10-Day Egypt Itinerary for First Timers
Egypt, perhaps more than anywhere else in the world, is somewhere that immediately evokes images of ancient civilizations and a sense of adventure and wonder. This reputation is well-earned, as Egypt is truly a fascinating place to visit.
Here, you can travel thousands of years back in time, and literally walk through history, marveling at the Pharaos and their ancient empire. Of course, today, Egypt is also a modern country where around 100 million people go about their daily lives just like anywhere else. This contrast between old and new only adds to the allure!
While exploring ancient Egypt will likely be your primary interest when visiting here, getting a taste for the country’s modern life should absolutely be a part of your plan as well. And this itinerary will have you doing exactly that, all while traveling from the far north to the far south of the country.
Table of contents
What to know when planning your trip
How long to spend
When to visit
Where to go on a first trip
How to get around
10-day itinerary
Day 1: Cairo - the Egyptian Museum, Downtown Cairo, Khan El-Khalili
Day 2: Cairo - Giza Plateau & Pyramids, Grand Egyptian Museum, Sound & Light show
Day 3: Cairo - National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Coptic Cairo
Day 4: Cairo to Alexandria - the Corniche, Qaitbay Citadel, Montazah Gardens
Day 5: Alexandria (and evening sleeper train to Aswan) - Alexandria National Museum, Roman Amphitheater, Catacombs
Days 6-9: Four-day Nile Cruise from Aswan To Luxor
Day 6: Arrive to Aswan, tour the town, board your cruise
Day 7: Visit Kom Ombo and Edfu archeological sites
Day 8: Tour Luxor’s east bank (Karnak and Luxor temples, Sound and Light show)
Day 9: Explore Luxor west bank (Valleys of the Kings and Queens), catch the evening sleeper train to Cairo
Day 10: Return to Cairo - tour the Citadel of Saladin
Connect with Sherif, a Cairo-based local tour guide and travel consultant. Book a call with Sherif and get his expert local advice to make your trip planning seamless!
What to know when planning your trip
Before getting into the itinerary, I want to cover some of the basic questions that you probably have as you’re getting started with your trip planning. So, I’ve given quick answers below to a few of the main things that I think you should consider:
How long to spend
For a good introduction to Egypt, you’ll need at least 10 days, although a full 2 weeks would really be ideal. This is a large country (I think the 29th biggest by landmass), with its principal touristic sites/areas spread throughout it, and it also has thousands of years of history to be discovered, spanning the Pharaonic times to the Greco-Roman era and on to the Coptic and Islamic periods.
Even so, much of the country is arid and desert or desert-like, so there are huge swathes of terrain that you can basically “forget” about. For any typical first-time visitor, you should mostly plan to hop between a few key destinations, relying on domestic flights and/or sleeper trains to travel the vast distances between them.
If you want a comprehensive overview of Egypt that covers its varied scenery, distinct urban centers, and historical/cultural diversity, 2 weeks is the minimum amount of time you need, and the plan I’d propose is as follows:
Spend a few days in Cairo touring the city and visiting the pyramids, then pay a quick visit to Alexandria in the north to see a very different urban center with a distinct history.
From there, set aside 4 or 5 days to tour the incredible archaeological sites in the south (Aswan, Luxor, Abu Simbel, etc.), either on a Nile River cruise or with guides/drivers. Finally, wrap up your trip with a couple of days of relaxation on the Red Sea or with a visit to the Siwa Oasis, deep in the west, toward Libya.
Alternatively, if you don’t feel compelled to see and do “everything”, and especially if you aren’t interested in time at the beach, a 10-day visit will let you go everywhere that I’ve mentioned above, just cutting out the Red Sea or Siwa Oasis.
When to visit
In general, the ideal time to visit Egypt is during October and November, as these months have comparatively mild temperatures (ranging from around 60°F to 90°F in most of the country), predominately sunny days, and are less busy than other times of year.
December is a good choice too, but it can begin to get kind of cold in the north of the country, and tourism starts to pick back up over the winter as many visitor come during this time to avoid the heat of summer, so you’ll start to see more crowds in popular destinations.
Summer: It’s always my recommendation to avoid visiting Egypt during the summer months. I know this is when many people have vacation (and is of course when children are out of school), but the summertime heat here is simply unbelievable, and if you visit basically any time from May through August, you’ll find yourself legitimately wilting under the intense summer sun. Temperatures routinely exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and it often feels much hotter than that.
Even so, summer is one of Egypt’s two high seasons (winter is the other), and this is one of the busiest times of year for tourism. The beaches will be packed and the country’s historical sights are constantly filled with visitors. Accordingly, prices are at their highest.
Fall: As I said above, I think the fall is the best time to travel in Egypt. The temperatures are pretty pleasant and while daytime highs will still be quite hot, it’s nothing like the stifling heat of summer. Mornings and evenings are cool, making urban exploring and visits to archaeological sites very comfortable, and along the coast, you’ll have lots of perfect beach days.
The south of the country will be hotter, but not excessively so either, and trips down the Nile River are really nice during this season.
This is a quiet time for tourism too, as kids are back in school throughout most of the world, so families, both domestic and international, can’t typically travel during this time. As such, prices are at their lowest and popular sites are pleasantly light on crowds.
Winter: This is the second high season in Egypt, as many people choose a winter visit to avoid the excessive heat of other times of year and because it overlaps with school holidays in much of the world. Cairo and the north of the country are actually rather chilly during this time, with daily temps dropping as low as around 55 degrees Fahrenheit, and while you’ll still have mostly sunny days, some rainfall is to be expected.
