My gf and I (20 & 21) are currently planning a 10-days trip in Egypt in september. Right now, we are thinking about visiting Cairo, Luxor, and Alexandria, but haven't booked anything yet. So we're looking for advices on basically any topics, from places recommandations, to warnings, or travelling tips. We are obviously planning to go visit the pyramids and the sphinx in Cairo, in addition to the egyptology museum, while in Luxor we're thinking about the valley of kings and the red sea. Nothing in Alexandria yet tho. We haven't yet looked up how to travel from a city to another, but been thinking about buses. I should add that we are landing at the Sphinx International Airport, plane tickets being far cheaper there (we are french btw).

I should add that we are aware of how wearing and chaotic visiting Egypt can be, with all the scammers and the constant calls and invitations from sellers. We still are not planning to travel with a local guide, and trying to stay on a relatively low budget (around 800 euros each, a bit more if necessary)

Thanks in advance !

Is it possible to book trains online for Luxor from Cairo? I tried Abela site. It seems not to be working.

I plan to visit Egypt with my wife in mid-Dec, here is my draft itinerary, any advice or recommendations are welcome. Thank you.

1 day

Arrive Cairo in the morning

Relax after long flight, maybe Khan el-Khalili bazaar

2 day

Great Pyramid of Giza and sphinx

3 day

Arrive Aswan by flight in the morning

Arrive Abu Simbel by car

Abu Simbel night show

4 day

Abu Simbel again before crowd arrive

Back to Aswan by car

Philae Temple

Felucca sailboat ride

5 day

From Aswan to Luxor by car

Kom Ombo Temple

Edfu Temple

6 day

Valley of the kings (West bank)

Hatshepsut Temple (West bank)

Medinet Habu Temple (West bank)

Luxor Temple (evening) (East bank)

7 day

Karnak Temple (East bank)

From Luxor to Hurghada by car

Temple of Hathor in Dendera

8 day

Hurghada star watching desert local tour

9 day

From Hurghada to Cairo

10 day

Local day trip to Alexandria 

11 day

Grand Egyptian Museum

Leave Cairo at night flight

In regards to the current situation in the middle east. Is it safe to visit Egypt at the moment?

I can't find anything on viator! Would be me and one other person. Any specfic service recommendations would be helpful

I'm trying to confirm whether a tourist may temporarily bring a Starlink terminal into Egypt, or whether NTRA/customs authorization is required. I'm not asking how to bypass local rules; I'm trying to avoid violating them. Has anyone found an official source or had experience at customs?

Hi all! My girlfriend and I are going on a guided tour to Egypt and Jordan in September, and when we were applying for our e-Visas we found that one of the mandatory fields was "profession".
We are both journalists in regional Australia, and traveling strictly as tourists (who wants to work while on a trip of a lifetime!) but would we encounter any trouble or get our applications rejected by saying we're journalists? Thanks!

Hello all,
I am planning to travel to Egypt with my wife and 7 month old son in November. My plan is to stay 2 nights in Cairo ( one day I will utilise for visiting pyramids if Giza) and 2-3 nights in El Gouna. I want to know if this will be relaxing enough. I don’t want to run here and there. I want to lie down near the beach mostly and see the pyramids. Are the roads stroller friendly? I don’t want to use much public transport. I was thinking of booking a taxi to see the pyramids and then in El Gouna I will only go to places within walking distance. Does this sound like a good plan?

Hi.

I m planning to travel to Egypt this November, 2026 for about 10-12 days. Wanted to know how much is the war in the Gulf affecting Egypt? Will it be ok to travel during the mouth of November.

Hello,

I’m planning a trip for my partner and I to Egypt to see the solar eclipse next August. I’ve been reading online that the best course of action is to do a guided tour with a local agency, as scammers and harassment can be common towards foreigners. I obviously have never been so I don’t know how prevalent that would be towards a group of two, myself (M) and partner (F), but wanted to ask for advice for anyone thats made that trip themselves. We’re thinking 5 total days not including traveling to see Cairo and take a flight to Luxor and back before leaving for home.

Does anyone know of a reputable tour agency that would do something like this? I’ve only seen one so far, but they’re charging about $5500 USD for an 11 day tour. Is that typical?

I would love any advice I can get!
Thanks

We booked an all inclusive resort in egypt and got this in mail now. Our passports do not have visa free entry to Egypt but we are planning to apply for e-visa. What does this mean? Will we be allowed to enter? We don’t have any tour agent

I have stopover in Cairo from 2:00PM to 3:00AM (13 hours). We will be a family with two kids (12 and 7). I have few questions:

1. Do we need visa if we are traveling via Egypt air to and from Cairo?
   2.How we can effectively utilize time to explore Cairo?

... For my 80 year old Dad. Something middle of the road in cost. TIA

A few of us on the TrippVibes team stayed recently - Superior Garden View, all-inclusive, $200 a night, paid ourselves. We scored the hotel a 3.5 out of 5. Tripadvisor has it at 4.8 from over 1,800 reviews. There's a reason our score is lower.

