How to Book a Tour
Egypt is the embodiment of timeless human ingenuity. Home to ancient temples, dazzling tombs, the famed banks of the Nile River, rolling sand dunes, infamous pharaohs, and spectacular scuba diving, Egypt has fascinated travelers for over three millennia. This unique country is the perfect blend of adventure, heritage, and archeology.
There are three main ways to plan and book a trip:
- Get a customized tour planned and booked by a travel professional. Travel independently on your own schedule.
- Book a group tour. Join an escorted group tour with a fixed departure date.
- Plan and book a trip yourself.
Zicasso offers the best solution for a customized tour by matching you with top travel specialists who plan and book the trip for you. Our travel agency division, Marageti, specializes in helping you book an escorted group tour. There is no extra cost to you for either service.
Custom Tours
A customized tour is one that is planned by a travel specialist according to your specific interests, preferences, and schedule. Whether you desire a family-friendly adventure or a romantic getaway, each of the accommodations, activities, and destinations is tailored to your preferences. The knowledge and experience of your travel specialist make a big difference. Zicasso has spent thousands of hours vetting the best travel partners. We act as a referral service, matching you with specialists that best meet your goals and priorities.
Escorted Group Tours
A group tour offers the advantage of convenience at a great value. The schedule is fixed, the itinerary is pre-planned, and a dedicated tour director travels with the group throughout the trip. A group tour can be 30 - 50% less expensive than an equivalent customized tour. Out of the many group tours, how do you select the right one for you? Our travel agency division, Marageti, has sales agents who specialize in helping travelers weigh the pros and cons of different group tours. We give you personalized recommendations on the best tour for you.
Goals and Priorities
What are your goals and priorities for the trip? These should drive your decision for either a customized tour or a fixed departure group tour. We are here to help you make the right decisions to make your dream trip a reality.
Must-See Destinations in Egypt
Partnered with our Egypt travel specialists, we have compiled recommendations for any length of trip. A custom Zicasso tour relieves you of travel pressures by allowing us to plan and organize your days based on your preferences. The following suggestions provide you with a guideline of how we recommend spending your time on an Egypt trip.
7 to 9 Day Trips
If you have 7 to 9 days in Egypt, we suggest you visit Cairo and Luxor.
7 Days
Days 1-4: Cairo
Days 5-7: Luxor
8 Days
Days 1-4: Cairo
Days 5-8: Luxor
9 Days
Days 1-3: Cairo
Days 4-6: Luxor
Days 7-9: Aswan
If you have more time (10-16 Days), We Recommend:
If you have around two weeks in Egypt, we suggest adding more time to the original destinations of Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan to include a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan.
10 Days
Days 1-3: Cairo
Days 4-6: Luxor
Days 7-10: Aswan
12 Days
Days 1-4: Cairo
Days 5-8: Luxor (includes Nile Cruise)
Days 9-12: Aswan
14 Days
Days 1-4: Cairo
Days 5-8: Luxor (includes Nile Cruise)
Days 9-12: Aswan
Days 13-14: Abu Simbel
15 Days
Days 1-4: Cairo
Days 5-8: Luxor (includes Nile Cruise)
Days 9-12: Aswan
Days 12-14: Abu Simbel
Day 15: Alexandria
16 days
Days 1-4: Cairo
Days 5-8: Luxor (includes Nile Cruise)
Days 9-12: Aswan
Days 12-14: Abu Simbel
Days 15-16: Hurghada
How many days is enough to see Egypt?
12 to 14 days is the perfect amount of time to experience the best of Egypt. Egypt is home to an ancient culture with remarkable monuments that represent the heritage and history, spreading from Alexandria in the north to Abu Simbel in the south. 12 to 14 days in Egypt offers you enough time to experience the preserved temples, tombs, monuments, and museums between Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan while also allowing you time to further discover other corners of Egypt at your pace.
Essential Experiences for the Best Egypt Vacation
During your Egypt tour, you can become an archeologist who uncovers hidden tombs and Pharaonic temples or weighs the contrast between soaring minarets and coptica churches. You can also discover countless oases that originate from the waters of the Nile River.
Best Way to Experience Cairo
Cairo is a mega-city that constantly buzzes with activity. From the Pyramids of Giza to the medieval lanes of Khan el-Khalili, Cairo proudly displays its history and immerses you in its inescapable heritage that blends with the modern world.
What to See & Do
The Main Must-Do Tours in Cairo (3-4 days depending on pace):
History Tour
- Witness the renowned pyramids of Giza, which possess the Great Pyramid. This is the only structure remaining of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
- Explore the Egyptian Museum to view the exceptional display of antiquity, which is embodied in the 120,000 artifacts on display, including the treasures of Tutankhamun.
- Discover Cairo history from a different perspective by visiting the churches former Christian stronghold of the city in the Coptic quarter.
