The Perfect 10 Days in Egypt Itinerary for First Time Visitors

I guess that deep inside I have always wanted to visit Egypt, but I never did make any real travel plans to get to this beautiful country. Then last year, whilst I was at a press conference during the World Travel Market, I won return flights to Cairo. It took a few months before I decided to take advantage of my prize and go to Egypt for 10 days. I have built this Egypt itinerary based on my first experience of travelling on my own to the land of Pharaohs and Pyramids. I decided against an organised tour or a holiday package, because I couldn’t find one that included everything I wanted to see, so I planned my own itinerary for 10 days in Egypt. And let me tell you, I had an amazing time!

About this Egypt Itinerary

As mentioned above, this 10 days in Egypt itinerary is based on my own experience, and it is packed with activities and information about the best way to manage your time, in order to see as much as possible. It’s about what I’ve learned from my mistakes and how to avoid them next time. Not that I’ve made many mistakes, but booking a hotel in central Cairo rather than in Giza for example, would have saved me so much more time on my last day in the city.

This itinerary includes a cruise on the Nile. I feel that cruising on the Nile was one of the highlights of my trip to Egypt and that it was worth the price. I think that doing the same itinerary on your own, by road, wouldn’t make much of a big difference to your budget.

I went on a few tours during my 10 days in Egypt, all booked through Viator. In this itinerary I will tell you what they included, as well as how you can do the same, but on your own. Abu Simbel is a very expensive trip, for example, but you can save a lot of money if you book your own travel on the public bus – which I didn’t know about before I arrived in Aswan.

You can customise this itinerary to your own preference and time. If you have more than 10 days in Egypt, I have suggested a few more places to visit at the end of this article.

To Tour or Not to Tour?

As an experienced traveller, I want flexibility in my schedule. I did some research before my trip to Egypt, and I did find some interesting tours with G Adventures and Intrepid travel, but they did not include everything I wanted to see. I was sent a few offers of private tours based on my requirements, but at prices of over £1200 – and that didn’t include the hotels or food. I spend much, much less than that by booking everything myself.

I do understand though that some people will feel more comfortable on a tour, so here are some recommendations of the ones I found most interesting:

• Highlights of Egypt
• Best of Egypt
• Egypt Upgraded

Is Egypt Safe for a Solo Female Traveller?

This was the question my friends kept asking me, when I told them I was going to Egypt on my own. I can’t hide the fact that Egypt has a history of attacks targeting tourists, with latest events taking place as recent as 2019. There have been several events since the Egyptian revolution in 2011, which contributed to the plummet of the tourism in Egypt.

I wouldn’t ignore the facts, nor the travel advice from the government’s website. But from my own experience, I didn’t feel unsafe at any time during my 10 days in Egypt. I found locals to be extremely friendly, maybe a little too friendly sometimes, but always happy to help. The tour guide didn’t show up? No worries, the hotel receptionist found me a new one who charged me less than the original tour I had booked. The restaurant was too busy, and I didn’t have enough time for dinner? No worries, one of the locals in the Nubian village I was visiting invited me to the rooftop of his home and asked his wife to cook a traditional Nubian dinner for me. I had to get to the main road at 4am for the pick-up to Abu Simbel? No worries, the hotel owner woke up at 4 as well and drove me there, even if it was only two blocks away. The train was late? No worries, the tourist police gathered all the foreigners in one place, wrote down everyone’s seat numbers, and when the train finally arrived, personally led us to our carriages. 

As a woman, I highly advise you to wear modest clothes that cover your shoulders and knees all the time, except when you are at the beach/pool. Egypt is a majority Muslim country and by dressing inappropriately you are not only disrespecting the locals, but you will also attract attention to yourself, which may affect your safety and experience whilst in the country. I have written a what to pack for Egypt guide, here. 

I bought a SIM card at the airport after I landed, to make sure that I was always connected to the internet and if something unforeseen happened, I could ask for help straight away. I paid 230 Egyptian Pounds (£11) for a 16GB SIM card, from Vodafone.

Overall, I felt safe and looked after visiting Egypt on my own and I had a wonderful experience which I want to share with you in this article.

Money in Egypt

Egypt uses the Egyptian Pound, and the currency exchange is roughly 21LE for 1£. There is no need to try and get Egyptian Pounds before your trip, as there are plenty of ATMs in the country. I use Monzo Bank, which has no charge for withdrawing up to £200 from an ATM whilst abroad.

