7 days, 6 nights: the Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Saqqara and the Citadel in Cairo, then a flight to Hurghada for 3 nights with a quad-bike safari and a Red Sea snorkelling trip. Includes hotels with breakfast, both flights, an Egyptologist in Cairo and entrance fees.
This seven-day holiday pairs Egypt's capital with its best-known Red Sea resort. Two busy days in Cairo cover the Pyramids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the Step Pyramid at Saqqara, then the Egyptian Museum, the Citadel, the Royal Mummies at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, Al-Muizz Street and Khan el-Khalili. In the evening of Day 3 you fly to Hurghada for three nights by the sea, with a quad bike safari in the desert and a snorkelling trip on the reefs included, and a free day before the flight back to Cairo.
Sightseeing in Cairo is private, with a licensed Egyptologist and your own vehicle. Both domestic flights, Cairo to Hurghada and Hurghada to Cairo, are included, and you stay in a beach resort in Hurghada with breakfast.
Flying both ways matters on a week-long trip. The road from Cairo to Hurghada is about 450 km and five to six hours each way; two one-hour flights give you most of that time back for the sea. The evening flights also mean no sightseeing hours are lost: you leave Cairo after a full day of visits and leave Hurghada after a full day at the resort.
If you want the Nile Valley as well, see the 11-day Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Hurghada tour or our Egypt classic tours. Our guide to the best snorkelling beaches in Hurghada gives an idea of the reefs.
The two Cairo days are full; the Hurghada days are relaxed. Two flights are included:
The longest day is Day 3, which runs from breakfast to an evening flight with check-out in the morning; your luggage stays in the vehicle while you visit the sites. In Hurghada the quad safari and the snorkelling trip each take half a day or a little more, so there is time at the resort on every day by the sea. Sightseeing in Cairo means three to five hours on foot each day, on sand at Giza and Saqqara and on stone floors in the museums.
Our representative meets you at Cairo International Airport, helps with passport control and your luggage, and drives you in a private air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel, 30 to 60 minutes depending on traffic. At check-in your representative goes through the week: the pickup time for the dinner cruise, the morning start at Giza tomorrow, and the evening flight to Hurghada on Day 3. If you land in the afternoon, there is time to rest before the evening.
In the evening you board a dinner cruise on the Nile. As the boat passes the lit-up bridges and towers of central Cairo, dinner is served with a show of oriental dance, folk music and the Tanoura, a whirling dance in colourful skirts that grew out of Sufi tradition. The cruise lasts about two hours, and you are driven back to your hotel afterwards.
If your flight lands late in the evening, the dinner cruise can be moved to Day 2, after Saqqara; tell us your flight times when you book. Smart-casual clothes are fine on the boat. Drinks are paid on board. Overnight in Cairo.
After breakfast your private Egyptologist takes you to Giza. The Great Pyramid of Khufu, built around 2560 BC, is the largest of the three and the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing. Below the pyramids lies the Great Sphinx, with the body of a lion and the head of a king, usually linked to Khafre; your guide explains the debate over its age. Next to it, the Valley Temple of Khafre, of limestone and granite, was used for the king's funeral rites. Going inside the Great Pyramid needs a separate ticket bought at the site; the corridors are steep, narrow and warm, so it is not for everyone. A stop at the panoramic viewpoint gives the classic view of all three pyramids, and a short camel ride there is an optional extra.
About 2 km away, the Grand Egyptian Museum tells 5,000 years of history. You see the colossal Ramses II in the Grand Hall, the royal statues of the Grand Staircase and the Tutankhamun galleries, where the objects from his tomb are shown together: the gold mask, the nested shrines, chariots, jewellery and the furniture he was buried with. The museum is very large, so your guide picks a route through the key pieces in about two to three hours.
After lunch at a local restaurant you drive about 30 to 40 minutes south to Saqqara. The Step Pyramid of Djoser, designed by the architect Imhotep around 2650 BC, is the earliest large stone building in Egypt and the model the later pyramids grew from. Around it, the enclosure wall and the courtyard for the king's jubilee festival show how the first architects in stone copied the reed and timber buildings of their time. When they are open on the day, your guide adds one of the Old Kingdom tombs nearby, whose walls show farming, fishing and crafts in fine relief.
You are back at the hotel in the late afternoon. Dinner is not included, so the evening is free; Zamalek and the hotels along the Nile have good restaurants. Overnight in Cairo.
After breakfast you check out and start at the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, opened in 1902, with the Narmer Palette, Old Kingdom statues, coffins and jewellery. Tutankhamun's treasures are now at the Grand Egyptian Museum you saw yesterday, so your guide focuses on the pieces that remain on display here, which change as objects move between the museums. Allow about one and a half hours.
