Egypt is one of the world's most extraordinary destinations, cradle of 5,000 years of pharaonic civilization. The Giza Pyramids, last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing, open the journey, before Luxor: the Valley of the Kings with its 62 tombs including Tutankhamun's, and Karnak, antiquity's largest religious complex. Further south, Abu Simbel and its colossi of Ramses II, relocated in 1968 for the Aswan Dam, reward a four-night Nile cruise, the iconic experience. Cairo, Africa's largest metropolis, adds its museums and the Khan el-Khalili souk, while the Red Sea offers exceptional coral reefs. Count 10 to 14 days for the essentials.
Duration : 10 days
Route : Cairo (3 nights, Giza pyramids + Saqqara + museum) → Luxor flight (2 nights, Valley of Kings + Karnak) → 4-night Nile cruise Luxor-Aswan (Edfu, Kom Ombo) → Abu Simbel (1-day excursion) → return Cairo flight (1 night)
Duration : 14 days
Route : Cairo (3) → Luxor (2) → 4-night Nile cruise → Abu Simbel → Red Sea El Gouna or Sharm flight (4) → return flight
Duration : 10 days
Route : Cairo Mena House (3 nights facing pyramids) → Luxor Sofitel Winter Palace flight (2) → privatized traditional dahabieh 4 nights Luxor-Aswan → Old Cataract (1) → return flight
October-April is the best period (temperate climate 18-28 °C). Avoid June-August (infernal heat 40-45 °C, especially in Upper Egypt Luxor-Aswan, but low season, advantageous prices for the brave). December-January: tourist high season, essential booking.
Safe in tourist zones. Vigilance in northern Sinai (not recommended). E-visa or visa on arrival for French citizens ($25, 30 days). Cards accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants, cash (Egyptian pounds or USD) elsewhere. Avoid tap water. Covering attire in mosques and religious sites (shoulders, knees, headscarf for women in some mosques). Frequent and appreciated tipping ('baksheesh'), bring small denominations. Ramadan modifies some restaurant schedules.
October to April is the best period, with a temperate climate of 18-28 °C in the Nile valley. November to February is the ideal season par excellence (15-25 °C, blue sky), but also the tourist high season, with essential booking for hotels and the cruise, especially around Christmas and New Year. March-April offers a perfect compromise: mild climate (20-30 °C), fewer crowds, and it's one of the two dates of the Abu Simbel solar miracle, February 22 and October 22, when the rising sun illuminates the sanctuary of the Ramses II colossi. Absolutely avoid May to September in Upper Egypt (Luxor, Aswan), where temperatures climb to 38-45 °C, making midday temple visits grueling; this is however a very affordable period, with Red Sea water at 25-30 °C year-round for those favoring diving in Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada. October stays mild (25-30 °C) and marks an excellent compromise between summer heat and winter crowds.
Allow 10 days for the classic, most-chosen itinerary: 3 nights in Cairo (Giza Pyramids, Saqqara, Grand Egyptian Museum), a flight to Luxor for 2 nights (Valley of the Kings, Karnak), a 4-night Nile cruise to Aswan with stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo, an Abu Simbel excursion, then a final night in Cairo before the return flight. To add the Red Sea and its diving (El Gouna or Sharm el-Sheikh), allow 14 days total, with 4 extra nights by the sea. Under 10 days, it's better to choose between Cairo + Luxor (without the full cruise) or shorten the cruise to 3 nights, but Abu Simbel, 280 km south of Aswan, deserves at least one dedicated day. For a more contemplative trip with a privatized dahabieh instead of a classic cruise ship, also keep 10 days, split between Cairo, Luxor, and 4 nights of sailing.
For 10 days at Comfort level, 4★ hotels in Cairo (Steigenberger Tahrir) and Luxor, a 4★ cruise of 50-100 cabins, EgyptAir domestic flights, and all visits included, expect from €2,200 per person, excluding international flights. At Premium level (10-12 days), you stay at the Mena House facing the pyramids, the Sofitel Winter Palace in Luxor, and a 5★ cruise, with a private French-speaking Egyptologist; budgets start at €3,800 per person. At Exclusive level (10-14 days), it's the Mena House Suite, the Old Cataract in Aswan (the Orient-Express's mythical hotel where Agatha Christie wrote Death on the Nile), a privatized traditional dahabieh for 4 nights, and a private dinner at the foot of the pyramids: expect from €7,500 per person. On top of this come international flights, between €400 and €700 per person for a Paris-Cairo round-trip with Air France or EgyptAir.