I mostly used the National Bank of Egypt ATMs, which didn’t have extra fees. Try to avoid the Euronet ATMs, which are strategically placed in the most touristy areas, such as the Pyramids, as they will take a hefty fee. The exchange rate is rubbish too.

When you pay with your card as a tourist, in hotels and at sights such as the Egyptian Museum, you will be charged in dollars. I found it odd, but the amount taken was the same as in Egyptian Pounds, so I didn’t question it.

How to Travel Around Egypt

I travelled to Egypt with Egypt Air, the national carrier of the country. I flew directly from London Heathrow to Cairo on a Dreamliner. You can also fly directly to Luxor from London, currently this is once a week. If you want to start your trip in Aswan, there is an Egypt Air connection meeting the flight from London – which is what the passengers who sat next to me were doing.

Most tourists landing in Cairo will prefer to take a flight to Luxor or Aswan. I took the night train, for the experience of travelling alongside the Nile.  It was after I watched Joanna Lumley’s documentary about her trip to the origins of the Nile, which inspired me to take the train.

In big cities such as Cairo and Alexandria I highly recommend using Uber to travel around. It is very affordable, and it eliminates the stress of negotiating a price with a taxi driver. I hate bargaining so I made plenty of use of Uber. A trip from the centre of Cairo to Giza, where my hotel was, costed between 70-105 Egyptian Pounds (£3-£5), depending on the time of the day. Be warned, traffic in Cairo is insane and there seems to be no rules, at least nobody is respecting them. Actually, I don’t think I’ve seen more than 5 traffic lights either. I would advise you to learn the Arabic numbers if you plan on using Ubers. All the number plates are in Arabic and when you are waiting for an Uber in a crowded area, it’s very useful to be able to read the numbers so you can get into the right car fast. 

In smaller cities where Uber doesn’t operate, such as Aswan or Luxor, I used taxis. Every time I made sure I checked with a local how much the fare should be, as none of the taxis have a meter and you have to negotiate the price before the trip. Never get into a taxi before negotiating the fare!

In Aswan I also used the minibuses, as my hotel was a bit out of the way. I had a very pleasant experience with them because they didn’t seem to be overcrowded. Once all the seats were occupied, no more passengers were allowed on. A trip with the minibus costs 2 Egyptian Pounds.

The 10 days in Egypt itinerary highlights:

• The Pyramids
• Abu Simbel
• Cruising on the Nile
• The Valley of the Kings
• Alexandria

Day 1: Pyramids of Giza and the Egyptian Museum

I arrived in Cairo late at night, so I’m not going to count the arrival as day one. I chose to stay at a hotel in Giza, overlooking the Pyramids. I picked the Pyramids View Inn for the unrestricted view of the the Pyramids.

After I checked into my room, I went to the rooftop terrace and was met with the most unspoiled, quiet view of the Pyramids. I picked a room with a balcony, which had a view to the Pyramids directly from the bed, so they were the last things I saw before falling asleep and the first things I saw when I opened my eyes in the morning. That was pretty special! I was also able to watch the Lights Show free of charge, from the hotel’s terrace.

I paid £45 a night, which included a fabulous breakfast. If you are interested in the same hotel, you can check the reviews on Tripadvisor, or click here to see the latest rates on Booking.com

I started my first day in Egypt with a delicious breakfast with a view, then went downstairs at 8am to meet with the tour guide I had booked for the Pyramids. I waited, and waited, and waited, and he didn’t turn up. I texted and called the number on Viator, without any luck. Nobody answered. What a great start to my trip to Egypt, I told to myself. It didn’t take long though for the hotel receptionist to notice me and offer to help. A few negotiations later, from 135 dollars to 500 Egyptian Pounds, I had a guide, a horse and cart, and a camel ride.

The Giza Pyramids are one of the last remaining 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. Built thousands of years ago, the Pyramids are the most iconic tourist attractions in Egypt. I highly recommend having a guide to tell you about their history, and to help you navigate the huge Giza Plateau.

Whilst many people prefer to start their day with a visit to Memphis and Saqqara, I would suggest starting with the Pyramids of Giza first. This is because in the morning there are less crowds. I started my tour at around 8:30am and there was hardly anyone around. I had the entire site to myself. The entrance ticket to the Pyramids costs 200 Egyptian Pounds and can only be paid with cash. The entrance to the Khufu Pyramid costs another 400 Egyptian Pounds.