The south, on the other hand, is delightfully warm but not hot, and it’s the perfect time for river cruises and visiting archaeological sites. It’s also the busiest time of year in this part of the country though, so prices are actually at their highest, and the principal sites will be mobbed with people. It’s a lovely time of year to be down south, but don’t come expecting to have the place to yourself - it’s quite the opposite.
Spring: Egypt doesn’t really have much of a spring, as the transition from winter to summer, or at least to summer-like conditions, is very abrupt. Starting in April, temperatures begin to pick up significantly and unless you’re coming from somewhere with a similarly hot climate, it will quickly begin to feel like summer.
Even so, a visit in March can be really nice, as the temperatures will be pleasant throughout the entire country, hovering around 75° Fahrenheit. The beaches in the Sinai Peninsula will be warming up, Cairo is nice and sunny, the bouts of winter rains in Alexandria will have finished, and the Nile river welcomes you with a light breeze.
Be aware that the spring sees sporadic but very strong warm winds (called khamseens), that whip up huge amounts of sand and dust, making sightseeing extremely unpleasant on bad days.
Where to go on a first trip
In general, the main places of touristic interest in Egypt are Cairo, Alexandria and the Mediterranean coast, the resorts on the Red Sea (especially the Sinai Peninsula), the Nile River, and the archaeological sites in/between Aswan and Luxor in the country’s south.
Unless you have very specific reasons for visiting, these are likely to be the destinations that you should also consider.
Cairo, with it’s 20 million people is one of the world’s biggest cities, and owing to its rich past, is an absolute treasure trove of archeological and historical sites. It’s also the best place to see modern Egyptian life. Of course, the pyramids are here, but you also have Greco-Roman history, the Coptic Christian sites, and glorious Islamic monuments and architecture.
Alexandria, on the mediterranean coast in the north of the country, is the other major urban center, and it’s totally different from Cairo, offering an interesting contrast. A lovely seaside town, it has fantastic Roman, Greek, and Medieval monuments, along with a delightful mediterranean atmosphere.
Aswan and Luxor, two of Egypt’s most visited destinations, lie along the Nile River in the south. In and between these two cities is where you’ll discover the glory of ancient Egypt, with an absurd wealth of wonderfully preserved temples, tombs, monuments, and other historical sites from the time of the Pharaos.
The Red Sea, lapping at Egypt’s eastern shores, holds our premier beaches and beach resorts. Names like Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, and El Gouna are known internationally, but there are many other lovely places to relax for a few days on the coast. If you choose to visit a Red Sea town on the Sinai Peninsula, a hike up Mount Sinai to the Saint Catherine Monastery is an incredible experience.
Siwa Oasis, deep in the west of Egypt almost on the border with Libya, has been a desert oasis since ancient times, when it was known as the Oasis of Amun-Ra. This is a unique cultural wonder, and it has its own completely distinct culture, handicrafts tradition, style of dress, and scenery.
How to get around
When traveling in Egypt, especially over longer distances, you should generally expect to get around via a mix of trains (both daytime ones and overnight sleepers), domestic flights, and private transfers. There is also a good network of buses, both for short to medium distance trips within an area and for long-distance journeys where the train is not an option.
All of these modes of transport are safe, frequent and reliable, and very economical.
Cairo and Alexandria are well connected to each other by train, and both cities also have regular overnight sleeper trains running between them and Aswan and Luxor in the south. You can also catch domestic flights in any of these 4 cities.
If traveling to the Red Sea beaches, you’ll have domestic flight options as well, and can also rely on comfortable coach buses from Cairo and Alexandria.
You’ll also find local bus companies that offer extensive routes between towns along the Red Sea and throughout the mediterranean coast in the north.
Renting a car is also an option, of course, but considering how great the distances are between the places you’re likely to visit, it doesn’t typically make sense. You’d also have to figure out one-way pick-up/drop-offs, which may not always be possible and would certainly increase the price.
Hiring a driver-guide is usually a much better option, as rates are very affordable and as long as you hire a knowledgable licensed guide, they’ll share a huge amount of knowledge with you during the trip.
As for traveling around cities, while there is public transportation, it’s pretty confusing and often somewhat informal, and you’ll probably struggle to figure it out. I think you’re better off using ride hailing apps like Uber and InDrive. Both of these operate exactly as they do in every other country and rides are super affordable.
Day 1: Cairo
Main sights today: the Egyptian Museum, Downtown Cairo, Khan El-Khalili souk
Morning
The Egyptian Museum
Grab an early breakfast at your hotel and prepare to hit the streets by about 9:00 AM.
Let's start our day with the Egyptian Museum, the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East (inaugurated in 1902). Some of its historical gems have recently been transported to the state-of-the-art Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), located closer to the Pyramids of Giza, some 15km away, but that doesn’t really take away from the thousands of Pharaonic riches that you’ll find at the old museum.
In fact, now that some objects were taken to the GEM, the Egyptian Museum is less cluttered and the layout is actually a bit more pleasant.
The museum has two floors, divided by historical eras. Get a map of the museum from a small kiosk right inside the building, as it will save you a lot of time trying to figure out how to grasp the whole history that fills this amazing building.
For most visitors who are casually interested in Egyptian history, expect to spend between 3-5 hours here (those with a keen interest in Egypt could spend days in the museum and still not see everything though).
Afternoon
Once you’ve finished exploring the museum, you’ll probably be very ready for lunch. So, about a 15-minute walk away is Felfela, a fantastic restaurant that serves up delicious traditional Egyptian food.
On arrival, you’ll be pleased to see that in addition to great cuisine, Felfela also offers a unique experience. You’ll have to go to find out what I mean.
One etiquette suggestion: be sure to tip the waiter. Tipping is common in Egypt, so a tip of around 10% of your bill would be quite nice. Note that tips are always given in cash.
