Why fourteen days works here
Egypt punishes a compressed itinerary. The sites are physically demanding, the distances are long, and the heat sets the working hours. Two weeks lets you take Cairo, the Nile corridor and a proper coastal rest without sprinting.
If you only have a week, keep Cairo and Luxor and drop Aswan, Abu Simbel and the Red Sea rather than trying to fit all five.
Trains, flights and transfers
The overnight sleeper between Cairo and Luxor or Aswan is the single most useful logistical choice in the country: it moves you several hundred kilometres while you sleep and removes a hotel night. Book the cabin class rather than the seated class.
Inside Cairo, ride-hailing is the sane way to reach Giza from anywhere in the city. Between Aswan and Abu Simbel, choose between the early road convoy and a short flight depending on tolerance for a pre-dawn start.
- Book sleeper cabins well ahead in high season
- Allow a generous window for the Cairo airport transfer
- Agree all driver and guide terms in writing before the day
Where to base yourself
In Cairo the choice is between staying near the Pyramids, where some hotels give you a pyramid view and the evening sound-and-light show from the terrace, and staying central with a daily commute. Neither is wrong — it depends on how much of your time you want to spend in traffic.
In Luxor, stay on the East Bank for restaurants and the Corniche. At Sharm el-Sheikh, choose the reef access you actually want rather than the largest resort.
Entry, fees and honesty about prices
Nigerian passport holders should confirm the current entry route before ticketing; holding a valid UK, US or Schengen visa simplifies it considerably, and a visa on arrival has historically been available at a published fee. Site tickets, camera fees and the Abu Simbel convoy are priced separately from tours.
All costs in Egypt move with exchange rates and season, so treat any published figure as an indication and let us price your actual dates.
Suggested flow
A balanced itinerary
Days 1–3
Cairo
Arrive and recover, then Giza and the Egyptian Museum on the second morning, and Coptic and Islamic Cairo — the Citadel, the Hanging Church, Khan el-Khalili — on the third. Note that the Mohammed Ali Mosque closes for Friday prayers around midday.
Day 4
Free day or Alexandria, then the night train
Either a slow day in Cairo or a day trip to Alexandria, followed by the overnight train south to Luxor.
Days 5–6
Luxor, East and West Banks
Karnak and Luxor Temple on the first day; the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and the Colossi on the second, starting early before the heat.
Day 7
Road to Aswan
Drive south with stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo, then Philae Temple and the Nubian villages at Aswan.
Day 8
Abu Simbel
An early convoy or flight to Abu Simbel, then either the overnight train back to Cairo or a night in Aswan if you prefer to fly.
Days 9–13
Sharm el-Sheikh
Fly to the Red Sea for reef diving, snorkelling and five unhurried days with nothing scheduled before breakfast.
Day 14
Homeward
Flight to Cairo and the onward connection to Lagos or Abuja.
Make this guide your own
We can adapt the route to your departure city, passport, dates, pace and budget.
