Luxor Temple illuminated at night with colossal statues of Ramesses II Ancient Egyptian artifacts and statues inside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo Massive columns of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Temple in Luxor Hot air balloons floating over the Valley of the Kings at dawn

Best 14 Days in Egypt — Slow Travel

Cairo → Luxor

14 days · 2 cities · 13 activities · route optimized by distance

A mix of art & culture and history. A moderate mix of walking and active experiences, mostly at your own pace. Includes 6 must-see landmarks across Cairo and Luxor.

Highlights: Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx, Karnak Temple Complex, Valley of the Kings, Egyptian Museum (Cairo Museum), Luxor Temple

Arriving Wed, Jul 1 Change

Your Route — ordered to minimize backtracking

13+ activities scored and ranked · route optimized across 2 cities

Where you'll stay
Hotel in Cairo · From $55/night +1 more
See lodging →
Trip cost
~$912 total · $65/day
See budget →
Top picks
Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx, Egyptian Museum (Cairo Museum)
See itinerary →

Day-by-Day Schedule — heavy and light days alternate so you don’t burn out

Cairo

Cairo 9 stops · Open in Google Maps ↗
Day 1 Wed, Jul 1 Full Cairo
Morning Great Pyramids of Giza rising from the desert at sunset
Pyramids of Giza & the Sphinx$~4 hrs

Stand before the last surviving wonder of the ancient world and gaze upon the Great Sphinx

$10 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 2 Thu, Jul 2 Light Cairo
Morning Ancient Egyptian artifacts and statues inside the Egyptian Museum in Cairo
Egyptian Museum (Cairo Museum)$~3 hrs

Explore the world's largest collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts including Tutankhamun's treasures

$12 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 3 Fri, Jul 3 Light Cairo
Morning Colorful lanterns and spice stalls in Khan el-Khalili bazaar Cairo
Khan el-Khalili Bazaar$~3 hrs

Lose yourself in Cairo's 14th-century bazaar, hunting for spices, papyrus, and hand-crafted souvenirs

📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 4 Sat, Jul 4 Light Cairo
Morning Mohamed Ali Mosque inside the Citadel with alabaster walls in Cairo
Citadel of Saladin & Mohamed Ali Mosque$~2h 30m

Climb to Cairo's medieval hilltop fortress and enter the dazzling alabaster Ottoman mosque

$13 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 5 Sun, Jul 5 Light Cairo
Morning Al-Azhar Mosque minarets and courtyard in Islamic Cairo
Al-Azhar Mosque & Islamic Cairo Walk$~3 hrs

Visit one of the world's oldest universities and stroll through medieval Islamic Cairo's historic mosques and minarets

📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 6 Mon, Jul 6 Light Cairo
Morning Street food vendor serving traditional Egyptian koshary in Cairo
Cairo Street Food Walking Tour$~3 hrs

Taste Cairo's street food staples — koshary, ful medames, ta'meya, and fresh-squeezed juice — with a local guide

$30 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 7 Tue, Jul 7 Light Cairo
Morning Hanging Church of Cairo with ancient Coptic architecture
Coptic Cairo & Hanging Church$~2h 30m

Explore Egypt's ancient Christian quarter with the Hanging Church, Coptic Museum, and Ben Ezra Synagogue

$6 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 8 Wed, Jul 8 Light Cairo
Morning
Koshary El Tahrir — Egypt's National Dish$~1 hr

Eat koshary at Cairo's most famous koshary restaurant — five layers of carbs, legumes, and spiced tomato sauce

$2 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 9 Thu, Jul 9 Light Cairo
Morning Pyramids and desert landscape near Cairo on a clear day
Free Day in Cairo$~6 hrs

Explore Islamic Cairo's hidden mosques, visit the vibrant Souq al-Gumaa flea market, or take a day trip to Saqqara and Memphis

Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Cairo

Zamalek / Downtown / Garden City / Giza

wifibreakfastair-conditioning24-hour front desk
Travelers book: Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza $200-400/nightKempinski Nile Hotel Cairo $150-280/nightCairo Marriott Hotel $120-220/nightSteigenberger Hotel El Tahrir $70-130/nightLotus Hotel Cairo $20-45/night
Book Hotel in Cairo from $55/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Cairo → Luxor
2h ~$80 EgyptAir or Nile Air domestic flight Cairo to Luxor (1h)

Luxor

Luxor 4 stops · Open in Google Maps ↗
Day 10 Fri, Jul 10 Full Luxor
Morning Massive columns of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Temple in Luxor
Karnak Temple Complex$~3h 30m

Walk through the world's largest ancient religious complex — 2km of temples, obelisks, and the Avenue of Sphinxes