Explore Downtown
After lunch, head further into Downtown for a tour of the area. Walk along the main street (Talaat Harb) and continue until you reach the nearby Square “Talaat Harb” or Midan Talaat Harb, named after a former leading Egyptian economist and entrepreneur.
Here, you’ll be entering an area that speaks of a multi-colonial past, and which is filled with buildings characterized by modern European architectural styles mixed with Neo Islamic ornaments, mashrabiyas (projecting windows with intricate wood latticework), and breathtaking decorations.
If you want a guide to the most important places in Downtown, many of the bookshops in the area will have booklets that provide little overviews on the area and its main sights.
Even so, here are some great places to check out in the area:
Cafe Groppi, the once world famous chocolatier place and until date a popular coffee shop
Cafe Riche, which once upon a time was a center for meetings of intellectual elite and a space launching careers of many known performers
The Egyptian Diplomatic Club
The St. Davies Building, designed by Welsh architect Robert William in 1910
And much more!
As you reach the end of Downtown, you’ll come across Ataba Square or Midan Ataba. Here, you will find a big, and quite ugly, multi-story parking lot. It is in this spot that the Egyptian first opera house was built (Khedivial-Royal Opera House) in 1869, and burned to the ground in 1971.
In past times, the Ataba Square was an important heart of the city’s artistic life. Today, a few theaters still surround the area, including the National Theatre, the Avant-Gard (Al-Taliaa) theatre and the National Puppet Theatre.
Right besides the Avant-Gard theatre, you will find an amazing area filled with small boutiques that sell old books.
Evening
Khan El-Khalili souk
From Ataba Square, you are very close to Khan El-Khalili, the famed souk (market/bazaar) in the historic part of Cairo. So hop in a cab (Uber, InDrive) and head to Khan El-Khalili’s entry located at the Al-Hussein Square where the Al-Hussein Mosque is.
This area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s filled with amazing Islamic architecture - with some buildings dating back to the 15th century -, as well as tons of shops where you can purchase souvenirs, and a solid number of traditional restaurants.
Among the many items that you can purchase in the market/bazaar, here are some of the more interesting ones: darabukas (goblet drums), jewelry, kilim carpets, and handcrafts.
Market tip: when buying anything from markets in Egypt, always be prepared to do some haggling. Even without bargaining, this area will be cheaper than many other more touristic locations throughout Egypt, but vendors will still try to get more from you than they probably should.
Moezz street is the main artery in Khan El-Khalili, but you should also wander down the many little streets and alleys that run off of it.
A shop in Khan el-Khalili. Photo: Heba otefy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
While exploring, be sure to admire your surroundings, and pay attention to the gorgeous ornamentations of the balconies, pillars, and arches all around you. In fact, those same alleys that you’ll be walking along served as the setting for many novels by the Egyptian Nobel Prize winner in literature, Naguib Mahfouz.
Whenever you get hungry, one of the best dining spots in the area is the “Khan El Khalili Restaurant & Naguib Mahfouz Café”, where you can have dinner and relax in amongst the history and art.
Khan El-Khalili remains vibrant until very late night hours, so you can certainly spend the entire evening here enjoying the atmosphere. Whenever you’re ready to head in for the night, just call an Uber/InDrive from the Al-Hussein Square.
Overnight in Cairo
Day 2: Cairo
Main sights today: The Pryamids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Sound and Light show
Morning
Your second day in Cairo should be dedicated to what is undoubtedly the postcard image that appears in everyone’s mind when you hear the name "Egypt”: the Pyramids of Giza.
The pyramids are unquestionably spectacular, and no visit to Egypt would be complete without seeing them, so be prepared for a long (and probably exhausting) day of sightseeing.
Make your way to the Pyramids
Start your day early again, by 8;00 AM and head straight to the Pyramids. The distance and time to get to them will depend on where your hotel is, but for reference, its around 13 km from Tahrir Square, and should take around 30 to 45 minutes to get to Giza depending on traffic.
It’s important that you try to reach the Pyramids by 9:00 AM, before the crowds arrive. Any later and your visit will be much less pleasant.
Along those same lines, if you can help it, you should avoid visiting the pyramids on weekends, holidays, and special occasions, as the crowds will be much greater on those days.
And no matter when you visit, wear comfortable shoes as there will be a lot of walking in sand and dust, and bring a hat to protect your head from the sun.
Once you reach the Pyramids plateau, you’ll find the ticket office immediately in front of you, so purchase your entry tickets and then head in. Upon entry, you’ll immediately be “embraced” by the “warm” greetings of countless vendors trying to sell you any number of things. Among the attractions offered to you will be a camel ride.
If a camel ride doesn’t interest you, then you should just continue past them to the ticket office, and purchase your tickets for the site.
Alternatively, should you decide to take them up on this offer, try to lower the price significantly, since the camel owners will always try to get the highest fee possible. A 50% cut in price is a good conversation opener, but note that some service-providers might get very offended if you try to lower the price too much.
Visiting the Pyramids
Now, once you enter the archaeological area, it’s time to decide which pyramids to visit. All of them are accessible to visitors, but their opening days/hours are all different. Be sure to check the schedule and plan accordingly. Each pyramid entry requires an additional ticket that you can purchase nearby to the pyramid in question.
Once inside any of the pyramids, you’ll walk along a narrow corridor, passing by many chambers that you can’t enter, until you reach the main chamber where the pharaoh was buried. Here, you’ll find the stone sarcophagus in which the pharaoh was entombed.
So, after you’ve finished exploring the pyramid, there are a few other must-visit sites:
Right next to the Great Pyramid of Pharaoh Khufu you will find a large building housing a full-size solar barque (sailing ship) that dates to Khufu times, around 2500 BC.