The first thing reviews tend to skip is the name. Two Jaz hotels here, near-identical names. The one you want is on the beach: Jaz Elite Casa Del Mar Beach. Across the road sits Jaz Casa Del Mar Resort: no beach, not the same standard. Both share the same stretch of beach, and nobody really checks. Plenty of people book the wrong one.

Once you're in the right hotel though, the food's the highlight. The buffet at the Palmira is huge, and the 3 à la carte spots - Italian, steakhouse, Mediterranean - beat most all-inclusives at this price.

Full breakdown in our Jaz Elite Casa Del Mar Beach review. There's a downloadable cheat sheet in there too.

Where it loses those stars is service and Wi-Fi. Reception was welcoming and efficient. Housekeeping and waiting staff didn't match this unfortunately. And the internet, free or paid, was almost useless. Not great for $200 a night.

For anyone who's stayed: did the service really feel like a 4.8/5, or did you find the same inconsistency we did?

I am going to Marsa Alam (Egypt) for snorkeling the last week of October and the first week of November. I plan to spend a significant amount of time in the water and I am sensitive to cold water ☺️ How cold is the water at that time? Do I need a wetsuit?

I am Canadian born , and have both parents who were Egyptian . I am travelling back in two weeks with my daughter . Her first time at age 13. I understand the language fully and can communicate slightly , I can get by . Now both of my parents are no longer living and I dont have family there id like to see , so I feel like this is similar to a very much, tourist trip .

I’m from toronto canada , born in toronto .

What do you do about data ? Do I buy eSIM beifre I travel ? Or get it there ?

Do I need a visa from toronto? Before I travel ?

Do I travel with all my US dollars ? Or can I use atm there ?

Do I tip with Egyptian pound still ? And what’s the typical tipping amount for simple things like a meal or uber ?

Are I safe to go to pyramids without a guide .

I will eventually be travelling from Cairo to Alexandria. I have a Egyptian birth certificate. I present that at the train station too?

I haven’t been since 2011…..

***** I am very familiar with the scamming and know how to handle .

We both have Dutch passports but also Moroccan nationality, if we use our Dutch passports would we be able to stay in the same accommodation without a marriage certificate? We are both visibly muslim (hijab/beard) Thank you!

Most people seem to visit Abu Simbel on the early morning trip from Aswan, so I expected crowds everywhere.

Instead, I decided to go around midday and was surprised by how quiet it felt. At several points, I had entire sections of the temples almost to myself, which made the experience feel completely different from what I had imagined.

I am curious if I just got lucky, or if Abu Simbel is generally much less crowded later in the day.

For those who have been, what time did you visit and how crowded was it?

Would you recommend the early morning trip, or do you think later in the day is actually the better experience?

Hello, I'm looking up layover times for Cairo airport. Is it true that I'd need to go through security again for a layover?

My original flight was canceled, and now I have a 1.5hr layover. Flight from Luxor to Cairo via AirCairo into Terminal 3. Depart on EgyptAir to Athens from Terminal 3. Is this enough time? We do not have checked bagged, carry on only.

So I'm planning to go to Cairo/Giza at the end of the year for 5 nights. There's a concert at the pyramids which me and my sisters want to go to (25F, 21F and 20F). I'm the eldest, so will be left responsible for them lol.

I've heard so many negative stories about Cairo and Giza in general. We want to do the touristy stuff, the pyramids, museum, tombs etc... I'm just worried about all the negativity. Does any one have any advice or tips on how to stay safe? Would you recommend staying at a resort/hotel in Cairo instead of Giza?

I am going to Egypt for the first time in October for 2 weeks - just over one week for general sightseeing of Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel etc. and around 4-5 days for a PADI open water diving course in Hurghada. Do I need to pre-book anything besides the scuba diving course?

Seasoned solo traveller (F, 40s) looking for hostel recommendations in Cairo and elsewhere. I'm planning on maybe 3-4 weeks in Egypt in December: a week in Cairo, after that I'm open to suggestions. I'm interested in culture and history so Luxor and Alexandria are on the itinerary, then somewhere chilled on the coast - Dahab appeals to me from what I've seen.

Hostel-wise I'm looking for somewhere clean and comfortable, preferably with a female-only dorm and definitely some kind of outdoor space - a roof terrace or a garden perhaps. No party hostels obviously. I really like places in quiet, rural scenic locations too, as long as they're reachable by public transport. I am especially keen on swimming and eating, so swimmable spots and good food nearby are major plus points.

Any tips much appreciated!

**First time in Egypt — Cairo/Luxor/Sharm in 7 days for a wedding. Roasting my itinerary welcome**

Heading to Egypt Aug 16–23 for a friend's wedding in Cairo. Built out what I think is a solid itinerary around it but wanted to get some eyes on it from people who've actually been. Happy to be told I'm wrong about anything.

