Egypt 16-Day Itinerary: Cairo, Luxor, Siwa & Aswan

After breakfast, your guide takes you to the Giza Pyramids, beginning with the Great Pyramid before continuing to the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure. Your guide explains how the royal tombs were planned, built, and used, while you have time to walk between the main viewpoints and take photographs.

The visit continues to the Sphinx, where the lion-bodied monument faces the pyramid field. The site includes uneven ground, open sun, and some walking, so comfortable shoes, water, and a hat are useful. Your guide keeps the pace practical and allows time to pause rather than rushing from one monument to the next.

After sightseeing, you return to Cairo for lunch and a quieter afternoon. The exact order can change with site conditions, but the main plateau visit is completed during the cooler part of the day whenever practical.

Today begins with the Cairo Museum, where your guide introduces key pieces from ancient Egypt in a clear historical sequence. You see royal sculpture, funerary objects, jewellery, and everyday items that show how people lived as well as how rulers were presented. Allow time to look closely; the collection is broad and the galleries reward a steady pace.

After a break for lunch, you continue to Old Cairo. The area brings together historic churches, Islamic buildings, and narrow streets shaped by centuries of religious and commercial life. Your guide explains the changing character of the district as you walk between the main sights.

Some paths and entrances may be uneven, and the day involves indoor and outdoor walking. We arrange the transfers between the museum, Old Cairo, and your hotel so you can focus on the visits without managing Cairo traffic yourself.

Your guide takes you to Cairo Citadel, a hilltop complex with wide views across the city. The principal visit is The Mosque of Mohamed Ali, known for its large Ottoman-style dome, tall minarets, and spacious interior. You remove your shoes where required and dress respectfully for the religious site.

Inside the mosque, your guide points out the lamps, patterned surfaces, and the layout of the prayer hall. Outside, the elevated position gives you a useful sense of Cairo's scale, from dense neighbourhoods to distant landmarks. The visit combines architecture with a straightforward explanation of the city's later history.

The rest of the day remains flexible after lunch. You can return to the hotel to rest or spend additional time in the city, depending on your energy and the final sightseeing schedule. Transfers are included between the hotel and the Citadel area.

Leave Cairo after breakfast for the southern pyramid fields. The first stop is Memphis, the ancient capital of Egypt, where your guide explains the city's role in administration, trade, and royal power. The open-air collection includes monumental statues and carved remains, with the reclining colossus of Ramesses II among the principal sights.

You then continue to Sakkara to see the Step Pyramid of Djoser and the surrounding funerary complex. This is an important point in the development of pyramid building, and your guide explains how the stepped design differs from the later smooth-sided monuments.

The final visit is Dahshour, where the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid show another stage of experimentation in royal architecture. The sites are spread across desert roads, so the day involves several short transfers as well as walking on sand and exposed ground. Return to Cairo in the afternoon or early evening.

Today is a long overland transfer west to Siwa Oasis. After an early breakfast, you leave Cairo with your guide and travel through changing desert landscapes. The journey takes much of the day, with planned comfort stops for refreshments, restrooms, and a chance to stretch your legs.

As the road reaches the oasis, palms, cultivated plots, and salt lakes begin to replace the open desert. Siwa has a distinct culture and landscape, shaped by its remote position near the Libyan border. On arrival, our team helps with check-in and explains the arrangements for the following day.

This transfer is best approached as a travel day rather than a sightseeing day. Bring water, sun protection, and a small bag with items you may need during the drive. Your main luggage remains with you, and the vehicle has space for normal tour baggage.

Spend the day exploring Siwa Oasis at a relaxed pace. Your guide introduces the palm groves, local water sources, and the agricultural areas that make life possible in this desert setting. You also have time to see traditional streets and hear about Siwan customs, crafts, and the relationship between the settlement and its surrounding land.

Later, the route heads into the desert for wide views, dunes, and the saltwater landscapes associated with the oasis. Conditions underfoot vary, and the day may include short walks over sand or rough ground. We keep the schedule flexible around heat and daylight, without promising particular weather or water conditions.

Return to your accommodation for an evening at leisure. Siwa is quieter than Cairo, and the slower rhythm is part of the experience. Our team confirms the next transfer before you rest for the night.

After breakfast, you begin the return journey from Siwa to Cairo. This is another substantial road transfer, so the day is organised around comfort stops and a practical connection onward to Aswan. Depending on transport schedules, part of the route may be completed by domestic flight after reaching Cairo.

Our team coordinates the transfers and helps with luggage during the change between road and air travel. The exact departure sequence depends on the available schedule, and we do not assign a fixed flight time in advance. Keep essential medication, travel documents, and a change of clothing in your hand luggage.

Arrive in Aswan and transfer to your accommodation. There may be little time for sightseeing today, but your guide will brief you on the next day's early start and the visit to Abu Simbel. Overnight in Aswan.

Leave Aswan early for Abu Simbel, travelling south through the desert. The drive takes several hours each way, but the destination is one of the major highlights of southern Egypt. On arrival, your guide leads you first to the Great Temple of Ramesses II, where four colossal seated figures face the approach.