The Great Sphinx of Giza
From the Pyramids, make your way down to the Great Sphinx of Giza. The small corridors around the entry to this area can be quite crowded, but it’s worth the hassle to get some iconic photos next to this great statue.
After checking out the Sphinx statue, you’ll be in the area where the Sound & Light show is organized in the evenings. This is a 1-hour show that narrates the history from the time of the pyramids, along with laser image projections and lots of colorful lighting that illuminates the pyramids and the area’s other monuments.
If interested, you can try to get tickets for the evening’s performance at the nearby ticket office (or you can buy them online in advance).
Additionally, there’s also a lovely coffee shop right there where you can have an Egyptian tea with the Sphinx and Pyramids as your backdrop.
The Great Sphinx
Afternoon
Lunch at El-Dar Darak
You will have done a lot of walking this morning and spent a fair deal of time under the sun, so now it’s time to relax and grab lunch. There are a lot of nearby restaurants to choose from.
Continue down the main road from the Great Sphinx (there’s only the one road), and you’ll quickly notice tons of shops offering Papyrus, gold, perfumes, etc. This is by far the most expensive place in Egypt that you can buy any of this, so it’s best to walk on past and save that shopping for somewhere else.
Once you reach the ticket offices and leave the archaeological area behind, you’ll have a lot of restaurants to choose from. Among the best of them is El-Dar Darak, which serves mixed grills alongside a robust selection of vegetarian items. The food is good and the atmosphere here is lovely, so settle in and enjoy yourself.
Grand Egyptian Museum
After lunch, head over to the Grand Egyptian Museum, located just 3 km away. You can walk over from the restaurant (either along the main road or by weaving your way up through the small side streets), or call an Uber/InDrive.
As of August, 2023, the Museum still has not had its official opening, but it is slated to happen sometime soon - check online before your trip to see if it will be open. They are currently doing some limited trial visits, so if you book ahead you may be able to get into certain parts of the museum though.
And even if it’s still closed, the museum’s exterior grounds are very impressive and are well-worth checking out.
The entranceway to the Grand Egyptian Museum. Photo: Djehouty, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original.
Evening
Sound and Light show
If you’ve decided to attend the Sound & Light Show, you should head back to the Sphinx area, which is where the shows take place. Regarding the timing, there are numerous consecutive shows, each in a different language, so be sure to check what time yours will be at.
Or, if you’d like to skip the show, call an Uber/InDrive and head back into downtown for the evening. You’ll probably be quite tired from the long day today, so whether you venture back out into the city for the evening or just retire to your hotel is up to you!
Overnight in Cairo
Day 3: Cairo
Main sights today: National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Coptic Cairo, Downtown
Morning
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
Start your day early with a 9:00 visit to the the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC). This is a newly opened state-of-the-art building, which is home to 22 royal mummies that were transferred here from the Egyptian Museum during a worldwide-televised Parade in 2021.
You should purchase your tickets online and reserve your visit ahead of time. Plan to get there right when it opens at 9:00, as there is a ton to see.
In addition to the amazing mummy displays, the museum also offers a comprehensive look at the rituals and customs of ancient Egypt, along with artifacts and information about the subsequent eras of this country’s history.
Lunch in the museum
Whenever you’ve finished exploring the exhibits (you’ll need at least 3 hours), you can grab a quick lunch in one of the museum’s restaurants. Wherever you choose to eat, try to finish up by 1:00 PM, so that you have time to tour Coptic Cairo.
Afternoon
Coptic Cairo
Coptic Cairo, the centre of Christianity in Old Cairo, is around 30 mins away from the NMEC by Uber/InDrive. This area is an essential place to explore for anyone interested in Egypt’s history, and it has quite a few important places to visit.
First up on your list once you reach the area should be the Coptic Museum, which closes at 5:00 pm (ticket office closes at 4pm).
The museum is located down a short narrow street, which is very representative of the settings in which the Christian population once lived. Inside the museum, you’ll find a collection of iconography, textiles, manuscripts, and many other historical objects testifying to the strong presence of Christianity in Egypt and the Arab world.
St. Virgin Mary church
From the museum, head to the St. Virgin Mary church, known as a Hanging Church, just a few meters away. Built in the style of a basilica, this is the oldest such church in Egypt - dating back to the 8th century - and it was erected atop pillars, hence the ‘hanging’ part of its name.
After visiting the church, I suggest you simply enjoy a bit of directionless walking in the area, enjoying the atmosphere. You’ll probably need 2-3 hours at most, assuming you want to explore relatively thoroughly.
Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque
Before you leave Coptic Cairo, visit the Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque, located close by. Dating back to the 7th century, this is the oldest mosque in Egypt and Africa and was one of the first places to embrace the nascent Muslim community. The mosque has significantly grown in size over the centuries.
Make sure to cover your head and take off the shoes as you enter the mosque.
Today, the mosque is fully operational, and is set up in the style of a regular mosque, with a spacious courtyard housing a beautifully decorated ablution fountain, prayer halls, and minarets. This is a great spot for architecture-lovers as well as those who enjoy exploring the multilayered cultures of a country.
Since the building has continuously expanded over the centuries, you can see Islamic influences and designs from many different eras on the mosque’s pillars and in it’s decorations.
For those of you interested in mythology, here are two interesting stories: there are two pillars in the mosque that serve as lie detectors. It is believed that a person telling a lie won’t be able to cross in between those pillars.
Another myth says that if a young woman drinks water from the mosque’s well, she will soon be married. You’ll have to see for yourself if either story is true!
Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque from the inside. Photo: Mahmoud Mostafa Ashour, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Evening
Downtown Cairo
When you’re ready to leave the mosque and Coptic Cairo behind, it’s time to return to the Downtown area. Instead of taking a cab, you should hop on the metro. From the nearby ‘Mar Guirguis’ station, it will take about 15 mins to get back to Downtown Cairo.
Take the metro to Sadat Station, which is the one underneath Tahrir Square. Tickets can be purchased at the metro station (make sure you have cash on you).
It should be dinner time by the time you arrive to Downtown, so here are two options for a great meal: Estoril and the Greek Club (in Arabic: Nadi Younani). Both are cozy dining spots that serve Egyptian and international cuisines as well as alcoholic drinks.
Though not on the map of the regular touristic tours, these restaurants are often frequented by expats and younger, more cosmopolitan locals.
Once you reach Tahrir, ask someone to direct you to either restaurant, as both places are well-known to locals.
Overnight in Cairo
Day 4: Cairo to Alexandria
Main sights today: the Corniche, Citadel of Qaitbay, Montazah Gardens and Palace
Morning
Departure to Alexandria
Today, get going early and prepare to head north to Alexandria, Egypt’s coastal jewel. For anyone without a car (which you don’t need at all for this itinerary), there are two ways to get to Alexandria from Cairo: bus or train.
If you opt for the bus, head to the station in Tahrir Square. Ask for a road transport company Super Jet, and book your journey with them. Buses leave several times a day and it takes 2.5-3 hours to reach Alexandria. You can check the schedule on Super Jet’s website.
The other option is the train, which is a more comfortable ride and is a little bit faster (about 2-2.5 hours). Trains for Alexandria leave from Ramses Train Station, which will be about 15 minutes away by Uber/InDrive, assuming you’re staying Downtown.
For trains, it’s always best to book your ticket in advance. When booking, make sure to choose a high-speed train option, so that you reach Alexandria quickly (there are many trains, some of which make tons of stops and will take forever - you don’t want that!).
Unfortunately, most booking sites are in Arabic, so you will probably need to ask someone for help in your hotel. They should be happy to assist you with this though.
Regardless of which transportation method you choose, try to get a relatively early train so that you reach Alexandria by 12:00 (or earlier).
Afternoon
On arrival to the train or bus station in Alexandria, I suggest hailing a cab or Uber/InDrive and heading straight to your hotel to drop off your things.
Alexandria is long and narrow, as the city mostly stretches out from east to west along its Mediterranean coastline. This makes choosing a convenient, central base somewhat difficult, since there isn’t really a “center” of the city.
With that in mind, you’ll probably be best off staying somewhere in the general vicinity of the Raml Station (Mahatet El-Raml), which is a central spot for entertainment, shopping, and the city’s hustle and bustle.
In general, moving around in Alexandria can be more challenging than in Cairo, and I suggest opting for Uber or InDrive, and avoiding regular taxis, which are black and yellow in Alexandria.
So, drop off your bags at your hotel and then let’s begin your city touring of Alexandria.
The Corniche
From the city center, make your way to the sea and then beginning heading west along the Corniche, Alexandria’s seafront promenade that stretches east to west along almost the entire city. The Corniche is filled with restaurants, cafes, and beach clubs, and it always has a buzzing, lively atmosphere.
On your walk, you’ll pass by Alexandria’s Unknown Soldier Memorial, which is dedicated to the city’s naval soldiers killed at war. It’s a very pretty structure.
Further along the route, you’ll find the incredibly beautiful Sidi Morsi Abu al-Abbas Mosque. It’s the most important mosque in Alexandria and is an architectural masterpiece.
A stretch of the Corniche walkway. Photo: Abdelrhman 1990, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original.
Citadel of Qaitbay
Just a few minutes’ walk from mosque is the 15th century Citadel of Qaitbay, which is a part of the old fortifications of the city. Standing at the far west end of Alexandria, the Citadel now stands on the same ground where the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria was located.
The lighthouse is no longer standing, but it was an iconic feature of the Ptolemeic period and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The entire fortress can be toured, and inside it you can explore all three levels. There’s pretty good signage throughout, so you’ll have a chance to learn some of the history of this important defensive fortification.
The top of the fortress affords fantastic views of the Mediterranean Sea and the city stretching out along it.
If you want a more comprehensive introduction to this place, guides are available for hire at the ticket office. The Citadel closes at 4:00 pm, so be sure to arrive at least an hour or two before then to give yourself enough time to explore it thoroughly.
For another great vantage point of the city, and of the fortress itself, right in the harbor are plenty of boats offering harbor tours which will take you out on the water for a quick ride.
Seafood lunch along the Corniche
Once you’ve finished visiting the Citadel (and harbor, potentially), it’s time for lunch. So, just walk east (in the direction from which you arrived) along the Corniche, and choose from one of the countless seafood restaurants that you’ll pass by. Dining on the Corniche is a wonderful experience.
Evening
Montazah Gardens/Palace
Don’t take too long for lunch, as your next stop, the Montazah Gardens, are an hour’s ride away along the Mediterranean coast, towards the city’s eastern borders.
The Gardens are open until late evening, and they offer a great opportunity for relaxation in a royal environment. Here, you’ll be walking in the gardens of King Farouk (1922-1965), and will find yourself surrounded by wonderful nature, palm trees, and flowers, which will make you feel a world away from the busy city.
Have a stroll around the Montazah Palace, a beautiful building built by Khedive Abbas Hilmy (1892–1914). Unfortunately the palace is not open to the public yet, but the surrounding landscape, gardens, and Montazah bridge, are still lovely and are very photogenic.
Enjoy sunset and the early evening hours in the gardens, and then head for dinner, if you’re hungry. The Montazah area offers a few good independent restaurants as well as some associated with nearby hotels, where you can have a very nice dinner.
