Egypt travel guide 2026–2027
The questions every traveller asks before booking an Egypt trip, answered with current facts and linked to the programs that fit.
How many days do you need?
One day covers the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum; three days give a full picture of Cairo and Giza. A first complete trip with Luxor, Aswan and a Nile cruise needs about eight days; add three to six days for the Red Sea, Alexandria or the desert.
Egypt tours, 1 to 30 days →When is the best time to visit?
October to April is the most comfortable season for sightseeing. Summer is hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan, but works with early starts, museums, cruises and the sea. In 2027, note the Abu Simbel sun alignment around 22 February and the total solar eclipse in Luxor on 2 August.
Total solar eclipse · Luxor · 2 Aug 2027 →Visa for Egypt
Visa rules depend on your passport. Apply only through the official Egypt e-Visa portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg; our visa helper links to it by nationality.
Visa helper →Getting there and around
Cairo is served by direct flights from many countries, including from cities in China. Inside Egypt, short domestic flights link Cairo with Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada and Abu Simbel; sleeper trains and private cars cover the rest.
Airport to return →Nile cruise or land tour?
A cruise between Luxor and Aswan (usually three or four nights) visits Edfu and Kom Ombo while you sleep on board. A land tour with hotels is more flexible. Many itineraries combine both.
Nile cruises →The Red Sea
Hurghada, El Gouna and Marsa Alam are the easiest beaches to add, with snorkelling and diving on coral reefs and a four-hour road to Luxor.
Red Sea →Private or small group?
A private trip has its own car, driver and licensed guide and follows your pace. Small groups share the guide and vehicle. Both are quoted in writing.
Private trips →Guides, payments and safety
Guides are licensed and assigned by language, subject to availability. Payment arrangements are agreed privately after the written quote. For emergency numbers and official advice, see our safety page.
Safety guidelines →Destinations
Choose a region to see its programs.
11Cairo & GizaPyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and a thousand years of history
5AlexandriaGreek, Roman and modern Egypt by the Mediterranean
9LuxorTemples and royal tombs of ancient Thebes
7Aswan & Abu SimbelPhilae, feluccas and the road to Abu Simbel
6Red SeaCoral reefs, islands and resort towns
5Desert & oasesThe White Desert, Siwa and the fossils of Wadi El-HitanPrograms
Filter by duration, city and style. Every program can be shortened, extended or made private.
1 dayPyramids, Sphinx & Grand Egyptian Museum in one day
The essential Cairo day: the Giza plateau in the morning light, then the Grand Egyptian Museum and Tutankhamun’s treasures.
Cairo & Giza
3 daysCairo & Giza in 3 days
Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, the step pyramid of Saqqara and Dahshur, then old Cairo and the Museum of Civilization.
Cairo & Giza
4 daysAswan, Abu Simbel & Luxor in 4 days
Fly south to Aswan, see Abu Simbel at dawn, drive the temple road to Luxor and finish in the Valley of the Kings.
Aswan & Abu Simbel · Luxor
8 daysClassic Egypt in 8 days with a Nile cruise
Cairo and the pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, then three nights on the Nile from Aswan to Luxor with Abu Simbel as an option.
Cairo & Giza · Aswan & Abu Simbel · Luxor
11 daysEgypt in 11 days: private Nile cruise & Red Sea
The length travellers choose most: Cairo, four nights on the Nile from Luxor to Aswan, Abu Simbel, then three days by the Red Sea.
Cairo & Giza · Luxor · Aswan & Abu Simbel · Red Sea
14 daysGrand Egypt in 14 days
Everything in one journey: Cairo, Saqqara, Alexandria, Aswan and Abu Simbel, a Nile cruise, a Luxor balloon at sunrise and the Red Sea.
Cairo & Giza · Alexandria · Aswan & Abu Simbel · Luxor · Red Sea
5 daysLuxor total solar eclipse 2027 — 5 days
Cairo and the GEM, then Luxor for the eclipse of 2 August 2027 — up to 6 min 23 s of totality over ancient Thebes.
Cairo & Giza · Luxor
In-depth travel guides
When to travel
Questions travellers ask
Is Egypt good for a first international trip?
Yes, with planning. Most first trips combine Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, with hosted transfers and a licensed guide for each visit.
Do you publish prices?
No. Every itinerary is different, so you receive a written quote with inclusions, exclusions and cancellation terms.
Can you arrange guides who speak my language?
Licensed guides are assigned by language on request, subject to availability on your dates.
What should I wear when visiting mosques and churches?
Shoulders and knees covered; women carry a scarf for mosques. Your guide explains the rules at each site.
Can I plan my own itinerary?
Yes. Use the trip planner to choose days and places, then ask for a written quote based on your plan.
Contact us for a quote
Tell us the basics; you receive a WF reference.