My guide seemed to be quite the passionate photographer, stopping at different key points and asking me to pose for photos. As I usually don’t have many pictures of me from my trips, I welcomed his passion.

We travelled around the Giza Plateau in his little cart, pulled by a horse. The distances are quite long, so if you decide to walk, make sure you take plenty of water with you, as well as a hat and sunglasses.

When we reached the Panoramic point, I had my 15 minute camel ride towards the pyramids. Again, there was hardly anyone else around, as it was too early. The morning was quite hazy, creating a mysterious atmosphere around the Pyramids. Only the Great Pyramid of Giza was open to visit inside during my trip, but I was told that bribing the guides would get me inside the others even though they were closed. I didn’t though.

After returning from the Pyramids, I visited the Sphinx, and was then taken to the “Lotus temple” by my guide, hoping I would buy perfume. I told them I wasn’t there to buy anything, as it was my first day in the country, but they insisted on showing me how they make the papyrus with no expectations of me buying anything, which was very nice.

After spending the morning at the Giza Plateau, I called an Uber and went to the Egyptian Museum. I spent two hours here and could have easily stayed for more if I didn’t have a night train to catch later that evening. The museum hosts the world’s largest collection of Egyptian artefacts, including two mummies and the golden sarcophagi of Tutankhamun. There used to be a mummy room as well, but that was moved to the newly opened National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The entry fee to the Egyptian Museum is 200 Egyptian Pounds (£10), with a 50 Egyptian Pounds (£2.50) extra fee for cameras.

I had a little time to spare before going back to my hotel to pick up my bag and head over to the train station, so I crossed the Tahir Square for some Arabic coffee and cake, at La Poire Café.

It took about two hours in the rush hour to get back to my hotel, pick up my bag, and go to the train station, for my 7:30pm train to Aswan. The journey was supposed to take 14 hours, but I was told all trains in Egypt are late, which was very accurate, as we arrived in Aswan at 12pm instead of 9:30am.

I booked my night train on the Ernst Watania service, which connects Cairo to Luxor and Aswan. Click here for the official website. You can book a ticket online 30 days before your travel date, and also at the train station in Cairo. If you choose the latter, be aware that they will only accept payment in a foreign currency. The price for a single bed in the same gender compartment is 84 dollars. If you want a single compartment, the price is 126 dollars. Even if I booked a double, I was alone in the compartment both ways. The ticket price includes dinner and breakfast.

The train has a restaurant carriage, where you can buy hot drinks, water, and soft drinks. You can bring your own alcohol on board and consume it in the restaurant. Keep in mind that in Egypt smoking inside is permitted, and that includes the train’s restaurant. You can read more about my experience on the Cairo to Aswan train here.

Day 2: A Nubian Village

Aswan was one of my favourite places in Egypt. I loved that even though the city is quite small, there are so many things to do there. Also, the people were the friendliest I had met during my trip to Egypt.

From the station I negotiated a 40 Egyptian Pounds (£2) fare for a ride to my hotel. I chose to book a private room at David Hostel, which was located not far from the centre. I chose this place because I wanted a bit of company from other travellers, and also because it was one of the only very few decent places to book on the East side of the Nile. This was very important because the pick-up to Abu Simbel was at 4am, and the ferry to the Elephantine Island, where most of the touristic accommodation is, don’t start crossing until 5am. You can check the hostel’s reviews by clicking here, or the latest rates directly on Booking.com

I was very happy with my choice and David turned out to be so helpful, advising me on how I could visit the Nubian village on my own, instead of with a tour. My room in the hostel was a twin, with plenty of space and power outlets. The hostel had an electric shower, which meant that there was always hot water. I so needed a shower after spending the entire night on the train. I liked that the hostel was located in a non touristy neighbourhood, offering me the chance to see the real local life, and even go to the nearby bakery to buy some date filled biscuits and a couple of pieces of baklava.

To get to the Nubian village I hired a taxi driver, who waited for me whilst I explored on my own. I negotiated 200 Egyptian Pounds (£10) for this. The alternative, if you stay in town or on Elephantine Island, is to negotiate a felucca or motorboat ride to the Gharb Sohei village.