The Montazah Palace. Photo: Cherif hegazy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dinner in Downtown
Afterwards, call an Uber to bring you back to your hotel in Downtown Alexandria, around 30-45 minutes away, depending on the traffic. Note that the drive back to Downtown will run along the Corniche road, with the Mediterranean Sea spread out to the horizon on your right.
You might feel tempted to stop here or there to take a few photos, but if you do so, just be careful of petty crime (pickpocketing mostly) and other tourist scams. Lots of tourists visit the Corniche, so there are unfortunately some people who will try to exploit or take advantage of them here.
Grab dinner somewhere near your hotel and then settle in for the night after what will have been a very long day.
Overnight in Alexandria
Day 5: Alexandria (and travel to Aswan)
Main sights today: National Museum, Catacombs, Roman Amphitheater, overnight train to Aswan
The Roman Amphitheater of Alexandria. Photo: Codex, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Morning
Breakfast at Mohamed Ahmed Restaurant
Do not eat in the hotel this morning, even if it offers breakfast! Instead, head for breakfast at Mohamed Ahmed restaurant (also known as Foul Mohamed Ahmed), Alexandria’s famed diner offering dishes of cooked fava beans (foul or ful, in Arabic) alongside other Egyptian plates.
The restaurant is known for attracting tourists and many foreigners, including known international figures. Those visits are documented with photos hanging all over the walls. The restaurant is great, with good food and a nice atmosphere, so you will surely enjoy it.
Alexandria National Museum
After breakfast head to the Alexandria National Museum, which holds a wealth of artifacts dating back to antiquity. It’s about a 20 minute walk from the restaurant, or a 10 minute Uber/InDrive ride.
The most attractive part of the antiquities housed here are the ones testifying to the Ptolemeic era of Ancient Egypt, where the Pharaonic and Greek art styles fused together. For example, you will see pharaoh-like statues with faces carrying Greek or Roman features (curly hair etc…). It’s pretty fascinating.
The museum is not especially big, so 2-3 hours should be enough for you to cover everything.
Roman Amphitheater
After visiting the musuem, it’s time to make your way to the Roman Amphitheater, which is another 20 minute walk or 10 minute drive.
Founded in the 4th century AD, the theatre is one of the best touristic attractions in Alexandria. The typical Roman theatre consists of a small stage surrounded by an auditorium and the many rooms behind the theatre.
In the middle of the stage you will find a small circle. Stand on this circle facing the auditorium. When you speak, you will feel the amazing effect of the inimitable acoustics of the location. The Romans were truly geniuses.
Catacombs of Kom El-Shoqafa
Located 15 minutes away from the Roman Theatre, the Catacombs of Kom El-Shoqafa are one of the most beautiful Greco-Roman sites in Alexandria. They are not often included in the standard tourist trips, but are a real gem. If you need directions, don’t ask for the “Catacombs” though, as the locals know the area simply as Kom El-Shoqafa.
This multi-story necropolis and royal cemetery will transport you back in time to Greco-Roman Alexandria. Some of artifacts on display date back to the 2nd century AD! Similar to the National Museum, it’s very interesting to see the fusion between the Ancient Egyptian and Greco-Roman cultures.
Pay attention to the many ornaments and statues that speak to centuries of art and disparate socio-religious practices joined together into one.
The Catacombs close at 4:30 PM, so be sure to arrive with enough time to explore the site thorougly.
A hall in the Catacombs. Photo: Clemens Schmillen, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Afternoon
Explore Downtown
Now, head for a late lunch in one of the city’s Downtown restaurants (you’ll already be in the area, more or less). Alexandria is pretty cosmopolitan, so you’ll find lots of places offering international cuisine, but I suggest skipping those and instead choosing somewhere that you can try Feteer.
Feteer is an Egyptian pastry made of many thin layers of dough, and filled either savory toppings (meats, cheeses, vegetables) or sweets (jame, coconut, mehalabiya, malban, nutella, or chocolate).
The city center (known as Mahatet El-Raml), has a few very good places to try feteer. You can also order some as take-away and enjoy it later in the evening.
After lunch and some time exploring the city center, head back to your hotel and grab your belongings, as tonight you are continuing your journey and heading on to Aswan.
Evening
Overnight train to Aswan
To reach Aswan, your best bet is to take an overnight sleepier train. Usually, there are daily departures from Alexandria to Aswan, with trains leaving at 5:00, 7:00, and 8:00 PM. The route takes 15 and a half hours and is almost always on time and on schedule for the whole route.
If you take an 8:00 PM train, which will give you time for lots of sightseeing in Alexandria beforehand, you should reach Aswan around midday the following day. Trains are very comfortable and will give you a good chance to rest before you embark on your tour of Egypt’s south.
You can find some good information about the trains at the following site, but just be aware that the prices on your travel dates may differ from what you see: https://12go.asia/en/train/alexandria/aswan.
The train schedule may change depending on the season, so plan this part carefully and be aware of the schedule on your travel dates. I would strongly suggest sorting this part of your trip out well before you arrive to Egypt.
Overnight on the sleeper train
Days 6-9: Aswan to Luxor 4-day Nile River Cruise
A typical Nile River cruise ship. Photo: Marc Ryckaert, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped from original.
Overview of Nile River cruises
The best way to see Egypt’s south is by booking a Nile Cruise. There are several options of doing so, including online bookings or even you can do it from your home country prior to your arrival to Egypt.
In Egypt, any of the tourism offices (you will see them all around in Cairo Downtown) also offer Nile cruises.
There are many options, covering different amount of days. The four day / three nights cruise is the best option that will allow you to see some best spots in Aswan, Luxor and everything in between: temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu.
