Egypt is a story written in stone and river—Old Kingdom pyramids, Greco-Roman traces, Islamic spires, and Nubian colors stitched together by the Nile. In eight days you’ll stand before the Great Pyramid of Khufu, drift past palm-lined banks on a cruise boat, and walk the avenues of pharaohs at Luxor.

Beyond the icons, Egypt dazzles with living culture: koshary shops that fuel the city, mint tea sipped in 200-year-old cafés, spice souks, and modern galleries in island neighborhoods like Zamalek. A 4-day Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor brings the temples to you—Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak—without packing and unpacking.

Practical notes: As of March 2025, many nationalities can obtain an e-visa or visa-on-arrival (check latest advisories). Dress modestly at religious sites. Taxis and Uber are inexpensive in Cairo; domestic flights are efficient for Cairo–Aswan/Luxor. The Egyptian pound (EGP) is the currency; carry small notes for tips. Hydrate, pack a hat, and expect strong sun even in winter.

Cairo

Cairo is kinetic and captivating, where Fatimid-era lanes thread into modern boulevards and feluccas skim along the Nile at dusk. Base yourself near Zamalek or Downtown for easy access to Giza, the museums, and Islamic/Coptic quarters.

• Top sights: Giza Pyramids and Sphinx; Egyptian Museum in Tahrir and the Grand Egyptian Museum (soft-opening phases—check schedules); Islamic Cairo (Al-Azhar Mosque, Khan el-Khalili, Mosque of Ibn Tulun); Coptic Cairo (Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue); Manial Palace and gardens on Rhoda Island.
• Eat & drink: Try Koshary Abou Tarek (beloved national comfort dish), Felfela (classic Egyptian plates), Zooba (modern takes on taameya and hawawshi), Abou El Sid (rich molokhia and mezzes), El Prince in Imbaba (street-favorite liver and tawagin). For sweets: Abdel Rehim Koueider or El Abd; coffee at 30 NORTH or a mint tea at Café El-Fishawy in Khan el-Khalili.
• Where to stay: For pyramid views, Marriott Mena House; in Zamalek, Cairo Marriott or Sofitel Gezira; Downtown, Steigenberger El Tahrir; riverside elegance, Kempinski Nile. Browse stays on VRBO Cairo or Hotels.com Cairo.
• Arrival & transport: Compare flights on Trip.com (flights) or Kiwi.com. Flying from Europe? Also check Omio. Cairo Airport to Zamalek is ~45–75 minutes by taxi/Uber; budget ~$10–20 USD.

Luxor & the Nile (Aswan to Luxor)

Luxor is open-air antiquity: the West Bank’s Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s terraces; the East Bank’s monumental Karnak linked to Luxor Temple by an avenue of sphinxes. Getting there on a multi-night Nile cruise adds romance and zero packing stress.

• Highlights: Philae Temple in Aswan (Isis’ island sanctuary), Kom Ombo’s crocodile god Sobek, Edfu’s perfect Ptolemaic reliefs, Luxor Temple at blue hour, and the West Bank tombs. Consider a dawn hot-air balloon over Luxor’s fields and temples.
• Eat & drink: In Luxor, Sofra Restaurant & Café (home-style Egyptian), Al-Sahaby Lane (rooftop Nile views), Wenkie’s (iced coffee and cakes on the West Bank), Marsam Hotel café near Medinet Habu (quiet courtyard lunches).
• Where to stay (post-cruise night): Winter Palace Luxor (historic), Hilton Luxor (spa and riverfront), Steigenberger Nile Palace (central river views). See VRBO Luxor or Hotels.com Luxor.
• Getting there: Fly Cairo → Aswan (about 1.5 hours; ~$60–120 one-way) on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Return Luxor → Cairo is ~1 hour; ~$50–100.

Day 1: Arrive in Cairo

Afternoon: Land in Cairo and transfer to your hotel in Zamalek or Downtown. Grab a light bite at Zooba (taameya sandwiches, pickled vegetables, hibiscus karkade) or a quick koshary at Abou Tarek.

Evening: Shake off jet lag with a sunset felucca ride from Zamalek dock (45–60 minutes, negotiate ~$15–25 per boat). Dinner at Abou El Sid for mezze, stuffed pigeons, and molokhia; finish with pistachio basbousa at Abdel Rehim Koueider.

Day 2: Giza Pyramids and Sphinx

Morning: Head to the Giza Plateau with a private guide for context and crowd-savvy routing. Consider this tour (hotel pickup, camel ride, and guiding included):

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

Afternoon: Explore Khafre’s pyramid base and the Great Sphinx enclosure. Standard plateau ticket is typically a few hundred EGP; entry inside the Great Pyramid is an extra paid ticket (limited numbers; bring cash—prices often change). Lunch with a view at 9 Pyramids Lounge (grills, fattoush, unbeatable panoramas).

Evening: Return to the city via Uber. For dinner, try El Prince in Imbaba (vibrant, no-frills—go for sizzling liver, grilled kofta, tahini, and baladi bread). Nightcap tea at Café El-Fishawy among brass lamps and oud music.

