How much does it cost to go to Egypt (and our best money-saving tips)

One of the first considerations anyone has when planning a trip is how much it’s going to cost. Here, we’ll break down how much it cost us to visit Egypt in 2023, following our 8-day Egypt itinerary. We will also share tips on how to reduce the overall cost of the trip if you are interested in making it work at a lower price point.

How much did it cost us to go to Egypt in 2023?

We paid $2100 per person for our tour package with Egypt Tours Plus. (Keep reading to see an itemized cost breakdown, plus costs not included in the package.) The package included the following:

• Cairo tour day including transportation, guide, entrance fees and lunch

• Pyramids tour day including transportation, guide, entrance fees and lunch
• Flights from Cairo to Aswan
• Room and half board for one night at Anakato Nubian Village
• Aswan tour day including transportation, guide, entrance fees and lunch
• Round trip flights to Abu Simbel, transportation, guide and entrance fees
• Felucca boat trip
• 3-night/4-day Nile cruise including guide and entrance fees at all sites
• Hot air balloon ride in Luxor
• Return flights from Luxor to Cairo
• All transfers

What wasn’t included:

• Entry visas
• Accommodations in Cairo the night before the tour started
• Accommodations in Giza
• Dinners in Giza
• Accommodations in Luxor after disembarking from cruise
• Meals in Luxor after disembarking from cruise
• All drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic)
• Tips (to guides, hotel and cruise ship staff, carriage drivers in Edfu)

A tour guide to visit Egypt: do you need one? 8 reasons why we say YES

The basics

We are a family of 4, 2 adults and 2 teens. We traveled in late December/early January, which is peak season in Egypt, and therefore the most expensive time of year to travel. All our arrangements were private experiences for just the 4 of us, plus a guide and/or driver where required. We booked 2 rooms for our accommodations throughout the trip.

All prices quoted here are in American dollars. When we booked this trip, the exchange rate was approximately $1 USD = LE20. Today, the exchange rate is more like $1 USD = LE30.

Our best money-saving tips for traveling to Egypt

• Our biggest overarching money-saving tip is to travel during the off-peak season when you will pay less for many aspects of your trip including accommodations, meals, and activities. You will find it easier to haggle with vendors when the number of tourists visiting is lower.
• Speaking of haggling… don’t be afraid to negotiate! It’s customary in Egypt, and you won’t be considered rude for doing so. Definitely haggle with vendors when you are shopping for souvenirs. You can also negotiate with individual service providers like taxi drivers and tour guides.
• Finally, if you are traveling with a student, make sure to bring their student ID card. This will save them 50% off the regular price of admission at Egypt’s historic sites.

You’ll find more specific money-saving tips outlined with each section below.

The ultimate Egypt travel guide for families

How much does it cost to go to Egypt in 2023? A location-by-location breakdown

Although we paid a package price for most of our tour and can’t be completely sure about how it was calculated, we did our own high-level math to figure out where the money probably went. We do know the exact costs of things like temple admissions due to the entrance tickets we used. Here are the results of our analysis, along with the expenses we incurred outside of our package.

How much does it cost to go to Cairo?

What we did in Cairo

We landed in Cairo late at night on Day 0 of our trip. We spent the night at an airport hotel. The next morning, our driver and guide met us at the hotel and transferred us into Cairo. We toured the Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo and the Khan El-Khalili bazaar, and Coptic Cairo. We had a family-style lunch at a local restaurant before being dropped off at our hotel in Giza.

Out-of-pocket expenses in Cairo

• We spent $25 per person (in US cash) for visas on arrival at the Cairo airport.
• We booked rooms at Le Meridien Airport Hotel so that we could get to bed as early as possible. It cost $175 for each room.
• Breakfast was not included at the hotel, and we spent about $10 on snacks and drinks.

Tour package expenses in Cairo

We estimate the total price we paid for the day to be about $100 per person including transfers, guide services, entrance fees, and lunch.

The Egyptian Museum entrance fee is LE200 ($7) per person. None of the other sites have admission fees.

