The ULTIMATE 7-Day Egypt Itinerary: Everything You Need to Know 

So, when you think of Egypt, you think of the Pyramids of Giza and maybe the Valley of the Kings, but it is so much more than that. I spent a week traveling around this amazing country with iEgypt and I was not disappointed.

However, Egypt is not without its issues. If you’re not used to insane heat, haggle culture, or having to cover yourself, it can be intense. So, with that in mind here is my ultimate 7-day Egypt itinerary, containing everything you need to know. 

Let’s dive in and find out more. 

Day One – Giza

On your first day in Egypt, you’re probably going to be in the capital city, Cairo. This is a super busy and bustling place with tons to do, but today we’re heading to the outskirts of Cairo, to Giza. Realistically, you only need one day in Giza as the pyramid complex is really the only thing that’s here. 

I stayed in the Sahara Pyramids Inn which has insane views of the only remaining Ancient Wonder of the World, the Pyramids of Giza. It’s about a 40-minute drive from the main Cairo airport and it’s ideally placed for exploring the Pyramids. 

Everywhere we traveled around Egypt, we had a guide and driver, which I would highly recommend if you could manage it. Not only does it help with the logistics of getting around Egypt, but it also makes it feel a lot safer and breaks down the language barrier if something happens. 

Pyramids of Giza

When we arrived at the Pyramids of Giza, unsurprisingly it was super busy with tourists from all around the world. We also went in May which is out of season really as the heat kicks in, so prepare for the crowds no matter what time you visit. 

It’s of course 100% worth a visit, but it is naturally very touristy so it’s likely that people will come up to you trying to sell things, so be aware before you go. 

As they’re an Ancient Wonder of the World the rules and regulations around what you can and can’t do around the site are pretty strict. You’ll go through the ticket building and all the signs are clearly posted in multiple languages so you can’t miss it. 

Make sure you have plenty of battery on your phone or camera to get all of your photos, and definitely bring more water than you think you’ll need and a hat or scarf. The Pyramids complex is very exposed and there’s not a lot of shade at all. 

There is a museum at the Pyramids site, but we were advised not to visit as it turns into a sauna in the summer months and can get pretty unbearable. Keep this in mind when you’re trying to figure out when to visit Egypt as the summer heat is no joke and sometimes being inside makes it even worse!

Camel Rides

To get a different perspective of the pyramids, you can take a camel ride to the other side. It’s safe to say that I am not a natural camel rider, but this was a really cool experience.

This way you can get photos of the pyramids without all the crowds and indulge in a full desert-style excursion. However, when we were doing this excursion a few men with whistles who looked official started coming up to us. As our guide explained, these guys are not official at all and are actually trying to extort money out of tourists, so we were really happy to have our guide with us for this interaction, otherwise, it could’ve been pretty scary. 

Evening Light Show

Even though there isn’t a ton to do in Giza itself away from the Pyramids and a couple of shops (including a papyrus shop) and rooftop bars with views of the site, there is sometimes an evening light show. This also has an audio component and it’s offered in a ton of different languages – we saw it in both English and Spanish. It’s a cool way to end a day in Giza, but as I mentioned, one day is definitely enough in Giza, and then you can move on to better things.

Day Two – Luxor

So, your second day in Egypt is going to have a very early start. We woke up at 3.30am for our hot air balloon ride over Luxor. 

As we didn’t get to our Luxor hotel until midnight, we were both very tired for this excursion and definitely half asleep as we took a tiny boat across to the field where the hot air balloon rides took place.

Hot Air Balloon Rides in Luxor

Something I didn’t expect was the sheer amount of companies running hot-air balloon trips here. In our field alone, there were around 20 different companies and on average each company has at least two balloons so it can feel quite crowded on the ground.

We went through the safety briefing which is mostly a landing procedure where you have to spoon the smaller person if things get rough. After that, there was quite a lot of waiting around because you had to wait for the all-clear from a specific agency before everyone’s allowed to take off. Be prepared to wait around for a while, maybe bring a snack or two with you just in case. 

When you do take off and begin floating, you’ll see a load of young boys who are shouting $1, $1, $1, and they get so excited when someone drops a dollar down for them. It seems odd, but it’s a little thing that can make someone’s day!

Overall, despite waiting around and being super tired, I would 100% recommend this sunrise balloon ride – it was one of the highlights of the entire trip. 

Valley of the Kings

You can’t come to Egypt and not visit the Valley of the Kings. This temple complex is absolutely huge and you want to get here as early as possible, which is why we came straight from the sunrise hot air balloon ride to the valley.

