The best 8-day Egypt itinerary

Is it possible to see Egypt’s grand monuments on a short trip? In one word, yes. With one week of vacation time (plus travel days on either end), an itinerary that sticks to the Nile River Valley will optimize your sightseeing time. The following 8-day Egypt itinerary will allow you to tour some of Egypt’s most significant ruins. For a family trip to Egypt, it will hit the country’s most recognizable sights.

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Day 1 – Cairo

Begin your adventure with a trip to the Egyptian Museum in downtown Cairo, home to an extensive collection of antiquities. It has 120,000 items, with a representative amount on display and the remainder in storerooms. Items are slowly being transferred over to the Grand Egyptian Museum, but there is still plenty to see here. This includes the Tutankhamun treasures – the gold funerary mask, throne, sarcophagus and more.

Next, visit Islamic Cairo. Also known as Historic Cairo or Medieval Cairo, it’s the part of the city that existed prior to modern expansion. Full of historic Islamic architecture, it’s got mosques, tombs, hammams and fountains. Take a stroll through the Khan El-Khalili bazaar, which has been around for one thousand years. It’s home to many artisans who produce and sell from workshops in the souk. Notably, Bab al-Ghuri is a spot that you have likely seen on Instagram. Then make your way down Al-Muizz Li-din Allah al-Fatima Street, one of the oldest streets in Cairo.

Move on to Coptic Cairo, with a high concentration of historical Christian churches. The Hanging Church is perhaps the most famous; it sits atop an old Roman fortress. The Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus has historical significance: it’s where Mary, Joseph and Jesus took refuge from persecution. Underneath the church you’ll see the water well they drank from.

If you’re feeling peckish, stop for something to eat. Tajoury Oriental Restaurant boasts views of the Nile River from its second-floor location. It offers a large selection of grilled meats accompanied by rice, house-made bread, and an assortment of tahini, baba ganoush, and other delectable spreads and dips.

Transfer to a hotel in Giza as your day winds down. Many of the hotels in Giza have views of the pyramids from their rooftop bars and restaurants. Enjoy a drink on a patio as the sun goes down behind the pyramids.

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Day 2 – Giza and Saqqara

Today is all about the pyramids, and your close proximity will ensure an early start. Begin your day on the Giza plateau with a visit to the Pyramids of Giza. It’s well worth it to pay the extra fee (300 Egyptian pounds) to enter the Great Pyramid. While the king’s chamber contains nothing but an empty sarcophagus, it’s amazing to go inside and see how it was built. The visit isn’t recommended for anyone who’s claustrophobic or who has back problems. Much of it is spent doubled over because the tunnel leading to the burial chamber is very low. If you’re going to enter the pyramid, do it early in the day, before crowds build.

Next, go to Panorama Point, which will give you sweeping views of the pyramids across the Giza Plateau. There’s a parking area teeming with vendors and cameleers trying to sell rides. If you’re going to ride a camel, this is a good departure point. Prices are fixed at 50 Egyptian pounds for 30 minutes, and signs are posted to this effect. Still, be sure you confirm it with your cameleer before your ride. Even if you choose not to ride a camel here, there’s a well-trodden path you can take that leads to a viewpoint in the dunes. It will allow you to squeeze all of the pyramids into a single camera frame.

Before leaving Giza, stop off to see the Sphinx. If you pose just right, you can even give the Sphinx a kiss.

Continue on to Saqqara. The Step Pyramid of Djoser is not only the oldest pyramid in Egypt – a staggering 4500 years old – but it’s also the oldest stone building complex known to mankind. If you have a clear day, you’ll be able to see the Dahshur pyramid complex 10 kilometers away; it’s home to the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid. While you’re at Saqqara, be sure to go inside the Pyramid of Unas. Though it looks like a pile of rubble from the outside, the interior is beautifully decorated with hieroglyphics.

If you’re ready for a break, try visiting Restaurant Pharous, located right outside the Saqqara complex’s entrance. It serves up a delicious spread of barbecued Egyptian meats, and the sides, including stone-baked bread and fresh falafel, are just as good. Beware the musicians who will greet you as you enter. They’ll egg you on to join their dance, and will demand baksheesh (a tip) for their performance.

Day 3 – Aswan

Take a morning flight to Aswan. Located in southern Egypt, it’s idyllically situated on a scenic stretch of the Nile River. Check into accommodations in a Nubian Village. (The Nubians are an ethnic group indigenous to southern Egypt and northern Sudan. They are best known for their brightly painted buildings.) Spend a relaxing morning exploring the village and admiring the traditional sailboats, or feluccas, drifting by.

Head out to see some of Aswan’s attractions. Start with the Aswan High Dam. Completed in 1970, the dam was built to curb the Nile’s excessive flooding and to provide water storage for irrigation and hydroelectricity generation. It’s strategically significant infrastructure, so don’t be surprised to encounter armed guards on your visit. They may ask you to stop using any cameras or recording devices you are carrying. Stop off at the local red granite quarry to see the Unfinished Obelisk, which cracked as it was excavated and was therefore never finished. This is the same quarry from which the granite was mined to construct the pyramids and other monuments.

Finish your day by touring Philae Temple. Dedicated to the goddess Isis, it’s located on an island, and you’ll love the peaceful boat trip over from the Philae Island Anchorage. Explore the temple’s beautiful columns and sanctuary, and keep your eyes peeled for the infamous Temple Cats of Philae Island.

