If there is one thing that most Egypt itineraries have in common, it’s that they are incredibly packed. But beware! Stuffing your Egypt itinerary with as many activities as possible will inevitably result in a stressful, and less enjoyable, experience.
In this article, we will present a 6 days Egypt itinerary that actually makes sense. This adjustable plan for your Egypt tour not only includes all the must-see sites in the country, but also makes sure that you have enough time to account for transport, meals and rest.
With this Egypt itinerary you will not only tick off bucket list items, but actually soak in Egypt’s culture and experience the country to its fullest.
Key Takeaways
- Day 1: Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza and explore the Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx.
- Day 2: Explore Luxor’s East Bank with visits to Luxor Temple and Karnak Temple.
- Day 3: Tour Luxor’s West Bank including the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple.
- Day 4: Visit Philae Temple and Nubian Village in Aswan.
- Day 5: Explore Islamic Cairo and Coptic Cairo, including Khan el-Khalili Bazaar.
- Day 6: Relax in Downtown Cairo and Zamalek, enjoy local street food and culture before departure.
- Key Takeaways
- 5 Things You Need to Know Before You Visit Egypt
- The Ideal 6 Days Egypt Itinerary That Will Not Stress You Out
- Day 1: Ancient Egypt at The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) & The Giza Pyramids
- Day 2: The East Bank of Luxor: Karnak Temple & Luxor Temple
- Day 3: The West Bank of Luxor: The Valley of the Kings & The Temple of Hatshepsut
- Day 4: Philae Temple & the Nubian Village in Aswan
- Day 5: Medieval History in Old Cairo: Islamic Cairo & Coptic Cairo
- Day 6: Street Food & Local Culture in Downtown Cairo & Zamalek
- Where to Stay During Your Egypt Trip
- The Bottom Line
- Frequently Asked Questions
5 Things You Need to Know Before You Visit Egypt
Are you already packing your bags for your Egypt tour?
Take a moment to read through these five essential travel tips that will make your Egypt trip less stress-free and more enjoyable:
- What to Pack: Depending on which seasons you are visiting Egypt in, you’ll have to adjust your packing list. In summer, we highly recommend packing long, light fabrics to protect your skin from direct sunlight, along with sunglasses and sunscreen. In winter, you want to pack a sweater or a light jacket as night in northern cities such as Cairo can get quite chilly.
- Apps to Download: Prepare for your Egypt trip by downloading and setting up all apps you might need on a daily while travelling in Egypt. For offline navigation, download Maps.Me. For local transport, download Uber and InDrive. For intercity transport, download GoBus. For food deliveries and services, download Talabat.
- How to Get Into Egypt: Upon arrival at Cairo International Airport, most tourists are required to get a visa on arrival. When disembarking the airplane, take one of the arrival cards from the airport staff and fill it out. Then, head to the counter advertising a”$25 Visa Sticker” and buy one for $25 (or 25€) in cash and have the sticker placed and stamped by one of the immigration officials.
- How Much to Budget: While your budget mostly depends on your travel style, the average tourist can expect to spend somewhere around $100 per day in Egypt. When travelling on a budget in Egypt, you may spend as little as $20 per day, while a luxury vacation may cost up to $500 per day. For more insights , check out our in-depth guide on whether Egypt is expensive.
- How to Get Around: To advance along your travel route in Egypt, you may choose to travel by bus or train, by airplane or by Nile cruise. For an all-inclusive experience, we recommend taking a Nile cruise. For a budget-friendly itinerary, we recommend using a mix of buses and trains. If you are short on time, it might make sense to opt for a flight to return from Aswan to Cairo.
Now that you have all the tools to make your trop a smooth-sailing experience, you are ready to put together your very own Egypt itinerary. So, without further ado, let’s dive right in.