$28 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Luxor

East Bank (Luxor) / West Bank (Thebes)

wifibreakfastair-conditioningpool
Travelers book: Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor $150-320/nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa $100-200/nightSteigenberger Nile Palace $90-180/nightNile Valley Hotel (West Bank) $25-55/nightAl Moudira Hotel (West Bank) $60-130/night
Book Hotel in Luxor from $45/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 11 Sat, Jul 11 Light Luxor
Morning
Valley of the Kings$~3 hrs

Descend into the rock-cut tombs of pharaohs on the West Bank, including Tutankhamun's famous burial chamber

$32 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Luxor

East Bank (Luxor) / West Bank (Thebes)

wifibreakfastair-conditioningpool
Travelers book: Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor $150-320/nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa $100-200/nightSteigenberger Nile Palace $90-180/nightNile Valley Hotel (West Bank) $25-55/nightAl Moudira Hotel (West Bank) $60-130/night
Book Hotel in Luxor from $45/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 12 Sun, Jul 12 Light Luxor
Morning Luxor Temple illuminated at night with colossal statues of Ramesses II
Luxor Temple$~2 hrs

Visit the floodlit temple at the heart of the city — built by Amenhotep III and dramatically illuminated after dark

$12 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Luxor

East Bank (Luxor) / West Bank (Thebes)

wifibreakfastair-conditioningpool
Travelers book: Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor $150-320/nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa $100-200/nightSteigenberger Nile Palace $90-180/nightNile Valley Hotel (West Bank) $25-55/nightAl Moudira Hotel (West Bank) $60-130/night
Book Hotel in Luxor from $45/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 13 Mon, Jul 13 Light Luxor
Morning
Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari)$~2 hrs

Admire the dramatic terraced mortuary temple of Egypt's most successful female pharaoh built into the cliff face

$12 Verified Mar 2026 📍 Map
Afternoon

Free time to explore at your own pace

🏨 Hotel in Luxor

East Bank (Luxor) / West Bank (Thebes)

wifibreakfastair-conditioningpool
Travelers book: Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor $150-320/nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa $100-200/nightSteigenberger Nile Palace $90-180/nightNile Valley Hotel (West Bank) $25-55/nightAl Moudira Hotel (West Bank) $60-130/night
Book Hotel in Luxor from $45/night Affiliate link — we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you
Day 14 Tue, Jul 14 Luxor
Checkout & Depart

Check out of your hotel, grab a final breakfast, and head to the airport. Safe travels from Luxor!

Where You’ll Stay

Estimated total: $540–$810

Trip Budget Estimate

$912 estimated total per person
$65 per day
Lodging $675
Activities $157
Transport $80

Estimates based on listed activity prices and hotel rates. Actual costs vary by season, availability, and personal spending.

Typical range for Egypt

$420 – $4,900 per person for 14 days

Budget: $30/day — Hostels, koshari, local transport Mid-range: $100/day — Hotels, restaurants, Nile cruise Luxury: $350/day — Luxury hotels, private guides, felucca trips

Similar Destinations

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🧳 Practical Info for Egypt

📄 Visa
Visa on arrival for US, EU, UK, CA, AU citizens ($25 USD single entry). E-visa also available online.
💵 Tipping
Baksheesh (tipping) is a way of life. Tip 10–15% at restaurants, plus small tips for everyone who helps you.
💱 Currency
Egyptian Pound (EGP). Cash essential — ATMs available but many vendors and sites are cash-only.
🔌 Power
220V, Type C/F plugs. US travelers need an adapter.
📶 Connectivity
SIM cards at airports (Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat). Good coverage in cities and Nile Valley; desert areas limited.
🚨 Emergency
122 (police), 123 (ambulance), 180 (fire)

✈️ Getting Around Egypt

✈️ Flight

EgyptAir and Air Cairo fly Cairo to Luxor, Aswan, and Hurghada. Flights are cheap ($40-80) and save long overland trips.

🚄 Rail

Egyptian Railways runs sleeper trains from Cairo to Luxor/Aswan. Book first class for comfort.

🚗 Car

Hire a private driver for day trips. Self-driving is not recommended due to chaotic traffic.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a week in Egypt cost?

Budget: $30-60/day. Mid-range: $80-150/day. Luxury: $300+/day. Pyramid entry is $15-20. A Nile cruise (3-4 nights) costs $200-800.

What is the best time to visit Egypt?

October-April for comfortable temperatures. Summer (June-August) is extremely hot in Upper Egypt (Luxor, Aswan) — 40°C+. Cairo is slightly cooler.

Is Egypt safe for tourists?

Major tourist sites (Giza, Luxor, Aswan, Red Sea resorts) are generally safe with tourist police presence. Avoid Sinai border areas and follow travel advisories.

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