Money saving tips in Cairo

• We paid a premium to stay at the airport. Travel into Cairo to find better hotel prices.
• You can tour these sites on your own without a guide, using local taxis or Uber.
• Street food is cheaper than a family-style meal in a sit-down restaurant.

How much does it cost to go to Giza?

What we did in Giza

We transferred to a Giza-area hotel. The next morning, after breakfast at our hotel (included), our driver and guide picked us up and we visited the Pyramids of Giza, including going inside the Great Pyramid. We also saw the Sphinx. Then we traveled to Saqqara where we visited the Step Pyramid of Djoser and Unas’ pyramid. We had a family-style lunch in Saqqara before transferring back to Giza and attending a New Year’s Eve party at our hotel.

Out-of-pocket expenses in Giza

• We checked into the Pyramids Valley Boutique Hotel in Giza for 2 nights. It cost $105 per room for each night of our stay.
• We had dinner on the rooftop patio on both nights. The first night cost $30 for the whole family. The second night was a special New Year’s Eve party, and tickets were $40 per person.

Tour package expenses in Giza

We estimate the total price we paid for the day to be about $100 per person including transfers, guide services, entrance fees and lunch.

Entrance fees to the sites are as follows (per person):

• Giza plateau admission fee (including exterior of pyramids + the Sphinx) LE240 ($8)
• Great Pyramid entrance fee LE440 ($15)
• Saqqara entrance fee LE200 ($7)

Money saving tips in Giza

• Entrance to the Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure are LE100 each, compared to the Great Pyramid’s LE440 entrance fee. (As a bonus, they tend to be much less crowded.)
• You can tour the sites on your own without a guide, using local taxis or Uber. At Giza it’s possible to walk between the monuments, though the distance is significant. Saqqara is a bit more compact, and can also be reached by taxi from Cairo. The cost will depend on your haggling skills.
• Save money on meals by trying the local street food. The New Year’s Eve dinner party was certainly a splurge that could be avoided.
• Giza-area hotels are a good value compared to hotels in Cairo (unless you decide to stay at a luxury property like Mena House). However, the Pyramids Valley Boutique Hotel bills itself as “the closest hotel to the Pyramids of Giza”. We paid a premium for the view. You will find cheaper hotels in Giza that are set back a bit further from the pyramids.

Illegal hotels in Giza, Egypt: what’s the deal?

How much does it cost to go to Aswan?

What we did in Aswan

We had an early morning transfer from Giza to Cairo airport and flew to Aswan. Upon arrival, we were transferred to the Anakato Nubian village. We spent the morning relaxing in the village before being met by our new guide and driver. We went into Aswan for lunch and toured the Aswan High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and Philae Temple. After touring, we were transferred back to Anakato.

The next day, we took a felucca ride around Aswan.

Out-of-pocket expenses in Aswan

• Dinner at our Nubian village hotel cost about $30.

Tour package expenses in Aswan

We estimate the price for the Cairo to Aswan flights to be $150 per person, and the price for the transfers, guide services, entrance fees, and lunch to be about $100 per person.

Entrance fees to the sites are as follows (per person):

• Aswan High Dam LE100 ($4)
• Unfinished Obelisk LE80 ($3)
• Philae temple LE200 ($7)

The cost of a felucca ride depends on your negotiation skills. Our ride was included in our itinerary but we estimate it was probably around $50 for our private ride.

Money saving tips in Aswan

• You can get from Cairo to Aswan by train. Prices range from as little as $30 per person for a 2nd class cabin seat up to $120 per person for a private sleeper berth. It will take more time (at least half a day, and longer for the slower trains) but can be a good savings.
• You can visit the sites around Aswan on your own without a guide by hiring a local taxi. Be aware that, as a site of strategic importance, there are police checkpoints to negotiate on the Aswan High Dam.
• Philae Temple is on an island and you’ll need to hire a boat to make the trip from the Philae Anchorage. Prices are set by the individual skippers but you can expect to negotiate a price around LE300 ($10) for a boat. Reduce the cost per person by sharing the boat with other travelers.
• You can save money on a felucca ride by joining other passengers. This would probably reduce the cost to about $10 per person.
• There are several different Nubian accommodations available. Shop around for the best rates.