After lunch you visit the Citadel, begun by Saladin in 1176 and the seat of Egypt's rulers for some 700 years. Inside is the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, built in the Ottoman style and clad in alabaster, with a terrace overlooking the city.
At the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, the Royal Mummies Hall holds the mummies of kings and queens of the New Kingdom, among them Ramses II and Hatshepsut, moved here in a parade in 2021. Then you walk along Al-Muizz Street, the old spine of Fatimid Cairo, lined with mosques, madrasas and houses, to Khan el-Khalili for some time in the market.
Your guide takes you to Cairo airport, about 30 to 45 minutes from Khan el-Khalili, for the evening flight to Hurghada, about one hour. A driver meets you on arrival and takes you to your beach resort, 15 to 30 minutes from the airport for most hotels. Dinner is not included; many resorts keep a restaurant or snack bar open late. Overnight in Hurghada.
Women need to cover their hair in the Mohamed Ali Mosque, and everyone removes their shoes. Al-Muizz Street is busy in the late afternoon, so keep bags closed and close to you.
After breakfast, or in the afternoon depending on the timing set by the safari team, you are collected from the resort for a quad bike safari. After a short briefing and a test ride, you follow your guide in a line through the open desert and the dry valleys behind Hurghada, with stops for photos of the mountains of the Eastern Desert. Most trips include a stop at a Bedouin camp for tea. The ride itself usually lasts one to two hours.
The Eastern Desert behind Hurghada is a landscape of granite and sandstone mountains, cut by wadis that carry water only after rare storms. The Bedouin families who live here traditionally kept camels and goats and moved between wells; at the camp you can see how bread is baked on a fire and try sweet tea or herbal drinks. Some trips add a short camel ride, which is optional.
You return to the resort for the rest of the day at leisure. If your safari is in the morning, the afternoon is free for the pool or the beach; if it is in the afternoon, the morning is yours and you may see the sunset over the mountains on the ride back. Breakfast is included at the resort; lunch and dinner are your choice. Overnight in Hurghada.
Quad bikes are driven by adults; children can ride as passengers, depending on age. Wear closed shoes and protect your eyes from the dust. Winter evenings in the desert are cool, so take a light jacket for an afternoon trip.
After breakfast you are taken to the marina for a snorkelling trip by boat. The boat usually stops at two reefs, where hard corals, parrotfish, clownfish and many other species live a few metres below the surface. The crew provides masks, snorkels and fins, and lunch is often served on board. You return to the resort in the afternoon.
If you would rather not go in the water, you can spend the day at the resort instead. The Giftun Islands, a protected area off Hurghada, are the most popular destination for these trips; see our list of things to do in Hurghada for other ideas.
The pickup is usually between 8 and 9 am. The boat leaves the marina at around 9 to 10 am and the ride to the first reef takes 45 minutes to an hour. Each snorkelling stop lasts 45 minutes to an hour, with the crew's guide in the water; between stops you can sit on the sun deck. Most boats are back by 3 to 4 pm, and you are at the resort in time for a late afternoon by the pool. Breakfast is at the resort; dinner is your choice. Overnight in Hurghada.
Use a reef-safe sunscreen and never stand on or touch the coral. A T-shirt or rash vest in the water protects your back from the sun. If you wear glasses, ask the crew whether a prescription mask is available, or bring your own.
The day is yours until the evening transfer. You can stay at the pool or on the beach, swim in the sea, or book an optional activity at extra cost: a diving trip, a glass-bottom boat, a second boat trip or a visit to the marina.
Check-out time at most resorts is around noon. You can keep your luggage at the reception and use the pool and beach until the transfer; a late check-out, if you want your room for the afternoon, is at extra cost and depends on the hotel. If you have never dived, an introductory dive with an instructor in the morning is a good way to try it, as long as you leave at least 18 hours between the dive and your flight, the usual guidance for divers; ask the dive centre before you book.
In the evening a driver takes you to Hurghada airport for the flight to Cairo, about one hour. Our representative meets you on arrival and drives you to your hotel for the night. If your international flight leaves early tomorrow, settle the pickup time with the representative tonight and ask the hotel for a breakfast box. Overnight in Cairo.
After breakfast you have free time until your transfer. Our representative drives you to Cairo International Airport in time for your international flight; airlines usually ask you to be there three hours before departure. This is the end of the tour.
If your flight leaves in the evening, a few hours in Cairo can be added at extra cost: Coptic Cairo, with the Hanging Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, is the usual choice, as it was not part of the Day 3 programme. Ask when you book, so that a vehicle and guide, and a late check-out if you want one, can be arranged.
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Children pay less, see the children policy below. Christmas, New Year and Easter dates add 25%. Prices are per person in US dollars.