The Ideal 6 Days Egypt Itinerary That Will Not Stress You Out
We built this 6 Days Egypt itinerary after living and travelling in Egypt for well over a year between 2023 and 2024. Besides including all must-see attractions in the country, this itinerary is optimised to make your trip as stress-free and enjoyable as possible by factoring in transport times, meals, possible delays and offering alternatives for busy days.
Let’s find out how to best spend 6 days in Egypt without being stressed and missing major sites:
Day 1: Ancient Egypt at The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) & The Giza Pyramids
It’s only right to start off your Egypt adventure with the biggest draw: the Great Pyramids of Giza. But first, let’s get an introduction into Egyptian history by visiting the brand-new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza. The Grand Egyptian Museum only officially opened on November 1, 2025, and has since become a major draw for tourists looking to learn more about Ancient Egypt.
With more than 100,000 ancient artifacts and an extensive exhibition of King Tutankhamun’s tomb, the GEM is the largest museum of the world dedicated to a single civilisation and an absolute must-do for everybody visiting Egypt for the first time.
For your visit of the GEM, we recommend arriving early, as the tour of the Grand Hall, Grand Staircase and 12 Main Halls will take at least 4 hours at a leisurely pace. Adults pay an entry fee of 1,450 EGP, students 730 EGP and children under 6 years pay 0 EGP.
Once you are done at the Grand Egyptian Museum, you can use the new GEM Walkway to walk over to the Giza pyramids complex. The GEM Walkway leads you directly to the Giza Plateau without needing to get back into Cairo’s dense traffic.
For a smooth entrance, buy your pyramid tickets online in advance. General admission tickets are 700 EGP, student tickets 350 EGP and tickets for children under 6 years pay 0 EGP. Bear in mind that the general admission ticket does not include entry to any of the pyramids, but just the plateau itself.
On the UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will find the Great Sphinx, the Valley Temple of Khafre, the Pyramids of Giza, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu, and a number of cemeteries. For your visit to the Giza Plateau, we recommend scheduling up to four hours to do a full loop of the complex.
How to Get There and Where to Stay
To get to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), book an Uber or InDrive to the main entrance of the museum. To get to the Giza pyramid complex, use the GEM Walkway. To return to your hotel from the Giza plateau, call another Uber or InDrive or simply walk.
We recommend picking a hotel within walking distance of the Giza Pyramids Ticket Office. This way, you can pick up food in front of the ticket office after finishing and head straight back to your hotel to rest.
| Arriving late on the first day? If your schedule is too tight to do both the museum and the Giza Pyramids of Giza, you can pick between two alternatives schedules that will save you about four hours each: 1) Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum only and enjoy an unobstructed pyramid view from the Grand Staircase, OR 2) Visit the Pyramids of Giza only, but with a guided tour to get a proper introduction into Ancient Egypt. |
Day 2: The East Bank of Luxor: Karnak Temple & Luxor Temple
On your second day, you start exploring the ancient history of Luxor starting on its East Bank. The East Bank of the Nile holds most of Luxor’s temples and museums as well as its urban center. For a comprehensive introduction into Luxor’s history, we recommend visiting both Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple. First, visit Luxor Temple located just a stone’s throw away from Luxor’s center.
Luxor Temple impresses with its imposing statues of Ramses II., its extensive temple structures and operating mosque that was built on top of the temple’s ruins. Adults pay an entrance fee of 500 EGP for the Luxor Temple, students 250 EGP and children under 6 years pay 0 EGP. Schedule 1-2 hours for Luxor Temple and start early morning to avoid walking in the midday heat.
From Luxor Temple, you can follow the so-called Avenue of Sphinxes to get to your next destination: the Karnak Temple. The Sphinx Avenue stretches over 2.7 kilometers (or 1.7 miles) offering the most direct rout to Karnak Temple. Please remember to bring a hat as there is no shade along the entirety of the Sphinx Avenue.
