I have so many questions for planning a trip to Egypt.
How many days should we stay in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel?
Should we fly to each location or take a luxury boat ride ( Zahra? )?
Is it easy to line up private tours when we are in Egypt through the hotels?
Hi everyone!
Me and my wife we both Sri Lankan passport holder and a legal resident of the United Arab Emirates, holding a valid UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
We are planning to visit Egypt for approximately 6 days for tourism and to meet some friends residing in Egypt. We are planning to travel from the UAE and enter Egypt through Borg El Arab International Airport (Alexandria Airport).
We would like to know whether can we able to get visa on arrival?
Note - Tried reaching out consulate via email and phone. No luck yet
I’m only gonna be in Egypt for 9 days.. that’s including travel days. I was thinking 3 days in Cairo, 3 days in Luxor, and another 2 days in Cairo before catching my return flight.
I thought about doing the last 2 days in Aswan instead or in the middle of the trip so I can Abu Simbel, I just wasn’t sure if that would be doing too much?
Flights and hotels are already outrageous, so I'm planning to fly in and out of Cairo and travel by ground to Luxor.
I've read the bus is less safe, but actually being able to use my ticket in 11 months is a bigger concern. Is the train more trustworthy in addition to being safer?
Hi all,
My girlfriend and I are be going to Egypt from the 17th of September (arrival at 9PM) to the 27th of September (we leave at 11.30AM). A plan for such a small amount of time is pulling my hair out at the moment and would love to have your advise on the matter !
Our current idea is that, as soon as we arrive in Cairo, we take a night bus to get to Luxor (take a bus at 1AM so there is some room if the plane is late, and if there is a queue for getting our Visas).
Then, at Luxor, we are unsure on what to do. We are not interested in doing the cruise, but we are interested in the same sightseeing as the cruise. The idea was the following:
This trip feels chaotic and definitely not the classic road, and this is the reason why we would like to have your opinion on the matter. We are young and in a backpacking vibe, but my girlfriend is scared that this will feel rushed and we therefore would not enjoy it too much. I feel like this could be done, and we will be able to rest in Hurghada. I'm just scared of the temple overload. Also... I do not know if Abu Simbel should be add (by removing some part of the plan, or directly leaving from Aswan instead of doing an overnight at Luxor).
So please, feel free to roast our trip ! In the hope that the roasting will come with some advise as well.
Take care <3
Hi everyone,
My girlfriend and I are planning to visit Cairo from 26 to 31 August. We are both foreign tourists and neither of us is Egyptian.
I hold a Saint Lucia passport, while my girlfriend holds an Iraqi passport. We are not legally married and would like to book one hotel room together.
Has anyone been in a similar situation, particularly where one person had an Arab passport? Were you asked to provide a marriage certificate at check-in?
We are considering international hotels such as Cairo Marriott Zamalek, Kempinski Nile, or the Nile Ritz-Carlton. If you have personally stayed at any Cairo hotel under similar circumstances, please share the hotel’s name and your recent experience.
We will contact the hotel before booking, but we would appreciate hearing from people who have actually experienced this.
I am looking to book a trip to Egypt in October/November. I am on 3 different medications that I have read may not be allowed or may require preapproval. Sources are unclear.
Medications
-Adderall/Amphetamine Salts
-Temazepam
-Testosterone
I have had difficulty getting any answers or from anyone at the embassy- even their "medical desk." They have never answered the phone or returned any of my many voicemails. After about 6 emails, I did get a response, but it was vague and not helpful.
Does anyone have any experience traveling to Egypt safely with these medicines or similar alternatives? If you did, how did you get the approval you needed and answers on what was and was not allowed?
With all the people visiting Egypt every year, there has to be some process for this.
Any experience or help with these Medications in Egypt would be greatly appreciated ! ..... or even just anyone who can tell me how to speak to a person at the embassy medical desk.
Are you trying to figure out the Egypt visa rules for 2026? A few things changed this year, leaving a lot of outdated advice floating around online. We have looked at where things actually stands at this point in time.
The biggest change is the pricing. Fees went up a few months ago. The single-entry e-Visa and the standard airport visa on arrival both cost US$30 now, and a multiple-entry visa is US$65. This is why older articles still quote £20. We keep seeing holiday groups on various social media channels claim the airport visa costs £30 and takes seconds. In reality it is closer to £22 (US$30), the queue is very real when the airport gets busy and you should always use the official counters.
