Photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 3.05 Days in Cairo and Luxor: Pyramids, Temples, and the Nile
Egypt's two heavyweights in one trip: three days in Cairo — the Giza pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo's mosques and bazaars, Coptic Cairo's ancient churches — then south to Luxor for two days of Karnak, Luxor Temple floodlit at night, and the Valley of the Kings at opening time. A sunrise balloon ride over the West Bank and a felucca sail on the Nile close out the trip. The plan re-plans itself around how you travel — your pace, budget and interests reshape every day.
Pick a style, a budget and a pace — the route and days below re-plan themselves.
14 stops · 10 meals · 4 hotels · 1 transferThis is the editor’s pick.
5 days, 2 cities
From Cairo to Luxor, with 1 move between cities. The map shows the whole route — pick a day to zoom in.
Cairo
Giza · Islamic Cairo · Coptic Cairo
- Day 1Giza: The Great Pyramid of Khufu & the Great Sphinx
- Day 2Islamic Cairo: The Mosque of Muhammad Ali & Bab Zuweila
- Day 3Coptic Cairo: The Hanging Church & Abu Serga
- Flight to Luxor · 4h
Luxor
West Bank · East Bank
- Day 4West Bank: The Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut's temple
- Day 5East Bank: Luxor Temple & a sunset felucca ride
The limestone guardian carved for Pharaoh Khafre some 4,500 years ago, gazing east toward the sunrise.
- Best seen in the morning, when it gazes east into the rising sun.
Mint tea and light bites above the pyramid rooftops — a relaxed cafe stop between plateau visits.
The last surviving Wonder of the ancient world, standing after 4,500 years. You can climb inside to the King's Chamber with a separate ticket.
- Go early morning to beat the heat and the tour buses.
- The Sphinx sits at the plateau's edge, gazing east — see it right after the pyramid, in the morning light.
- Mint tea and light bites above the pyramid rooftops — Comfort Pyramids Cafe is a relaxed stop between plateau visits.
Casual rooftop in Nazlet El-Semman: straightforward Egyptian plates with straight-on pyramid views, cheap and cheerful.
- After the morning at the Sphinx, the casual rooftop in Nazlet El-Semman has straight-on pyramid views.
The pyramids and Sphinx after dark: a one-hour narrated spectacle telling 5,000 years of Egyptian history, lasers on the monuments.
- English runs at 7pm (Oct-Apr) and 7:30pm (May-Sep); arrive 20-30 minutes early.
Second visit
Casual rooftop in Nazlet El-Semman: straightforward Egyptian plates with straight-on pyramid views, cheap and cheerful.
- After the morning at the Sphinx, the casual rooftop in Nazlet El-Semman has straight-on pyramid views.
A friendly B&B with a rooftop terrace facing the pyramids — the best budget view in Giza. Free continental breakfast.
- From ~$29/night; 8.6/10 from ~1,880 reviews.
A 14th-century Mamluk mosque-madrasa, widely considered the finest of its kind in the world. Four great iwans around a courtyard, a 38-meter facade.
- Entry about 220 EGP (~$4); allow 45-60 minutes.
The alabaster Ottoman mosque crowning the 12th-century Saladin Citadel. A 52-meter dome, twin minarets, and a terrace with sweeping city views. Remove your shoes inside.
- Women should cover their heads; scarves are usually available at the entrance.
- The Citadel's Ottoman mosque and the great Mamluk mosque-madrasa face each other across the square — one morning, both.
Old-school kababgy by Al-Azhar Mosque, famous for stuffed pigeon, kofta and tarb. Crowded, no-frills, packed with locals late into the night.
- Open daily 12:05 PM to 4:00 AM.
Climb the only surviving gate of Fatimid Cairo, from 1092 AD. The twin towers carry 15th-century minarets with old-city views.
- Entry is about 220 EGP (~$4) including the minaret climb; allow 30 minutes.
- After the gate's minaret climb, the old-school kababgy by Al-Azhar is minutes away — famous for stuffed pigeon.
Worth the trip
Historic bazaar restaurant named for Egypt's Nobel laureate: Egyptian home-style classics with live traditional music. Try molokhia, stuffed pigeon, kofta — Om Ali for dessert.
- Open daily 10am to midnight.
Switch bases tonight. An unrestored 1893 colonial landmark near Opera Square: faded grandeur, period furnishings and the famous Barrel Bar — a time-capsule stay.
- A bookable 3-star property near Tahrir Square and the Egyptian Museum.
