Egypt 16-Day Itinerary: Cairo, Luxor & Siwa

After breakfast, your guide takes you to the Giza Plateau, where you see the Great Pyramid, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure in that order. You also have time near the Sphinx and the Valley Temple. The plateau is open and can feel hot in the middle of the day, so comfortable shoes, water and sun protection are useful. Your guide explains how the pyramid complex was planned and how the monuments relate to the royal landscape.

After lunch, continue to the Cairo Museum to see a wide collection of objects from ancient Egypt, including statues, jewellery, coffins and royal burial goods. The visit gives context to the monuments seen in the morning. We then return you to the hotel for an evening at leisure. The schedule allows time for photographs without turning the day into a rushed sequence of stops.

Today focuses on Cairo’s historic districts. Begin in Old Cairo, where churches, mosques and narrow lanes reflect the city’s long religious history. Your guide leads you through the area at a comfortable pace and explains the different architectural periods. The route may include time around the Coptic quarter, with opportunities to enter selected historic buildings when they are open.

Continue to the Citadel of Cairo and the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, whose large domes and Ottoman design give it a different character from the earlier Islamic monuments. From the Citadel, you can look across much of Cairo when visibility allows. Modest clothing is appropriate for the mosque, and visitors remove their shoes before entering the prayer area. After the visits, return to the hotel, with the evening free for dinner or rest.

Leave Cairo after breakfast for the ancient sites south of the city. At Memphis, the former capital of ancient Egypt, your guide introduces the remaining statues and reliefs, including the large limestone figure of Ramesses II. The open-air site is compact, so the visit is easy to combine with the larger pyramid areas that follow.

At Sakkara, walk through the necropolis and see the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the earliest large pyramid complex in Egypt. Depending on access, you may also enter a decorated tomb. Continue to Dahshour for the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, where the change in pyramid design is clear. These sites are quieter than Giza and involve uneven ground, so sturdy footwear helps. Return to Cairo in the afternoon for a relaxed evening.

Set out early from Cairo for Bahariya Oasis, a long overland journey through the Western Desert. The road trip takes several hours, with a comfort stop along the way and time to watch the landscape change from city outskirts to open desert. On arrival, transfer to a local 4x4 vehicle for the desert section of the excursion.

Continue toward the White Desert, where wind-shaped chalk formations rise from the pale ground. The light changes quickly across the formations, so your driver and guide choose suitable places for short walks and photographs. The terrain is remote and facilities are limited; bring water, a hat and layers for the cooler evening. After the desert visit, settle into a simple desert camp or local accommodation according to the confirmed arrangement. Dinner and the night’s rest take place away from Cairo’s traffic and noise.

After breakfast, leave the desert area and begin the return drive to Cairo. The morning is deliberately unhurried, giving you time to pack and enjoy the final views of the Western Desert before the road becomes busier near the capital. The transfer is lengthy, so our team plans suitable rest stops and helps with luggage when you reach the city.

Arrive in Cairo later in the day and check back into your hotel. This is a useful recovery afternoon after the desert excursion, with no major monument visit scheduled. You can relax, arrange laundry or enjoy dinner independently. Your guide also reviews the next day’s Alexandria excursion and the following transfer to Siwa Oasis, so you know what to expect before leaving Cairo again.

Travel by road to Alexandria after breakfast. The coastal route takes several hours, and the drive gives you a look at the changing scenery between Cairo and the Mediterranean. In Alexandria, visit the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, where underground chambers combine Egyptian, Greek and Roman influences. Your guide explains the burial customs and the unusual layout while you move through the site’s steps and passageways.

Continue to Pompey’s Pillar and the area associated with the ancient Serapeum, then spend time near the Mediterranean waterfront. If access and timing allow, the itinerary includes a visit to the exterior or grounds of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Lunch is usually arranged in the city, with time for a seafood meal if you wish. Return to Cairo in the evening, ready for the long westbound transfer the following morning.

Leave Cairo early for Siwa Oasis, a long road transfer across the Western Desert. The journey takes much of the day, so we recommend carrying snacks, water and any medication you need during the drive. There are planned stops along the route, though services become more limited as you move farther from the capital.

On arrival, check in and take time to rest. If daylight and energy allow, enjoy a short walk through the oasis or see the palm groves surrounding the town. Siwa has a slower rhythm than Cairo, with mud-brick buildings, salt lakes and springs spread across a wide desert setting. Our team confirms the next day’s 4x4 route and the meeting arrangements with your local guide before you settle in for the evening.

Today is dedicated to Siwa Oasis and its surrounding desert. Travel by 4x4 to see the oasis landscape of palms, dunes and saltwater pools. Depending on local conditions and the confirmed route, there may be time to swim at a suitable spring or salt lake. Your guide explains how water supports the date and olive farms and why Siwa developed as an important settlement in this remote part of Egypt.