Then there is the installation of new digital kiosks at Cairo Airport. As of August 1, they have self-service kiosks issuing a visa on arrival for US$36. You pay more than the standard US$30 fee, but this automated option is strictly Cairo only for now (essentially, it is a trial before expanding to other airports).
There has been no change to other rules. The free South Sinai entry stamp for stays under 15 days in places like Sharm El Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba and Taba still applies for some nationalities. But remember that Hurghada is on the 'mainland' and has never been covered by it.
The promised scrapping of paper landing cards never happened, so cabin crew will still hand you one to fill out. And if you apply before flying, visa2egypt.gov.eg remains the only legitimate portal.
We are working through an update to our own guidance to reflect all of this. Happy to answer questions in the comments in the meantime.
For anyone who visited recently: did you use the new Cairo kiosks? How was your experience?
Hey, I am travelling solo to Egypt from Delhi between 21-29 Sept. If anyone else also travelling during these dates, I have some questions on itinerary.
Also, if anyone knows the best and cost efficient way to travel between Luxor and Aswan including visits to Kom Ombo and Edfu temples- please let me know
Could you suggest some? Must include breakfast, pool, aircon. Thank you
I hear it’s awesome and convenient but if you want a quality cruise you’re paying minimum 2k a person and I am a wife and kid
I think it’ll be exponentially cheaper to do solo with less restriction and a bit of extra work,
But with tour guides ideally with help from hotels I’m not too concerned
Thoughts?
I’ll miss out on the cruise I know but the price is becoming hard to justify
Good morning everybody!! After 15 year i will be back in egypt and i am very happy about it! The firm time i went in berenice but this time i choose something easier because we will be just 1 week. We will be at the sentido beach resort (after a lot of research for the best windless spot) but we will be one day in ras mohamed (if wind will allow us) as well and i would like to ask some advice about that
it really seems overcrowded with the classic boat excursions and i am not interested at all in the sand baech, so i was wondering if maybe the other tour (with the crack and mangrovies) is better in less people, better spots, and more time spent in actaually
snorkel or at this point is better to rent a taxi and let him wait for us 3/4 hours. If you have any advice of
tour operators would be also really appreciated
same advice needed for the sunrise/sunset quad tour, i remember that 15 years ago there were only the 2 of us in the whole desert and it was fantastic, so if you also have advice on this tour (less crowded, really small group, not fake bedouin tea and things like that) i would really be grateful ahah
A shorty wetsuit 3mm will be enough to stay in the water in december or i need a long one?
Thanks a lot for all the advice☺️☺️
Our current plan is to travel to Egypt from January 16th to 31st next year. The main destinations are Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, and Hurghada. We're considering flying from Beijing to Dubai and then to Cairo. I'm not sure whether it's better to go direct or via a layover. Also, the situation in the Middle East in January next year is uncertain, so I'm not sure if it will affect our travel plans. After all, we have elderly people and children with us. Additionally, I'd like to know how far in advance is generally the best time to book international flights? Is it cheaper to book earlier? We're planning to book a custom tour with a private car for the whole trip, and we'll try to choose five-star hotels. My wife lived in Cairo for 8 months during her student days, so she's quite familiar with the local area
Hi everyone, I have 7 full days to visit Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel. Could you help me figure out whether I’ve split the days correctly?
I was thinking of spending 3 days in Luxor, 1 day traveling from Luxor to Aswan while visiting the temples along the way, and 3 days in Aswan, including a day trip to Abu Simbel.
Is it better to spend 3 days in Luxor and 3 days in Aswan (including the day trip to Abu Simbel), or 4 days in Luxor and 2 days in Aswan (including the day trip to Abu Simbel)?
What do you think?
Day 1: Late evening arrival in Luxor
Day 2: Luxor
Day 3: Dendera, Abido
Day 4: Luxor
Day 5: Khnu, Edfu and Kom during transfer from Luxor to Aswan
Day 6: Aswan
Day 7: Abu Simbel
Day 8: Aswan
Day 9: Early morning departure
Hello everyone! In november I will be visiting Egypt (Cairo + Luxor) together with my girlfriend.
I am trying to plan the trip so that we can pre-book (if needed) the attractions, or guides.