Karnak Temple at the other end of the Sphinx Avenue stands out with its Hypostyle Hall, a wide hall with a total of 134 columns. This is not only an impressive feat of architecture, but also a great photo opportunity. When walking the halls of Karnak Temple, mind the ceilings, as some of them still retain some of the original colour applied more than 2,000 years ago.
For your visit to Karnak Temple, we recommend scheduling another 1-2 hours to wake the full complex and take photos in thee Hypostyle Hall. The entrance fee to Karnak Temple is 600 EGP for adults, 300 EGP for students and 0 EGP for children under 6 years.
How to Get There and Where to Stay
For the easiest transfer between Giza and Luxor, take a GoBus (there is an affordable business option) or a train. As you will arrive to Luxor on the East Bank of the Nile River, we recommend booking a hotel on the same. From a centrally located hotel you can walk to Luxor Temple within a few minutes.
After exiting the temple complex at Karnak Temple, call an Uber or InDrive to return to your hotel in the center. For a dinner with a view, we recommend heading over to Al Shabby Lane Restaurant. For a quick bite before an early night, order burgers from Tex Mex.
| Don’t fancy walking in the sun? If you want to avoid walking in the midday heat, we recommend taking a taxi to the Karnak Temple early morning starting from 6 a.m. From there, you can take a taxi to the Luxor Museum, where you can get familiar with some of the regions most stunning ancient artifacts in a climatized environment. |
Day 3: The West Bank of Luxor: The Valley of the Kings & The Temple of Hatshepsut
After a restful night at your hotel in Central Luxor, you will be energised for. day trip along Luxor’s West Bank. On the West Bank of Luxor, you will find a number of famous sites, among them the Valley of the Kings, the Vally of the Queens, as well as Hatshepsut Temple. To explore those, you can opt to join a guided tour or simply catch Ubers or InDrives in between attractions.
Start your day trip early morning to void being out in the midday heat and make sure to pack some snacks and a big bottle of water. From your hotel, call your first Uber to Hatshepsut Temple. Located about halfway between Central Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, it makes for a logical first stop and is best explored in the morning ass the temple complex offers little to no shade.
Hatshepsut Temple, the mortuary temple of Pharaoh Hatshepsut, is possibly one of the most impressive mortuary temples in Egypt, excluding the pyramids. Stemming from the 15th century BC., the temple is in an impressive conditions, thanks to extensive conservation efforts. Adults pay 440 EGP to enter the complex, students 220 EGP and children under six years enter for free.
From there, call another Uber to the Valley of the Kings. The Valley of the Kings, located deeper in the desert off the West Bank of the Nile, is a massive necropolis that was first started in the 16th century BC and extensive over the following 500 years. Today, the Valley of the Kings contains 65 tombs, the most famous of them being the tomb of King Tutankhamun.
To enter the Valley of the Kings, adults pay 750 EGP, students 375 EGP and children under six years enter for free. Now, there are a few caveats to this.
First, the tomb of Tutankhamun is not included in the general entrance. If you wish to see this tomb, purchase the extra ticket. Bear in mind, however, that all of the tomb’s contents are located in the Grand Egyptian Museum, now. Only the mummified body of Tut remains in the tomb.
Also, more importantly, the general admission tickets only gives you access to three tombs of your choosing. At the entrance of each tomb, your paper tickets will be stamped, barring you from entering more than three tombs on one tickets. There is, however, a little workaround. Let me just say this: If you buy your general admission ticket online, there will be no paper to be stamped.
How to Get There and Where to Stay
To navigate between the East and West Banks of the Nile, Ubers and InDrivers will be your best friends. They are plentiful, cheap and cut the need for endless negotiations, all while bridging possible language barriers.