Day 4 – Abu Simbel and Nile River cruise

Get an early start this morning with a commuter flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel. These 45 minute long flights are geared toward tourists who are interested in seeing the temple complex of Abu Simbel. Cut into the rock by King Ramesses II, the four seated colossal statues on the temple’s facade can’t fail to impress. Return flights to Aswan are timed to allow visitors enough time to visit both the Great Temple of Abu Simbel as well as the Small Temple to the north, dedicated to Ramesses II’s wife, Queen Nefertari.

Upon your return to Aswan, check into a Nile River cruise. Riverboats ply the river between Aswan and Luxor in both directions. Aswan departures are 3-night/4-day affairs. They are an efficient way to see the temples of Lower Egypt which are concentrated along the riverbank. The cruise ships are small and elegant, with sun decks on top, spacious guest suites, and no more than a couple of hundred passengers on board.

Although you’ve boarded your ship, it won’t set sail until the middle of the night. This will give you lots of time to disembark again to continue sightseeing in Aswan. Take a stroll through the bazaar that’s just a couple of blocks away from the port, and board a felucca for a sunset sailing trip before returning to your ship for dinner.

What to expect on a Nile River cruise

Day 5 – Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna

Wake up early to watch the sun rise over the east bank of the Nile. You’ll soon pull ashore at Kom Ombo and its famous double temple dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed god Horus. There’s even a crocodile museum on the property, full of mummified crocodiles and crocodile eggs. As a bonus, you’ll find references to Cleopatra in the temple – both her image and her cartouche.

Return to your ship and enjoy a few more hours of scenic sailing down the Nile. You’ll pass farm fields, towns clustered around towering minarets, local fishermen and plenty of other cruise ships and sailboats plying the river. After lunch, you’ll arrive in Edfu, where a horse and carriage will take you to Edfu temple. Because it fell into disuse and was almost completely buried in sand for hundreds of years, it’s one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt.

Back on board the ship, you will sail through the Esna Lock. Make a point of being out on deck as you go through. Not only will you be able to watch the intriguing process of passing through the lock – you’ll also likely encounter some local vendors who will make the journey with you while very persistently touting their wares! It’s an entertaining scenario.

Day 6 – Luxor West Bank

Overnight, your ship will dock in Luxor, though you won’t disembark just yet. Spend the day touring the West Bank of Luxor, which is dedicated to ancient burial sites. None are so famous as the Valley of the Kings. This is where King Tutankhamun’s intact burial chamber was found in the 1920s, and where there are in fact more than 60 such chambers. Though the pharaohs’ treasures are long gone, the chambers themselves are open to visitors. They are beautifully decorated with colourful hieroglyphics and artwork.

Valley of the Kings: which tombs are open?

You can also visit the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, the queen who became a pharaoh. It’s located on the back side of the mountain range that hems in the Valley of the Kings. The temple is a series of 3 terraces that rise from the desert floor into the surrounding cliffs.

While in the area, be sure to stop off and see the Colossi of Memnon, which mark the entrance to a ruined temple. You can also tour alabaster workshops in this area. The craftsmen working here fervently polish the local stone into statues, vases and more.

Return to your ship for your final night on board, which is likely to feature an extravagant dinner in the dining room and some local entertainment – perhaps featuring whirling dervishes and belly dancers.

Day 7 – Luxor East Bank

The East Bank of Luxor, being where the sun rises, is the land of the living. Start the day exploring Karnak Temple. It’s a huge site; construction spanned hundreds of years and dozens of pharaohs’ reigns, which allowed it to achieve an unrivalled size and complexity. Its’ obelisks and pillars are particularly noteworthy.

Karnak Temple is connected to Luxor Temple, 3 km away, via the Avenue of the Sphinxes. Make sure to stroll at least part of this path – it was recently restored after more than 70 years of renovations, and is lined with more than 1000 statues.

Check into your accommodations in Luxor. We highly recommend the Winter Palace Hotel, a gorgeous colonial-era building fronting the Nile that has lavish grounds with gardens, swimming pools, and even some resident flamingoes and peacocks. (Pro tip: the Winter Palace Pavilion is a newer wing of the hotel with much more affordable rates than the original building, but equal access to the amenities.) Spend some time enjoying the property until the sun goes down.

Right across the street from the hotel is Luxor Temple. By now, you might be all templed out. But the opportunity to visit Luxor Temple when it’s lit up at night will put a fresh spin on it. Don’t worry about absorbing all the historical details of the temple. Just wander the grounds and soak up the atmosphere.

Day 8 – Luxor at leisure

Keep your last day in Luxor unstructured and relax as your trip winds down. You might choose to spend the entire day beside the pool. Or, you could venture out into the city. There’s a bazaar nearby; wander through its stalls and pick up a few souvenirs. Visit a local falafel stand for one more taste of Egypt’s famous cuisine. Or stop by the local McDonald’s: it’s fun to see what’s familiar from home, and what’s uniquely Egyptian.

You might choose to do a hot air balloon flight over Luxor. They are weather dependent and be forewarned that they’re often grounded due to unsafe conditions. We left our trip to our last morning (wanting to go out with a bang!) and then got shut out when the flight was canceled. If a hot air balloon trip is important to you, you might want to schedule it earlier in your stay.

As the sun goes down, it’s time to pack up and say goodbye. Head to Luxor Airport for a flight back to Cairo and then onward home. You’ll be amazed as you recall your 8 day Egypt itinerary and think of all that you have seen and done.

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