Day 3: Museums, Coptic Cairo, and Khan el-Khalili

Morning: Start at the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir for royal mummies and Old Kingdom masterpieces, or check current access to the Grand Egyptian Museum (opening in phases). Arrive at opening time to avoid crowds.

Afternoon: Head to Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church’s wooden nave and serene courtyards, Ben Ezra Synagogue’s storied genizah, and the Coptic Museum’s icons. Lunch at Felfela—try the vine leaves, falafel, and lentil soup.

Evening: Wander Islamic Cairo: Al-Azhar Mosque and the fanous-lit lanes of Khan el-Khalili. Shop for spices and brassware, then grab a light dinner of hawawshi and pickles at Kazaz or a sit-down mezze spread at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant inside the bazaar.

Day 4: Fly to Aswan and Board Your Nile Cruise

Morning: Early flight Cairo → Aswan (~1.5 hours). Compare fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com. Transfer to your cruise and settle into your cabin.

Afternoon: Visit Philae Temple (moved piece-by-piece to save it from the dam), the High Dam overlook, and the Unfinished Obelisk in the granite quarries. If time allows, browse Aswan’s spice souk for hibiscus and cumin.

Evening: Nubian dinner onboard; optional boat ride to a Nubian village for colorful houses and music. Early night if you’re opting for an Abu Simbel excursion tomorrow.

Recommended cruise (small-group option with balloon and Abu Simbel often offered):

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

Day 5: Abu Simbel (optional), Kom Ombo, and Sail to Edfu

Morning: Optional Abu Simbel trip (often arranged by the cruise): depart around 4:00–4:30 a.m.; ~3.5 hours by road each way. Stand before Ramses II’s colossi as sunlight floods the hypostyle hall—one of Egypt’s most stirring moments. If skipping, enjoy a quiet breakfast and Aswan free time.

Afternoon: Sail to Kom Ombo and visit the unique double temple of Sobek and Horus, plus the crocodile mummy museum. Continue upriver, watching villages and date palms slide by.

Evening: Dock near Edfu. Onboard galabeya night (traditional dress); Egyptian buffet with grilled meats, tahini, and konafa dessert.

Day 6: Edfu Temple, Arrival in Luxor, and Karnak by Night

Morning: Horse-carriage ride to Edfu Temple (or modern transport provided by the cruise). Admire soaring pylons and crisp Ptolemaic reliefs of Horus triumphant.

Afternoon: Sail to Luxor. After docking, explore the vast precinct of Karnak—its Great Hypostyle Hall is a stone forest of 134 columns. Walk the Avenue of Sphinxes toward Luxor Temple as the sky turns indigo.

Evening: Dinner in town at Sofra (slow-cooked lamb with freekeh; mezze; rooftop seating) or riverside at the Steigenberger Nile Palace’s restaurants. If energy allows, a quick stroll through Luxor’s souk for scarves and alabaster.

Day 7: Luxor West Bank, Balloon at Dawn, and Fly Back to Cairo

Morning: Optional hot-air balloon over the West Bank at sunrise (often available with the cruise). Then tour the Valley of the Kings (consider tombs of Ramses IV and Merenptah; add Tutankhamun if you wish), the terraced Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon.

Afternoon: Lunch at Marsam Hotel café near Medinet Habu (courtyard salads, grilled chicken) or Wenkie’s (West Bank) for iced coffee and homemade cakes. Disembark and transfer to Luxor Airport for your flight to Cairo (~1 hour; check Trip.com or Kiwi.com).

Evening: Back in Cairo, check into your hotel. Celebrate your last full night with dinner at 1886 Restaurant in the Winter Palace’s Cairo counterpart ambience—if you prefer staying in Zamalek, Left Bank offers creative salads and tarts with Nile views.

Day 8: Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur; Departure

Morning: Cap your trip with the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara (the prototype for all pyramids), the red-brick ruins of ancient Memphis, and the Bent and Red Pyramids at Dahshur—quieter than Giza and deeply atmospheric. A convenient, guide-led half-day is ideal before your flight:

6-Hour Half Day Tour to Saqqara, Memphis & Dahshur

Afternoon: Return to your hotel, pick up luggage, and transfer to the airport for your flight home. If time remains, grab a final koshary or a box of pistachio-studded konafa for the plane.

Optional add-ons and practical tips

• Upgrade your Giza day: If you prefer a full-day that also includes a museum and bazaar time, book a longer private tour or combine Giza with the Egyptian Museum based on opening schedules. Arrive early, carry small bills, and bring water.
• Money & tipping: ATMs are common; cards accepted at hotels and larger restaurants. Keep small EGP notes for site guardians and drivers (10–50 EGP tips).
• Dress & etiquette: Shoulders and knees covered at mosques; shoes off in prayer halls. Ask before photographing people.
• Best time to go: October–April for milder days; summer is hot but manageable with early starts and siestas.

Book these curated experiences

• Private ViP all-inclusive Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Inside Pyramid



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



• 6-Hour Half Day Tour to Saqqara, Memphis & Dahshur

With pyramids, temples, slow river days, and spice-scented nights, this 8-day Egypt itinerary balances headline monuments with local flavor. You’ll return with camera-roll treasures and the satisfying sense of having traced the Nile’s golden thread from Cairo to Luxor.