12 Day Egypt Tour Package with Red Sea Stay
This 12-day Egypt tour package covers the country’s major ancient sights, along with two very different landscapes: the desert west of the Nile and the Red Sea coast. In Cairo, our team takes you to the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, then south to the monuments of Aswan and Luxor before the trip ends with time to slow down in Marsa Alam.
Cairo sightseeing begins at the Pyramids of Giza, where your guide explains how the royal complex was planned and built. You can walk around the pyramid plateau, take in its different viewpoints and visit the nearby Sphinx. The visit then continues to Sakkara and Memphis. The Step Pyramid of Djoser and the remains of Egypt’s early capital help place the larger pyramids at Giza in context. Together, these sites show how ancient Egyptian royal architecture developed.
The desert section takes you to Bahariya Oasis and the White Desert. Bahariya has palm groves, open desert and a quieter pace than Cairo. In the White Desert, wind-shaped chalk formations rise from a pale landscape that shifts in colour as the light changes. Transport is arranged for this route, with time for photographs and rest rather than a rush between viewpoints. Conditions can be basic, so travellers should be comfortable with a long road journey and simple desert facilities.
Further south, the route includes Abu Simbel, where the rock-cut temples of Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari face Lake Nasser. We arrange the visit from Aswan around the available transport connections. You will also see Phiala Temple, reached by boat across the water to its island setting. Its relocation preserved the reliefs and columns, and your licensed Egyptologist can point out the Egyptian, Greek and Roman layers of history in the complex.
Luxor has the largest concentration of ancient sites on the itinerary. On the west bank, the Valley of the Kings contains decorated royal tombs cut into the desert hills, while Hatshepsut Temple rises against the cliffs below. On the east bank, Karnak Temple is best seen at a steady pace, with time to walk through its courtyards, columns and obelisks. Luxor Temple has a different character, especially later in the day when its sandstone structures are lit. Your guide keeps the visits in a practical order and explains the sights without turning every stop into a lecture.
After the sightseeing, the trip heads to the Red Sea for a stay in Marsa Alam, with the route also connected to Hurghada depending on the confirmed transport plan. This part of the holiday is less structured. You can rest, swim where conditions allow or arrange optional activities locally. We do not promise particular sea conditions, so the final pace remains flexible for travellers who want a quieter finish after several early starts.
We arrange the main transfers, sightseeing transport and guiding, so you do not have to coordinate long road journeys, domestic connections and separate temple excursions yourself. Meals and accommodation are provided according to the selected package, while the exact hotel and transport details are confirmed with your booking information. The tour suits travellers who want a broad first visit to Egypt and are comfortable with a full itinerary. It may feel too active for anyone seeking a slow beach holiday or looking to avoid long drives.
Key experiences include:
Egypt’s distances are considerable, and some sightseeing begins early to avoid the strongest midday heat. We keep the arrangements clear, explain each transfer in advance and help with practical details on the ground. Bring comfortable walking shoes, sun protection and a small bag for longer excursions.
Meals as stated in the confirmed itinerary
Accommodation according to the selected package
Boat transfer to Phiala Temple
Assistance from our local team throughout the tour
Desert transport and excursion to Bahariya Oasis and the White Desert
Excursion to Abu Simbel
Airport and intercity transfers by suitable air-conditioned vehicle
Entrance fees to the listed sightseeing sites
Professional licensed Egyptologist guide for scheduled sightseeing
Optional activities and excursions not listed in the confirmed itinerary
Any entrance fees not included in the final booking details
Personal expenses, drinks and laundry
Entry visa and personal travel insurance
Gratuities for guides, drivers and service staff
International flights
Reusable water bottle
Hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen
Passport and any required visa documents
Swimwear and a cover-up for the Red Sea stay
Small day bag for temple and desert excursions
Light, breathable clothing and a warmer layer for desert evenings
Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
Any prescribed medication and basic personal toiletries
The 12-day Egypt tour package includes guided visits to Egypt’s main ancient sights, desert exploration, domestic travel arrangements where required, and time beside the Red Sea in Marsa Alam. The route covers the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Sakkara and Memphis, the White Desert, Abu Simbel, Philae Temple, Luxor’s major temples, and the Valley of the Kings.
Your booking documents will confirm the included accommodation, meals, entrance tickets, guides, transfers, and any internal transport. We will also explain which personal expenses are separate before you travel.
The 12-day Egypt itinerary combines full sightseeing days with slower periods, including time to relax beside the Red Sea in Marsa Alam. You visit Cairo’s pyramids and ancient sites, travel through Bahariya Oasis and the White Desert, see Abu Simbel and Philae Temple, then explore Luxor’s Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Karnak Temple, and Luxor Temple.
Some days involve early starts and several hours of travel, especially around the desert and southern Egypt. Our team plans the order of visits carefully so you can see the main sights without treating every day as a race.
Our team arranges the planned airport, hotel, sightseeing, and intercity transfers for the 12-day Egypt tour according to your confirmed itinerary. A representative meets you at the agreed pickup point, helps with the next part of your journey, and explains where to meet your guide or driver for each visit.
