In Egypt the practicalities pile up fast. A standard 10-day trip means three internal flights (CairoLuxor, Aswan, then back via Hurghada), a Nile boat to secure on a fleet that fills and turns around quickly, admission tickets bought at each site, and a guide who can actually read the hieroglyphs. Pulling all of that together yourself from Britain eats up hours and, more often than not, ends up dearer than an all-inclusive package for 2026
A packaged tour, known in Egypt as an organised trip, sorts out three things at once: cost (group buying and negotiated rates on 5-star boats, Cairo hotels and EgyptAir flights), safety (private transfers, licensed guides, insurance built in) and the hours you save once there. Over 10 days, someone travelling independently can easily lose half a day per city sorting out a transfer that fell through or haggling over a taxi. Our package versus independent travel comparison sets out the figures side by side.
The trade-off: a set itinerary dictates the pace, the early starts and the stops along the way. That is precisely why our local agency also runs a tailor-made option, where every day is agreed with you before the quote is signed off.
Breaks of 3 to 5 days suit two kinds of visitor: those passing through (a Mediterranean cruise calling at Port Said, for instance) and those who only want Cairo before heading to the Red Sea with a different operator.
With 3 days you cover the whole Giza plateau (Great Pyramid of Cheops, the Sphinx, Saqqara, Memphis), spend half a day at the Grand Egyptian Museum and finish with an evening in Islamic Cairo (Khan el-Khalili and the historic mosques). With 4 or 5 days, Dahshur comes in (the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid), along with the Coptic Museum and, if you like, a day trip to Alexandria by train.
To give a real figure, our 5-day Cairo short break is listed from around 680 euros, covering a 4-star hotel looking onto the pyramids, private transfers and an English-speaking guide (your flight out to Egypt is booked separately). For a fuller picture of the capital, read the Cairo destination page
The honest drawback of so short a stay: a Nile cruise cannot fit in. Boats leave Luxor or Aswan on 4 or 7 night rotations, so with under 6 days in the country you have to give up Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae. Coming back another time for a 7 day tour is the natural next step for these visitors.
Seven to ten days gets you to the core of an Egypt trip: Cairo with the Giza plateau, a 3 or 4 night Nile cruise (Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan) and, where it fits, a side trip to Abu Simbel. This is the format our agency sells most, and it strikes the best balance between what you see and the time it takes on a first visit.
A typical 7 day tour 2026 looks like this: day 1 arrive Cairo, day 2 Giza and Saqqara, day 3 fly to Luxor and board, day 4 Edfu and Kom Ombo, day 5 Aswan and Philae, day 6 back to Cairo or on to the Red Sea, day 7 home to the UK. Prices for 2026 begin at 1,290 euros per person: half-board 4-star hotel, 5-star cruise and the internal flights we arrange (Cairo-Luxor, Aswan-Abu Simbel) included.
The 10 day tour 2026 brings three extra days that earn their keep: the Nile cruise stretches to 5 nights (the Valley of the Kings at a proper pace, Karnak spread over two half-days, Abu Simbel by air from Aswan) and usually two nights in Hurghada or Cairo to unwind before the flight home. It is the version we suggest for a first visit, above all if you are bringing children or a partner who is not keen on 5am alarms.
Deciding between 7, 10 or 14 days comes down to fitness and who is in the party; our guide to the best 7, 10 and 14 day itineraries walks through each one with its strengths and drawbacks.
Talk through your 10-day tour with our Cairo team directly
Our local team replies in English, Sunday to Friday, with an itemised quote within 24 hours. Give us your rough dates, party size and target budget for a proposal that stacks up.
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Past the 10-day mark, the route starts to branch out. A 12 day tour 2026 makes room for Abu Simbel overland (cheaper than flying, with two days there and a night beside Lake Nasser), or for Alexandria and the Mediterranean shore, or for a foray into Fayoum and the oases of the Western Desert
With a 14 day tour 2026 the options widen again: two or three nights in Hurghada or Marsa Alam for Red Sea diving, a Lake Nasser cruise past the little-visited temples (Amada, Wadi el-Seboua, Kalabsha), or a pairing of St Catherine's and the Sinai.
One 14-day package we sell in practice, Cairo to Marsa Alam in 12 days : Cairo for 2 nights, a 7-night Nile cruise with the Abu Simbel add-on, then 4 nights at a 5-star all-inclusive resort in Marsa Alam. For 2026 it starts at 2,480 euros per person sharing a double, with the internal flights we book (Cairo-Luxor, Aswan-Abu Simbel) included.
Trips of this length suit people on a second visit, retired travellers with time to spare, or extended families keen to mix sightseeing with the beach. They fit a first trip less well, needing a bigger budget and the stamina for 15 straight days in the heat.