If you don’t want to wait for a new driver to accept your ride request between attractions, you can either negotiate a price with your first driver to wait for you during visits for use the planning feature in the Uber app to get rides confirmed ahead of time.
| Don’t fancy any more walking? Skip the queues and the thousand of steps between temples and tombs by booking a morning hot air balloon ride. This will not only allow you to catch sunrise, but also give you a better idea of the vast ancient complexes surrounding Luxor. |
Day 4: Philae Temple & the Nubian Village in Aswan
From Luxor, you will make your way to Aswan on the evening of day 3. This way, you will arrive to Aswan in the night, catch an Uber to your hotel – we recommend staying in the Nubian Village – and go straight to sleep. Early morning on day 4, you will have all day to explore Aswan’s main attractions, the Philae Temple and the Nubian Village.
Side note: If you wish the visit the Aswan High Dam or even the Abu Simbel Temples, we highly recommend adding another day to your itinerary. The Abu Simbel Temples alone are a full day trip away from Aswan. Tackling Abu Simbel on your only day in Aswan would therefore be too exhausting.
After having breakfast at your hotel in Nubian Village, arrange for a Tuk Tuk to pick you up at the hotel or simply walk along the dirt road to catch one. Tell your driver to drop you off at the Philae Temple Dock. There, you will find the ticket office – adults pay 550 EGP, students 275 EGP and children under six years enter for free – and the ferry dock. At the ferry dock, you can either join an existing group of tourists or pay a private boat to take you to the temple island.
Founded in the 7th or 6th century BC, the Philae Temple is an impressive example of the continuity of many ancient sites in Egypt. Originally constructed in honor of the Egyptian goddess Isis, the Philae Temple was later dedicated to Osiris under the Ptolemaic Kingdom, then used by the Romans and later even became a site of Christian worship before being abandoned. That the temple even stands today, is thanks to its relocation in the wake of the construction of the Aswan High Dam.
Your day trip to Philae Temple will take somewhere between four to six hours, giving you more than enough time in the evening to explore the Nubian Village. Once you are done exploring, your boat will get you back to the dock, from where you can call another Tuk Tuk or Uber.
In the evening, fewer tourists will be in the Nubian Village, giving you more time and space to check out the local goods and handicrafts, negotiate with traders and admire the colourful Nubian facades. Some unique souvenirs to buy in the Nubian Village are: handmade Nubian clay figurines, herbs and spices, and garments.
How to Get There and Where to Stay
To get to Aswan, the best option is the train. Trains between Luxor and Aswan operate regularly and take around three hours. While there are also mini buses running to Luxor, they are less reliable and take more time. To catch a mini bus, you can either find one in front of the train station or head to the mini bus stop on the side of the highway.
For your stay in Aswan, we recommend booking a Nubian guesthouse on the West Bank of the Nile. Located in the Nubian Village, these guesthouses offer a stark cultural contrast to other Egyptian cities with bright, colourful artworks and a unique cuisine.
When staying in the Nubian Village of Aswan, Tuk Tuks are the most reliable mode of transport. Simply ask your host to call a Tuk Tuk for you or find one on the street. Rides are usually no more than 50 EGP per person. On the East Bank of Aswan, Ubers and InDrivers are more reliably available.
| Feel like taking it slow? If you are a bit exhausted from two days of intense exploring in Luxor, we recommend taking it slow in Aswan. Scrap the day trip to Philae Island and take more time to explore the Nubian Village and the surrounding areas instead. To get to one of the islands on the Nile, such as Elephantine Island, or the East Bank, negotiate a boat or felucca ride with one of the captains offering rides all along the Nubian Village. |
Day 5: Medieval History in Old Cairo: Islamic Cairo & Coptic Cairo
As your time in Upper Egypt draws to a close, it’s about time to make your way back to Cairo. Do you fancy an unforgettable adventure? Catch an overnight train from Aswan to Cairo on the evening of day 4. Do you fancy a full night’s rest instead? Spend another night in the Nubian Village before catching a flight from Aswan to Cairo the next morning.
Once you have arrived back in Cairo, it is time for you to head to Central Cairo instead of Giza. After exploring Egypt’s ancient history during your first visit to Cairo, this time you will have Cairo’s markets, churches and mosques within hand’s reach. Drop your luggage at your hotel in Abdeen or Zamalek, freshen up and call an Uber to take your to Coptic Cairo.