The 7th-century 'suspended' church of St. Mary, built over the gatehouse of the Roman Babylon Fortress: carved screens, icons and 13 ancient pillars.
- Combine with Abu Serga and Ben Ezra on foot.
Neighborhood pastry shop near Coptic Cairo for baladi sweets and bakery snacks between sights.
One of Egypt's oldest churches, a 5th-century basilica built over the crypt where the Holy Family is believed to have sheltered.
- Tour the crypt below the church where the Holy Family rested.
A family-friendly local-cuisine spot in Coptic Cairo, next to Amr ibn al-As Mosque — a relaxed lunch between churches.
- Open 10am-1am daily.
Egypt's first mosque, founded in 641 AD by the Arab conqueror Amr ibn al-As: a vast, quiet courtyard in the Fustat quarter.
Chinese restaurant on the moored Peking boat by the Nile near Coptic Cairo — dinner with river views in Old Cairo.
Switch bases tonight. Budget Nile-view B&B on Roda Island — the closest affordable stay to Coptic Cairo. 24-hour front desk, free WiFi.
Cairo to Luxor
499 km, rated for speed and cost. For a first-timer trip on a comfortable budget at a balanced pace, take the EgyptAir direct flight. It's the quickest way across, 4h door to door.
A terrace restaurant in Qurna with valley views and a terrace buffet lunch — grilled chicken and rice.
- Located on Memnon Street before the Colossi.
The terraced mortuary temple of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, set against the Theban cliffs.
- Open 6:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily; entry 360 EGP for adults.
New Kingdom royal necropolis with 63 known tombs, including Tutankhamun's. Entry covers 3 tombs; Tutankhamun's is an extra 700 EGP.
- Arrive 6:00-9:00 AM for the coolest temperatures and fewest visitors; phone photography is free, no flash.
A rooftop restaurant with Nile views, mixing Arabic and Egyptian dishes. Known for feteer, baba ghanoush and tahini.
- Rooftop terrace with sunset views over the Nile, walking distance from Luxor Temple.
A budget hotel with a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Nile on the Corniche.
Worth the trip
An atmospheric multi-floor townhouse restaurant in the old town serving Egyptian dishes. Known for koshari, ful medames and grilled kofta. No alcohol served.
- Within walking distance of Luxor Temple.
Closer: Al-Sahaby Lane Restaurant, right on your way
A traditional sailboat ride on the Nile at sunset, departing from the Corniche near Luxor Temple.
- Agree the price before boarding.
A colonial-era coffee house near Luxor Temple with a western coffee bar.
- After the felucca, the colonial-era coffee house near Luxor Temple has a western coffee bar.
The ancient temple in central Luxor, dramatically floodlit after dark. Best visited at sunset or in the evening.
- Open 6:00 AM - 9:00 PM daily; entry 500 EGP for adults.
- See Luxor Temple at sunset, then sail the Nile from the Corniche — boats leave near the temple.
Old souk street for spices, alabaster, textiles and street snacks, a short walk from Luxor Temple.
- The souk street is a short walk from Luxor Temple — spices, alabaster and street snacks after the evening floodlighting.
- Sofra's townhouse restaurant sits in the old town near the souk and the temple.
Second visit
A rooftop restaurant with Nile views, mixing Arabic and Egyptian dishes. Known for feteer, baba ghanoush and tahini.
- Rooftop terrace with sunset views over the Nile, walking distance from Luxor Temple.
- The rooftop terrace with sunset views over the Nile is walking distance from Luxor Temple.
Closer: Al-Sahaby Lane Restaurant, right on your way
Stay put: 2 min walk back from Sharia el-Souk tonight, 6 min walk to a sunset felucca ride in the morning.
Where to stay in Cairo & Luxor
Ranked for first-timer travelers on a comfortable budget. The places this plan sleeps in come first.
Cairo
Pyramids View Inn Bed & Breakfast
A friendly B&B with a rooftop terrace facing the pyramids — the best budget view in Giza. Free continental breakfast.
Windsor Hotel
An unrestored 1893 colonial landmark near Opera Square: faded grandeur, period furnishings and the famous Barrel Bar — a time-capsule stay.
Nile View Inn
Budget Nile-view B&B on Roda Island — the closest affordable stay to Coptic Cairo. 24-hour front desk, free WiFi.
Luxor
Nefertiti Hotel
A budget hotel with a rooftop restaurant overlooking the Nile on the Corniche.
Marsam Hotel
A family-run guesthouse hotel in Qurna, close to the Valley of the Kings.
