11 Days in Egypt: Hurghada, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel & Cairo

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May 18, 2026

EGYPT

One of my best trips ever. History, culture, incredible landscapes and some of the warmest people I’ve met. We organised everything ourselves, no agency, zero problems.

Itinerary Overview

Hurghada: 2.5 days

Orange Bay snorkelling
Marina walk + El Mina Masjid mosque

Luxor: 3 days

Medinet Habu temple
Hot air balloon at sunrise
Karnak Temple + Luxor Temple
Valley of the Kings
Hatshepsut Temple

Aswan: 2 or 3 days

Abu Simbel
Felucca on the Nile at sunset
Philae Temple
Nubian village

Cairo: 2 days

Pyramids of Giza
Mohammed Ali Mosque
Egyptian Museum + royal mummies at Museum of Egyptian Civilisation
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Khan el-Khalili souk

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Hurghada – 2,5 days

A Red Sea resort town, more touristic than the rest of Egypt but a great entry point. Think coral reefs, clear water and a relaxed vibe before the temples begin.

D1: Flight Paris Orly → Hurghada. Arrived, walked around the city, caught the sunset.

D2: Full day at sea, boat to Orange Bay + snorkelling. The coral and fish in the Red Sea are genuinely stunning, one of the best snorkelling experiences I’ve had. Orange Bay is touristy but fine for chilling by the water. In the evening, walk along the marina and stop by El Mina Masjid mosque.

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Luxor – 3 days

Often called the world’s greatest open-air museum. Luxor is split between the East Bank (temples) and West Bank (tombs). Budget at least 2-3 days to see most of it.

Accommodation : Villa Hatshepsut, 100% recommended. Tiny village, lovely staff, excellent home-cooked food.

D3: Bus from Hurghada to Luxor (~4h). Settled in, then walked to Medinet Habu temple → Don’t skip this one. My favourite temple of the entire trip, still full of vivid original colours. Far fewer tourists than Karnak.

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D4: Hot air balloon at sunrise, I will let the photos speak for themselves, absolutely worth it (we booked the night before). Then hired a guide for the day: Karnak Temple + Luxor Temple. Karnak is massive, plan at least 1,5 hours.

Tip: A guide makes a real difference at Karnak. Without context, it’s just big columns.

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D5: Valley of the Kings

Unmissable. You pay per tomb (3 included in the base ticket, some require a supplement). We visited :

KV9 – Ramses VI : supplement, the most impressive of the lot
KV11 – Ramses III : standard ticket
KV35 – Amenhotep II : standard ticket
KV6 – Ramses IX : standard ticket

Then we went to Hatshepsut Temple, beautiful and totally different in style to everything else on the West Bank, it is built into the cliffs.

Fun moment : a school group wanted to take photos with us on the way out. Felt like celebrities for 10 minutes.

Afternoon : taxi to Aswan.

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Aswan – 3 days (can do only 2)

Egypt’s southernmost major city, quieter than Luxor. We stayed on Elephantine Island, no cars, very calm, loved it.

D6: Early morning drive to Abu Simbel (~3.5h each way), its two massive temples carved into the rock face, built for Ramses II. They were actually relocated block by block to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. A must visit in Egypt.

Afternoon : boat to the Nubian village. Colourful and charming, but nothing unmissable.

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D7: Visited the Orthodox cathedral and the Aswan souk, good for spices and souvenirs. Evening : felucca boat on the Nile at sunset. Do not skip this.

→We ate at King Jamaica on Elephantine Island, it’s really good!

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D8: Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, sitting on its own island, really beautiful. Watch out for the boat transfer to get there, prices are inflated for tourists. Find other travellers to split the cost and negotiate before getting in.

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Cairo – 2 days

Chaotic, fascinating, overwhelming in the best way. We walked around at night with no issues, felt safe the whole time.

D9: Flight Aswan → Cairo. Check in, walk around.

D10: Egyptian Museum + Museum of Egyptian Civilisation where the royal mummies are displayed, an absolute must. Allow at least half a day for both.

Afternoon : Khan el-Khalili souk, great for souvenirs and atmosphere.

The Grand Egyptian Museum near the pyramids wasn’t fully open when we visited, but it is now. If you have time, it’s an absolute must-see.

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D11 : Pyramids of Giza, arrive early and you’ll have the site almost to yourself. Head past the main entrance to the small hill overlooking the complex for the iconic unobstructed view of all three pyramids.

Afternoon : Mohammed Ali Mosque,a beautiful mosque with stunning architecture and panoramic views over Cairo.

Then flight back home.

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The honest verdict

Egypt surprised me on almost every level. The history and culture are world-class, but what stayed with me most was how welcoming people were.

There is some hustle around the main tourist sites. Negotiate calmly, don’t stress over small amounts, and keep in mind the income gap between visitors and locals.

Egypt remains a relatively poor country, and many children will ask for money in the streets. You’ll need to say no, even if it can be difficult at times.

The food was better than expected, especially home cooking.

As for safety, it was a complete non-issue. We travelled independently for the entire trip without any problems.

If I were to go back, the White Desert and Siwa Oasis would be at the top of my list, but you’ll need extra time to include them in your itinerary.

→ Egypt is absolutely doable as a self-organised trip. No agency required.

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