Overall, there are 64 tombs and each tomb is as deep as the king was old. This is because they’d start construction when the ruler was crowned and just keep going until they died. 

So the reason why kings were buried here instead of at Giza was that it was more private and secluded. As the tradition was for Pharaohs and kings to be buried with their belongings so they’d have them in the afterlife, it was also a security concern for tomb raiders. 

Unlike at Giza, there’s a natural pyramid at the Valley of the Kings, so it made sense to bury the royals in this area. Ironically, the workers and enslaved people who built these tombs eventually led the tomb raiders here, so they were completely ransacked over the years.

However, the architecture and the art in these tombs are still really well preserved. You can see the colors and carvings, and they’re really detailed, even after all this time.

Some of the popular temples that you might want to visit on your trip include:

• Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
• Tomb of Ramses III 
• Tomb Of King Tutankhamun
• Tomb of Seti I
• Tomb of Ramses IV 

Of course, you could spend multiple days exploring all the different tombs in this region, but we just had the day to explore his area, and it was so cool to see how well things have been preserved over the past couple of millennia. 

One thing I would mention is that if you’re in remote places around Egypt, you might not feel super safe. People will come up to you and they’ll be persistent. If you’re not used to this it can be intimidating and scary. You need to keep your wits about you and understand your comfort levels. Again, having a guide for this trip helped with this a lot, and I would definitely recommend iEgypt’s guides and drivers as they made us feel a lot safer throughout the trip – even at touristy places like the Valley of the Kings. 

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Day Three-Six – Nile River Cruising

For the next four days or three nights, we cruised along the mighty Nile River on a traditional dahabiya boat. When it comes to Nile River cruises, there are hundreds to choose from and you’ll have very different experiences depending on the boat you pick.

You’ll see a ton of cruise ships. As you might expect, these are very commercial but great for budget or group travelers. This is because they can carry between 80 to 150 people so the price per person does drop quite significantly. 

However, the dahabiyas are traditional wooden sailing boats with private cabins from the 19th century. They’re inherently a lot smaller. The dahabiya that we went on can only hold eight rooms for patrons, so the price per person tends to be more expensive.

The thing that’s important about the price of the Nile River cruise is what’s included while a commercial cruise will cost between $300-600 for five days, it may not include all your excursions or you might have to add drinks packages on top. 

On a dahabiya, everything is included. They are a lot more expensive – they can run from $800 to 3,000 for five days depending on the furnishing, the food, the quality of the service, etc.

Our dahabiya was around the $800 mark for four days but this included all our excursions, food, non-fizzy and non-alcoholic drinks so teas, juices, water, coffee – anything like that. The benefit here is that you really don’t have to think about anything, it’s all taken care of! 

Temple of Horus

One of the first excursions we took on our Nile cruise was to the Temple of Horus in Edfu. So in the Egyptian pantheon, Horus is the Falcon God the son of Osiris and Isis.

This huge temple was completed way back in 57BC and features these stunning carvings on the front of the sandstone temple. Honestly, it’s one of the best-preserved temples in the whole of Egypt so it’s well worth checking out. 

I will mention that, like the majority of temple complexes in Egypt, the heat is no joke. Most of the temples have no roofs and no shade, so it’s a lot. Make sure you pack a sunhat, light layers for your shoulders, and plenty of water. Luckily, our dahabiya froze our water bottles for us overnight so we had a really refreshing companion around the temples! 

Luxor Temple

If you only see one temple in Egypt, make sure it’s the Luxor Temple. This place is huge and stems back to 1400 BC. Unlike most of the temples in Egypt, it’s not dedicated to a specific god or Pharaoh. Instead, it was built to celebrate Amun Ra’s coronation and it was the site of Egyptian coronations from that point on. 

You need substantial time for the Luxor Temple. I would recommend going to it first to make sure you have enough time to explore. 

It’s so gorgeous and if you enter the temple on the right-hand side and find the columns without a roof, this is going to give you the best sunlight for your Instagram game. Don’t go to the left, take a right. Look for no roof. You’re welcome.

But seriously, you need a lot of time for Luxor Temple so make sure it’s near the top of your Egypt bucket list and get there early to avoid the bulk of the crowds and heat. 

Philae Temple

Located in the Aswan Low Dam region of the Nile, the Philae Temple lies on a tiny island. The word Philae literally means border, and that’s because, in ancient times, this region was the border between Egypt and Africa. 

The temple itself is dedicated to the goddess of love, Isis, who was also the wife of Osiris, mother of Horus, the Falcon god, the protection god.