Al Moudira Hotel
An oriental-palace boutique hotel on the West Bank with a restaurant, bar and pool.
Flights to Cairo & Luxor
Fly into CAI (CAI)
Flight results via Travelpayouts — we may earn a commission on bookings.
Getting around Cairo & Luxor
How to actually move around each city — transit, rideshare, bikes, and taxis.
Cairo
Public transit
Cairo's metro is the fastest way across the megacity and the backbone of any visitor itinerary. Lines 1 and 3 connect downtown, Tahrir, Coptic Cairo and the airport; buy single-journey tickets at station ticket offices.
- Cairo Metro
Africa's first metro: 3 lines, ~75 stations, running roughly 05:00 to 01:00 daily. Single-journey tickets are sold at station ticket offices; fares are distance-based (about EGP 8-20). Sadat station serves Tahrir/downtown, Mar Girgis serves Coptic Cairo.
Tip: The middle two cars of each train are women-only — respect the signage.
Rideshare
For most visitors, app-based rideshare is the practical way to move around Cairo: fixed upfront pricing, GPS tracking and driver ratings remove the taxi-negotiation game entirely.
- inDrive, Uber, Careem and DiDi
inDrive, Uber, Careem, DiDi and Bolt all operate in Cairo, with inDrive's bid-your-fare model popular on longer routes and Uber/Careem offering the most predictable pricing for tourists. Download and set up the app before you arrive.
Tip: Compare inDrive against Uber for the same route; inDrive is usually cheaper, Uber more consistent at peak hours.
Bikes
Cairo is not a cycling city in the European sense — traffic is chaotic and bike lanes are limited to a few downtown streets — but a genuine bike-share exists in the areas visitors walk most.
- Cairo Bike
Cairo Governorate's bike-share, launched with UN-Habitat: 250 bikes across about 26 docking stations in downtown Cairo (Tahrir, Mohamed Farid and Abdel-Moneim Riyad squares, El-Falaki street and Zamalek), rentable by the hour through the Cairo Bike app or a prepaid card.
Tip: Stick to the protected downtown lanes and squares; do not attempt arterial roads or the Giza plateau by bike.
Taxis
Cairo's street taxis are plentiful but a negotiation exercise. White metered taxis are the safer pick; for the airport run, a pre-booked fixed-fare transfer removes all haggling.
- White metered taxis and pre-booked transfers
White taxis are metered (black-and-white older ones are not and require agreeing a fare before you get in). Always confirm the meter is on, carry small bills, and allow extra time in rush-hour traffic (roughly 8-10am and 4-7pm).
Tip: For airport arrivals, pre-book a fixed-fare transfer such as Welcome Pickups rather than accepting offers inside the terminal.
Luxor
Public transit
Luxor has no metro, tram or visitor-facing bus network. Getting around means street taxis, horse-drawn caleches, the public Nile ferry to the West Bank, and private drivers hired by the day for the tombs and temples.
Rideshare
Rideshare apps are virtually non-existent in Luxor (unlike Cairo and Alexandria), so don't plan around them. InDrive is popular across Egypt and worth a try, but most visitors end up negotiating with street taxis or booking a private driver.
- InDrive
Bidding-based ride app popular across Egypt: you offer a fare and drivers accept or counter. Usually 20-30% cheaper than Uber, though cars are often older and cash is the norm.
Tip: Worth trying in Luxor, but availability varies — have a taxi backup plan.
- Uber
Reliable in Cairo and Alexandria with card payments, but virtually non-existent in Luxor per 2026 traveler reports.
Tip: Don't count on finding a car in Luxor; use it for Cairo legs of your trip instead.
Bikes
There is no bikeshare system in Luxor, and cycling between the spread-out West Bank sites in the heat and traffic isn't practical for most visitors. Some hotels can arrange bicycle rental for a relaxed ride along the Corniche.
Taxis
Street taxis and horse-drawn caleches are how Luxor moves — agree the fare before getting in (about 50-100 EGP for short city rides, 200-300 EGP airport to downtown). For a West Bank day, hire a private driver for the whole day. The public ferry crosses the Nile near the Corniche.
Keep exploring
More itineraries for this trip.
- Photo: kallerna · CC BY-SA 3.03 days
3 Days in Cairo: Pyramids, Mosques, and Coptic Cairo
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2 Days in Cairo: Pyramids, Mosques, and a Nile Sunset
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3 Days in Luxor: Temples, Tombs, and a Sunrise Balloon
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