14-Day Egypt Itinerary: Cairo, Siwa, Nile Cruise & Hurghada

After breakfast, begin with the Giza Pyramids. Your guide explains how the pyramid complex was planned, then leads you around the Great Pyramid, the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, and the nearby Sphinx area. There is time for photographs and for views across the desert plateau before returning towards central Cairo.

Continue to the Cairo Museum, where galleries display royal statues, sarcophagi, jewellery and objects from several periods of ancient Egyptian history. The visit puts the monuments at Giza into a wider context, with your guide pointing out pieces that help explain burial customs, kingship and daily life. The order may change according to traffic and museum access, but both visits fit comfortably into a full sightseeing day.

• Guided visit to the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx area
• Visit to the Cairo Museum
• Return transfer and overnight in Cairo

Leave Cairo after breakfast for Alexandria, travelling north through the Nile Delta to Egypt’s Mediterranean coast. The city has a different pace and character from Cairo. Your guide introduces its Greek, Roman and modern history as you visit the principal sights and follow the seafront Corniche.

See the area associated with the ancient Pharos lighthouse and visit the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, where underground chambers combine Egyptian, Greek and Roman influences. Continue to the Citadel of Qaitbay, built on the harbour site traditionally linked with the ancient lighthouse, then visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina from the outside or inside when access is available. After sightseeing, return to your accommodation in Alexandria for the night.

• Full-day Alexandria excursion from Cairo
• Catacombs, Qaitbay Citadel and Mediterranean Corniche
• Overnight in Alexandria

Today begins with a long westward drive towards Siwa Oasis. Stop at El Alamein, where the museum and Commonwealth War Cemetery explain the North African campaign of the Second World War. The visit is quiet and respectful, with displays covering the opposing forces, equipment and the battles fought across this coastline.

Continue through increasingly open desert landscapes to Siwa. This is a substantial road journey, so the day includes breaks and time to stretch during the transfer. As the oasis approaches, palms and cultivated land appear around the desert road. After arrival, settle into your accommodation and enjoy a calm evening. Our team confirms the next day’s route and the arrangements for visiting Siwa’s historic and natural sights.

• Visit to El Alamein museum and war cemetery
• Long overland transfer to Siwa Oasis
• Overnight in Siwa

Explore Siwa with your local guide, beginning in the old town and visiting The Fortress at Shali. Built from salt, mud and palm materials, Shali reveals how Siwan families once lived in a fortified settlement. Walk carefully through the ruins, where the compact lanes and high walls show how the town was designed for protection and shade.

Continue to the temple of the Oracle at Aghurmi, linked with Alexander the Great’s visit to Siwa, then visit Gebel Al Mawta, a hill containing rock-cut tombs with views over the oasis. Later, pause at Cleopatra’s Bath, a natural stone pool fed by a spring. Swimming depends on local conditions and personal preference. The day combines walking, short drives and time to understand how water shapes life in this remote oasis.

• Shali, the Oracle Temple and Gebel Al Mawta
• Visit to Cleopatra’s Bath
• Overnight in Siwa

Set out for a desert excursion around Siwa after breakfast. This is the chance to make an adventure journey beyond the cultivated centre of the oasis, travelling by four-wheel-drive vehicle across sandy tracks towards the magnificent sand sea. The route depends on local conditions, and your driver chooses suitable stopping points for photographs and quiet desert views.

After the excursion, begin the long transfer back to Cairo. The landscape changes gradually from dunes and open desert to agricultural land and the built-up outskirts of the capital. Breaks are taken along the way, but this remains a demanding travel day. Arrive in Cairo in the evening, check in and rest before the early flight or transfer connected with the Nile cruise programme.

• Four-wheel-drive desert excursion near Siwa
• Return overland transfer to Cairo
• Overnight in Cairo

Travel from Cairo to Aswan by domestic flight or another arranged connection, then continue to Abu Simbel. The temples were cut into the rock during the reign of Ramesses II and later moved to higher ground during the construction of the High Dam. Your guide explains the relocation project and the temple scenes before you return to Aswan.

Board your cruise vessel in Aswan and settle into your cabin. In the afternoon, visit Phiala temple on Agilkia Island, reached by a short boat ride. The sanctuary was dedicated mainly to Isis and preserves reliefs from several periods. Back on board, enjoy the first Nile views as the ship prepares for the cruise schedule. This begins your exceptional 4 Days Nile Cruise between Aswan and Luxor.

• Visit Abu Simbel
• Board the Nile cruise in Aswan
• Visit Phiala temple and overnight on board

Wake on the Nile and enjoy breakfast on board before the cruise continues north. Depending on the sailing schedule, there may be time to relax on deck and watch villages, fields and palm groves pass along the riverbanks. The pace is quieter today, with sightseeing arranged around the ship’s navigation.