Shopping
- Wander labyrinthine-like medieval lanes at Khan el-Khalili souk to experience the stores and clustered workshops that depict traditional Egypt.
Best Way to Experience Luxor
Luxor is an exceptional city that feels like an open-air museum. Here, the grace, grandeur, and scale of ancient Egypt is on display. The Nile River flows against the backdrop of the modern city and acts as a divide between the contemporary world and ancient Thebes.
What to See & Do
The Main Must-Do Tours in Luxor (3-4 days depending on pace):
History
- Discover the size of the Temple Complex of Karnak and view stellar designs, such as the Great Temple of Amun and the Temple of Khons.
- Traverse the renowned Valley of the Kings to find 63 tombs, including that of Tutankhamun.
- Delight in the layers of history embodied in the Luxor Temple, which is located in the city’s downtown district.
Best Way to Experience Aswan
Aswan acted as the ancient gateway to Africa and remains the perfect base for exploring temples, monuments, and a local culture that possesses elements of Egyptian and Nubian customs. The Nile’s riverbanks, scattered villages, and neighboring sand dunes add to Aswan’s photogenic appeal.
What to See & Do
The Main Must-Do Tours in Aswan (3-4 days depending on pace):
History
- You can discover numbered plaques and reconstructed buildings that date back to 3000 BC when visiting the Ruins of Abu.
Scenery
- Delight in sensational views and ancient honeycombed tombs when visiting the Tombs of the Nobles on the high cliffs opposite Aswan.
Special Interests & Activities in Egypt
Traveling with Zicasso provides you with exclusive access to many activities, excursions, and tours for a distinctive experience. The following information offers insight into our recommended experiences and can be tailored to focus on your unique interests.
Best Destinations for Food in Egypt
Egypt’s long arc of culinary history has influenced the cuisine of surrounding cultures around the Mediterranean but retains its unique qualities. Typical dishes include staples like rice and bread, the vegetable molokhiyya, and the cooked fava beans known as ful mudammas. National dishes of Egypt include Koushari, which consists of lentils, macaroni, rice, and chickpeas, and mint tea accompanied by baklava. Egypt is a small country in landmass and, therefore, has similar cuisine across its regions. Fish from the Mediterranean, Red Sea, and Nile influence the cuisine, making seafood dishes in cities like Alexandria some of the best in the region.
Egypt is proud of its gastronomic heritage and has its own fast food culture revolving around dishes like shawarma, fiteer, and fuul. Western restaurants and chains are difficult to find. Egypt is a moderate Muslim country that allows alcoholic beverages, though they are less prevalent. The climate is too hot and too dry to support large-scale winegrowing, so there are a limited number of wineries in Egypt that showcase the traditions of one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world.
Art & History
Art
Egypt is home to some of the most iconic ancient architecture in the world, and the temples, tombs, pyramids, and museums stand as a testament to the incredible art of antiquity that has also inspired contemporary Egyptian artists. The remarkable traditions of fine arts has transformed ancient artistic expression across the Mediterranean and continues to influence the works of international contemporary artists, who find inspiration in works like Tutankhamun’s Tomb and the Bust of Nefertiti.
History
Egypt contains more than 7,000 years of unique history that combines heritage, culture, and inspiring monuments. Egypt not only embodies the history of the nation but also provides a timeline of Mediterranean civilization that represents regional conflicts and a heritage of trade, highlighting the differences between Upper and Lower Egypt as well as civilizations from Greece to Rome and Nubia to Persia. During a customized Zicasso trip, you can experience the hieroglyphs, temples, and tombs that outline Egypt’s legacy. Your travel specialist can organize a tour with specialized guides, such as Egyptoligsts with a PhD, history professors, or a certified guide who understands the dynamic of a small-group Nile cruise.
Active Tours
Egypt is an exceptional destination to sightsee but does not offer many choices for active tours. The lack of traffic lights outside of major cities and as a lack of paved roads makes active tours like cycling and hiking unsafe; however, boating excursions are possible for the active traveler.
Boating
- Hurghada – The coastal destination on the Red Sea provides access to the radiant water, the Giftun Islands, and the colorful coral reefs.
- The Nile River – Boating on the Nile River provides a unique view of Egypt from the banks of the ancient waterway, highlighting history, scenery, and art between Luxor and Aswan.
Private Excursions and Special Access
Zicasso partners with travel specialists who have insider knowledge and access to unique activities and tours that you cannot experience otherwise. These excursions are customized to your specific interests and often become your most memorable experiences to become a trip of a lifetime. Here are examples of special access tours but the possibilities are endless:
- Be one of the few people allowed inside the Great Pyramids.
- Enjoy secure access as an insider and enter certain tombs in Luxor.
- Delight in delicious cuisine at high-end restaurants known to locals but often overlooked by uninformed visitors.
