14 Days in Egypt: Cairo to Abu Simbel and the Red Sea

Two weeks lets Egypt breathe. The same ancient sites, but with Alexandria at the start, Abu Simbel without a 4am departure, and enough Red Sea days at the end to actually rest.

The route

• Days 1–3 — Cairo and Giza
• Day 4 — Alexandria
• Day 5 — Saqqara, Dahshur, Memphis
• Days 6–8 — Luxor, both banks
• Day 9 — Edfu and Kom Ombo to Aswan
• Days 10–11 — Aswan and Abu Simbel
• Days 12–14 — Red Sea: Hurghada, El Gouna or Marsa Alam

Cairo first

Three days as in our 3-day Cairo guide, then a day out to Alexandria and a day on the older pyramids — Saqqara's step pyramid, the Bent and Red pyramids at Dahshur, which most visitors never see. Airport prices are on the Cairo airport page.

Three days in Luxor

The third day is the luxury one: Medinet Habu and the Ramesseum with nobody in them, Deir el-Medina, and Karnak again in the evening light. Balloon at dawn if the wind allows.

The river and Aswan

Edfu and Kom Ombo by road or cruise, then two nights in Aswan: Philae, the Nubian villages, a felucca, and a full day for Abu Simbel and back.

Finish on the Red Sea

Three days of diving or nothing at all. Marsa Alam for reefs and dolphins, El Gouna for calm lagoons, Hurghada for choice and price. The Hurghada airport page and the Egypt transfers page list every resort with fixed prices.

Journey times to plan around

• Cairo → Alexandria — 220 km · ~3 h
• Cairo → Luxor — 1 h by air
• Luxor → Aswan — 215 km · ~3 h 30
• Aswan → Abu Simbel — 280 km · ~3 h
• Luxor → Hurghada — 290 km · ~4 h

Shorter versions

If two weeks is too much, the 10-day itinerary drops Alexandria and one Luxor day; the 7-day version stays on the Nile.