How to spend 10 days in Egypt? Egypt is one of the most magical and inspiring countries I have ever visited. The scale of Egyptian history is overwhelming. Explore historical sites dating back over 4000 years, experience the hustle and bustle of modern day Cairo, the cheerful hospitality of a colourful Nubian village and swim in the Red Sea with a pod of dolphins. This 10 day itinerary has you covered! Read on to make all your dreams of visiting Egypt come true. How to spend 10 days in Egypt:
Remember to buy travel insurance for your trip. Receive a 5% discount on Heymondo travel insurance.
Read: What to Wear in Egypt as a Female Traveler
Cairo City Guide: How to Spend 2 Days in Cairo, Egypt: Your 48 Hour Cairo Itinerary
10-Day Itinerary for Egypt
Day 1: Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
The Pyramids of Giza are an iconic symbol of Egypt. Located on the outskirts of Cairo itself, the Giza complex is an easy way to spend your first day in Egypt. These elaborate royal tombs date back 4,600 years! The pyramids originally contained buried mummies of Ancient Egyptian pharaohs alongside all the items that their people believed they would need in the afterlife. Right next to the pyramids you can also find the Great Sphinx, a giant limestone statue of a mythical creature with a lion’s body and human head. I’d recommend setting aside an entire day for the Giza complex. After viewing the sites you can chill out and enjoy a panoramic view of the pyramids at the 9 Pyramids Lounge. Reservations are required.
Day 2: Cairo City, Ibn Tulun Mosque and the Egyptian Museum
On your second day in Egypt you can explore Cairo itself. This city is not only about the pyramids. Ibn Tulun Mosque is a stunning complex where you can climb to the top of the walls for aerial views of Cairo. Khan El-Khalili Souk is a labyrinth of spices, glimmering lights and colourful pottery. Here you can also find the Naguib Mahfouz Cafe, where Egypt’s most famous author, Naguib Mahfouz, used to often come for coffee. In the afternoon you must visit the Egyptian museum, filled with priceless ancient treasures. For dinner, try Egyptian koshari at Abou Tarek koshari restaurant.
Day 3: Aswan, the Temple of Philae, Colorful Nubian Village
Aswan is a short flight south from Cairo. From there you can catch a boat to see the Temple of Philae, built on its own island in the middle of the Nile. This beautifully preserved temple is known for its impressive facade, with Ancient Egyptian figures carved into the stone. The Ancient Egyptian built the temple of Philae to honour the goddess Isis. Afterwards, continue down the Nile until you reach the colourful Nubian Village. Known for its warm hospitality and vibrant colourful houses, the Nubian village is an absolute must on any trip to Egypt.
Day 4: Abu Simbel, Night on a Felucca Boat
One of the highlights of any trip to Egypt is visiting Abu Simbel. This Ancient Egyptian temple is built right out in the middle of the desert near the border with Sudan. Rameses II ordered its construction to celebrate himself as king. Read more about visiting Abu Simbel here. In the evening, return to Aswan and spend a night on a traditional felucca boat. You’ll cruise down the Nile and watch the sunset, and then moor at the side of the river to spend the night sleeping on traditional mattresses under the stars.
Day 5: Temple of Luxor
The city of Luxor, which used to be called Thebes, has a rich history. The entrance to Luxor temple is flanked by two giant statues of Rameses II. There is also an entire avenue of Sphinxes. This temple complex is especially beautiful in the evening when it is illuminated.
Day 6: Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut Temple
The Valley of the Kings, a UNESCO world heritage site, is a vast Ancient Egyptian burial complex where lavish tombs for pharaohs are cut into the rocks. As you walk down the entrance tunnels you’ll see intricate hieroglyphics on the walls, and the temperature will drop compared to the scorching sun outside. One of the most famous sites is the tomb of Tutankhamun. Next, the terraced temple of the female pharaoh Queen Hatshepsut. The Temple of Hatshepsut is unique as it combines a mixture of Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Greek styles.
Day 7: Karnak Temple
The Karnak Temple complex, also located in Luxor, was built over a long period of time, added to by several pharaohs throughout Ancient Egyptian history. This huge expanse of different temples covers more than 2kmsq! My favourite section is the Great Temple of Amun-Ra, known for its Hypostyle Hall of enormous pillars covered with intricate carvings.
Day 8: Marsa Alam – Beach Day
After a week of Ancient Egyptian history and desert heat it’s time to head to the coast for some relaxation! Marsa Alam is a town on the Red Sea coast and there are numerous resort-style hotels to choose from. Relax by the pool or on the beach.
Day 9: Marsa Alam – Swim with Dolphins!
Spend a day on a boat trip to Sataya Reef where you can swim with an incredible number of dolphins! I was expecting just to see a few but we ended up swimming with an entire pod of about 80 spinner dolphins! They were playful and inquisitive and circled around us again and again. Definitely one of the most magical experiences I’ve ever had! Sataya Reef is a shallow reef. The boat trip is 2 hours each way. Boats leave from Hamata Jetty, a couple of hours drive south from Marsa Alam. The water is bright turquoise and amazingly warm so you do not need a wetsuit. This is an ethical snorkelling spot as the boats do not chase the dolphins. They already hang out here in the wild. You are not allowed to touch or feed them. Remember to wear reef-safe sunscreen.
Day 10: Back to Cairo
Travel back to Cairo and relax before your flight home. The final day is also a good opportunity to re-visit anything in Cairo that you would like to see again, or if you missed somewhere out at the beginning.
Practical Guidance for Egypt
I hope you enjoyed this post on how to spend 10 days in Egypt. To help you get ready for your trip I’ve added some practical information. As well as the itinerary for how to spend 10 days in Egypt, I’ve also included some practical guidance for visiting Egypt below.
How do I get a visa for Egypt?
Most countries need a visa to enter Egypt (check your own country’s official guidance), but the process is generally easy. You can apply for either a single-entry or multiple-entry tourist visa that allow 30 days in Egypt. You can apply for an E-Visa online here. It’s also possible to apply for your Egypt visa on arrival at the airport.
Money in Egypt: (EGP)
If you’re visiting Egypt you’ll need Egyptian Pounds (EGP). To get EGP at the best rates, I highly recommend getting a WISE card before you go. This allows you to convert money into Egyptian Pounds (or any other currency!) at the best rates and then spend on your Wise card as though it were a local bank card or withdraw cash in Egypt without hidden fees. Wise is a UK-based financial services company (available in most countries worldwide) and is highly regulated in the various regions it operates in (in the UK it is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority).
Get your WISE card here.
Travel Insurance
Make sure that you have travel insurance to cover you for your trip. I can highly recommend Heymondo. I use them to cover me for all my trips and their app is very easy to use.
Purchase Heymondo travel insurance here.
Spent a summer working in Egypt and our top visit was definitely the valley of the kings. Amazing to walk around and soak in the history.
We have yet to visit Egypt–will save this for when we get to planning our visit.
Egypt has been on my list for a while now. As a solo female traveler, I know I need to be smart about planning this trip or to bring a few friends with me 🙂
This trip looks like it was incredible! Egypt is on my bucket list and it looks like 10 days is enough time to see a decent amount of places on a trip. Love your photography style too!
That is a fabulous itinerary. We would love to go to Egypt, and certainly will one day. I will pin this to review when that day comes. Thanks