7 days in Egypt: a Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh itinerary

A common mistake in first-time Egypt plans is squeezing Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea into seven days. The result is a week of airports and early alarms. This route does less, on purpose: two full sightseeing days in Cairo, three easy days on the Red Sea in Sharm El Sheikh, and both domestic flights already booked.

Our 7-day Cairo and Sharm El Sheikh tour costs from $780 per person (price checked 26 October 2026). If temples are the main reason you’re coming, this isn’t the right week – see the Luxor alternative at the end.

Day 1 is arrival only. Our representative meets you inside Cairo airport, helps with passport control and luggage, and a private air-conditioned car takes you to your hotel. Cairo traffic makes airport transfers unpredictable, so don’t plan anything else that day.

Day 2 starts at 8:00 AM. You begin on the Giza Plateau with the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx. Then you drive about 27 km south to Saqqara, where the Step Pyramid of Djoser is older than anything at Giza and the site is usually far quieter. The day ends in Memphis, Egypt’s first capital, with its fallen colossus of Ramesses II and the Alabaster Sphinx. Lunch is included.

Not on this route: Tutankhamun. His treasures are now displayed at the Grand Egyptian Museum, not in the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, and neither museum is in this itinerary. If the golden mask is a must, tell us when you book and we’ll fit a museum visit in.

On Day 3 you fly to Sharm El Sheikh (about an hour in the air). From here your hotel is half board, so breakfast and dinner are included. Days 4 and 5 are completely free. Some guests don’t leave the beach; others book one trip:

Plan the big trips for Day 4, not Day 5. The Mount Sinai hike starts around midnight and Petra is an 18-hour day. On Day 6 you fly back to Cairo and go straight into a full city tour, so a short night on Day 5 makes that day hard work.

In the evenings, Naama Bay is the easiest place for dinner and a walk. More ideas are in our guide to Sharm El Sheikh attractions.

After the morning flight back, your guide takes you through Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church, the churches of Abu Serga and St Barbara, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. Then Islamic Cairo: the Mosque of Amr Ibn Al-As, the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i Mosque, the Citadel with the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, and finally Khan El Khalili. Lunch is included.

Mosques ask for covered shoulders and knees, and shoes come off at the door, so slip-on shoes and a scarf save time on this day.

Day 7 is breakfast and a private transfer to the airport at the time you need.

Children: under 4 free, ages 4–9 pay 50%, 10 and over pay the adult price. Holidays: prices are 40% higher over New Year, Easter and Christmas.

Travellers who fly straight into Sharm El Sheikh can sometimes get a free “Sinai only” entry stamp. It doesn’t allow travel to Cairo, and this trip starts in Cairo – so you need the normal Egypt tourist visa, online or on arrival for most nationalities. Rules change; check our Egypt visa guide before you fly.

Is 7 days enough for Egypt?
For Cairo’s highlights plus a real beach break, yes. For Luxor and Aswan as well, no – you’d need about 10 days.

When is the best time for this route?
October to April. Cairo’s sightseeing days are hard work in June–August heat, while Sharm is warm almost all year. More in our guide to the best time to visit Egypt.

Is it suitable for children?
Yes, with planning: the two Cairo days are long, so bring hats, water and snacks, and keep the evenings quiet.

It suits first-time visitors, couples and families who want the Pyramids and a proper rest in the same week, without spending half of it in transit.

It isn’t for you if Luxor’s temples, the Valley of the Kings or a Nile cruise are the reason you’re coming. In that case our 7-day Cairo, Luxor & Hurghada package is the better week.