The route is based around Cairo, Bahariya Oasis, southern Egypt, Luxor, and Marsa Alam. If you are staying in Hurghada—also commonly searched as Hurgada—please tell us before booking, because the transfer distance and routing may need to be reviewed.
This Egypt tour can suit families and many travellers with average fitness, but it includes uneven ground, steps, walking in heat, and long travel days. The Pyramids of Giza, Sakkara, the White Desert, Abu Simbel, the Valley of the Kings, and Luxor’s temples each require some walking, while desert stops may involve unpaved surfaces.
Children can enjoy the pyramids, desert landscapes, and temples, although younger travellers may find early starts tiring. Tell us about mobility needs, walking limits, medical considerations, or wheelchair use before booking so we can check the route and available assistance.
Pack light, breathable clothing, comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, and modest clothes that cover the shoulders and knees for temple visits. A hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a refillable water bottle, personal medicines, and a small day bag are useful for Cairo, the White Desert, Abu Simbel, and Luxor.
Bring a light layer for air-conditioned vehicles and cooler desert evenings. Swimwear is useful for time beside the Red Sea in Marsa Alam, while a scarf or loose overshirt can provide extra sun and dust protection.
To book the 12-day Egypt tour, send our team your preferred travel dates, traveller details, arrival information, and any special requirements so we can confirm the arrangements and current terms. We will provide the booking conditions, payment schedule, included services, and cancellation rules before you make a final commitment.
Cancellation and amendment terms can vary according to how close the change is to departure and which transport or accommodation arrangements have been confirmed. Review those terms carefully and contact us as soon as your plans change.
Your unforgettable Egypt journey starts with a booking you can trust.
* Available on selected tours. Flights, cruises and special bookings may have different cancellation policies.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity starts
If you choose to pay online, a secure payment link can be provided after booking. For assistance or alternative payment options, please contact us via WhatsApp.
All our tour operators are licensed and verified by Egyptian tourism authorities.
Learn more about our licensed partners →
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity starts
If you choose to pay online, a secure payment link can be provided after booking. For assistance or alternative payment options, please contact us via WhatsApp.
All our tour operators are licensed and verified by Egyptian tourism authorities.
Learn more about our licensed partners →
Your Itinerary
Arrive in Cairo, where our representative meets you at the airport and helps with the arrival formalities before your transfer to the hotel. The journey into the city gives you your first look at Cairo’s wide streets and busy neighbourhoods, but the rest of the day stays deliberately light after your flight.
Once you have checked in, you can rest or take a short walk near the hotel. Our team confirms the plan for the following days, including the early start for the desert section and the domestic travel later in the itinerary. Keep your passport and any travel documents somewhere easy to reach, as they will be needed for transfers and flights.
After breakfast, your guide takes you to the Giza Plateau for the main introduction to ancient Egypt. The Pyramids of Giza are seen in their desert setting, with time to walk around the viewpoints and understand how the monuments align across the plateau. Your guide explains the purpose of the pyramid complex and points out details that are easy to miss from a distance.
You then continue to the Sphinx, where the carved limestone figure sits beside the ancient temple area. There is time for photographs and for a closer look at the scale of the sculpture. The visit usually takes several hours, with walking on uneven ground and open areas exposed to the sun, so comfortable shoes, water and a hat are useful.
After the sightseeing, return to Cairo for a relaxed afternoon. You may use the time to rest before the next day’s early departure into the Western Desert.
Leave Cairo after breakfast for Sakkara, the extensive necropolis south of the city. The site is quieter and more spread out than Giza, so your guide explains the monuments as you move between them rather than treating the visit as a single viewpoint. The Step Pyramid of Djoser is the main landmark, and the surrounding courtyards and burial structures show how pyramid design developed over time.
Continue to Memphis, the former capital of ancient Egypt. The open-air museum contains large statues and architectural remains, including the well-known colossal figure of Ramesses II. Your guide places the city in the wider story of the Old Kingdom and explains its connection with the nearby burial grounds.
Return to Cairo in the afternoon. Pack a small overnight bag for the desert trip and keep heavier luggage ready for the storage arrangements explained by our team.
Set out by road from Cairo for Bahariya Oasis. The journey takes several hours and gradually replaces the city with open desert, palm groves and low escarpments. On arrival, you have a break for lunch before continuing with a local desert excursion in a four-wheel-drive vehicle.
The route through the White Desert passes unusual chalk formations shaped by wind and erosion. Your driver stops at suitable viewpoints so you can walk a short distance, take photographs and see how the pale rock contrasts with the surrounding sand. Conditions underfoot vary, and the exact route can change with local access and weather.
As daylight fades, settle into the desert camp or arranged overnight accommodation. Dinner is served in a simple setting, and the evening is a chance to experience the quiet of the open landscape. Keep warm layers with you because desert temperatures can fall after sunset.
After breakfast, there is time for a final look at the desert surroundings before the road transfer back to Cairo. The return journey is long, so our team plans comfort stops where appropriate. You arrive in the capital with time to have a meal and organise your luggage before the next stage.