How much does it cost to go to Abu Simbel?

What we did in Abu Simbel

We took an early morning commuter flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel where we were met by a local driver and guide who took us to the temple. After touring the site, we flew back to Aswan.

Out-of-pocket expenses in Abu Simbel

None.

Package tour expenses in Abu Simbel

The whole trip to Abu Simbel was a splurge at about $350 per person for the round-trip flight, transfers, guide service and entrance fee.

The entrance fee for Abu Simbel is LE260 ($9) per person.

Money saving tips in Abu Simbel

• There are several ways to do a cheaper trip to Abu Simbel. The biggest savings would be to drive instead of fly. It’s about a 300km trip that takes 3-4 hours. You can hire a private driver, or join a tour group that includes both transportation and entrance and guide fees.
• Even if you fly to Abu Simbel, you can visit the temple without a guide and driver to cut down on the cost. Egypt Air (the only airline to fly this route) provides a free shuttle bus from the Abu Simbel airport to the temple, so you would only need to pay the entrance fee.

How much does it cost to go on a Nile River cruise?

What we did on our Nile River cruise

We took a 3-night/4 day cruise down the Nile River from Aswan to Luxor on the Movenpick Sun Ray. The trip included stops to see the temples of Kom Ombo, Edfu (Temple of Horus), the Valley of the Kings, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak Temple, and Luxor Temple.

Out-of-pocket expenses for a Nile River cruise

It bears repeating that our tour package did not include any tips for guides, drivers, hotel or restaurant staff, or cruise ship staff. We paid out our cruise ship staff tips on the morning we disembarked, and at the same time, we also settled our bar tab.

Tour package expenses for a Nile River cruise

We estimate that we spent about $900 per person for the entire cruise including all of the admission fees, guide services and transfers along the way. That works out to an average of about $300 per day for full room, board, and activities.

Entrance fees to the sites are as follows (per person):

• Kom Ombo temple LE160 ($5)
• Edfu temple (Temple of Horus) LE200 ($7)
• Valley of the Kings LE260 ($9) plus LE5 to ride the tram from the parking lot to the tombs
• Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut LE160 ($5)
• Karnak Temple LE220 ($7)
• Luxor Temple LE180 ($6)

Money saving tips for a Nile River cruise

• The Nile cruise ship we sailed on was the Movenpick Sun Ray. In our opinion, it was a wonderful ship, with spacious cabins and excellent food. It was upscale, but not a luxury ship, and truthfully, it was pretty similar to other ships we saw sailing on the river.
• Cruise lines that are more familiar in the Western world, such as Viking, Avalon, and AmaWaterways will have more expensive trips than less well-known carriers like Movenpick, Oberoi, and Sonesta.
• You can save money on a Nile River cruise by showing up in Aswan and booking a last-minute cabin on a ship that has unfilled capacity. Better yet, have a local book it on your behalf. You will be more likely to get a deal that way.
• If you are looking to trim costs, be sure to select an Aswan-to-Luxor 3-night cruise rather than a Luxor-to-Aswan 4-night cruise. You will see the same sights and make the same stops, but will pay for one less day’s worth of room and board.

How much does it cost to visit Luxor?

What we did in Luxor

Luxor’s sites include the Valley of the Kings and Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut on the West Bank, and Karnak and Luxor Temples on the East Bank. We visited those with our guide and driver as part of our cruise package.

After disembarking from the cruise we checked into our new accommodations at the Winter Palace Pavilion.

Out-of-pocket expenses in Luxor

• Two rooms for one night at the Winter Palace Pavilion cost $225 and we booked this hotel ourselves since our stay was after our package tour officially ended.