One of the most interesting things about the Philae Temple – apart from it being absolutely gorgeous – is that it didn’t used to be here. They had to move 40,000 pieces of this temple bit by bit because they didn’t want the water to continue to flood it. However, it has sustained a lot of damage over the years.

Surrounded by water and colossal statues and sandstone pillars, this is a beautiful place to visit and feels very different from the other temple complexes, thanks to its island location.

After this temple visit, we were also very lucky to enjoy a dinner at a local village which included a ton of delicious local food and some traditional music, which made a nice change from eating on the boat. 

Nubian Village Aswan

Next up, we left our larger dahabiya behind and jumped on a little private boat for about 40 minutes to visit the Nubian Village Aswan. This village is gorgeous and it’s covered in rainbows and colorful street designs. 

It was a completely different side to the Nile cruise experience after seeing so much vibrant orange sandstone. You can wander the colorful streets, take a ton of photos, and check out the local restaurants and cafes. It’s nice to have a break from visiting back-to-back temples and it was good to find some shade to relax in!

Abu Simbel Temples

After relaxing and exploring the Nubian Village for a while, it’s time to head back out to visit the Abu Simbel Temples. This is one of the most famous temple complexes in Egypt and there are two main temples in this area, one female and one male. Unsurprisingly, the female one is intentionally made a lot smaller. Realistically, you only need around 10-15 minutes for this section.

The larger temple is the one that Ramses II built for himself. Here, you’ll see the four giant carved statues of himself as well as well-preserved hieroglyphics, stunning architecture, and an imposing juxtaposition against the river next to it. Ideally, you want to spend around 20 to 30 minutes here to experience it fully and get all the photos that you want.  

It’s worth mentioning that the Abu Simbel Temples are in the middle of nowhere. As a result, the heat gets to you really quickly. For reference, we went in May and it was 35℃, which is around 95 degrees Fahrenheit. 

So, when we saw the beautiful Kabara Nubian House Restaurant we were so happy. It’s super bright in there, it’s attached to a hotel, and they cater to foreigners which is an added bonus. The atmosphere here was really welcoming and I had a deliciously cooling glass of hibiscus and some eggplant, which definitely helped with the heat.

Day Seven – Cairo

Day seven brings us back to the capital, Cairo. Of course, as a capital city, there are tons of things you can do here, and we packed a lot into our last day in Egypt.

The Citadel of Cairo

The Citadel of Cairo or Citadel of Saladin as it’s sometimes known is a medieval Islamic-era fort from the early 12th century. It’s honestly such a stunning sight, filled with an architecturally amazing mosque, beautiful towers, and well-preserved fortified walls. 

It’s definitely one of the top attractions in Cairo for a good reason, and I’d recommend carving out an hour or so to visit the Citadel before catching your flight home.  

National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation

If you only visit one museum in Cairo, make sure it’s the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. This place is absolutely huge. I’d suggest carving out around three hours to explore this museum and take in all the different artifacts.

From replicas of the Rosetta Stone to giant statues of Ramses II to actual royal mummies, it’s one of the best museums in the world. If trying to figure out what to expect, the sections of the museum include:

• The Dawn of Civilization, 
• The Nile, 
• Writing, 
• State and Society, 
• Material Culture, 
• Beliefs and Thinking,
• The Gallery of Royal Mummies. 

Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

Before you head off to the airport, make time for a bit of retail therapy. The Khan el-Khalili Bazaar has been trading goods in the historic center of Cairo since the mid-14th century. It’s a noisy, bustling, and colorful place – everything a good bazaar should be! 

Don’t be afraid to haggle. As this is a popular tourist destination, the prices are inherently jacked up a bit and it’s part of the culture to haggle down to a more reasonable price. You can get jewelry, decor, spices, food, clothing – pretty much anything here. 

Spend an hour or so wandering around the stalls, buy yourself some souvenirs, and embrace the chaos of this Cairo historical monument! 

Tips For Visiting Egypt

So, now that you’ve seen my ultimate 7-day Egypt itinerary, I’m going to share some tips that I’ve learned on my trip. 

Prices and Currencies

So, when you visit Egypt you can often use either US dollars or Egyptian pounds. However, it’s hit-and-miss outside of the main hotels and tourist hotspots. When it comes to using your credit or debit card, I wouldn’t rely on it. Even stores and restaurants that said they accepted cards often ended up with a broken card machine or their data stopped working. The bottom line – make sure you have plenty of cash. 