Each cruise / boats company has its own programme and you will need to follow the hours specified by the boat and the guides. However all of them have the same stops and allow for the tourists to visit the main attractions. Still you may add a few special attractions to your trip - they are enumerated below.
The cruise is like a hotel, so you do not need to worry about your breakfasts, lunches and dinners.
While on the cruise, stay on the top deck in the evenings - if you are lucky, you might see the great colors of southern sunset.
Who to book with
There are countless companies offering cruises, so check reviews carefully and be sure to choose a good operator. Just like with hotels, you will find cruises of widely varying quality, so don’t expect them all to be the same. Do some research!
Also, you should certainly book this prior to arriving to Egypt.
Can you do this same trip independently?
Doing it by yourself (with no cruise) is an extremely tough task and might turn out to be more expensive than just giving yourself into the hands of a touristic company.
Day 6: Arrival to Aswan and start of the river cruise
The Philae Temple Complex. Photo: Warren LeMay from Cullowhee, NC, United States, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
Morning/Afternoon
Arrive to Aswan (from the overnight train)
Your arrival time to Aswan will of course depend on when your train gets in, but assuming you take the 8:00 PM train from Alexandria the day before, you should be arriving to Aswan around 12:00 PM.
This will give you plenty of time to explore the city before settling into your cabin on the cruise ship.
Once you reach the city, head straight to the riverfront, where you’ll see all of the cruise boats lined up along the Nile. The train station is right next to the river, so you’ll start seeing boats the second you step out from the station.
Check-in on the cruises usually starts at about 12:00 PM, so you should be all set to check in right away.
If you have time before the cruise’s departure, remember also to visit the Aswan market, a haven for all sorts of spices. In fact, even Egyptians prefer spices purchased in Aswan compared with those offered in other cities.
Board the boat and start your river cruise
After visiting the market and perhaps exploring a bit of the town, head back to your ship and prepare for departure. The boats will usually take off in the late afternoon, so there’s no real rush, but you definitely want to be back in time.
Once on board the boat, prepare for the beginning of a magnificent adventure down the storied Nile River. Each cruise is of course different, but this afternoon you could expect to visit/do some of the following as part of your tour package:
The Philae temple complex
The temple was built during the Greco-Roman period, and the reign of Ptolemy II in specific. The temple is dedicated to Isis, Osiris, and Horus, the famed trio embedded in a known myth. You will see their representations on the temple’s walls.
In fact, this is not the original location of this magnificent temple. During the building of the new Aswan dam (1960-1970), the waters flooded the old island that housed the temple. The Egyptian government and UNESCO moved the whole complex, stone by stone, to its current location.
Aswan Dam and Nasser Lake
The Aswan Dam (also known as High Dam) is among the largest such endeavors in the world. Built between 1960 and 1970, the dam aimed at helping to regulate the Nile waters which flooded the fields downstream.
The construction of the Dam also created a large lake on its southern side, known as Nasser Lake since the dam was erected on the late president Gamal Abdel Nasser’s request.
A boat trip down the Nile River on a Felucca (a traditional Nile boat).
Granite and Marble quarries
If the regular tour does not include the granite and marble quarries, which have been a source for this important building material since the Pharaonic times, ask the boat’s guides/tour operators how to visit the area on your own.
Overnight on the boat as it sails south
Day 7: Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna
Kom Ombo
Kom Ombo Temple
Your ship will have traveled quite a way down the river overnight, so by the time you wake up, you will likely already be in Kom Ombo.
The Kom Ombo temple is the star attraction here, and it is a worthy one indeed! Hailing from the Ptolemaic times (180–47 BC), the temple was built to worship both the crocodile-headed god Sobek, and the falcon-headed god Horus.
Legend says that this area was also a resting point for crocodiles swimming north, so ask your guide to take you to the chambers that include mummified crocodiles.
Edfu
After touring the temple, you’ll head back to the boat and embark towards Edfu, a magnificent large temple, some 55 km further to the north.
Also erected during Egypt’s Hellenistic period, the Temple of Edfu is dedicated to Horus and Hathor, goddess of the sky. You will find numerous amazing representations of Hathor inside the temple.
When touring the site, be sure to look up at the ceiling! In many areas it is covered in black smoke. This is a result of later cultures entering the temples and treating them as places for daily life, which included lighting fires to keep warm.
Edfu
Esna
After visiting Edfu, you will likely still have time to sail on to Esna, another temple on your route to Luxor. Not all cruises include a visit to Esna though, as it all depends on your timing.
Overnight on the boat as it travels toward Luxor
Day 8: Luxor East Bank
Expect to reach Luxor in the morning today. On arrival, you’ll disembark from the boat and your guide will take you on a tour through the best known sites.
Your first day will probably be spent on the East Bank, which is the side of Luxor that in ancient times, represented life. This is where all the non-mortuary temples were erected and the Ancient Egyptians had their homes and palaces.
This is also where the great Karnak temple is located. Karnak is actually a large complex of temples, halls, pylons, etc, built consecutively throughout the ancient history, when Luxor was Egypt’s capital.
*History note: the first capital was in Memphis, in northern Egypt - this is the time when the Pyramids were built.
A section of the Karnak complex
The east bank also includes Luxor temple, just a few steps away from Karnak. Both Luxor and Karnak offer great sound and light shows in the evening, and you should be able to attend them.
These shows are a bit different to the Sound & Light show offered at the Pyramids in Cairo; in Luxor, they’re much more engaging, as you are able to walk through the temples during the show.
Overnight on the boat in Luxor
Day 9: Luxor West Bank and end of your cruise
The Mortuary Temple of Hatchepsut
As already mentioned, according to Ancient Egyptian beliefs, life took place in the east (where the sun rises), while the west (where the sun sets) was associated with the afterlife. As such, the tombs and mortuary of Luxor were built on the west bank of the river.