• We went to McDonald’s for lunch – laugh if you must, but we enjoy visiting one where we can to see all of the differences between them. Lunch for 4 was under $20.
• We purchased a papyrus painting from a local bookshop for LE350 ($12), and a metal lamp from a shop in the souk for $16. (The original price of the lamp in Egyptian Pounds was higher, but when the vendor saw that we had American dollars available, they quickly lowered the price. Another victim of Egypt’s raging inflation problem, I suppose.)
• We had room service dinner back at our hotel, which cost $30.

Tour package expenses in Luxor

We visited Luxor’s historical sites as part of our cruise package so those entrance fees (listed above), guide services and transfers were all included in the price of our Nile River cruise.

We were supposed to take a hot air balloon ride over Luxor valley on our last day in Egypt. Unfortunately, it was canceled due to unfavourable weather. The price per person would have been $100 had we been able to go. This cost was ultimately refunded to us when the excursion was canceled.

In the late afternoon, it was time to make the long trip home. Our journey started with a flight from Luxor back to Cairo before flying onward to Canada. Our Luxor to Cairo flights cost about $100 per person and their cost (plus the transfer from the hotel to the airport) was included in our package.

Money saving tips in Luxor

West Bank

• Entry to Valley of the Kings costs LE260 ($9) per person, which allows you to see 3 of the tombs that are open. If you want to see more tombs, you can purchase additional admissions. There are also 3 ‘luxury’ tombs for which you can purchase individual admission. The tomb of King Tutankhamun costs LE300 ($10) per person, the tomb of Seti the First is LE1000 ($34) per person, and the tomb of Ramesses V & VI is LE100 ($4) per person. The first of these is not a particularly large or colourful tomb, but it is world-renowned. The latter two are notable for their colour and detail.
• Everyone will have their own personal opinion about this, but we did not pay extra to visit additional tombs beyond the 3 included on our basic entry ticket – not even the tomb of King Tutankhamun. It was very cool to see it from the outside, but after seeing inside 3 other tombs, they were starting to feel a bit repetitive, despite the differences in artwork and construction. If you aren’t heavily invested in art or history then you can save money by sticking to a basic ticket.
• You can visit the Valley of the Kings on your own, without a guide. You can hire a taxi from either the East Bank or West Bank (at the ferry terminal) to make the trip.
• If you do visit the West Bank of Luxor with a guide, you can save money by saying no, thank you to stopping at an alabaster factory – a common stop on most tours. We passed up several shopping opportunities on our trip, and nearly passed this one up, too. Though we vowed not to buy anything, we did enjoy our visit more than we expected to and purchased a token vase as a result. It cost us $30, which we negotiated down from the initial offer of $50. Your haggling skills will determine how much you can save here.

East Bank

• Because Karnak and Luxor temples are in the city of Luxor itself, they are very easy to get to, and can be toured without a driver or a guide.
• There is a Luxor Pass available that will allow you to visit most of the sites around Luxor for a fixed price of $100. It might be worth it if you plan to spend a long time in Luxor and tour extensively. For us, it was not worth it.
• The Winter Palace Pavilion hotel is actually a great travel hack. It’s a new wing of the original Winter Palace Hotel. Rates in the new wing are less than half the cost of the original hotel, but grant you the same access to the hotel’s gardens and pool, which are the main attraction. You also get the same lavish breakfast buffet.
• Room service is of course a splurge (though it came in handy when some of our party weren’t feeling well).
• One of our best tips came from finding an amazing little street food vendor just around the corner from the Winter Palace Hotel. The cart has a red sign that says Aladdin Restaurant on it, and it’s located on Mabad Al Karnak, right across the road from Luxor temple. Falafels cost LE5 each. That’s less than 25 cents apiece, and they were probably the best food of our whole trip.

4 things you need to know before you visit Egypt in 2023

In conclusion…

That wraps up how much it cost us to go to Egypt in 2023. Travel styles and budgets vary widely, but I hope that this has given you an idea of how much it might cost you to go to Egypt, too. If you have any questions, please feel free to drop them in the comments below, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

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