Later, transfer to Cairo Airport for the domestic flight to Aswan. Flight schedules can affect the exact timing of the evening, so the day is kept practical rather than crowded with sightseeing. On arrival, our representative meets you and takes you to your Aswan accommodation.
Aswan has a slower pace than Cairo, and the evening is best used for rest. Prepare a small bag for the early visit to Abu Simbel, while keeping essentials such as water, sun protection and your travel documents close at hand.
Leave Aswan early for Abu Simbel, travelling south through the desert to the two temples cut into the rock near Lake Nasser. Your guide explains the reliefs and the story of Ramesses II and Nefertari as you move through the entrance halls and columned chambers. Allow time to appreciate the scale of the facades before returning to Aswan.
After a break, continue to Philae Temple, also searched as “Phiala temple”. Reached by boat on an island, the complex has courtyards, columns and carved scenes connected with Isis and the late periods of Egyptian history. The boat crossing is short, but you should expect sun and some steps around the site.
Return to your hotel in Aswan after the visits. The combined road and sightseeing day is substantial, so the evening remains free for dinner and rest rather than additional scheduled activities.
After breakfast, leave Aswan for Luxor by private road transfer. The journey takes several hours, with the landscape changing between cultivated Nile Valley farmland, villages and stretches of dry terrain. Your driver arranges comfort stops, and you can keep water and light snacks within reach during the trip.
On arrival in Luxor, check in and take time to settle into your accommodation. Depending on the arrival time, our team may arrange a gentle walk near the Nile or leave the afternoon open for rest. This flexible pace helps after the previous day’s long excursion.
Your guide reviews the plan for the following sightseeing days, including the order of visits on the east and west banks. The evening is free to enjoy a meal locally or relax at the hotel before the next morning’s temple visit.
Begin on Luxor’s east bank with Karnak Temple, entering through the great avenue and moving into the vast precincts of courtyards, pylons and columned halls. Your guide points out inscriptions and explains how successive pharaohs added to the complex over many centuries. The Hypostyle Hall is a major part of the visit, with its dense rows of towering columns.
Later, continue to Luxor Temple, which has a more concentrated layout beside the Nile. Walk past the entrance statues and obelisks, then follow the sequence of courtyards and colonnades inside. The temple’s later Roman and Christian use is also visible in parts of the site.
Wear comfortable shoes and bring sun protection, as the grounds involve walking between large open spaces. After the tour, return to your hotel for lunch or rest, with the remainder of the day free.
Cross to Luxor’s west bank after breakfast for a morning among the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Your entry allows visits to the tombs available on the day, and your guide explains how the painted chambers were designed for the afterlife. The paths can be uneven, and some tombs involve steps or narrow passages, so take the visit at a steady pace.
Continue to Hatshepsut Temple, set against the cliffs with broad terraces connected by ramps. The surviving reliefs show ceremonies, offerings and the expedition to Punt. Your guide helps you read the layout and places Hatshepsut’s reign within Egypt’s New Kingdom history.
After the visits, return across the Nile for lunch and a quieter afternoon. Keep your luggage ready for the next road transfer, and confirm the meeting arrangements with our team before the evening.
Leave Luxor by road after breakfast for the Red Sea coast. The transfer crosses the Eastern Desert and takes several hours, with the route passing towards Hurghada before continuing south. The scenery becomes increasingly open, with rocky hills and wide desert views between the inland valley and the coast.
After a suitable comfort stop, continue to Marsa Alam and check in at your arranged accommodation. The day is mainly a transfer day, so there is no pressure to add sightseeing after arrival. Depending on the road conditions and check-in time, you may have a short opportunity to see the shoreline or simply rest.
Our team confirms the arrangements for the following day, including any optional beach or sea activities. Keep personal items, swimwear and sun protection accessible rather than packed away in your main luggage.
Spend the day at a relaxed pace in Marsa Alam. You can use the beach, swim where conditions and local guidance allow, or rest at the accommodation after the active sightseeing schedule. The Red Sea coast is well suited to an unhurried final full day, with clear time for reading, walking and enjoying the sea air.
Optional activities may include a snorkelling or boat excursion arranged locally, subject to sea conditions and availability. If you choose one, follow the crew’s safety instructions and bring only what you need. Travellers who prefer to stay ashore can keep the day entirely free.
There is no required sightseeing programme, giving you space to enjoy the coast without watching the clock. In the evening, check your departure arrangements and pack for the next day’s transfer. Keep your passport, medication and travel documents in your hand luggage.
After breakfast, complete check-out and meet our representative for your departure transfer. The route and collection time depend on your onward flight, so our team confirms the details in advance and allows suitable time for the journey and airport procedures.
Before leaving, check the room carefully for passports, chargers and smaller personal items. If you have spent the final morning at the coast, leave enough time to change and organise wet clothing before the transfer. Your main luggage should be closed and ready when the driver arrives.
At the airport, our representative assists with the final transfer arrangements. This marks the end of your 12-day Egypt itinerary, with the departure process kept straightforward after your time in Cairo, the desert, the Nile Valley and Marsa Alam.