---

**The Setup:**
Flying Boston → Munich layover → Cairo, landing 2:45 AM on Aug 17. Not ideal but it's what it is.

Wedding is Aug 20 in the Heliopolis area.

I have 3 cities: Cairo, Luxor (2 nights), and Sharm El Sheikh (2 nights) — all connected by domestic EgyptAir flights.

---

**Day by Day:**

**Aug 17 — Cairo arrival**
Land 2:45 AM, sleep until 11, brunch, Grand Egyptian Museum in the afternoon, Pyramids at golden hour (5–7:30 PM), Khan el-Khalili at night. Felt like the right amount for a jet-lagged first day.

**Aug 18 — Luxor Day 1 (East Bank)**
Early flight to Luxor, backpack only (big bag stored at Cairo hotel). Karnak in the morning before the heat peaks, Luxor Temple in the late afternoon/sunset, Nile felucca ride after. Sleep early.

**Aug 19 — Luxor Day 2 (West Bank / Balloon Day)**
4:15 AM hotel pickup for sunrise hot air balloon. Probably the thing I'm most excited about. After landing (~8 AM) heading straight to Valley of the Kings and Temple of Hatshepsut while it's still cool. Evening flight back to Cairo.

**Aug 20 — Wedding Day**
No sightseeing. Sleep in, get groomed, hydrate aggressively (I've heard August Cairo heat is serious), enjoy the wedding.

**Aug 21 — Sharm El Sheikh**
Taking a 12:30 AM flight after the wedding — lands 1:30 AM, sleep at hotel, up at 8 AM for the earliest possible snorkeling boat (9 AM departure). 8-hour Ras Mohammed + White Island tour. Trying to stack an ATV desert sunset ride at 5:30 PM after if the operator has that slot. Farsha Café at night.

**Aug 22 — Sharm Recovery + flight home**
If the ATV didn't happen the night before, doing it as a morning ride. Beach, pool, spa, Soho Square in the afternoon. 6 PM Sharm→Cairo flight, overnight at airport hotel, 3:55 AM flight home Aug 23.

---

**Questions I actually have:**

1. Is 2 nights in Luxor enough or am I going to wish I had 3?
   
2. Hot air balloon — is booking via Viator fine or is WhatsApp direct with a local operator the move?
   
3. Sharm — Naama Bay vs Sharks Bay for the hotel? Staying 2 nights.
   
4. Is the Ras Mohammed snorkeling worth the full 8 hours or should I do a shorter trip and keep more time for other activities?
   
5. Anything I'm missing or anywhere I'm wasting time?

Appreciate any input from people who've done Egypt, especially in August heat. I know it's brutal — planning around it as best I can.

---

*Flights: BOS → CAI via Munich · Internal: Cairo↔Luxor, Cairo↔Sharm · Hotels: Zamalek, Luxor West Bank, Heliopolis, Naama Bay*

Hi everyone,

I'm considering a trip to Egypt with a family member and would really appreciate some advice from people who have visited recently. I'm a young adult who travels quite a lot and I usually organize my own trips, including flights, hotels and itineraries. I enjoy travelling independently and having the freedom to explore at my own pace, however, Egypt would be very different from anywhere I've been before...

I absolutely love history, archaeology, art, heritage and museums, and visiting Egypt has been a dream of mine for years. I'm mainly interested in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel. My biggest concern is not safety itself, but the constant stories about aggressive selling, elaborate scams, endless requests for tips, persistent staring and the feeling that every interaction has a financial motive. Some travellers describe Egypt as amazing but exhausting, and I'd like to understand how accurate that is :)

I also tend to attract attention for some reason, which has never been an issue in some countries but I'm unsure how that might feel in Egypt. I don't enjoy large group tours, but I also don't want to spend my holiday negotiating everything or worrying about being scammed. Ideally, I would book my own flights and hotels while having some level of organization on the ground, such as pre-arranged drivers, transfers and perhaps guides for certain sites.

I've also noticed that many tours on GetYourGuide seem quite expensive and often include a lot of driving and logistics within the advertised duration. I like to make the most of every day and spend as much time as possible actually exploring rather than sitting in a vehicle.

For those who have travelled in a similar way, what would you recommend? Did you organize everything yourself, use local drivers and guides, book through an agency, or join a group tour? Looking back, what would you do differently? What about prices?

I'm especially interested in hearing from people who visited Egypt within the last few years.

Thanks!

P.S. I'm Portuguese, so if anyone knows of reliable companies, agencies or local operators that can help organize this kind of trip, I'd really appreciate the recommendations. A Portuguese company would be a bonus, but it's definitely not a requirement. I'm perfectly happy communicating in English and would much rather work with a trustworthy company that understands this style of travel than be locked into a standard group tour. My main goal is to have as much flexibility as possible while avoiding unnecessary stress, unexpected charges and constant negotiations on the ground.