Twelve days. This is the magic number if you can't take 14 days but you really want the Red Sea. Pharaohs in the morning, diving in the afternoon. Reasonable budget. Honest rhythm. Here is the program we recommend 90% of the time.
Why 12 days is the sweet spot
That's the real question: why not 14, why not 10? Because 12 days gives you:
- Enough time at the Nile (7 nights: Luxor → Aswan → Abu Simbel)
- Enough time at the Red Sea (3 days minimum to breathe)
- Stress-free Cairo (2 full days)
- Built-in rest days (you don't come home exhausted)
- Abu Simbel included (this is the psychological bonus)
It's the perfect formula for a first trip to Egypt. No headlong flight. No regrets. Just good balance.
The day by day program
Day 1: Arrival Cairo
You arrive on your flight to Egypt (usually at night). Landing 6 p.m.-10 p.m. From the airport, our service takes over: VIP welcome, facilitated formalities, private transfer to your 4-star hotel. All subsequent domestic flights (Cairo-Luxor, Marsa Alam-Aswan) are organized by us. You have 5-6 hours to sleep. Do not go out that day. Your body doesn't know where it is. Check out our guide on visa for Egypt before your departure.
Day 2: Complete Cairo
Morning: Egyptian Museum (90 minutes). Go to the first one. It's chaos after 10am. Tutankhamun's mummy. The treasures. Your guide speaks French.
Afternoon: Pyramids of Giza (Great Pyramid, Khufu, Sphinx). Then Citadel of Saladin. View over all of Cairo. Muhammad Ali Mosque. It's gigantic. For full details, see our complete guide to Cairo.
Evening: Rest. Or Khan el-Khalili bazaar if you have the energy (spices, fabrics, souvenirs).
Day 3: Saqqara and departure
Morning: Saqqara. Djoser’s Step Pyramid. More authentic than Giza. The corridors are narrow. You exude seniority. Two hours. Return to Cairo.
Noon: Lunch. Airport transfer.
2 p.m.: Cairo-Luxor flight (1 hour). Arrival 3 p.m. Direct transfer to the boat. Boarding 4 p.m. Sunset from the bridge. You sleep well tonight.
Days 4-7: Nile Cruise, 7 nights
D4 morning: Valley of the Kings. You go underground. The walls are painted. The colors have lasted for 3300 years. It's moving. To better understand the Nile cruise, check out our complete cruise guide.
Day 4 afternoon: Medinet Habou. Temple of Ramesses III. Less touristy than Karnak. More intact than others. You are almost alone with the hieroglyphs.
D5: Karnak in the morning (the largest temple). Luxor temple in the afternoon. Boat sails slowly between the two (2 hours). You look at the Nile. The villages. Children playing. Time stops. Find out the details at Luxor and its monuments.
D6: Navigation. Rest day. You read. You are sleeping. You have a drink with other travelers. The boat continues south. This is the real Egypt seen from the water.
D7: Arrival Aswan. Quick visit to the dam. Spice market. Dinner on board. Preparation for Abu Simbel.
Day 8: Abu Simbel
Departure 4am (very early). Road 280 km to Abu Simbel (3 hours by car). Two colossi of Ramses II carved into the mountain. It's inhuman in size. It's magical.
Internal visit: the temple, the rooms, the underground sanctuary. Then return to Aswan (arrival 7 p.m.). You are exhausted. But happy. Light dinner. Dodo.
Day 9: Aswan rest
You have recovered. Aswan market. Spices, fabrics, perfumes. Felucca (small sailing boat) at sunset. It's poetic. You need that quiet half day. It's healthy. Check out our complete guide to Aswan so as not to miss anything.
Evening: Disembarkation from the boat. Transfer to the hotel in Marsa Alam (or Hurghada, your choice).
Days 10-12: Red Sea
D9 evening: Arrival Marsa Alam (45 min flight from Aswan) or Hurghada (2 hours). 4-5 star hotel with private beach. You have the evening free. Local dinner. Go to bed early.
D10: Acclimatization. Beach. Pool. Cocktails. You're finally reading this book from day 1. You're not moving.
D11: Diving or snorkeling. Coral reefs. Tropical fish. Rays. Turtles. The water is clear. You forget the surface. (If not a diver: simple snorkeling is also good and less tiring.)
D12: Free morning (beach, massage, nap). Afternoon: domestic flight back to Cairo which we organize (depending on connection). You then take your flight back to Egypt for the return, this evening or tomorrow morning depending on your schedule.