Gharb Sohei is a beautiful colourful village, but it’s extremely commercial, as most houses on the main road seem to be a shop. David, the owner of the hostel, told me to just knock on a door and go in, as the Nubian people are extremely welcoming. He also recommended me to eat in the village, as the Nubians have their own traditional dishes that won’t be found in other parts of Egypt.

After I enjoyed a bit of banter with one of the sellers in the bazaar and promised him I would be back to buy some tea, I went in search of a restaurant. I found a lovely one next to the river, but after waiting for 15 minutes without any service, I left. I didn’t have much time to spare, as I had agreed with my driver that he would wait for me for two hours. Wondering around the village I stumbled upon Easam’s house, who invited me in. His wife offered me a glass of cold hibiscus tea, and he showed me his pets: two massive crocodiles, and two caimans.  I mentioned that I was in a bit of a hurry because I still wanted to taste some Nubian food and he insisted his wife made me dinner. We agreed on a price of 120 Egyptian Pounds (£6), then he brought me more tea. He showed me to his rooftop terrace, where we chatted until the food arrived. It had a lovely view of the river. His wife cooked an entire feast for me: five different dishes, Egyptian flatbread, and more tea. So much food!

Before I returned to Aswan, I stopped by the tea bazaar and bought some local flowery tea which smelled amazing. The seller added a bag of mixed nuts for free, to keep me going the following day on my way to Abu Simbel. 

If you prefer to go on an organised tour to the Nubian village, check out this highly rated one which includes transport to the village and a home cooked meal.

Day 3: Abu Simbel and The Elephantine Island

The third day of my 10 day trip to Egypt was the hardest, as I had to wake up at 3:45am. The pick-up for Abu Simbel was at 4:15am. I didn’t realise that I’d chosen the 22^nd of February to go to Abu Simbel, a special day when the Sun Festival is celebrated.

Ancient Egyptians had amazing knowledge on mathematics and astronomy and built the temple in such a way that twice a year, on the 22^nd of February and on the 22^nd of October, the light of the sun enters inside the temple, aligning perfectly with three of the four statues in the last chamber.

You can’t be in Aswan and not visit Abu Simbel, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful temples in Egypt. It was carved inside a cliff in the 13^th century BC during the reign of Ramses II, and it was dedicated to gods Amun, Ra-Horakhty and Ptah. At Abu Simbel there are two temples, one for Ramses II, and one dedicated to his favourite wife, Queen Nefertari. There is a lot of history around both temples, which is why, in order to understand the story behind the hieroglyphs and the sculptures, you need to hire a guide.

Most tours to Abu Simbel are very expensive. When you are a solo traveller, the price goes up even more, even if you are sharing the same bus as everyone else. I managed to find a great tour that didn’t raise the price for a solo traveller, and which was decently priced at £30. It included transport to Abu Simbel and a guide. The entrance to the site was separate, at 265 Egyptian Pounds (£13) more.  You can check out the same tour by clicking here.

If you are on a budget, the other option is to take the public bus which leaves Aswan at 7am but you will have to spend the night in Abu Simbel, as the bus leaves straight away. You would need around two hours to see Abu Simbel properly. 

The minibus returned from Abu Simbel at around 2pm. I didn’t want to waste the rest of the day, so I headed over to the Elephantine Island, by public ferry. The crossing costs only 5 Egyptian Pounds.

The Elephantine Island is home to another Nubian village and also to some interesting Roman ruins. I walked around the quiet streets of the village, getting lost on narrow alleyways and observing the local life: a woman feeding her sheep, children playing with an old ball, two women cleaning dishes in front of their homes. Everyone greeted me and I liked that it was genuine, not like in the town, where everyone wanted to sell me something.

After I returned to Aswan, I checked out the souk and bought another bag of tea. Then I sat down at a restaurant and had the national dish of Egypt, koshari. This is a mix of chickpeas, pasta, rice, lentils, and fried onion, served alongside a zesty tomato sauce. 

Day 4: Philae Temple, the High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk

I was so excited about this day, as it was the start of the cruise on the Nile. I wrote more about what to expect from a Nile cruise in this article, which you might find useful if you are still undecided whether it is worth it or not. For me, it was one of the best things I did in Egypt.