This is what I have managed to get so far:
| Date | Activity |
|---|---|
| 18 nov. | Flight OTP 12:45 AM > CAI 3:30 AM |
| Flight CAI 7:15 AM > LXR 8:25 AM | |
| Karnak Temple | |
| Luxor Temple at night | |
| 19 nov. | Valley of the Kings |
| Tutankhamun Tomb | |
| Ramses V/VI Tomb | |
| Temple of Hatshepsut | |
| Colossi of Memnon | |
| Medinet Habu | |
| 20 nov. | Dendera |
| Felucca Cruise | |
| 21 nov. | Flight LXR 9:25 AM > CAI 10:35 AM |
| Al-Azhar | |
| Al-Muizz Street | |
| Khan el-Khalili | |
| 22 nov. | Giza Plateau |
| Inside Pyramid | |
| Grand Egyptian Museum | |
| 23 nov. | Citadel of Saladin |
| Hanging Church | |
| Al-Azhar Park | |
| 24 nov. | Egyptian Museum Tahrir |
| Zamalek | |
| 25 nov. | Flight CAI 4:30 AM > OTP 7:20 AM |
I am not sure if I have split them ok based on the time needed for each activity, so any help is more than welcome. The only things that we have booked so far are the flights.
At the same time, on 22nd will be my girlfriend's birthday. We will be spending it in Cairo, so for any recommendation of a nice activity / restaurant that is really worth it I will be more than grateful.
Also, if I have missed anything crucial, please tell me.
Thanks a lot!
We LOVE Ancient Egypt and are very much looking forward to seeing it up close. All the stories have made me a bit nervous about taking my family there but i believe if i do it in a limited and controlled way that i should be able to have a great time and see the major sites we want to see.
We are flying in from Canada and planning to spend 4 nights in Cairo at the end of next July for this 1st trip. We are visiting Europe on the same trip so it puts us in the summer heat but i am planning to get up early for the outdoor sights and spend after lunch in pools or air conditioned cars or museums.
This is my literary and I would sincerely appreciate any feedback/suggestions/tips provided. Thank you in advance!
🇪🇬 Cairo Itinerary (4 Nights)
🏨 Nights 1–2 (Marriott Mena House)
Day 0
✈️ Land CAI: 6:00 AM
Private hotel transfer
Early check-in if available
Pool & relax
Day 1 – Giza + GEM w/ Private Egyptologist + driver
Morning (8 AM–12:30 PM)
Great Pyramid
Inside Great Pyramid
Khafre Pyramid
Menkaure Pyramid
Panorama viewpoint
Great Sphinx
Valley Temple
Lunch at Mena House
Afternoon (2:00–6:00 PM)
Grand Egyptian Museum
Tutankhamun Galleries
Grand Staircase
Khufu Boat
Main Galleries
Ramesses II
Dinner at Mena House
Day 2 – Saqqara & Dahshur
Checkout and Luggage stays in private van
Morning (8am-12:30pm)
Saqqara
Step Pyramid
Serapeum
Decorated Tomb
Imhotep Museum (if time)
Dahshur
Bent Pyramid
Red Pyramid
Drive to next hotel
Check in / pool / relax /dinner
🏨 Nights 3-4 Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis
Day 3 – Royal Mummies + Coptic Cairo
Morning
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
Royal Mummies Hall
Main Civilization Galleries
Afternoon
Coptic Cairo
Hanging Church
Abu Serga Church
Roman Fortress area
Return to Waldorf Astoria / Pool /
High end kid friendly belly dancers dinner (if possible/available)
Day 4 - check out and fly to Crete
Notes
Same licensed Egyptologist throughout (if possible)
Same private driver and luxury van
No shopping stops
No perfume factories
No papyrus stores
No camel rides
we’re a group of 4 adults, in the planning of a trip to Luxor from Cairo with a rented car to see the full solar eclipse on August 2nd of next year(2027)& we were wondering what cool things there would be to do or see on the way there. We are more of the nature & history types & not so much of the fancy restaurants or hotels types, we want an adventure not a vacation!
Also would it be safe/recommended to sleep outside wild camping style? Ik it can get pretty cold in deserts at night & we’ve done it in European countries before but this is a new step up for us.
Guess I’m asking how plausible this is, we want to see your beautiful country all while staying on a realistic budget