How much is a tour of Egypt?
The starting price of a custom-tailored Egypt trip is approximately $240 per person, per day. For an escorted group tour, the starting price can be $150 per person, per day.
The cost of a vacation is dependent on several factors, such as the:
- Length of your trip
- Season (month) of travel
- Class of hotel
- Number of locations/cities you visit
- Number of guided day tours and activities (e.g., cooking class, wine tasting, etc.)
- How much you splurge on meals, shopping, etc.
A vacation such as this is often your biggest purchase of the year. It will also likely be one of the most memorable experiences of your lifetime. To get the most out of your trip, we highly recommend using an expert travel specialist to plan a customized tour that is tailored to your specific interests and budget. You can also join an escorted group tour so that most travel arrangements are pre-planned for you. This way, you can travel hassle-free and relax while a professional tour director and guide takes care of all logistics and any issues that might arise.
The cost of a tailor-made Egypt tour typically starts at $2,400 per person for a 10-day trip, i.e., at $240 per person, per day during the low or mid-season.
This includes:
- 3-star hotels (shared twin room)
- Some guided day tours and activities
- Transportation in Egypt such as airport transfers and domestic flights
A 5-star, tailor-made Egypt tour, where most services are upgraded and extra unique experiences are included, typically starts at $8,000 per person for a 10-day trip, or $800 per person, per day.
An escorted Egypt group tour with scheduled departure dates delivers excellent value. With comparable inclusions, such as the class of hotel, guided activities, and transportation, a group tour can be 30 - 50% less expensive than an equivalent tailor-made tour.
Everyone’s priorities, interests, and preferences are different. Submit a trip request on Zicasso, and we will personally match you with an expert trip planner who will help you customize your dream trip or help you select the right group tour while also taking your budget into consideration.
Best Time to Visit Egypt
Updated: January 27, 2020
The best time to visit Egypt for the weather is from mid-October to April. This allows you to avoid the heat but also comes with larger crowds.
While summer can be hot in the desert, it can also be a great time to visit Egypt if you prefer smaller crowds. Visiting in summer also has the added bonus of less expensive accommodations and more availability. Visitors to Egypt in summer can often find that they have certain destinations to themselves during private tours.
How far in advance should I plan a trip to Egypt?
You should plan your Egypt trip between six to eight months in advance. Tourism is once again picking up across the country, which means the earlier that you book your trip, the better. The earlier you reserve your accommodations and tours, the better chances you will have of getting your first choice in rooms, activities, and excursions. For the best opportunities, you could also consider planning your trip between eight and nine months in advance.
Modes of Transportation in Egypt
The best way to see Egypt in 10 Days is by private transfers. Egypt does not have a high-speed train and a Nile Cruise is a fun way to travel between a number of destinations but also follows a pre-designated route. Private transfers allow you to relax and enjoy the scenery around Egypt with a knowledgeable and experienced driver. This also takes away any concerns of needing to learn new driving rules, following street signs written in a different language, or finding unmarked roads.
Domestic flights are possible and convenient when traveling distances greater than a three-hour drive across Egypt. Small, regional airports, such as those in Aswan and Luxor, provide access to distant corners of Egypt but mostly connect to the main airport in Cairo.
Car Rental
We do not recommend renting a car when in Egypt. Private transfers are easy, affordable, and can help make your Egypt trip stress-free, while driving in Egypt comes with its own challenges. Many parts of Egypt do not have traffic lights or roads marked with official signs. Smaller roads may also be unpaved. Inside larger cities, such as Cairo, traffic can cause aggressive congestion.
When traveling to Egypt with a Zicasso travel specialist, you will always have private transfers to and from the airport in addition to private transfers between destinations to ensure a stress-free Egypt tour.
What to Consider When Traveling Through Egypt
Travel considerations during your Egypt trip include safety, logistics, and accessibility with a special focus on the type of trip you wish to have. The following information is based on our recommendations on what you should consider:
Is Egypt Safe for Travel?
Egypt is safe for travelers. A mixture of high-quality accommodations, customized and private tours, and local authorities help travelers stay safe. Visitors also find comfort in knowing how guides, travel specialists, and local authorities work together to stay informed about local and regional safety.
Advice from locals will always give you the best chance of having a unique experience. Guides are often happy to offer recommendations on delicious and safe restaurants or specific neighborhoods to visit after a tour ends. While traveling in Egypt is safe, it is always better to follow your guides and travel with official private transfers, such as pre booked cars or taxis to and from restaurants, hotels, museums, or other destinations to ensure your safety. By traveling on pre booked excursions, with knowledgeable guides, and on the advice of a travel specialist, you will not only stay safe but this will also ensure you see the tremendous history.