Mostafa, my guide for the next 4 days, arrived at the hostel at 8am to pick me up. We then headed over to one of the Nubian villages to pick up Akira from Japan, the other passenger on the cruise. I was so lucky to book this particular cruise and have only one other traveller joining. The tour felt very personal, and we could both connect with the guide so much better than if we had we been in a larger group.

We started the morning with a visit to the High Dam, which was built between 1960-1970 to prevent the Nile from flooding. Once it was completed and started to function, the High Dam became an important element in Egypt’s economy, not only by preventing the floods but also by providing the country with electricity and by storing water for the drought periods.  

The High Dam is impressive. It stands 111 meters tall, 3600 meters long and it has a base 980 meters thick. Building the High Dam created Lake Nasser, the world’s largest man-made lake, which is 550 kilometres long and goes all the way to Sudan. This resulted in Abu Simbel and Philae Temple having to be moved from their original locations, which were now flooded by the lake.

Next, we visited Philae Temple, dedicated to Goddess Isis and her family. The temple is located on an island, and the only way to reach it is by motorboat. This is where my introduction to the Ancient Egypt begun. The guide made such a good job connecting the stories of all the temples we visited during the four days cruise, and helping us to understand and make sense of the history of Lower and Upper Egypt. It’s incredible how each temple tells their stories through hieroglyphs and symbols carved in the stone.

Even if the colours of Philae Temple have been destroyed during the floods, it is still a spectacular monument and a great place to start your journey through Egyptian ancient history. On the walls of Philae Temple you can “read” the story of God Osiris and how he was murdered twice by his brother, Seth. It is believed that the old location of the temple, Philae Island, is one of the burial places of Osiris.

Over the centuries, when Christianity reached Egypt, many of the paintings and carvings inside the temple were destroyed. You can still see the remains of Coptic paintings on the walls of the temple, over the hieroglyphs, which is fascinating and shows that the Christians have used the Ancient Egyptian temples as places of worship.

The last place we visited before lunch time was the Unfinished Obelisk. Whilst many people say this is not worth the visit, I beg to differ. Obelisks are tall, four-sided pillars that are finished with a pyramid on the top, that symbolises the God of Sun, Amun-Ra. The obelisks were made from only one stone, carved directly from the mountain. They would have been moved using wooden sledges and pulled along with rope until reaching the Nile, where a ship would be waiting to transport them to their final destinations.

At the quarry in Aswan, you can see the largest known ancient obelisk, which was left unfinished because the stone cracked too much. If it would have been finished, the obelisk would have been over 41 meters tall and weigh nearly 1090 tonnes.  

At lunchtime we checked into the ship that was going to be our home for the next four days.

Just before sunset, we boarded a felucca boat and sailed on the Nile at low speed for an hour. A felucca is a wooden board without an engine, that relies on the wind to sail. It has been used up and down the Nile since the ancient times, as well as around the Mediterranean Sea, around Malta and Tunisia.

Day 5: Kom Ombo and the Crocodile Museum

Whilst my tour companion chose to go to Abu Simbel as part of the cruise, I enjoyed the morning relaxing on the sundeck, catching some sun rays and exploring everything the ship had to offer.

I also took advantage of the supermarket near the docking port to buy a couple of big bottles of water to last me for the entire cruise, as well as some traditional Egyptian spices to bring back home. I ended up also buying a gorgeous clay made coffee pot and a hand painted tagine plate.

The ship left the harbour just after lunch, at around 2:30pm, sailing towards our first destination of the day: Kom Ombo. During the sail, the crew organised an afternoon tea on the sun deck, serving tea, coffee, and cakes.

We arrived at Kom Ombo after sunset, so we visited the temple during the night. The temple at Komb Ombo is dedicated to two different gods: The crocodile-headed God Sobek and the falcon-headed God Horus. It is unique because it is a double temple, meaning that it has double the courts, halls, and sanctuaries, built in a symmetrical way.

An interesting fact about Kom Ombo temple is that the priest used to hide in a walled-up room, accessible through an underground tunnel, and talk to pilgrims as though he was the God.

Next to the temple there is a very well preserved nilometer, a structure that used to predict the flooding season. It looks like a very steep well, with stairs on the inside. Next to it is another deep well that is believed to have been used to keep crocodiles in.

In Ancient Egypt it was believed that God Sobek was the protector of the Nile, so locals used to worship crocodiles, to protect themselves from attacks. In the Crocodile Museum, just next to Kom Ombo temple, there are many mummies of massive crocodiles, which were found in the vicinity.   

