftop Egyptian dishes) or Africa Restaurant (friendly West Bank staple). Dinner at Sofra (period décor, hearty classics), Marsam Restaurant (near Hatshepsut, tranquil courtyard), or 1886 at the Winter Palace for a dress-up night.

Day 4: Fly to Luxor + Karnak at Golden Hour

Morning: Depart Cairo on a morning flight (~1 hr 10 min). Taxi or hotel transfer to your stay; drop bags and refresh.

Afternoon: Visit Karnak Temple. Walk the Great Hypostyle Hall (134 massive papyrus columns), then the Sacred Lake and ram-headed sphinx avenue. Hydrate—shade is limited.

Evening: Head to Luxor Temple for sunset into blue hour when reliefs and colonnades glow under floodlights. Dinner at Sofra—order stuffed vine leaves, fatta, and apricot juice.

Day 5: East & West Banks in Depth (Guided)

Spend the day with a licensed Egyptologist guide to cover major highlights efficiently. If you visited Karnak/Luxor Temple yesterday, ask your guide to emphasize West Bank sites (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu) and spend less time on repeats.

Full Day Tour to East and West Banks of Luxor (Viator)

Expect ~8 hours. At the Valley of the Kings, choose 3 tombs on the standard ticket (consider paying extra for Seti I or Tutankhamun if available). Lunch break suggestions: Al‑Sahaby Lane (East Bank) or Africa Restaurant (West Bank).

Evening: Easy stroll along the corniche and dinner at Al‑Sahaby Lane—get the clay-pot tagine and hibiscus karkadé.

Day 6: Sunrise Balloon + Felucca and Museum Time

Early Morning: See Luxor from the sky on a sunrise hot‑air balloon ride. It’s serene, photogenic, and an unforgettable way to appreciate the Nile, fields, and temples.

Luxury Sunrise Balloon Ride in Luxor with Hotel Pickup (Viator)

Late Morning: Breakfast at Wenkie’s (excellent cappuccino, fresh pastries). Then visit the Luxor Museum—small, beautifully curated, and mercifully cool in the midday heat.

Afternoon: Sail a felucca on the Nile for an hour or two. It’s a slow, timeless way to reset between ruins. Shop the local souk for alabaster, scarab reproductions, and hand‑loomed scarves.

Evening: Dinner at Marsam Restaurant on the West Bank if you want a quiet garden setting; otherwise, try 1886 for a white‑tablecloth finale (book ahead, dress code observed).

Day 7: Easy Morning + Departure

Morning: One last temple moment—stop by the Colossi of Memnon for sunrise photos or visit the Mummification Museum if you’re curious about ancient embalming rituals. Coffee at Aboudi Café with a view of Luxor Temple.

Afternoon: Fly out of Luxor (most itineraries connect via Cairo). Compare times and fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com. Keep small bills handy for airport tips.

Optional Add‑Ons (If You Have Extra Days)

• Abu Simbel from Aswan (round‑trip day by road or flight) to see Ramses II’s rock‑cut masterpieces on Lake Nasser. Example tour: Private Day Tour to Abu Simbel Temples from Aswan.
• White Desert overnight from Cairo for otherworldly chalk formations: White & Black Desert tour 2 Days 1 night camping from Cairo.

In one week, you’ve threaded Egypt’s greatest hits: the Pyramids and Sphinx, the step toward pyramid engineering at Saqqara, and the royal afterlife of Luxor’s West Bank. The Nile ties it all together—quiet at dawn, golden at dusk—ensuring you leave with sand in your shoes and stories that ripple long after you’re home.