An e-visa (requested online before departure) or a visa on arrival at the airport is enough for French, Belgian, Swiss, Canadian, British, and American citizens: expect $25 for a stay up to 30 days, payable in dollars or euros. I recommend the e-visa, faster, requested on the official site a few days before departure. Once there, bank cards are accepted in upscale hotels and restaurants, but bring cash (Egyptian pounds or dollars, in small denominations) for markets, tipping (baksheesh, widely practiced and expected, allow $5-15 per day for drivers and guides), and less touristy sites. Avoid tap water, prefer bottled water. Covering attire is required in mosques (shoulders and knees covered, headscarf for women in some of them), and Ramadan changes some restaurant hours if your trip falls during that period.
Yes, from age 8. Total safety in tourist zones. Welcoming Egyptians. Nile cruise very suitable.
EgyptAir domestic flights are the most practical solution for long distances: Cairo-Luxor in 1 h, Cairo-Aswan in 1 h 15, Aswan-Abu Simbel in just 30 min. A more economical and picturesque alternative is the Cairo-Luxor night train (about 10 h, sleeper cabin). Between Luxor and Aswan, the Nile cruise itself, 4 nights on a classic ship or a privatized dahabieh, handles the transport while being the trip's flagship experience, with stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo. On the ground, I systematically book a private car with driver for all your transfers (airport, sites, hotels): driving in Egypt is chaotic and I don't recommend renting a car yourself. In Cairo, Uber and Careem taxis are reliable and cheap, and the metro, one of Africa's oldest, gets you downtown quickly while avoiding traffic jams.
Classic ship (50-150 cabins): comfort and activities. Dahabieh (max 8 cabins, privatized sailboat): exclusivity, off-beaten-path stops, authentic pharaonic experience.
Essential. 10-15% in restaurants. Small denominations for site guards, drivers, guides ($5-$15/day depending on service).
Yes: Egypt + Jordan (Petra, direct flight), Egypt + Israel, Egypt + Morocco, Egypt + Sudan (less-known sites).
Touristic Egypt, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, the Nile cruise, and the Red Sea resorts (Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada, El Gouna), is safe and used to welcoming millions of visitors each year. Security is reinforced at major archaeological sites (checks at the entrance of the pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, and Abu Simbel), and tourism is a national priority. The only area to avoid is northern Sinai, outside the classic tourist routes to Sharm el-Sheikh, due to localized instability unrelated to the itineraries I offer. As everywhere, stay alert with your belongings in busy markets like Khan el-Khalili. My Egyptian local partner remains reachable 24/7 during your stay, in addition to my French-speaking support.
Bank cards are accepted in hotels, upscale restaurants, and large shops, but cash remains essential day to day: markets, small restaurants, tipping (baksheesh, a widespread and expected practice for guides, drivers, and site guards, allow $5-15 per day depending on service), and less touristy sites. The Egyptian pound (EGP) is the local currency (1 EUR ≈ 55 EGP, volatile rate), but US dollars are also widely accepted for payments as well as tips. I recommend withdrawing Egyptian pounds from ATMs on arrival and always keeping small denominations on you for baksheesh.
Pack light, loose cotton clothing (dry heat, especially from October to April when the climate stays temperate but sunny, 18-28 °C), covering attire for mosques and religious sites (shoulders and knees covered, a headscarf for women in some places), sturdy closed walking shoes for exploring temples and tombs, a hat and high-protection sunscreen year-round, and a light sweater or jacket for cool desert and Nile evenings, even in winter. An adapter isn't needed, Egyptian electrical outlets (type C/F, 220 V) are identical to France's. If you plan to dive in the Red Sea, your own snorkeling gear is a plus, though diving equipment is easily rented on site.