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🇪🇬 Itinerary · Egypt · 7 days

1-week Egypt itinerary 2026: Cairo and the Nile cruise

7 days for the essentials: the Giza pyramids, Aswan, Abu Simbel, a Nile cruise and Luxor. Day-by-day route, domestic flight, costed budget and transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

7 days

Stops

4 places

Average budget

€900-1,500

Total distance

~1,400 km

Profile

Antiquity & Nile

Season

Oct-Apr

Cairo 2d · Aswan 1d · Nile cruise 2d · Luxor 2d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Egypt 1-week itinerary map: Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Nile cruise, Luxor

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

7 days, day by day

1

~€80/day

Cairo · Arrival & Giza pyramids

  • Morning Arrival at Cairo airport, transfer to the centre.
  • Afternoon Giza plateau: Great Pyramid of Khufu, Sphinx, valley temple.
  • Evening Dinner overlooking the pyramids, a first sugar-cane juice.
🛌 🛌 Giza · e.g. Marriott Mena House (2 nights)·🚗 Private transfer·Egypt guide →
2

~€70/day

Cairo · Museum & old Cairo

  • Morning Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near Giza, Tutankhamun's treasures.
  • Afternoon Saladin Citadel, Alabaster Mosque, Khan el-Khalili bazaar.
  • Evening Night flight or sleeper train to Aswan.
3

~€85/day

Aswan → Abu Simbel · Upper Egypt

  • Dawn Outing to Abu Simbel (3 h by road or a short flight), the colossal temples of Ramses II (UNESCO).
  • Afternoon Back to Aswan, the Temple of Philae on its island, board the cruise ship.
  • Evening Sunset by felucca on the Nile, dinner on board.
🛌 🛌 Cruise ship · e.g. MS Mövenpick (2 nights)·🚗 Abu Simbel road + ⛴️ cruise
4

~€75/day

Nile cruise · Kom Ombo & Edfu

  • Morning Double temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Sobek and Horus.
  • Afternoon Sailing, Temple of Edfu (the best-preserved in Egypt) by horse-drawn carriage.
  • Evening Galabeya party on board, Esna lock.
5

~€80/day

Cruise → Luxor · East bank

  • Morning Arrival in Luxor, Karnak Temple and its avenue of sphinxes.
  • Afternoon Luxor Temple by the Nile, lit up at the end of the day.
🛌 🛌 Luxor · e.g. Sofitel Winter Palace (2 nights)·⛴️ End of the cruise
6

~€85/day

Luxor · Valley of the Kings & west bank

  • Dawn Sunrise balloon over the Theban necropolis (option, €100).
  • Morning Valley of the Kings (Tutankhamun's tomb), Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon.
  • Afternoon Rest, Luxor market, a last felucca.
7

Flight

Luxor → home · Return

  • Morning Last temples or downtime by the Nile.
  • Afternoon Flight Luxor → Cairo → Paris, or a direct flight depending on the season.
🛌 🛌 night on the plane·✈️ Flight via Cairo

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€900

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight Paris: €320
  • 🏨 Pension + simple cruise: €35/night
  • 🍲 Koshari and street food: €12/day
  • 🚆 Sleeper train + flights: €120
  • 🎫 Sites + Abu Simbel: €150
Recommended

Comfort

€1,300

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight Paris: €380
  • 🏨 4★ hotel + 5★ cruise: €90/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €25/day
  • ✈️ Domestic flights: €140
  • 🎫 Abu Simbel + guides + sites: €220

Premium

€2,800

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €700
  • 🏨 Palace + private dahabiya: €250/night
  • 🍽️ Fine tables: €50/day
  • 🚗 Private Egyptologist + transfers
  • 🎫 Balloon + private tours: €450

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

You're here

1 week

1 week

Cairo, the Nile cruise and Luxor. The essential format.

2 weeks

2 weeks

Plus the Red Sea and diving, after the temples.

1 month

1 month

The grand tour, from the White Desert to Sinai and Alexandria.

How to get around

Itinerary logistics

One week between Cairo and Upper Egypt. Cairo-Aswan is a short flight (1h30) or an overnight sleeper train (12 h). The cruise links Aswan to Luxor along the Nile, with no transport to arrange.

✈️

Flight Cairo → Aswan

€60-90 · 1h30 · saves a day over the train

🚆

Sleeper train (alternative)

€40-80 · 12 h overnight · Cairo-Aswan or Cairo-Luxor

⛴️

Cruise Aswan → Luxor

included · 2-3 nights · temples along the water

🎈

Luxor balloon

€100 · at sunrise · over the Theban necropolis

Adapt by season

Scorching summer, ideal winter in Upper Egypt

This itinerary goes down to Upper Egypt (Aswan, Luxor), where summer tops 40°C in the shade: the cruise and temples are best visited October to April, when the air is dry and mild (25-30°C by day). In summer, aim for early morning and late afternoon visits. The Luxor balloon at sunrise is the flagship option, running mostly in light wind, more common in winter.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In November 2024 I set off for Abu Simbel at 4am: the colossal temples of Ramses II by 7am, in golden light and almost deserted. The groups that arrived at 10am baked under 30°C and the crowds. A pre-dawn start is the only way to see these temples in peace.
  • • Choosing the cruise in the Aswan → Luxor direction: you go upstream effortlessly and end with Karnak, the largest temple.
  • • The Luxor balloon at sunrise, over the Theban necropolis.
  • • Sunset by felucca in Aswan, more peaceful than the cruise ship.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Taking the flight rather than the sleeper train if you want to save a full day.
  • • Avoiding June-August: 40°C in Upper Egypt, gruelling temples at noon.
  • • Booking the balloon on arrival in Luxor (wind-dependent weather).

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is a week enough for Egypt? +
Yes for the essentials: the pyramids, Aswan, Abu Simbel, a Nile cruise and Luxor. To add the Red Sea and diving, you need two weeks.
Domestic flight or train? +
Both work. The Cairo-Aswan flight (1h30, €60-90) saves a day. The sleeper train (12 h overnight, €40-80) is cheaper and saves a hotel night.
Do you need a visa for Egypt? +
Yes: an e-visa online before departure (about USD 25) or a visa on arrival at the airport. Valid 30 days. Passport valid 6 months past the return date.
Is the Nile cruise worth it? +
Yes, it is the best way to see the temples from Aswan to Luxor (Kom Ombo, Edfu) without arranging transport. Allow 2 to 3 nights on board, meals included.
What is the best time to go? +
October to April: dry, mild air (25-30°C), pleasant temples. June-August scorching in Upper Egypt (40°C and more). Winter is ideal for the cruise and the balloon.
How much does this week cost? +
Around €900 backpacking, €1,300 in comfort and €2,800 premium, flight from Paris included, per person. The cruise and Abu Simbel are the heaviest lines.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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