October to May is the best time for the whole trip: Cairo is pleasant for sightseeing and Hurghada is sunny every day. The Red Sea is around 21 to 23 °C in winter, cool but swimmable with a short wetsuit for snorkelling, and around 27 to 29 °C from July to October. In summer, Cairo passes 35 °C, so the visits start early. Hurghada can be windy in winter afternoons, which may move a boat trip by a day.
Many nationalities can buy a tourist visa on arrival at Cairo airport or apply for an e-visa on visa2egypt.gov.eg. Rules and fees depend on your passport. Your passport should be valid for at least six months from arrival and is needed for the domestic flights. The visa is not included in the price.
The currency is the Egyptian pound. Resorts in Hurghada accept cards; keep small notes for boat crews, markets and toilets at the sites. In Khan el-Khalili prices are not fixed and a little bargaining is expected; agree on a price before you buy. Tips are not included; the tipping guide in the travel policies below gives the usual amounts.
The reefs off Hurghada are part of a protected marine area, and boat operators collect a small marine park fee on some trips. Snorkel only where the crew tells you, wear the life jacket or float they hand out if you are not a strong swimmer, and keep a few metres above the coral. The current can be stronger away from the reef, so stay with your group and the crew's guide. On the boat and the beach, the sun is stronger than it feels with the sea breeze: reapply sunscreen after every swim and drink plenty of water.
The quad safari is run by a licensed local operator with its own guides. You ride in a line on sandy tracks, not on roads, at a speed set by the leader. Helmets are usually offered; a scarf over the nose and mouth and sunglasses are the best protection against dust. If you have back or neck problems, ask to ride as a passenger, or swap the safari for a jeep trip when you book.
Drink bottled water, which is provided in the vehicle in Cairo and sold everywhere. Egyptian food is a highlight of the Cairo days: lunch is usually at a local restaurant with grilled meats, rice, salads, tahini and bread. Resorts in Hurghada serve buffet breakfasts with both international and Egyptian dishes, and the marina has many restaurants for dinner.
All prices are per person in US dollars. The price changes with the season (winter 1 October to 30 April, summer 1 May to 30 September), the accommodation level and the size of the group. Christmas, New Year and Easter dates add 25%. Your quote lists the final price and everything it covers. After the deposit, changes to your itinerary cost US$25 per request, plus any third-party fees.
A deposit of 30% of the total tour cost confirms your booking. We send you a secure payment link for the deposit; the balance is paid in cash or by card on arrival in Egypt, unless your written offer gives another date. We never ask for card details by email, chat or WhatsApp. We confirm every booking by email.
No-show travelers are charged 100%. During peak events in Egypt, hotels and Nile cruises do not refund deposits. Groups of more than 10 people may have different terms.
Add each child and their age in the enquiry form so the quote is exact.
Optional visits, such as a hot air balloon ride in Luxor, a Sound and Light show or a felucca ride, are not in the price. Tell us which ones you want and we add them to your quote with their cost.
Not included in the price: International flights to and from Egypt; Egypt entry visa and travel insurance; Tickets to enter the Great Pyramid; Optional activities in Hurghada, such as diving, and desert trips not in the itinerary; Early check-in and late check-out; Tips for guides, drivers and boat crews.
Tipping is customary in Egypt and is not included in the price. A usual amount for a private tour is US$8 to 10 per person per day for your guide, US$4 to 5 for your driver and US$5 to 8 per person per day for the crew on a Nile cruise. Your guide can advise you on the day.
By air: an evening flight from Cairo to Hurghada on Day 3 and from Hurghada to Cairo on Day 6, each about one hour. Both flights are included. The drive would take five to six hours each way.
It helps, but the crew provides life jackets and guides, and you can stay on the boat or on a shallow beach stop if you prefer. Tell us if anyone in your group cannot swim.
Yes. Because the tour is private, nights can be added in Hurghada and the flight back moved, and the price changes with them.
Yes: three museums and Islamic Cairo before an evening flight. If you prefer a slower pace, we can move the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square to an optional visit and keep more time for the Citadel and the Royal Mummies.
Independent reviews on the platforms travelers already trust.
Amazing Egyptian vacation! We did an 11 day private tour of Cairo, cruise on the Nile between Aswan and Luxor and a 4 day stay in Hurghada. The guided tours were very interesting, with extremely knowledgeable guides, attentive and helpful.
Egypt package to the Pyramids of Giza and Saqqara was a fascinating journey through Egypt's ancient past ,guide knowledge, the majesty of the pyramids, and the historical depth of Saqqara made this tour truly enriching!
our honeymoon to Egypt ,Giza and Saqqara was a magical escape into history The pyramids looming in the distance, the quiet serenity of the desert, and the ancient wonders of Saqqara created moments that will be with me forever!
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