The pairing people ask for most is still Nile plus Red Sea : a week of culture along the river, then 3 or 4 days of doing nothing in Hurghada or El Gouna. That is exactly how our Cairo, Nile cruise and Hurghada package is put together: 2 nights in Cairo, a 4-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan and 3 nights all-inclusive in Hurghada, with EgyptAir internal flights and a private transfer from Luxor to Hurghada. Our guide to combining a Nile cruise with Hurghada explains how the two halves connect.
The Nile plus desert pairing suits those who have already seen the big sites: a 4-night Nile cruise, then Fayoum and the Western Desert (Bahariya, Siwa) for oases, nights under canvas and dunes. It runs less often (two departures a month in 2026) yet couples aged 35-50 ask for it often on a return visit.
A third route, Nile plus Jordan, crosses at Aqaba or flies from Cairo to Amman so that Petra and Wadi Rum follow the pyramids. Many people torn between the two read our Egypt or Jordan comparison before they decide.
A set circuit will not suit everyone. Perhaps you would rather a dahabiya than a standard cruise boat, two extra nights in Luxor to take in Deir el-Bahari without hurrying, a guide trained in Egyptology, a room with a guaranteed Nile view, or simply a gentler pace with no alarms before 8am: in that case what you want is a tailor-made trip to Egypt
Here is how we go about it: a first conversation by video call or WhatsApp (45 to 60 minutes), a detailed initial quote inside 72 hours offering three hotels per city and two boats, then two rounds of tweaks before you confirm. There is no charge for drawing up the quote until you approve it. In effect you have a dedicated project manager for the 2 to 3 weeks leading up to departure.
The people we most often plan bespoke trips for: couples on honeymoon, families with children (later starts, activities to break up the sites), older travellers (an easy pace and 5-star hotels only), guests wanting a private Egyptologist alongside them, and combinations that add places such as Aswan for 3 nights rather than one, or a cruise on Lake Nasser.
Going bespoke does not automatically cost more than joining a group: like for like, the gap is roughly 8 to 15%, and customers tell us the personal touch more than makes up for it.
A luxury Egypt trip, or top-end tour, rests on four pillars: the Nile boat (Sonesta Star Goddess, Oberoi Philae, a privately chartered dahabiya), the Cairo hotel (Four Seasons Nile Plaza, Marriott Mena House with pyramid views, St. Regis Almasa), transport (private cars with an English or French speaking driver, private jets between Cairo and Luxor on tight schedules) and the people around you (a dedicated Egyptologist guide, access to certain sites outside normal hours).
Our 5 star luxury Nile cruises begin at roughly 1,800 euros per person for 4 nights aboard the finest boats. A full 10-day luxury tour comes to between 4,200 and 7,500 euros per person, internal flights (Cairo-Aswan, Aswan-Luxor, Cairo-Hurghada) arranged by us and included, the exact figure depending on whether you take a standard 5-star boat or a dahabiya reserved for your family or friends.
Despite what people expect, luxury in Egypt costs less than its equivalent in Europe or the Maldives, helped by the dollar exchange rate and low local costs. Anyone used to 5-star standards will find the service you get for the money among the best anywhere around the Mediterranean.
Indicative ranges for 2026, double and half board basis, Egyptian domestic flights that we organize included (Cairo-Aswan, Aswan-Luxor, Cairo-Sharm el-Sheikh, Aswan-Abu Simbel):
Your flight to Egypt remains to be organized by you and is not included in our prices; however, all necessary domestic flights (Cairo-Aswan, Aswan-Luxor, Cairo-Hurghada, Aswan-Abu Simbel) are supported and booked by us. To prepare your budget, see the cheap travel guide 2026 and the Egypt travel budget guide 2026, which give details of the incompressible positions (visa 30 dollars, tips around 80 euros per person for 10 days, optional excursions).
Cruise-only prices, often asked for separately, are set out in our 2026 Nile cruise price guide
Bespoke or classic tour: a straightforward quote within 24 hours
Send us your preferences (fixed or flexible dates, hotel standard, must-see sites, any concerns) and we will reply with a costed proposal built around you. No booking fee, nothing to commit to.
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High season runs from October to April, busiest over Christmas, Easter and the February half-term. Daytime temperatures in Cairo sit between 18 and 25°C, comfortable for a full day at the sites. Down in Aswan and Abu Simbel the days stay warm even in December (25 to 30°C) while the nights turn cool.
Between May and September the heat builds in Luxor and Aswan (40 to 45°C in July and August). Midday temple visits become hard work, but prices fall steeply: packages cost 25 to 40% less than in high season, and more departures head for the Red Sea, where the sea breeze keeps things bearable.
Our 2026 guide to when to visit Egypt goes through conditions month by month, local events (the Moulids, Ramadan, the Abu Simbel sun festival on 22 February and 22 October) and the best windows for prices. On paperwork, the 2026 visa guide for British travellers explains the visa on arrival ($30) and the e-visa applied for in advance.
