Seven days is tight for Egypt, so this itinerary is built like a timetable. You fly south to Aswan on day three rather than Luxor, which means the drive north along the Nile does double duty as a sightseeing day, with Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way. You finish in Luxor, where the Valley of the Kings and Karnak make a strong last day, and fly back to Cairo for your international flight.
To make it work we leave out a few things: Saqqara, Islamic Cairo and a Nile cruise. Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum share a day because they are only a few minutes apart, and the Abu Simbel trip uses the 45-minute flight where the schedule allows, saving about five hours on the road. Every day has a private guide and vehicle, so starts are early and nothing waits for a group.
If you have eight days, our Essential Egypt itinerary adds Saqqara and Dahshur; if you would rather unpack once, the Nile cruise holiday covers the same temples by ship. This one is for travellers with exactly a week, often as part of a longer trip to Europe or the Middle East.
Journey highlights
- The Pyramids and Sphinx at opening time, then the Grand Egyptian Museum the same afternoon
- Philae Temple by motorboat and the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan
- Abu Simbel's two temples, by air where schedules allow
- A felucca at sunset and a boat to a Nubian village
- Kom Ombo and Edfu temples on the drive from Aswan to Luxor
- Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and Karnak in one Luxor day
- Luxor Temple floodlit after dark
- Domestic flights timed so the last day ends at Cairo airport
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Arrive in Cairo
You are met inside the terminal at Cairo International Airport, helped through the visa and luggage, and driven to your Giza hotel, about 45–60 minutes away. Have an early night: tomorrow is a full day.
- Day2
Pyramids, Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum
Be on the Giza Plateau at opening time for the Great Pyramid, the panoramic viewpoint and the Great Sphinx before the crowds and heat build. After lunch, drive a few minutes to the Grand Egyptian Museum for the afternoon, concentrating on the Grand Staircase, the Tutankhamun galleries and Khufu's Solar Boat.
- Day3
Fly to Aswan: Philae and a felucca
Take an early flight to Aswan, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Visit the Unfinished Obelisk in its granite quarry, then take a motorboat to Philae, the Temple of Isis on Agilkia Island. In the late afternoon, sail by felucca around Elephantine Island as the sun drops behind the west-bank dunes.
- Day4
Abu Simbel and a Nubian village
Fly to Abu Simbel in about 45 minutes and spend around two hours at the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Nefertari. If no flight suits your date, you travel by road instead, about 3–3.5 hours each way, leaving Aswan before dawn. Back in Aswan, take a boat upstream to a Nubian village for tea with a local family.
- Day5
Kom Ombo, Edfu and on to Luxor
Drive north along the Nile, stopping first at Kom Ombo's double temple of Sobek and Haroeris, then at the Temple of Horus at Edfu, the best preserved in Egypt. The road from Aswan to Luxor takes about 3.5 hours without stops, so you reach Luxor in the afternoon with time to rest before visiting Luxor Temple after dark, when it is floodlit.
- Day6
Valley of the Kings and Karnak
Cross to the West Bank early for three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the terraced Temple of Hatshepsut and a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon. After lunch and a rest, spend the late afternoon at Karnak, walking from the Avenue of Ram-headed Sphinxes through the Great Hypostyle Hall to the sacred lake.
- Day7
Fly to Cairo and depart
If your flight times allow, start with an optional dawn hot-air balloon flight over the West Bank. Then fly from Luxor to Cairo, about an hour, timed to leave a comfortable buffer before your international departure via the Gulf or Asia.
Where you’ll stay
| Location | Accommodation |
|---|---|
| Cairo (Giza), 2 nights | Steigenberger Pyramids Cairo or similar |
| Aswan, 2 nights | Mövenpick Resort Aswan or similar |
| Luxor, 2 nights | Sofitel Winter Palace Luxor or similar |
What’s included
- 6 nights' hotel accommodation with daily breakfast
- Domestic flights Cairo–Aswan, Aswan–Abu Simbel–Aswan (schedules permitting) and Luxor–Cairo
- Private English-speaking Egyptologist guide on every touring day
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver for all transfers, touring and the Aswan to Luxor drive
- Standard entry fees to every site in the itinerary
- Felucca sail, Philae motorboat and Nubian village boat trip
- Airport meet-and-assist service and 24/7 local support
Not included
- International flights from Australia or New Zealand (we can quote and book these)
- Egypt visa fee
- Travel insurance (compulsory)
- Optional extras such as the Luxor balloon flight, Tutankhamun's tomb or entry inside a pyramid
- Lunches, dinners and drinks
- Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff
Destinations on this journey
Cairo & Giza · Aswan · Abu Simbel · Luxor
Egypt in 7 Days: Pyramids, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor by Air: FAQs
Is 7 days enough to see Egypt?
It is enough for the four places most people come for: Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Luxor. You miss Saqqara, Islamic Cairo and the slow pleasure of a cruise. Our Egypt itinerary guide compares one-, two- and three-week plans.
Why fly to Aswan first instead of Luxor?
Starting in Aswan lets the drive north to Luxor double as a sightseeing day at Kom Ombo and Edfu, and ending in Luxor gives you a short flight back to Cairo on the last day. It avoids backtracking. See domestic flights in Egypt for how the routes work.
What happens if there is no Abu Simbel flight on my date?
Abu Simbel flights are limited and change seasonally, so we check when you book. If none suits, you go by road, about 280 km and 3–3.5 hours each way, leaving before dawn. Our Abu Simbel by road or air guide compares the two.
Can I add a Nile cruise?
Not within seven days without dropping something important. With one more day, our Nile cruise holiday swaps the hotels in Luxor and Aswan for a four-night cruise between them.
Can I see more of Cairo?
Yes, by adding days at the start or end. Two extra nights cover Saqqara, Dahshur and Islamic Cairo, as in our Cairo and Pyramids stopover.