Day 6: Edfu Temple, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple

The third day of the cruise and the sixth of this Egypt itinerary started very early, with a sunrise visit to Edfu Temple, which is dedicated to God Horus and his victory against God Seth, who killed his father. The temple is probably the best preserved of all those I have seen in Egypt. It is also the second tallest, after Karnak Temple.

Inside the temple is a replica of the wooden boat that was used in Ancient Egypt to carry a golden statue of God Horus on festival days, to meet with his wife, Goddess Hathor.

The temple is also important because it has extensive wall carvings that describe the Hellenistic period in the history of Egypt, with information about religion, mythology, and the way of life.

The rest of the day was spent sailing on the Nile, towards Luxor. We were the first ship to arrive at the Esna Lock, so we were on schedule to be able to visit both Karnak and Luxor temples later. Going through the lock is quite fun, as many ambulant sellers in tiny wooden boats surround the ship, trying to sell scarfs and towels to the passengers. They have a very good aim and manage to throw the light products all the way to the top deck, hoping that someone will buy them. 

We arrived in Luxor at around 4:30pm. We got off the ship at 5:30pm and headed towards Karnak Temple. This is the largest temple ever built in Ancient Egypt and it is dedicated to gods Amun, Mut and Khonsu. The temple complex was built over a period of 2,000 years, which each king adding something more to it. There are hundreds of columns here, some of them still having traces of their original colours.

Karnak Temple was connected to Luxor Temple through the avenue of Sphinxes, which was re-opened last year, after decades of renovations. During the Opet festival, celebrating the end of the agricultural year, the statue of God Amun would be carried by priests in a procession between the two temples. It was a 27-day event, with the participation of the Pharaoh.

Unlike others, Luxor temple is not dedicated to any deity, but was used for coronations of Pharaohs. Alexander the Great claimed he was crowned in Luxor Temple, but he may never have travelled to Luxor, so the coronations here would be conceptual as well.

It is interesting to see that there is a functional mosque within the temple, standing over the ancient columns. This is because back in 395AD the Romans built a church here, that was later converted into a mosque, in 640. This makes Luxor Temple the oldest active building in the world.  

Day 7: Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon

The last day of the cruise was dedicated to the West side of the Nile. Ancient Egyptians believed that the sun “died” every day in the West and was “reborn” in the morning in the East, and therefore the West Side of the Nile is where they buried their dead.

Most tourists choose to start their day early with a hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings. As I am terrified of heights, I chose to watch the show from the deck of the ship. It was magical, with all the balloons rising together with the sun. Soon after sunrise, the sky was crowded with hot air balloons.

Luxor is a great place to try a hot air balloon ride as it is one of the most affordable places in the world for this experience. It also offers spectacular views over the Valley of the Kings, Luxor, and the Nile. Here is a highly reviewed tour that you can book if you want to choose this experience.

Our first stop of the day was at the Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III which used to stand in front of his mortuary temple. Unfortunately, the temple is now destroyed, but during its glory days it used to be the largest in the Theban Necropolis.

The legend says that the ancient Roman and Greek visitors could hear the northern statue whistle at sunrise. They thought it was a sign of good luck if they heard it. The truth was probably that the sounds were produced by a crack in the statue, caused by an earthquake in 27BC.

The most important visit of the day was to the Valley of the Kings. The ticket allows visits to three different tombs, excluding the one of Tutankhamun, which costs 300 Egyptian Pounds extra. To be honest, I don’t think it is worth the extra money, unless you really want to see the mummy. The rest of the valuables that were found in the tomb are displayed at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The kings of Ancient Egypt would start building their tombs on their first day on the throne. They would pick a random place in the mountain and start digging. The longer the Pharaoh was ruling the country, the deeper the tomb would be. The tomb of Tutankhamun for example is very small, with only one room. This is because he only ruled Egypt for a few years, dying at the age of 18-19.

Nobody would know where the tombs were located, as after the funeral their entrances would be sealed. The inside of the tombs would be painted with scenes depicting the kings in the presence of different Gods, leading them towards the afterlife. Every tomb has a collection of books illustrating magical texts that were to help the deceased pass through the 12 hours of the night needed to cross into the afterlife. Each hour had an obstacle, and to pass it, the books were meant to provide the answer.

