Egypt Cairo 7-Day Itinerary — Quick Answer
As of 2026- Trip length
- 7 days
- Est. cost / person (mid, ex-flights)
- $1,510
- Budget–luxury
- $757–$3,350
As of 2026, the recommended Cairo 7-day route runs Day1 Pyramids of Giza · Day2 GEM + Khan el-Khalili + Nile Cruise · Day3 Saqqara + Four Seasons · Day4 Alexandria day trip · Day5 Luxor day flight · Day6 Aswan day flight (Philae + High Dam + Nubian Village) · Day7 Abu Simbel + return + departure, grouping the must-see sights with minimal backtracking. Estimated cost per person (excluding flights) is around $1,510 on a mid-range budget. Days 1-5 follow the 5-day plan with Alexandria and Luxor. Days 6-7 add Aswan (Nubian heritage, Philae Temple, High Dam) and Abu Simbel (Rameses II's sun temple, UNESCO) by domestic flight before departure.
7-Day Total Budget at a Glance
Budget
$757
Per person, flights excl.
Mid-Range
$1,510
Per person, flights excl.
Luxury
$3,350
Per person, flights excl.
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Day-by-Day Detailed Schedule
Pyramids of Giza
Wonder of the WorldActivities
- 08:00 Pyramids + Sphinx + Marriott Mena House + Sound & Light 15 hours
Same as 3-Day Day 1.
Cost: $80-250 TIP: Hire English guide.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Cairo · $1-5
Standard.
Lunch
Marriott Mena House
Giza · $50-150
Pyramid view.
Dinner
Abou Tarek
Downtown · $1-3
Koshary.
Uber.
DAY 1 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
GEM + Khan el-Khalili + Nile Cruise
Pharaonic and IslamicActivities
- 09:00 GEM + Citadel + Khan el-Khalili + Nile Cruise 15 hours
Same as 3-Day Day 2.
Cost: $60-200 TIP: Pre-book GEM.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Cairo · $1-3
Light.
Lunch
Felfela
Downtown · $3-8
Egyptian.
Dinner
Nile Dinner Cruise
Cairo Nile · $40-80
Buffet + show.
Uber.
DAY 2 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Saqqara + Four Seasons
Day trip + luxuryActivities
- 08:00 Saqqara + Memphis + Coptic Cairo + Four Seasons 15 hours
Same as 3-Day Day 3.
Cost: $130-350 TIP: Reserve ahead.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel
Cairo · $1-5
Standard.
Lunch
Andrea Mariouteya
Pyramids area · $10-25
Egyptian-Greek.
Dinner
Four Seasons
Giza Nile · $80-200
Polished.
Day tour + Uber.
DAY 3 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Alexandria day trip
MediterraneanActivities
- 07:00 Alexandria Day Trip + Sequoia dinner 14 hours
Same as 5-Day Day 4.
Cost: $110-200 TIP: 3 hour drive each way.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + tour pickup
Cairo · Included
Early.
Lunch
Alexandria seafood
Alexandria · $15-30
Mediterranean.
Dinner
Sequoia (Zamalek)
Zamalek · $30-70
Nile riverfront.
Day tour.
DAY 4 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Luxor day flight
Valley of the KingsActivities
- 05:00 Luxor day flight + Marriott Mena House farewell 18 hours
Same as 5-Day Day 5 without the departure.
Cost: $200-400 TIP: Pre-book day flight.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Early flight
Cairo → Luxor · $5-15
Light.
Lunch
Luxor lunch (included)
Luxor · Included
Egyptian.
Dinner
Marriott Mena House
Giza · $50-150
Pyramid view.
Day flight + Uber.
DAY 5 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Aswan day flight (Philae + High Dam + Nubian Village)
Nubian heritageActivities
- 06:00 Cairo → Aswan flight (1 hour) + Philae Temple 10 hours
Fly to Aswan — Philae Temple (the Temple of Isis, relocated when the High Dam was built), the High Dam itself, and a Nubian Village visit.
Cost: $150-250 day flight + tours TIP: 1 hour flight each way. Pre-book a full-day Aswan flight package. The Nubian Village is the cultural highlight. - 19:00 Aswan Nile felucca at sunset 2 hours
Traditional Egyptian sailing boat on the Nile at Aswan — the river is at its most scenic here, with the Elephantine and Kitchener islands.
Cost: $20-40 TIP: Felucca rentals at the Aswan corniche. Bargain on the hour rate; $20-40 for 1-2 hours.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Early flight
Cairo → Aswan · $5-15
Travel light.
Lunch
Aswan Nubian
Aswan · $10-25
Nubian dishes (different from Cairo Egyptian).
Dinner
Aswan felucca + dinner
Aswan Nile · $20-40
Sunset on the Nile.
Aswan day flight + ground tours.
DAY 6 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Abu Simbel + return + departure
Pharaonic farewellActivities
- 04:00 Aswan → Abu Simbel (3 hour drive each way) 10 hours
The relocated UNESCO temple of Rameses II — 3,200 years old, originally facing the Nile, moved 65 m higher in 1968 when the High Dam was built. Four colossal seated statues of Rameses II flank the entrance.
Cost: Included with day tour TIP: The Sun Festival (Oct 22 + Feb 22) is when sunlight reaches the inner sanctuary at dawn. Otherwise, visit any morning for the best light. - 16:00 Aswan → Cairo flight 3 hours
Return flight from Aswan to Cairo (1.5 hours).
Cost: Included in round-trip TIP: Late afternoon return. - 22:00 Departure from Cairo International Airport (CAI) 1 hour
Late-evening international departures.
Cost: Uber $10-15 TIP: Pre-book a transfer.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Aswan hotel + early drive
Aswan · Included
Very early start.
Lunch
Abu Simbel return lunch
Aswan · Included
Egyptian buffet.
Dinner
Airport snack
Cairo Airport · $15-30
Pre-flight.
Abu Simbel day tour + Aswan-Cairo flight.
DAY 7 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
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Packing Checklist
- ✓ Modest cover-up clothing (mosques and temples)
- ✓ Light layers year-round + warm jacket for December-February evenings
- ✓ SPF 50 sunscreen + hat
- ✓ Insect repellent for summer
- ✓ Crisp US dollar bills + small EGP notes
- ✓ Type C/F plug (220V)
Cairo 7-Day Itinerary FAQ
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Why you can trust 7-day itinerary
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.