So, today you’ll spend some time on the West Bank.
Almost certainly first on your list will be the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens, both hidden deep in the mountains, with tombs dug into the rock. It is here that the perfectly preserved tomb of Tutankhamon was discovered by British archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922.
The west bank also includes the mortuary temple of Hatchepsut, one of the most important Queens of Ancient Egypt.
While here, you may also have the option to take a hot-air balloon ride, which is a truly interesting experience, and which will afford you a literal bird’s eye view over the antiquities of Luxor.
Once the “obligatory” visits are over, make sure you check out a few other sites, most of which are not often included in the standard tourist guides.
One such amazing place is Habu Temple (ask for Madinet Habu), which is a mortuary temple of Ramses III, located on the west bank.
The first thing that will strike you in this large complex are the wonderfully preserved colors on the temple’s ceilings, columns, and walls. Here, you’ll feel much closer to the Ancient Times and their amazing art, which has remained here for more than 3,000 years!
And since the temple is not visited by many tourists, you’ll undoubtedly enjoy the tranquility.
Another interesting site in Luxor is Banana Island (ask for Geziret El-Moz), located in the north of the city. To get there, you’ll need to take a motorboat from the Luxor quay in the city centre.
As the name indicates, the island is filled with many banana trees, but it’s also home to beautiful fauna and flora, and countless kinds of fruits.
To end your day, head to the Luxor souk (bazaar) to pick up any souvenirs you’re still looking for. Remember to bargain a bit.
End of the cruise
Your cruise’s programming will have officially finished by the end of today, so now you have a few options for what’s next:
Stay overnight in Luxor and catch an early morning flight to Cairo tomorrow.
There are typically a few early morning flights for Cairo, so you can easily arrive into the capital quite early.
Take the nighttime sleeper train back to Cairo tonight, arriving sometime in the morning or early afternoon tomorrow.
See train details here. There are typically trains departing every few hours, starting in the early morning and running until about 10:00 PM.
Catch a flight back to Cairo tonight, and spend the night in the capital.
There are usually a few evening departures, and the flight takes a little over an hour. Tickets are quite cheap (well less than $100 USD typically)
For the purposes of this itinerary, I’m going to assume that you’ve opted for the sleeper train, but all of the options above are perfectly reasonable.
Overnight on the sleeper train
Day 10: Cairo - Citadel of Saladin
Citadel of Saladin. Photo: Qnx3000, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you opted to take the sleeper train from Luxor last night, you should be arriving into Cairo in the early afternoon and will be ready to do some sightseeing as soon as you’ve dropped your bags off at your hotel.
Citadel of Sultan Saladin
Since you don’t have a full day at your disposal, your final time in Cairo should be almost entirely reserved for touring the magnificent Citadel of Sultan Saladin, a defensive fortress dating back to the 12th century when the Crusades first reached the territories of northern Africa.
To reach the Citadel, I suggest taking an Uber/InDrive, and the ride here should take about 20 minutes from Downtown. The Citadel area is open until 4:30pm, and you will probably need 3-4 hours to see it thoroughly, so plan to spend your entire afternoon here.
As you approach the Citadel grounds, be on the lookout for the the magnificent Mohamed Ali mosque, which is where you should begin your exploration. Also referred to as an Alabaster Mosque, it was erected during the Mohamed Ali reign (1805 – 1848).
Enjoy the grand hall within the mosque, have some rest on the carpets, and don’t forget to lie down and look up, admiring the mosque’s ceiling.
The impressive Mohamed Ali Mosque. Photo: Amazingtwogirls, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The citadel area also includes numerous other small buildings which are worth visiting. The many arabesque windows that you will encounter in some of those sites are very good spots for taking lovely photos.
The large garden-like area next to the mosque offers a truly fantastic lookout point from where you can admire Cairo. Take in the city, and marvel at this metropolis of more than 20 million people.
But also look right in front of you, and you’ll see the impressive Mosque of Sultan Hassan and the Mosque of Al-Rifai. If time allows and you still have energy, call an Uber to take you down to the mosques (it’s about 10 minutes driving).
And a final note: the Citadel is also a spot for the annual Citadel Festival for Music and Singing, which is usually organized around August. The two-week event brings dozens of performers - mostly Egyptian with some Arab musicians - to three stages erected across the Citadel area.
Organized by the Cairo Opera House (& Culture Ministry), the festival targets the regular Egyptians who might find it difficult (or uncomfortable) to attend artistic events at the Cairo Opera or other theaters which at times require a strict dress code or have high tickets’ fees.
Locals come to the festival in large numbers with their entire family, so expect to be surrounded by multigenerational groups having a great time. The festival events take place in late afternoons and evenings.
If you do not catch this festival, you might still have some luck to find some artistic activities in the area. Ask about events happening at the Citadel’s ticket office.
Dinner in downtown Cairo
Once you leave the Citadel area (hopefully complemented by visits to Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifai mosques), you will need to head back to Downtown Cairo where you can catch a late lunch or early dinner.
There are no restaurants worth recommending in the Citadel area, so it really is best to wait to eat until getting back downtown.
Once you’ve reached downtown, you’ll have tons of options, but if you remember from the first part of this itinerary, I had previously recommended Estoril and the Greek Club. You may have already tried one, so if so, now is the time to check out the other. You will surely have a great meal at either!
Downtown Cairo
After dinner, I’d suggest wandering around downtown and enjoying the atmosphere on your final night in Egypt. Soak it all in and reflect on the wonderful adventure that you’ve just had in a truly spectacular countr.
Overnight in Cairo and the end of your trip
.jpg){kind=link}