Visit the old town area and the Temple of the Oracle at Aghurmi, where the setting on a rocky rise gives a wide view over the palms. You may also stop at a traditional spring before watching the light soften across the dunes. Sand driving is handled by an experienced local driver; follow guidance near water and on uneven ground. Return to the accommodation for a quiet final night in the oasis.

After breakfast, begin the return transfer from Siwa to Cairo. It is another long drive, so the day is kept free of additional sightseeing. Use the journey to rest, read or watch the desert scenery pass by. Our driver makes practical stops during the route, and our team remains available if you need help with luggage or arrangements on arrival.

Reach Cairo later in the day and check into the hotel. Keep your evening simple, since the following morning includes an early domestic flight to Aswan. Pack a smaller overnight bag if requested for the southern part of the itinerary, while the rest of your luggage can be handled according to the hotel and transfer arrangements. Your guide confirms the airport transfer and the sightseeing order in Aswan before the day ends.

Transfer to Cairo airport for your flight to Aswan, then continue by road to Abu Simbel. The monuments are in southern Egypt near the Sudanese border, and the road journey takes several hours. On arrival, enter the temple complex to see the four seated figures of Ramesses II carved into the main façade. Inside, your guide points out the reliefs and explains the temple’s royal and religious purpose.

Visit the smaller temple dedicated to Queen Nefertari, which has finely painted scenes and statues of the queen and the goddess Hathor. The site is open and sunny, so water and sun protection are important. After the visit, return to Aswan by road and check in. Depending on the transport schedule, the evening is free for rest, a Nile-side walk or a simple dinner.

Begin with a boat ride across the Nile to Agilkia Island, home to Philae Temple. The island setting makes the approach part of the visit, and your guide explains how the temple complex was moved to higher ground during the construction of the High Dam. Walk through the entrance pylons, courtyards and columned halls while looking for reliefs connected with Isis, Osiris and Horus.

Return by boat and continue with a drive past the High Dam, an important modern project that changed navigation, irrigation and settlement patterns along the Nile. The rest of the day is free in Aswan. You may choose a felucca ride if river conditions and timing suit, or relax at the hotel after the previous day’s long excursion. Our team confirms the next transfer to Luxor and keeps the pace manageable.

Leave Aswan after breakfast for Luxor by road. The transfer follows the Nile Valley and takes several hours, with opportunities to stop during the journey. On arrival in Luxor, check in or leave your luggage at the hotel before beginning the afternoon visit. The change from Aswan to Luxor is easy to notice: farmland, villages and ancient temple sites fill the river corridor.

Visit Karnak, beginning at the avenue and entrance before moving through the great courtyards and the Hypostyle Hall. Your guide explains how different pharaohs added to the complex over many centuries. Look closely at the carved columns and surviving colour in sheltered areas. Karnak covers a large area, so the walking is steady rather than rushed. Finish the day at the hotel, with time to rest before the West Bank visits.

Cross to Luxor’s West Bank in the morning and enter the Valley of the Kings. Your ticket normally allows entry to a selected number of open tombs, and your guide helps you choose according to access and interest. Inside, the decorated corridors descend into the rock, with painted scenes intended to guide the king through the afterlife. Photography rules vary by tomb, so follow the instructions at the entrance.

Continue to Hatshepsut Temple at Deir el-Bahari, whose terraces rise against the cliffs. The approach reveals the temple in stages, while the reliefs show ceremonies, offerings and the expedition to Punt. Stop near the Colossi of Memnon before returning to the east bank. The morning involves heat, steps and uneven surfaces; comfortable shoes and water make the visits easier. Spend the evening in Luxor before the coastal transfer.

After breakfast, transfer by road from Luxor to Hurghada on the Red Sea coast. The journey crosses the Eastern Desert and takes several hours, with the landscape changing from Nile farmland to rugged mountains and open desert. On arrival, check in and receive information about the resort facilities, beach access and any optional activities available during your stay.

The afternoon is free for time by the sea. You can swim, relax or arrange a boat, snorkelling or diving activity through the appropriate local desk, subject to sea conditions and availability. Our team keeps the day flexible after the long sightseeing programme. This is your chance to discover the Red Sea at an easy pace, without adding another long archaeological visit. Dinner and the evening are at leisure in Hurghada.

Enjoy breakfast and your remaining free time in Hurghada before the departure transfer. Depending on your flight time, you may have a quiet morning at the resort or take a final walk along the coast. Check-out and luggage collection follow the hotel’s confirmed schedule, and our representative helps coordinate the transfer to the airport.

We arrange the onward journey according to your flight details and allow practical time for the drive and airport procedures. Families and group travellers can ask our team about a special price when planning this itinerary, with the final arrangement based on the group’s dates and needs. Keep passports, travel documents and essential items in your hand luggage for the transfer. Your 16-day Egypt itinerary ends when you depart Hurghada.