Summary table of the 12 days
| Day | Location | Key Points | Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| D1 | Cairo (arrival) | Rest | Cairo Hotel |
| J2 | Cairo | Museum, Pyramids, Citadel | Cairo Hotel |
| D3 | Saqqara → Luxor | Djoser, flight, boarding | Nile Cruise J1 |
| J4 | Luxor | Valley of the Kings, Medinet | Nile Cruise J2 |
| J5 | Navigation Nile | Karnak, Luxor temple | Nile Cruise J3 |
| J6 | Navigation Nile | Rest, observations | Nile Cruise J4 |
| J7 | Aswan | Dam, market | Nile Cruise J5 |
| J8 | Abu Simbel | Colossi, temple | Nile Cruise J6 |
| J9 | Aswan → Marsa Alam | Rest, market, flight | Red Sea Hotel |
| D10 | Red Sea | Beach, swimming pool, rest | Red Sea Hotel |
| J11 | Red Sea | Diving/snorkeling | Red Sea Hotel |
| D12 | Departure | Return flight | Airplane |
Detailed budget for 12 days
Comfort budget (couple)
Cairo Hotel 2 nights (4 stars): £220
Nile cruise 7 nights (4 stars): £2,150 (1400 per person)
Red Sea Hotel 3 nights (4 stars): £350
Internal flights (2): £280
Entrances + Abu Simbel: £230
Diving/snorkeling: £150
Meals + transport: £290
Total per person: £2,980
Luxury budget (couple)
Cairo Hotel 2 nights (5 stars): £310
Nile cruise 7 nights (5 stars dahabiya): £3,690 (2400 per person)
Red Sea Hotel 3 nights (5 stars): £580
Internal flights (2): £280
Entrances + Abu Simbel VIP: £310
High-end diving: £270
Meals + restaurants: £400
Total per person: £4,900
Marsa Alam vs Hurghada: the choice
| Appearance | Marsa Alam | Hurghada |
|---|---|---|
| Distance Aswan | 260 km (45 min flight) | 580 km (2 hours flight) |
| Atmosphere | Quiet, village | Urban, tourist |
| Coral reefs | Better, less overdived | Good, popular |
| Nightlife | Minimalist | Bars, restaurants, clubs |
| Budget | £60-£90 (4*) | £80-£120 (4*) |
| Ideal for | Couples, divers, quiet | Families, young people, action |
Our opinion: Marsa Alam, 100%. After an exhausting cruise, you need some peace and quiet. The reefs are better there. The relationship is more personal. You are not in a megastation. You are in a little paradise.
What makes this tour unique
Abu Simbel included. With 7 nights of cruise, you disembark in Aswan with energy for Abu Simbel (day 8). No exhausting cruise that rolls towards Abu Simbel. You are rested. You benefit from the colossi.
Red Sea Times. 3 days is the minimum. It's enough to dive in, enough to relax you. You don't come home exhausted. You return balanced: half temples, half beach.
Marsa Alam rather than Hurghada. Less noise, better reefs, more authentic. Real Egypt, not the tourist version.
English-speaking guide at each site. Capital. You really understand. Hieroglyphics aren't just designs. It's history.
FAQ: Does 12 days really work?
Aren't we going to be too tired?
No. The first three days, lag and rhythm tire you out. Days 4-7 you are on the boat (it's rest with activities). Day 8, Abu Simbel exhausts you but it's okay. Days 10-12 are the beach (pure rest). You come home happy, not broken.
Why not 14 days?
If you can, take 14. Two more days = more rest, less stress, possibility of the White Desert. But 12 is honest. It's doable. 14 is a luxury.
Diving, do you need to be certified?
No. You can do a “Discovery Dive” on site (£60, 1 hour). An instructor shows you, you descend 10m max. No need for certification. But snorkeling is also beautiful and less tiring.
Abu Simbel, is it really necessary?
Yes. Two colossi carved into the mountain. This is pharaonic architecture taken to the extreme. Otherwise you would walk away saying “I should have”. 280 km, but it's magical. Go for it.
Can we do the circuit in April/May (heat)?
Technically yes. But 45°C in Luxor, you stay in the hotel 14 hours a day. It's not a journey, it's a survival. October to April is ideal (25-30°C). June to September, it's impossible for a French tourist.
Which boat for 12 days?
4 stars minimum. Not the 2-3 stars (too noisy). The 4 stars: comfort, service, fair price. The 5 stars (dahabiya): luxury (but budget +£1,150).
Do you need travel insurance?
Yes. Repatriation, cancellation, medical. Egypt is safe, but the hospitals are not French. Budget: £40 for two people. It's given.
Book your 12-day tour
This is the formula that is most often recommended. For what ? Because 12 days is enough to explore, it's not too long to be tense, it's quick enough to be doable. And people come back saying “we saw pharaohs in the morning, snorkeled in the afternoon, slept under the stars of the Nile”.
A 5 minute WhatsApp call. You describe your desires (Abu Simbel yes/no? Marsa Alam or Hurghada?). We recommend the exact boat. The exact hotels. Guides who speak French. No commission. No pressure. Just good advice.
Response in less than 2 hours · 7 days a week · No obligation
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