Most of the tombs have been robbed during antiquity, except for the tomb of Tutankhamun, which was found intact in 1922. 

I visited the tombs of Ramses IX, Merneptah, and Ramses III, which our guide suggested as being the most beautiful.

As impressive as the Valley of the Kings is, it is exhausting to visit. This is because of the behaviour of other tourists. It is important to remember that these are tombs, and that they should be visited with respect. And that means no flash photography, which is forbidden anyway, no shouting inside, no taking selfies with the sarcophagi. Choosing to be a responsible, respectful traveller makes such a difference in crowded places like this!

The last visit of the day was to the Temple of Hatshepsut, the woman who ruled Egypt as a man. She ruled Egypt for 21 years, after her husband died and her stepson was too young to take the throne. Her story is very interesting, as she was strong, stubborn, and determined to rule Egypt.  She managed to by declaring herself a Pharaoh, claiming that it was God Amun’s choice.

Her stepson, Thutmose III, was so upset at being pushed away from the throne, that after her death he begun to erase her face from monuments and all references to her from the temples. Her mortuary temple was defaced as well, and there is very little left to depict her achievements, including her extraordinary expedition, when passing the south shore of the Red Sea by punt.

The Hatshepsut Temple also depicts the story of how God Amon chose her to rule Egypt, when she was only a baby.

We returned from the Valley of the Kings just after lunch, and we had the rest of the day free. We still had access to the facilities on the ship, even if we checked out in the morning. Our night train back to Cairo wasn’t until 8:30pm, and a driver was picking us up at 7:30pm to take us to the station.

We decided to explore Luxor for a little while and go to the souk and check out the local McDonald’s to see if they had any different items on the menu. They did, so our dinner was a delicious local McRoyal. For more tips on what to do in Luxor in two days, click here.

Day 8: Islamic and Coptic Cairo

The train was late again, so we arrived in Cairo just after 9:30 in the morning. I said good bye to Akira and to Frankie, another solo traveller we met on the train, and I headed to my hotel, to leave my bag and prepare for my 11am tour around Cairo. I did say – this10 days Egypt itinerary was packed!

My mistake was booking the same hotel in Giza, rather than one in central Cairo. There is no need to stay in Giza, unless you are visiting the Pyramids. For the second visit to Cairo, I highly recommend booking a central hotel such as the Steigenberger Hotel (check the reviews on Tripadvisor or the latest rates on Booking by clicking here) or the Cleopatra Hotel (check the reviews on Tripadvisor or the latest rates on Booking by clicking here) in Tahrir Square.

I lost an hour trying to get to Giza in the infernal Cairo traffic.

I booked this tour of Islamic Cairo, to learn more about the local culture. You can combine this tour with a Coptic Cairo one, but because I didn’t know , I hadn’t booked ahead. Anyway, the guide was already at the hotel by the time I arrived, so I dropped my luggage and jumped back in the car.

Our first stop was the Salah Al-Din Al-Ayoubi Citadel, a medieval fortification built in the 12^th century. Over the years the citadel has suffered major modifications, based on who ruled the country at the time. The citadel was home to the government of Egypt for nearly 700 years, between the 13^th and 19^th centuries.

There is much to visit inside the citadel, starting with the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. There are also three other mosques, four museums and a palace. The citadel also offers some spectacular views over Cairo, all the way to the Pyramids on a clear day.

The Mosque of Muhammad Ali was built in an Ottoman style, and it reminded me of the Hagia Sophia Mosque in Istanbul. The interior is spectacular, with a central dome surrounded by six medallions bearing the name of Allah, the Prophet Mohammed, and the four caliphs.

Next, we visited the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, famous for its size and the four madaris (schools of Islamic knowledge). Opposite it, there is the Al-Rifa’i Mosque, where the family of Muhammad Ali is buried. As I was visiting with a guide, I was shown the family mausoleum which features some incredible decorations.

The last mosque we visited was the Al-Azhar Mosque, which is not really open to tourists. My guide had to talk to the guards first and I had to show my passport before being allowed inside. There is no entrance fee to visit this mosque.  Women need to cover their hair and also wear a skirt provided by the mosque. The marble in the courtyard of the mosque was so bright as the sun was shining on it, it was very difficult to keep my eyes open.