Later, visit the temple at Kom Ombo, set beside the river and dedicated to Sobek and Horus the Elder. The symmetrical layout, carved columns and remaining reliefs make it easy to see how two cults shared one complex. Your guide points out the ancient medical instruments and the crocodile connections before you return to the ship. Sail onwards in the evening and spend the night on board.

• Morning sailing from Aswan
• Guided visit to Kom Ombo Temple
• Overnight on the Nile cruise

After breakfast, travel from the riverbank to Edfu Temple by the locally used transfer arranged for the cruise group. The temple is one of the best-preserved large sanctuaries in Egypt. Its entrance pylons, enclosed courts and covered halls retain clear carvings showing the ritual world of Horus, the falcon-headed god.

Return to the ship and continue towards Luxor. Spend part of the afternoon on deck or in the lounge while the vessel passes through the agricultural Nile Valley. The crew follows the sailing programme, so the exact time of arrival at Luxor can vary. This evening is a good opportunity to prepare for tomorrow’s early visit to the west bank, where several of ancient Egypt’s most important royal monuments are located.

• Visit Edfu Temple
• Sailing towards Luxor
• Overnight on board

Begin with the west bank of Luxor, where the Valley of the Kings contains tombs cut into the desert hills for New Kingdom rulers. Your guide explains the decoration, burial beliefs and changing plans of the tombs included in your entry. Conditions inside can be warm, and the paths include uneven surfaces, so comfortable shoes and water are useful.

Continue to Hatshepsut temple, built against the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. Its terraces and long approach reveal how the monument was designed to connect architecture with the surrounding landscape. Pause at the Colossi of Memnon before returning to the ship for breakfast or checkout, according to the cruise schedule. Later, transfer to your Luxor accommodation and enjoy a free evening after the morning’s walking.

• Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut temple
• Stop at the Colossi of Memnon
• Disembarkation and overnight in Luxor

Visit Karnak Temple in the morning, when the monumental avenues and open courts are easier to explore before the strongest midday heat. The complex grew over many centuries, and your guide helps you read its main areas in order: the avenue of sphinxes, the great pylons, the Hypostyle Hall and the sacred lake area. Allow time to look closely at the carved columns and painted details.

After the visit, leave Luxor by road for Hurghada on the Red Sea. The transfer crosses the Eastern Desert, with changing views of dry mountain ranges and open gravel plains before the coast comes into view. On arrival, check in and have time to rest. The evening is free, with dinner and hotel arrangements handled according to the selected accommodation plan.

• Guided visit to Karnak
• Overland transfer from Luxor to Hurghada
• Overnight in Hurghada

Spend the day beside the Red Sea, with the activity selected for your pace and the sea conditions. A typical excursion includes a boat trip to clear-water areas for swimming and snorkelling, with equipment and safety guidance arranged locally. Travellers who prefer to stay dry can relax on board and enjoy the coastline instead.

The crew explains the boat routine before departure, including boarding, equipment use and the meeting point for returning to shore. Bring a hat, sun protection, swimwear and a towel, and keep valuables secure. Water visibility and the exact route can change with conditions, so the final stops are confirmed on the day. Return to Hurghada in the afternoon for a relaxed evening.

• Red Sea boat excursion or relaxed coastal day
• Swimming and snorkelling subject to conditions
• Overnight in Hurghada

Use your final full day to Uncover the Red Sea at a comfortable pace. You may choose another organised marine excursion, spend time on the beach or use the hotel facilities. Our team can explain the available options and help match the day to your interests, including a gentler plan for travellers who do not want a full boat outing.

Hurghada also has cafés, shops and a long coastal road where you can take an easy walk outside the main heat of the day. Keep the afternoon flexible so you can return to the hotel, organise luggage and confirm the next day’s airport transfer. This is a useful buffer at the end of a varied Egypt itinerary, with no long sightseeing programme to follow.

• Free day in Hurghada
• Optional marine activity or beach time
• Overnight in Hurghada

After breakfast, check your luggage and leave the hotel according to the departure arrangements. Our representative transfers you to Hurghada airport or to the next agreed connection, allowing suitable time for check-in and airport procedures.

If your flight is later in the day, the morning remains available for a final coffee, a short walk or quiet time at the hotel, subject to the accommodation’s checkout rules. Keep travel documents, medication and valuables in your hand luggage. Your 14-day programme ends with the transfer, after Cairo, Alexandria, Siwa, the Nile Valley and the Red Sea.

• Breakfast and hotel checkout
• Transfer to Hurghada airport or onward connection
• End of the tour