When in Egypt, do not drink tap water. Your travel specialist, accommodations and tour guides, provide bottled water. You can also purchase extra bottled water a local store. Make sure the lid is still sealed tight. In the same regard, avoid fresh vegetables and fresh fruit; however, the food is fine if the fruit or vegetables are cooked.
Travel Insurance
You’ve booked your dream vacation, now protect it with travel insurance. A wide range of factors can leave your vacation in limbo. Medical emergencies, inclement weather, and unexpected cancellations can cause turmoil for your trip, so in the unlikely event of a disaster, get the travel insurance coverage that provides peace of mind. To get a quote, visit our travel insurance page.
For Families
Having a family-friendly guide and a travel specialist who understands the logistics of a family trip can help maximize your time and enhance every family member’s experience. You know your children best, but working with a travel specialist can help you plan wisely. Private tours offer flexibility perfect for children, and keeping close to a familiar schedule will also help your family stay focused on the marvels around you.
For Seniors
Having a guide knowledgeable in traveling with Seniors provides more accessible tours, activities, and transfers. You should always keep your medical records handy, carry your medication with you, and be aware of any possible heat sensitivities. You can also review your itinerary ahead of time to help ensure you are traveling in accordance with your particular levels of comfort.
For Couples
Having a guide knowledgeable in the romantic corners of Egypt can help uncover unique perspectives around the country in addition to offering advice for finding opportunities to experience charming moments, from a Nile Cruise to a secluded view of the Pyramids.
For Travelers with Disabilities
A travel specialist for Egypt can help guests with mobility challenges navigate your concerns and plan alternative arrangements. By knowing of any concerns or challenges ahead of time, your travel specialist can provide travel alternatives or even ensure access to certain monuments, historical sites, accommodations, and restaurants for your enjoyment.
For When Using a Travel Specialist
A Zicasso travel specialist partner will always provide information with insights into your trip, the culture, and answers to frequently asked questions. The information covers concerns like tipping, shopping, contact information, packing lists, and locations on where to meet your private transfers. When using a travel specialist, be sure to ask questions ahead of time, as this ensures smooth sailing. It is your trip and you can customize it to your liking while using your travel specialist as an invaluable resource. Your travel specialist wants to ensure your happiness by organizing the perfect trip for you.
Best Airports to Fly In & Out of Egypt
The best airport to fly in and out of when visiting Egypt is Cairo International Airport (CAI). While Egypt has over 26 airports in total that account for regional and international airports, Cairo is the largest airport in the country and accommodates the majority of flights that depart from North America.
The most convenient airport to fly in and out of in Egypt is Cairo and is also the busiest airport in the country. The second-busiest airport in Egypt is Hurghada Airport (HRG). The top active airports in Egypt are:
- Cairo International Airport (CAI)
- Hurghada Airport (HRG)
- Sharm El Sheikh Airport (SSH)
- Alexandria Borg El Arab Airport (HBE)
Domestic Flights
Domestic flights are frequent and quick in Egypt. Flights that fly domestically can make it easy to travel long distances and provide an alternative to driving, which can consume precious hours when each travel day is precious.
Flights Via Zicasso
Zicasso Air Desk is an international air ticketing service that eliminates the stress of finding and booking the right flights for your upcoming vacation by employing the same personalized service you can expect from planning a trip with Zicasso. Our competitive flight pricing, 24xX7 Service & Support, and Complimentary Consultation of Routing vs. Pricing with an Expert Flight Specialist make finding the perfect flight for your trip effortless.
Recommendations for the Return Traveler
When returning for another Egypt trip, you can travel beyond the essential destinations of Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan to discover destinations considered more off-the-beaten-path but equally worthy of your attention. The following list offers our recommendations for where you can visit during your return Egypt tour.
The ancient city of Dendera is located approximately an hour outside of Luxor and was a religious center, dating back to the 24th century BC. The Temple of Hathor remains an icon of Egyptian architecture due to its preserved state. When visiting Dendera, you can witness the temple’s great stone roof, thick columns, dark chambers, and twisting stairways for a fascinating peek at pristine Egyptian engineering.
Abydos was home to the main cult of Osiris and therefore was the destination to be buried in ancient Egypt. The necropolis dates back to the year 4000 BC, and tombs of early pharaohs remain resting in a designated area behind the Temple of Seti I. The Great Temple contains a restored section and is also the most complete temple in all of Egypt.
The sunny sands and sparkling waters of Sharm El Sheikh offer an often unseen side of Egypt. The coastline of the Red Sea hosts some of the most pristine shores and placid waters in Egypt. The result is a relaxing ambiance that blends views of the former fishing village with resort-style living that provides access to the some of the world’s best underwater scenery.
Related Egypt Tours by Zicasso
Here is our list of other Egypt Tours we offer:
Egypt Tours for Seniors
Luxury Egypt Tours