Located just south of Cairo’s historic center, Coptic Cairo encompasses both Christian and Jewish historical sites such as the Hanging Church of St. George, Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Babylon Fortress and the Coptic Museum. From there, head to Islamic Cairo by foot to explore Cairo’s first mosque, Amr ibn al-‘As Mosque, the Al-Hakim Mosque and the Salah El-Din Citadel.
To end your day of Cairo sightseeing, head to Khan El-Khalili Bazaar. Khan El-Khalili Souk was first founded by the Mamluks in the 14th century and serves as a major local trade hub until today. On and around the market, you will not only find all sorts of everyday items, but also plenty of souvenirs at unbeatable prices.
For the most unique souvenir, visit Abdelzaher’s Atelier to buy a personalised scrapbook. For the cheapest souvenirs, search “Galal Souvenir Shop” on Google Maps and find a multi-level building with its own courtyard housing a dozen souvenir stores.
How to Get There and Where to Stay
To return to Cairo by overnight train, we recommend buying your ticket upon arrival at Aswan Railway Station. In the overnight sleeper train, a bed will cost you at least $95 (or 82€). The average duration of the trip is 12 hours.
If you are planning to take a flight from Aswan, your route will be from Aswan International Airport to Cairo International Airport. Some of the carriers operating direct flights between are EgyptAir and NileAir with tickets costing anywhere between $100 to $200, depending on the booking time and season. The duration of the flight is 1.5 hours.
In Cairo, you can once again count on the convenience of Uber and InDrive to get to your hotel or hostel. For affordable stays in Downtown Cairo, we recommend booking a hostel in Abdeen. For a private and quiet getaway, book a boutique hotel in Zamalek.
| Planning a dinner date? When it comes to culinary choices, Cairo has the biggest variety of national and international cuisine. For the most Egyptian dinner experience, pay a visit to Abou Tarek’s Restaurant to try Koshary. For a wider sample of Egyptian and Levantine cuisine, check out one of the hotels along the promenade of Zamalek. |
Day 6: Street Food & Local Culture in Downtown Cairo & Zamalek
Depending on your flight schedule, your 6th day in Egypt might already be the day of your return flight, or at the very least your packing day. Bearing this in mind, we will take it a little slower on the last day of our 6 days Egypt itinerary and take to exploring modern Cairo.
Start off by heading to Downtown Cairo, Abdeen, by foot, Uber or metro to hunt for some last souvenirs and antiquities. Along the streets of Abdeen, you can easily find stores selling antiquities as well as locally made souvenirs. One store you cannot miss is Markaz, a boutique selling all sorts of high-quality garments, bags and trinkets for your home.
Stay around Downtown Cairo for lunch and soak in the local culture at one of Downtown’s restaurants, such as Abou Tarek’s or Kazaz.
After lunch, walk off some of the added calories by heading to Zamalek via Tahrir Square and the Nile Bridge. Zamalek, an island in the Nile River, is an affluent neighbourhood that is known for its tree-shaded avenues and laid-back vibes, making it one of the best places in Cairo for an afternoon stroll.
In Zamalek, you can treat yourself to a dessert and a cafe at one of the quarter’s many coffee shops. Our favourite coffee shops in Zamalek are Kavun and Holm Café. If you still have some time and budget left over, make sure to visit some of the local fashion store to get the best of the latest Egyptian fashion and browse some truly special designer products in Maison 69.
How to Get There and Where to Stay
Navigating between Downtown Cairo and Zamalek is fairly easily. Many places are within walking distance. Most Ubers and InDrive cost little more than $1 (or 1€) and there is even a metro line connecting the two.
