SaveToRoam

Itineraries/Middle East/Egypt

10 Days in Egypt

The Great Pyramids at dawn, King Tutankhamun's gold mask in the Grand Egyptian Museum, a Nile cruise between ancient temples, and snorkelling a Red Sea coral reef. Ten nights through Egypt's family-friendly greatest hits — the country that turns every kid's ancient history textbook into real life.

10 nights
Family of 4
~A$15,700
4 stops
Cairo & Giza3n
Luxor2n
Nile Cruise (Luxor to Aswan)3n
Hurghada & Red Sea2n
Start with this itinerarySwap hotels, adjust dates, change stops any time

Your stop-by-stop itinerary

4 stops across 10 nights. Each one chosen so you experience a different side of Egypt.

1

Cairo & Giza

3 nights
Fly into Cairo (CAI) from Sydney via Dubai, Doha, or Singapore (18-22h total). Uber from airport to hotel ($8-15, 45 min). Cairo traffic is legendary — Uber and the Metro (EGP 10/$0.20/ride) are better than taxis. Buy a local SIM for Uber access.

Highlights

  • Great Pyramids of Giza + Sphinx — the only surviving Ancient Wonder of the World. The scale in person is staggering. $14/adult entry, free under 6. Camel ride around the pyramids ($15-25/person, 30 min). Go at 8am opening before tour buses and heat
  • Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) — the $1 billion new museum at the foot of the pyramids. King Tutankhamun''s complete treasure collection, 100,000+ artefacts. $25/adult. The most important museum opening in decades
  • Khan El Khalili bazaar — medieval souk in Islamic Cairo, copper lanterns, spice stalls, perfume shops, fresh juice stands ($0.50/glass). Free to wander. Budget $20-30 for souvenirs and food. Go late afternoon when it comes alive
  • Sound and Light Show at the Pyramids — the Sphinx narrates Egypt''s history while the pyramids are lit in colours. $25/adult, $13/child. Kitsch but kids love it. Evening performances in multiple languages
  • Coptic Cairo — ancient churches, the Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue, and Roman fortress walls. Free entry to most sites. The oldest part of Cairo, quieter than Islamic Cairo
  • Nile felucca ride — traditional wooden sailing boat on the Nile at sunset. $10-15/boat per hour (seats 6-8, negotiate firmly). The most relaxing hour in Cairo

Local tips

  • 💡Visit the Pyramids at 8am opening — by 10am the tour buses arrive and the heat becomes intense. The Pyramid of Khufu interior is extra ($15) and claustrophobic — skip it with young kids. The exterior view + Sphinx + GEM museum is the experience.
  • 💡Cairo is chaotic but safe for tourists. Uber is your best friend — it''s cheap ($3-8 for most rides), air-conditioned, and avoids the taxi negotiation hassle. The Metro covers the main tourist areas and is $0.20/ride.
  • 💡Egypt is extraordinarily cheap — family dinner at a good restaurant is $20-30, street food lunch is $5-10 for four, and a fresh mango juice is $0.50. Budget half what you would for the Middle East or Europe.
Suggested stay: Family hotel in Giza (near pyramids) or Zamalek/Garden City (central Cairo)
2

Luxor

2 nights
Fly Cairo → Luxor (1h, $60-100/pp on EgyptAir). Taxi from airport to East Bank hotels ($5, 10 min). Cross the Nile to the West Bank by public ferry ($0.20/pp) or private boat ($5-10). Hire a private driver + car for the West Bank temples ($30-40 for a full day).

Highlights

  • Valley of the Kings — the burial tombs of pharaohs including Tutankhamun. Walk into 3 tombs (included in $12/adult entry, free under 6). Tutankhamun''s tomb is $8 extra and worth it. The painted walls are 3,300 years old and still vivid
  • Karnak Temple — the largest ancient religious complex ever built. Hypostyle Hall has 134 columns, each 23m tall. $12/adult. Walk through at sunset when the stone glows gold. Kids are genuinely awed by the scale
  • Luxor Temple — right in the centre of town, illuminated at night. $8/adult. The avenue of sphinxes connecting it to Karnak (3 km) has been recently excavated and reopened
  • Hatshepsut Temple — the dramatic colonnaded temple of Egypt''s female pharaoh, carved into a cliff face. $8/adult. The architecture is astonishing — 3,500 years old and looks modern
  • Hot air balloon over the West Bank — sunrise flight over the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, and the Nile. $80-120/person, age 6+. One of the world''s great balloon flights
  • Colossi of Memnon — two giant 18m seated statues in the fields, free to visit. Quick photo stop en route to the Valley of the Kings

Local tips

  • 💡Do the West Bank in a single morning — hire a private driver ($30-40) and hit Valley of the Kings at 6am opening (before the heat), then Hatshepsut Temple, then Colossi of Memnon. Back to the hotel by noon. Karnak and Luxor Temple are better in the late afternoon/evening light.
  • 💡The hot air balloon is the trip''s splurge moment — floating over the pharaohs'' tombs at sunrise is a core memory. Book with a reputable company (Sindbad, Magic Horizon) and go on your first Luxor morning as a weather backup for Day 2.
  • 💡Luxor in summer (June-September) hits 45°C+ — spring and autumn are ideal. If visiting in summer, do all outdoor activities before 10am and after 4pm. Midday is for the hotel pool.
Suggested stay: Family hotel on the East Bank near Luxor Temple or the Corniche
3

Nile Cruise (Luxor to Aswan)

3 nights
Board the cruise ship at Luxor dock. The cruise sails south to Aswan over 3 nights, stopping at temples along the way. All meals, guided temple visits, and transfers included. Disembark in Aswan. Fly Aswan → Hurghada or Cairo for the next stop.

