Middle East Destinations Travel Blog

For most travellers, plan for mid-October to April. December and January are the coolest and busiest months, with chilly early mornings; October, November, March and April are warmer and a little quieter. May to September is hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan, so sightseeing starts at dawn, but prices are lower and the sites are calmer. Beach plans on the Red Sea work in any month.

Think in blocks. Give Cairo two to three days for the Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara, the museums and the old city; give Luxor and Aswan three to four nights, ideally on a Nile cruise; and add two to four days if you want Alexandria, Abu Simbel or the Red Sea. Put together, that is why most first trips land between seven and twelve days.

The classic first route starts in Cairo with the Pyramids, the Sphinx and the museums, then flies or takes the train south to Luxor or Aswan to board a Nile cruise, with the Valley of the Kings, Karnak and Philae along the way. From Aswan many travellers add Abu Simbel, then either fly back to Cairo or finish with a few days on the Red Sea. Every one of our itineraries can be adjusted around this route.

Choose a cruise ship for facilities and a dahabiya for quiet. A cruise ship is larger, with a pool, a full restaurant and a set schedule, and usually sails for three or four nights between Luxor and Aswan. A dahabiya is a traditional sailing boat for up to about 20 guests that moves partly by wind, moors at smaller stops and usually takes a little longer. Both visit the main temples, and we can quote either.

Pack light cotton or linen clothes that cover shoulders and knees, a scarf, a sun hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen, plus comfortable closed shoes for dusty, uneven sites. Add a warm layer for winter mornings and evenings, a refillable water bottle, any medication you need and a plug adapter for Egypt's two-pin sockets. Keep some small cash notes in a day bag for tips and markets.

Your biggest cost is the trip itself: guide, hotels or cruise cabin, transfers and entrance fees, which a package bundles into one price. On top of that, budget for international flights, the Egypt visa ($36 on arrival), tips of about $3 to $5 per person per day for drivers and $10 to $15 for the guide, meals not included in your plan, souvenirs and optional extras. Travelling from May to September usually lowers the price.

The main tourist areas are safe and patrolled by tourism police; the usual nuisance is hassle, not danger. Expect persistent touts, unofficial "guides" at site entrances and camel or carriage rides offered without a clear price, so agree any price before you start. With a private guide and driver most of this falls away, and we plan around any area under an official travel advisory.

Most trips combine three ways of travelling. Domestic flights link Cairo with Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea in about an hour or so; the overnight sleeper train runs between Cairo and Luxor or Aswan; and a private car with driver covers shorter routes such as Cairo to Alexandria or Luxor to the Red Sea coast. In a package, the itinerary states which one is used and it is booked for you.

Egypt is a welcoming but conservative country. Dress modestly away from the beach, remove your shoes and cover up inside mosques, and ask before photographing people. Friday is the main prayer day, and during Ramadan, whose dates move earlier each year, it is polite not to eat or drink in public during daylight outside tourist venues. A few words of Arabic, such as shukran (thank you), always go down well.

Send us your dates, who is travelling and the places or experiences that caught your eye, on WhatsApp or by email. A consultant replies, usually within a few hours, with a free day-by-day itinerary including hotels, a private Egyptologist guide, transfers and a full price. You change it as often as you like, and a deposit as low as 30% confirms the trip once it is right.