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🇪🇬 Itinerary · Egypt · 14 days

2-week Egypt itinerary 2026: Nile, temples and Red Sea

14 days: Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, a Nile cruise, Luxor then diving in the Red Sea at Hurghada. Day-by-day circuit, with costed budget and detailed transport.

🔄 Updated June 1, 2026

📅 See the program 🔄 See variants

In brief

Duration

14 days

Stops

6 places

Average budget

€1,600-2,700

Total distance

~1,900 km

Profile

Well-rounded

Season

Oct-Apr

Cairo 3d · Aswan 2d · Nile cruise 2d · Luxor 3d · Hurghada 3d · return 1d

Itinerary map

The route at a glance

Egypt 2-week itinerary map: Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Nile cruise, Luxor, Hurghada

© OpenStreetMap contributors

Detailed program

14 days, day by day

1

~€80/day

Cairo · Arrival & Giza pyramids

  • Morning Arrival in Cairo, transfer. Giza plateau: Khufu, Sphinx.
  • Afternoon Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, ancient Memphis.
🛌 🛌 Giza · e.g. Marriott Mena House (3 nights)·🚗 Private transfer·Egypt guide →
2

~€70/day

Cairo · Grand Egyptian Museum

  • Morning Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the full Tutankhamun collection.
  • Afternoon Saladin Citadel, Alabaster Mosque.
3

~€65/day

Cairo · Old Cairo & Khan el-Khalili

  • Morning Coptic Cairo, Hanging Church, Ben Ezra synagogue.
  • Afternoon Khan el-Khalili bazaar, night flight or sleeper train to Aswan.
4

~€75/day

Aswan · Philae Island & felucca

  • Morning Temple of Philae on its island, Aswan High Dam, unfinished obelisk.
  • Afternoon Felucca to Elephantine Island and the colourful Nubian village.
🛌 🛌 Aswan · e.g. Old Cataract (2 nights)·✈️ Domestic flight + felucca
5

~€85/day

Aswan → Abu Simbel · Ramses II

  • Dawn Outing to Abu Simbel (3 h by road), the colossal temples of Ramses II (UNESCO).
  • Afternoon Back to Aswan, board the cruise ship.
🛌 🛌 Cruise ship · e.g. MS Mövenpick (2 nights)·🚗 Abu Simbel road + ⛴️ cruise
6

~€75/day

Nile cruise · Kom Ombo & Edfu

  • Morning Double temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Sobek and Horus.
  • Afternoon Temple of Edfu by carriage, sailing, Esna lock.
7

~€80/day

Cruise → Luxor · Karnak

  • Morning Arrival in Luxor, Karnak Temple and its avenue of sphinxes.
  • Afternoon Luxor Temple by the Nile, lit up at dusk.
🛌 🛌 Luxor · e.g. Sofitel Winter Palace (3 nights)·⛴️ End of the cruise
8

~€90/day

Luxor · Valley of the Kings & balloon

  • Dawn Sunrise balloon over the Theban necropolis (€100).
  • Morning Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon.
  • Afternoon Rest, Luxor market.
9

~€70/day

Luxor · East bank & museum

  • Morning Luxor Museum, the restored avenue of sphinxes to Karnak.
  • Afternoon Valley of the Queens or Medinet Habu, a last felucca.
10

~€70/day

Luxor → Hurghada · On to the Red Sea

  • Morning Drive to Hurghada (4 h, 290 km) across the Eastern Desert.
  • Afternoon Into a Red Sea resort, a first swim.
🛌 🛌 Hurghada · e.g. Steigenberger Al Dau Beach (3 nights)·🚗 Eastern Desert road
11

~€85/day

Hurghada · Diving & snorkelling

  • Day Diving or snorkelling trip to Giftun Island, reefs and colourful fish (water 22-28°C).
  • Evening Sunset over the sea, grilled fish dinner.
12

~€75/day

Hurghada · Desert & rest

  • Morning A second dive, or a 4x4 desert outing and Bedouin village.
  • Afternoon Beach time, spa, a last Red Sea swim.
13

~€65/day

Hurghada · Free day

  • Morning Snorkelling from the beach or a glass-bottom boat trip.
  • Afternoon Rest before the return, the old port of El Dahar.
14