Whether you search for an egypt holiday, a trip to egypt, an egypt tour or an egypt package, the formats stay the same: 3 to 5 days for a short break, 7 to 10 for the classic, 12 to 15 for the extended version or the Nile and Red Sea combination. The same Cairo base, the same English-speaking team, and a quote on WhatsApp within 24 hours.
Reserve your 2026 tour with advice straight from our Cairo agency
Over the peak dates (Christmas, Easter and February half-term), hotel rooms and cruise cabins are gone 4 to 6 months ahead. Get in touch early to secure your tour at the best price.
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Ready-made tours put together by the SEV team, booked on quotation over WhatsApp, with an English-speaking adviser replying within 1 hour.
Traditional sailing boat, 12 cabins at most, slow pace, moorings big ships cannot reach.
Classic 5★ ship Luxor to Aswan, the right choice for a first Nile cruise.
The essential 10 days: every major temple, with your own English-speaking guide.
Cairo followed by the Nile aboard an intimate dahabeya: the classic tour, upgraded.
Giza all day with an English-speaking guide: Sphinx, pyramids, necropolis.
On a first visit, 10 days strikes the best balance: Cairo, a 4 or 5 night Nile cruise, and 2 days to relax in Hurghada or Cairo before flying home. With fewer than 7 days the cruise feels rushed. Past 12 days, the trips are really designed for people coming back to Egypt or for those with plenty of time and a larger budget.
For 2026, 10-day tours begin at about 1,490 euros per person on a standard package (4 and 5 star hotels, a 5 star cruise, two sharing, with the Egyptian internal flights we arrange included). Across the market the typical range is 1,790 to 2,480 euros. At the luxury end, with a dahabiya or the Four Seasons and Oberoi hotels, expect 4,200 to 7,500 euros per person.
With an all-inclusive tour you get a set programme, published departure dates, a group of usually 12 to 20 and a price on the page. A tailor-made trip is designed around you: your rhythm, the hotels you pick, the kind of boat you want and, if you wish, a private guide. Like for like, the price gap is in the region of 10 to 15%.
Yes, and it is among the formats we are asked for most. The standard plan is 2 nights in Cairo, a 4-night Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, then 3 or 4 nights all-inclusive in Hurghada or El Gouna. Luxor to Hurghada takes 4-5 hours by road, or there is an internal flight. We suggest 10 days as the minimum.
Your flight to Egypt remains to be organized on your own and is not included, so that you can keep control of the flight and the dates. On the other hand, all domestic flights within the country (Cairo-Aswan, Aswan-Louxor, Cairo-Sharm el-Sheikh, Aswan-Abu Simbel) are organized and booked by our agency: you go from one wonder to another without managing any logistics.
Yes, British passport holders need one. There are two routes: a visa on arrival costing 25 US dollars, paid in cash at the bank desk before passport control at Cairo, Luxor or Hurghada airport, or an e-visa applied for ahead of travel on the official site visa2egypt.gov.eg. Both allow a 30-day stay, and your passport must remain valid for at least 6 months after you return.
October through to April is the high season, with agreeable temperatures of 18 to 28°C depending on where you are. November, December, February and March are the most comfortable months for sightseeing. Between May and September, Luxor and Aswan regularly top 40°C, which makes long visits draining, though prices come down by 25 to 40%.
Yes, as long as the pace is adjusted. Children tend to do best on an 8 to 10 day tour built around a Nile cruise (a favourite, with the pool on deck and meals at set times) plus a few days on the Red Sea. Steer clear of 14-day-plus itineraries that string together too many sites. From about 7 or 8, children get real enjoyment from the temples. With younger ones, opt for a tailor-made trip at an easy pace.
Being in Cairo, we deal directly with the cruise operators, hotels and transfer firms, with no UK middleman adding another margin. What that means for you: prices typically 15 to 25% lower for the same services, someone on the ground if plans change, and English-speaking guides on our own payroll. The flip side is that there is no high-street office in Britain; everything happens in English over WhatsApp, email and video call.
Cairo: the Giza plateau (Great Pyramid of Khufu and the Sphinx), Saqqara with Djoser's step pyramid, and the Grand Egyptian Museum. Luxor: Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, and Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari. Along the river: Edfu and Kom Ombo, then the High Dam and Philae at Aswan. Not compulsory but strongly advised: the flight to Abu Simbel.
Yes. You can pay by international bank transfer (in euros, to an IBAN account) or by card through a secure Stripe link. On luxury tours over 5,000 euros, the total can be split across three payments.
Yes. The established tourist routes (Cairo, the Nile cruise, the Red Sea) are regarded as safe, and tourist areas get extra protection: escorted convoys between some cities and a visible security presence at the sites. The FCDO advises against travel to certain border zones (North Sinai, the Western Desert near Libya), none of which feature on the standard circuits. Our guide keeps track of the latest 2026 security news.