Highlights

  • Sailing the Nile — watching Egypt''s palm-fringed banks, feluccas, and ancient temples drift past from the sun deck. The cruise itself is the experience. Pool, buffet meals, and evening entertainment on board
  • Edfu Temple (Temple of Horus) — the best-preserved temple in Egypt, 2,300 years old. Horse carriage from the dock to the temple ($5/carriage). Included in cruise itinerary. The falcon-headed god Horus is carved everywhere
  • Kom Ombo Temple — unique double temple dedicated to two gods (Sobek the crocodile god and Horus). Crocodile mummy museum on site. Included in cruise. Sunset at Kom Ombo is atmospheric
  • Aswan — Philae Temple on its island (boat to the island $5/pp + $8 entry), Nubian Village visit by motorboat ($15-20/person), Aswan souk (spice-heavy, less pushy than Cairo). The most relaxed Egyptian city
  • Felucca sailing in Aswan — traditional Nile sailing boat around Elephantine Island and Kitchener''s Botanical Garden. $10-15/boat per hour. Aswan''s felucca sailing is calmer and more scenic than Cairo''s
  • Abu Simbel day trip — Ramesses II''s colossal temples, moved block-by-block in the 1960s to save them from the dam. 3h drive each way from Aswan ($40-60/person by minibus) or 45-min flight ($120/pp). Worth the early start

Local tips

  • 💡Book a mid-range cruise (Sonesta St George, Movenpick, or similar) — $200-300/person/night full board including all meals, temple visits with Egyptologist guide, and transfers. Budget ships cut corners on food and guides; luxury ships are $500+/night and not proportionally better for families.
  • 💡The cruise is 3 nights Luxor → Aswan (southbound). Some cruises also offer 4-night Aswan → Luxor (northbound) or 7-night round trips. 3 nights is the sweet spot for families — enough to see all temples without kids getting bored on board.
  • 💡Abu Simbel is a 3h drive from Aswan each way — the convoy leaves at 4am. It''s a long day but the temples are the most impressive in Egypt after the Pyramids. For families with kids under 8, the early start may not be worth it. Alternative: fly (45 min each way, $120/pp).
Suggested stay: Mid-range Nile cruise ship (Sonesta, Movenpick, or similar) — full board
4

Hurghada & Red Sea

2 nights
Fly Aswan → Hurghada (1h, $60-80/pp on EgyptAir) or Aswan → Cairo (1.5h) then Cairo → Hurghada (1h). Hurghada resorts include airport transfers. Fly out Hurghada (HRG) → Dubai/Doha → Sydney, or return via Cairo.

Highlights

  • Red Sea snorkelling — Hurghada sits on one of the world''s best coral reefs. Snorkelling trips to Giftun Island ($30-50/person, full day, includes lunch and 2-3 reef stops). Glass-bottom boats for non-swimmers ($20/person)
  • All-inclusive resort time — Hurghada''s resorts include pools, water slides, private beaches, kids'' clubs, buffet meals, and evening entertainment. After 8 days of temples and history, the kids need pool days
  • Semi-submarine coral viewing — see the reef from 3m below the waterline without getting wet. $30-40/person, 2h. Perfect for younger kids who aren''t confident snorkellers
  • Desert safari quad biking — ATV rides through the Eastern Desert, Bedouin camp visit, tea and sunset. $30-50/person, 3h. Fun for older kids and parents
  • Orange Bay — private beach island with calm shallow water, perfect for young kids. Day trip by speedboat ($20-30/person including beach access)
  • Hurghada Marina — evening stroll along the boat-lined marina, restaurants, ice cream shops, souvenir stalls. The family-friendly evening walk

Local tips

  • 💡Book an all-inclusive resort — Hurghada all-inclusives are extraordinary value at $100-180/night for a family room with all meals, drinks, activities, and pool/beach access. After the cruise (all meals included) and budget Cairo eating, ending with all-inclusive is effortless.
  • 💡The Red Sea coral is genuinely world-class — Hurghada snorkelling is comparable to the Great Barrier Reef at a fraction of the price. Giftun Island is the best family snorkel trip. Book through the hotel for reliable operators.
  • 💡Two nights is enough for the beach wind-down — the resort and snorkelling are the only agenda. Rest, swim, eat, repeat. Fly out rested rather than exhausted.
Suggested stay: All-inclusive family resort in Hurghada (Steigenberger, Jaz, or similar)

Good to know

Estimated cost

The ~A$15,700 estimate covers accommodation across all 4 stops. Flights, daily spending, activities, and transport are additional — use SaveToRoam’s savings planner to track it all.

What’s included

When you use this template, SaveToRoam creates your trip with all 4 stops, estimated accommodation costs, and a personalised savings plan. You choose your dates and budget — we handle the maths.

Fully customisable

This itinerary is a starting point. Once it’s your trip, add stops, swap hotels, adjust nights — your savings target updates automatically.

Ready to start saving for Egypt?

Pick your departure date and we'll build a week-by-week savings plan that adjusts as you go.

Start with this itinerary

Swap hotels, adjust dates, and change stops any time