Flight

Hurghada → home · Return

  • Morning A last swim, transfer to the airport.
  • Afternoon Flight Hurghada → Paris (often direct) or via Cairo.
🛌 🛌 night on the plane·✈️ Direct flight or via Cairo

How much

Budget for this itinerary (per person, flight included)

Backpacker

€1,600

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight Paris: €320
  • 🏨 Pension + simple cruise: €38/night
  • 🍲 Koshari and street food: €13/day
  • 🚆 Train + domestic flights: €180
  • 🎫 Sites + Abu Simbel + diving: €280
Recommended

Comfort

€2,200

per person

  • ✈️ Return flight Paris: €380
  • 🏨 4★ hotel + 5★ cruise: €90/night
  • 🍽️ Mixed dining: €26/day
  • ✈️ Domestic flights: €160
  • 🎫 Abu Simbel + diving + guides: €350

Premium

€4,600

per person

  • ✈️ Upgraded flight: €700
  • 🏨 Palace + dahabiya + 5★ resort: €240/night
  • 🍽️ Fine tables: €50/day
  • 🚗 Private Egyptologist + transfers
  • 🎫 Balloon + private diving + tours: €700

Shorter, longer

Other possible durations

1 week

1 week

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

You're here

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

Two weeks: Cairo, temple-lined Upper Egypt linked by flight and cruise, then the Red Sea at Hurghada by the desert road. No long road distances except Luxor-Hurghada (4 h).

✈️

Flight Cairo → Aswan

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

⛴️

Cruise Aswan → Luxor

included · 2-3 nights · temples along the water

🚗

Road Luxor → Hurghada

4 h · 290 km · Eastern Desert · private transfer or bus

🤿

Red Sea diving

Giftun reefs · water 22-28°C · 20-40 m visibility

Adapt by season

Temples in winter, Red Sea year-round

This itinerary combines Upper Egypt (temples, cruise), ideal October to April (40°C in summer), with the Red Sea at Hurghada, divable year-round (water at 22°C in winter, 28°C in summer). The best common window is October-November and March-April: dry air for the temples, warm sea and 20-40 m visibility for diving. In summer, aim for temples early in the morning and the sea in the afternoon.

Author tips

What I would redo (and change)

✅ Would redo

  • • In November 2024 I dived at Giftun Island at first light, the first group in the water: 30 m of visibility, the reef intact and shoals of fish before the group boats. By 11am a dozen boats were moored on the same reef. Early morning pays off for diving too.
  • • Keeping the Red Sea for the end: you unwind by the water after the intensity of the temples.
  • • The Luxor balloon at sunrise, over the Theban necropolis.
  • • Three nights in Aswan and Luxor rather than two: no rushing between the temples.

⚠️ Would change

  • • Swapping Hurghada for Dahab if you are an experienced diver (Blue Hole, calmer atmosphere).
  • • Avoiding June-August for the temples: 40°C in Upper Egypt.
  • • Taking the Cairo-Aswan flight rather than the train if time is short.

FAQ

Itinerary FAQ

Is two weeks the right format for Egypt? +
Yes, it is ideal: you add the Red Sea and diving to the classic temple loop, with real rest days. A month lets you include the White Desert, Sinai and Alexandria.
Hurghada or Dahab for the Red Sea? +
Hurghada is more accessible from Luxor (4 h by road) and offers easy snorkelling and diving. Dahab, in Sinai, is loved by experienced divers (Blue Hole) but further. For this circuit, Hurghada flows better.
Do you need a visa for Egypt? +
Yes: an e-visa online (about USD 25) or a visa on arrival, valid 30 days. Passport valid 6 months past return. For Sharm/Dahab only, a free Sinai permit may suffice.
Can you dive year-round in the Red Sea? +
Yes: water at 22°C in winter, 28°C in summer. Visibility 20 to 40 m. The best window is October-November and March-April, which coincides with the good temple season.
What is the best time to go? +
October-April for the temples (dry air, 25-30°C). The Red Sea is divable year-round. The ideal common window is October-November and March-April.
How much does this 2-week circuit cost? +
Around €1,600 backpacking, €2,200 in comfort and €4,600 premium, flight from Paris included, per person. The cruise, Abu Simbel and diving are the heaviest lines.

Marie Laurent ✓

·

Southeast Asia specialist · itinerary personally tested.

Last updated: June 1, 2026.

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