The capital and the Pyramids
Almost every trip begins in Cairo, a vast, loud and wonderful city of mosques, markets and museums. The Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum sit on its western edge, and Saqqara and Dahshur are a short drive south. Give it three days at least.
The temple towns of the south
An hour's flight or an overnight sleeper train takes you to Luxor, ancient Thebes, where Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings make the world's greatest open air museum. Further upriver, Aswan is calmer and greener, with felucca sails, Nubian villages and the road to Abu Simbel. Many travellers link the two on a three or four night Nile cruise.
The Mediterranean
Three hours north of Cairo, Alexandria is the city of Cleopatra and the great library, with a seafront Corniche, Greek and Roman ruins and some of the best seafood in the country. It is a favourite summer escape for Egyptians.
The Red Sea
East of the Nile Valley, the Red Sea coast has some of the finest coral reefs on earth. Hurghada and El Gouna on the mainland and Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab in South Sinai are made for diving, snorkelling and doing very little in the sun.
How to combine them
A classic first trip runs Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, then a few days on the Red Sea, flying between the far ends. If you have less than a week, choose Cairo plus Luxor. Our free trip planner can help you fit the pieces together, and places to visit lists restaurants, sights and stays in each base.