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How do you plan a trip to Egypt? A step-by-step guide
Plan Egypt in this order: choose dates between October and April; decide how many days (9–12 is right for a first trip); choose a dahabiya or a cruise ship for the Nile; set the Cairo–Luxor–Aswan split; book your private Egyptologist and boat first, three to six months out; then book flights, visa and hotels around that spine.
Why the order matters
Most people plan Egypt backwards: flights first, then a tour to fit. The result is a trip shaped by airline schedules rather than by what you want to see. The scarce things in Egypt are not flights. They are good dahabiya cabins in high season, the few licensed Egyptologists worth travelling with, and the private access that depends on timing. Secure those first, then fit the rest around them.
The hub below links to the nineteen detailed pages in this guide. Read the ones that apply; skip the rest.
Step 1: pick your dates (6+ months out)
Egypt's season is October to April. December to February is coolest and busiest; October–November and March–April are warm, quieter and our usual recommendation. May to September is hot in Upper Egypt, with Luxor and Aswan often above 40°C (104°F), and suits only travellers who are happy with 6am starts and long afternoons by a pool. See the best-time-to-visit page.
If a specific event matters, the Abu Simbel Sun Festival on 22 February and 22 October, for instance, fix the date and work back (Page 11). If you are marking an anniversary or a birthday, decide which night is the celebration and build around it (Page 13).
Step 2: decide how many days (6 months out)
| Days | What fits |
|---|---|
| 7–8 | Cairo (2), Luxor (2), a short Nile sailing, Aswan (1). Tight |
| 9–10 | Cairo (3), Luxor (1–2), dahabiya (4–5 nights), Aswan (1–2). The shape we recommend |
| 11–12 | As above plus Abu Simbel overnight or an extra Cairo day |
| 13–14 | As above plus Alexandria, the Red Sea, or Abydos and Dendera by road |
Cairo deserves three days (Page 17). Saqqara and Dahshur need one of them (Page 18).
Step 3: dahabiya or cruise ship
The Nile between Luxor and Aswan is the heart of the trip and the choice of boat shapes everything. A cruise ship carries 100–300 passengers, docks in a queue at Edfu and Kom Ombo and runs to a fixed timetable. A dahabiya carries 12–24 people in 6–12 cabins, sails when there is wind, and moors at islands and villages the ships cannot reach. It is slower, quieter and the better choice for almost everyone reading this. The dahabiya page sets out the comparison in full; Page 12 covers private versus group travel more broadly.
Step 4: set the split
For a 10-day trip: three nights Cairo, one night Luxor east bank, four or five nights on the dahabiya, one or two nights Aswan. Fly Cairo–Luxor in the morning (about an hour) and Aswan–Cairo at the end. Add Abu Simbel as a flight from Aswan or an overnight (Page 11).
If you are travelling with parents or adult children, build the pace around the slowest walker and keep afternoons free (Page 14).
Step 5: book the guide and the boat first (3–6 months out)
This is the step that matters. A licensed Egyptologist who stays with you from Cairo to Aswan is the difference between a tour and a journey. The good ones are booked months ahead in high season, as are the best dahabiya cabins. Once those two are held, everything else is easy.
At this stage we also request private access where available: the Giza plateau before public opening, the Grand Egyptian Museum after hours, a tomb in the Valley of the Kings opened for your party. These depend on dates and cannot be promised, which is why they are asked for early.
Step 6: flights (3–5 months out)
International flights to Cairo from the US, UK, Germany and Australia are plentiful; book once the ground plan is fixed. Domestic flights (Cairo–Luxor, Aswan–Cairo, Aswan–Abu Simbel) are short and we book them as part of the plan, timed to the boat.
Step 7: hotels (3–4 months out)
Choose by location first: pyramid view in Giza for the first nights, a heritage property in Luxor and Aswan. Page 13 sets out the categories. We hold rooms once the guide and boat are confirmed.
Step 8: visa and documents (4–6 weeks out)
Check your passport has six months' validity from arrival. Apply for the e-visa at the official portal two to three weeks before departure, or plan to buy one on arrival for USD 30 cash as of 2026 (Page 19). Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation is sensible for any trip to Egypt.
Step 9: the small things (2–4 weeks out)
- Packing: light long trousers, sleeves, broken-in shoes, a scarf, a fleece for winter mornings (Page 15).
- Cash: USD 5, 20 and 50 notes for tips; small EGP from the first hotel (Page 16).
- Tell your bank your dates.
- Download the WhatsApp thread with your point of contact. On our trips that is one person, around the clock.
Step 10: the week before
Confirm flight times, check the e-visa is in hand, and read the day-by-day plan once. Then stop planning. The point of a private trip is that someone else is holding the details.
Send us your dates and who is travelling, and you will have a complete private plan in your inbox within 48 hours, with no obligation. Message us your dates.