In terms of budget, Egypt was relatively affordable. We had dinner at the hotel with multiple drinks, Schwarma, some teas and coffees, and the total price ended up being $20. Of course, the dahabiya was a fairly big expense at $800 for four days but it did include all food, accommodation, and excursions, as well as most soft drinks. 

You can 100% do Egypt on a budget, but I would be careful about the companies you book with, especially for transport and excursions as there have been a lot of horror stories of people being ripped off, primarily around the tourist areas. If you’re unsure, get a guide from iEgypt or ask your hotel concierge to help organize excursions and transport around the country.  

Packing Notes

Let’s talk about packing for Egypt. So most of the clothes that I brought are either 100% linen or cotton or a blend of the two. Now this is pretty critical because here in Egypt it gets like unbearably hot and around the temples, there isn’t a lot of shade.

We traveled in May and it was anywhere between 27 degrees Celsius at night to 35 degrees Celsius in the daytime which is 95 degrees Fahrenheit. So if you’re bringing synthetic fabrics, you’re going to suffer. Prioritize linens, cotton, and viscose.

Of course, also make sure you bring a hat or visor to protect your head. This is critical in the temple complexes because it’s also super bright with the sunlight reflecting off the sand, so getting a baseball cap or something with a brim is super useful. 

For the ladies, I would recommend something that covers the tops of your shoulders or the chest. The reason that you might want to consider dressing a bit more modestly is mostly for your comfort. This means that people aren’t looking at you as much, and so you don’t stand out as much.

If you’re going to places like mosques in the Citadel of Cairo, make sure you bring something to cover your shoulders. We messed up and wore something that showed too much shoulder. However, you can actually rent cover-ups for about 20 Egyptian pounds per person. You can also buy a scarf, but the scarf was like 100 Egyptian pounds.

Bring those light layers to keep the sun off your skin and to keep your modesty in check for these kinds of cultural monuments.

When to Visit

As I mentioned, we visited in May. This is just at the end of the high season, and you can get some pretty incredible deals if you’re willing to put up with a little bit of heat. In the summer season, the temperatures can reach 55 degrees Celsius so it’s really dangerous to visit during this season. 

The high season goes over the winter and spring months which makes sense because it’s so much cooler for the tourists. However, the prices do go up a lot. So if you can go in October or May which is as close to a shoulder season as Egypt gets, you might be able to score yourself a deal on flights, accommodation, or excursions. 

Traveling as a Woman

I get a lot of questions about traveling as a woman to places like Egypt. As I’ve said in this guide, I didn’t feel 100% safe in remote places and a few guys did try to scam us in Giza, but luckily our guide knew what was happening and got us out of there. 

I’ve traveled a lot around places like Morocco and Jordan either on my own or with other women, so I am used to haggling culture and people coming up to you. I’m largely fine with that, but if you’re not used to it, Egypt is not a good introduction. It’s very intense. 

In terms of standing out as a proud Chicana woman, I think people were really interested in my face and trying to figure out where I was from. So people came up to me asking where I was from and if I was Moroccan or Egyptian. I don’t mind friendly interactions.

I feel like I get this a lot so I know exactly how to handle myself at this point, but I just want to be upfront and honest for people who might be less familiar with this style of communication.

Dealing With Heat

I know I’ve spoken about the heat a lot already, but this is Egypt and you can’t talk about it enough! 

I’m from Los Angeles, so I like to think I’m pretty good with the heat, but this was something else. The lack of shade and air-con in some places was a shock. So, make sure you bring more water than you think you’re going to need and a light linen layer to cover your skin. 

I’d also make sure that you give yourself plenty of time to do your activities and excursions. The heat means you’re going to have to move slower and take more rest. Your itinerary needs to account for this otherwise you’ll end up dehydrated and potentially get sunstroke and no one wants that!

Traveling With Guides

Honestly, my best tip for exploring Egypt would be to travel with a guide. Whether that’s a private guide like we did with iEgypt or jumping on a small group tour, it’s one of the best ways to see everything Egypt has to offer. 

Having a private guide meant that we could tailor our itinerary and come and go largely as we pleased. It meant we weren’t waiting around for people like you often are in bigger groups. In this heat, I couldn’t think of anything worse than having to wait around for stragglers!

Traveling with a guide is also great from a peace of mind point of view. They speak the language, know the culture, and know about all the popular scams and hustles at the top tourist attractions. Especially if you’re not used to intense haggling culture where people come up to you a lot, this is a huge bonus and will drastically improve your enjoyment in Egypt! 

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