To get back to the airport, we recommend making use of Uber or InDrive once again. Use the planning feature in the Uber app to get your ride confirmed ahead of time and to avoid stressing before your flight. From Downtown Cairo, an Uber to Cairo International Airport will take around 30 minutes, while an Uber to Sphinx International Airport in Giza will take closer to 45 minutes. Account for heavy traffic during rush hours.
| Feeling like beach instead? If haven’t bought a return flight yet, consider heading to Hurghada or Sharm El-Sheikh from Aswan to spend your last day on a Red Sea beach instead of bustling Cairo. Check out our list of the best things to do while on the Sinai Peninsula. |
Where to Stay During Your Egypt Trip
From Cairo to Aswan, there is no shortage of accommodation options in Egypt. We’ll spare you hours of research by sharing with you where to stay during your Egypt trip.
After visiting each city several times and staying at different hotels each time, these are our personal favourites per city:
- Hotels in Giza: For your visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) and the Giza Pyramids, finding accommodation in Giza will save you hours of commuting. In Giza, there are hundreds of small, affordable hotels offering (partial) views of the pyramids. Of all hotels in Giza, we enjoyed staying at Crowne Pyramids Inn the most. This hotel offers comfortable rooms, full pyramid views and complimentary breakfasts starting from just $55 per night.
- Hotels in Luxor: Exploring Luxor means a lot of walking and chaotic streets. So, make sure to pick a hotel that is strategically located and offers a refuge from the city’s hustle and bustle. For your stay in Luxor we recommend booking a room at the Iberotel Luxor. The Iberotel Luxor not only offers a large buffet-style breakfast and in-hotel restaurants, but also an extensive garden with a floating pool and ferry dock. All that, you can book from just $110 per night.
- Hotels in Aswan: Aswan sets itself apart from other Egyptian cities with its Nubian Village on the West Bank of the Nile. The being said, it’s only natural to book your stay in the Nubian Village. In the Nubian Village you can find several colourful guesthouses offering an interesting glimpse into Nubian culture and food. During our stay in Aswan, we opted for the Onaty Ka Guest House (starting from $48 per night) and couldn’t have wished for a better experience.
- Hotels in Cairo: Once you return to Cairo, you will want to book a centrally located hotel to give you fast access to Islamic Cairo, Coptic Cairo and Zamalek. For a budget stay, we recommend staying in one of the hostels in Abdeen. Our personal favourite, Rhala Hostel, offers a cozy hostel experience, affordable private rooms and a familial atmosphere starting from just $32 per night. For a quiet refuge, you may choose to lodge in one of Zamalek’s boutique hotels.
Still looking for a hotel in Cairo? Check out our guide “Is Cairo Expensive to Visit?” to find hotel picks at every price point.
The Bottom Line
Whether you use this exact itinerary for your Egypt tour or choose to take inspiration from it for your own itinerary, we hope we could show you ways to make the best of 6 days in Egypt without getting stressed or missing out.
The key to a fulfilling, yet stree-free, 6 days in Egypt is quite simple after all: less is more. Avoid travelling to more than three cities and schedule no more than two major activities per day. This way, you will avoid stressing over traffic and feeling bad because you are tired, and still explore a dozen of Egypt’s best attractions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the number one attraction in Egypt?
The number one attraction in Egypt are the Pyramids of Giza on the Giza Plateau. On the Giza Plateau you can find the Great Pyramid, the Great Sphinx and a number of other pyramids.
What not to do in Egypt as a tourist?
As a tourist in Egypt, you should not schedule too many activities for a single day. In larger cities attractions are far apart and traffic is dense. Schedule for delays and avoid aiming for more than two major attractions per day.
Which of the 7 wonders is in Egypt?
Of the Seven World Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramid of Giza is the last surving wonder. The Great Pyramid of Khufu is located on the Giza Plateau on the outskirts of Cairo.
How many days is enough for Egypt?
For a trip to Egypt, we recommend setting aside as much time as possible. With 6 days in Egypt, you will have enough time to explore the main sites in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan.
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