The last stop of the day was at the Khan el-Khalili, the biggest bazaar in Cairo. You can find anything here, from clothes to pots and pans, jewellery, spices, souvenirs, and street food vendors.

Day 9: Day Trip to Alexandria

I really wanted to see Alexandria, so I saved my last day in Egypt to go there. I booked the 8am VIP train from Cairo to Alexandria, which was supposed to take 2 and a half hours but took almost 3 and a half hours. To book a VIP ticket, you must enter the train station, head upstairs and turn right. Walk on the long corridor until you see the ticket office on the right-hand side. A return ticket to Alexandria costs 160 Egyptian Pounds (£8).

To make my trip easier, I booked a guide to show me around Alexandria. That was a great idea as there is no way I would have been able to see as many sites on my own. Rasha waited for me at the train station, and we discussed what I wanted to see. She then customised the itinerary based on my interest. Kareem, who is a guide as well, was our driver.

Our first stop was at the catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, a fantastic necropolis located underground on several levels of burial chambers, dating from the 2^nd century. Inside there is a blend of Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures. One of the chambers inside the catacombs contains the bones of the horses of the emperor Caracalla.

Next, we passed by the Serapeum and Pompey’s Pillar and the market, before stopping to explore the Roman theatre and remains at Kom el-Dikka. This is a fascinating place, with ruins of houses and a bath house, alongside the excavation of a villa which has an extremely well-preserved 3^rd century mosaic floor.

The next stop was the Library of Alexandria. The original wonder of the ancient world was accidently burned by Julius Caesar. The current Bibliotheca Alexandrina was built in 2002 and commissioned to a Norwegian architect who designed it as a rising sun. 

At the moment, because of Covid, you can visit but you can’t touch the books. However, there are plenty of things to do, besides reading, inside the library. There are four museums, four art galleries, 15 temporary exhibitions, a planetarium, and a manuscript restoration lab. I visited the Antiquities Museum which has a large collection of artefacts, most of which were found underwater.

After a quick Turkish coffee break, we headed towards the Fort Qaitbey, stopping along the way to get a shawarma. It was my last day in Egypt, and I really wanted to have a shawarma for lunch. Kareem took me to his favourite place in Alexandria, and I can confirm that the shawarma was delicious.

Fort Qaitbey was built in the 15^th century as a strategic defence system against the Turkish attacks from the sea. The views of Alexandria from the citadel are so beautiful! I could have spent the entire day here but unfortunately my time was coming to an end, and I had to return to the train station for my 6pm train. Before this, Kareem drove on the Corniche for a little while, so I could admire Alexandria’s seafront.

If you would like to book the same private guided tour, which I thought it was really enjoyable, click on this link.

Day 10: Fly home

Make sure you arrive at the airport with plenty of time before your flight. The security checks at Cairo airport are very slow. I booked an airport transfer and arrived two and a half hours before my flight was due to depart.  As soon as I had finished the security checks, the boarding started. So be prepared.

Also, take the traffic in Cairo into consideration when booking your transfer. My flight was leaving at 9:30am, so I booked my car for 5:45am. Halfway there the roads started to get crowded because of the morning rush hour.

Check out this affordable airport transfer here.

Extra time?

If you have more than 10 days in Egypt, I would recommend visiting the White Desert, Siwa Oasis and either Hurghada or Sharm el Sheikh. 

The White Desert – This National Park is located in the west of the country and can be done on a day trip from Cairo. However, to experience it properly, I would suggest an overnight trip. You can choose to sleep under the stars rather than in a hotel, which is a unique experience. Check out this highly rated tour.

Siwa Oasis – Most tours to Siwa Oasis take three days. You will need to cross through several checkpoints to get to it, and you can only get there through an organised tour, which you can find here. It is a very special place and, if you have these extra three days, I would highly suggest a visit.

Hurghada – This is one of the most popular touristic resorts in Egypt, sought after by foreign tourists. If you want a less touristy option, check out Gouna, just up the road from Hurghada. The easiest way to integrate Hurghada in this 10 days in Egypt itinerary, is by adding it just after Luxor. The bus from Hurghada to Luxor takes around 4 hours. You can also book private transport though by clicking here.

Sharm-el-Sheikh – Another popular touristic resort, is on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula, famous for the crustal clear waters. Both Hurghada and Sharm el Sheikh are great diving and snorkelling destinations.

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