Inside, rooms and reliefs describe royal power, religious scenes, and military campaigns. You then visit the neighbouring Temple of Hathor, dedicated to the goddess and associated with Queen Nefertari. Your guide explains the temples' relocation during the construction of the High Dam, a major engineering project that protected the monuments from rising water.

After time to explore the site, return by road to Aswan. The excursion includes sun, open spaces, and a long vehicle journey, so carry water, snacks, a hat, and comfortable clothing. The evening is free for rest.

Begin with a boat ride across the lake to Phiala temple, usually written as Philae Temple, on Agilkia Island. The approach by water gives you a clear view of the island setting before you walk through the temple gateway. Your guide explains the sanctuary's connection with Isis and the religious traditions that continued here into the Roman period.

Allow time to study the carved columns, courtyards, and reliefs before returning by boat. The island paths can be uneven, but the visit is manageable at a steady pace. After the temple, you see Aswan's modern waterworks from suitable viewpoints and learn how the dam projects changed transport, farming, and the location of ancient monuments.

The afternoon is quieter. You can rest at the hotel or enjoy time beside the Nile, depending on the final schedule. Our team confirms the next transfer to Luxor and helps organise luggage for the following morning.

Travel north from Aswan to Luxor after breakfast. The road follows the Nile Valley, passing cultivated fields, villages, and stretches of desert beyond the farmland. The transfer takes several hours, with a stop arranged during the journey so you can take a break.

After reaching Luxor and checking in, visit Karnak, the largest temple complex on the east bank. Your guide leads you through the avenue, pylons, hypostyle hall, and the areas dedicated to Amun-Ra and related deities. The scale changes as you move from open courts into dense rows of columns covered with inscriptions.

Wear practical shoes and bring water, since the complex includes long outdoor walks in exposed conditions. The exact order of hotel check-in and sightseeing can change according to road conditions and opening arrangements. Overnight in Luxor.

Cross to Luxor's west bank after breakfast for the Valley of Kings. Your guide explains why pharaohs were buried in hidden rock-cut tombs rather than in visible pyramids. You enter the tombs included in the visit, following painted corridors and chambers decorated with religious texts and scenes intended to support the king's passage into the afterlife.

Continue to Hatshepsut temple, built against the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. Terraces, ramps, and colonnades create a clear route through the monument, while reliefs record the queen's reign and the expedition to Punt. The approach includes outdoor walking and some steps, with shaded pauses where available.

Return to the east bank after the west-bank visits. The afternoon is free for lunch, rest, or a walk near the hotel. Tomb access and the order of visits can vary, and your guide explains the arrangements on the ground.

Travel north from Luxor to Dendara after breakfast. The journey passes through the Nile Valley, where irrigated farmland lies close to the road and desert begins beyond it. On arrival, your guide leads you through the temple complex dedicated to Hathor, the goddess associated with music, motherhood, and the sky.

The main temple has a broad entrance, a forest of decorated columns, and interior rooms with detailed reliefs. Look up at the astronomical ceiling and follow the inscriptions as your guide explains how the temple was used for ritual and procession. The surviving decoration mainly belongs to the Greco-Roman period, although the site has much older religious associations.

After the visit, return to Luxor for a relaxed afternoon. The excursion involves a road transfer and steady walking on stone floors, so comfortable footwear is helpful. Keep water with you, particularly during the warmer part of the day.

Leave Luxor for the Red Sea coast after breakfast. The route crosses desert terrain and gradually changes as you approach the water, with comfort stops arranged during the drive. This transfer takes several hours, so our team keeps the day practical and allows time for you to settle into the resort after arrival.

On reaching Marsa Alam, check in and familiarise yourself with the beachfront property and its facilities. The coast is known for clear water, coral reefs, and access to quiet stretches of shore, although sea conditions and beach access can vary by location and season.

The rest of the day is free. You might sit by the water, swim where permitted, or simply recover after the road journey. Ask our team about the resort's meal times, beach rules, and any activities you are considering before making arrangements.

Enjoy a full day at leisure in Marsa Alam. The schedule is deliberately open after the sightseeing and long transfers earlier in the itinerary. You can spend time on the beach, use the resort facilities, or arrange a suitable marine activity through the local team if conditions and availability allow.

If you choose to swim or snorkel, follow the beach staff's guidance and use marked areas. Reefs can be shallow, rocky, or affected by currents, so footwear and careful attention to local instructions are sensible. Travellers who prefer a quieter day can read, walk along the shore, or take a longer break indoors during the strongest sun.

Our team remains available for practical help and confirms the next day's departure arrangements. Keep passports, valuables, and any travel documents together tonight so the morning transfer is straightforward.

After breakfast, check out and prepare for your departure transfer. The timing depends on your onward travel schedule, so our team confirms the collection details directly and allows time for the drive to the airport or your next arranged connection.

Before leaving, check your room, luggage, and safe carefully. Pack liquids and valuables according to your onward travel requirements, and keep your passport and booking documents accessible during the transfer.

Our representative assists with the final luggage arrangements and directs you through the departure process. If your flight or onward connection leaves later in the day, any available free time remains subject to the resort's check-out policy and the confirmed transfer schedule.