Planning A Trip To Egypt? 9 Top Things You Must Do 🇪🇬

Are you planning a trip to Egypt? Perhaps you long to journey down the Nile to see ancient wonders. Or maybe you’re curious about the land of the pharaohs and pyramids, or you want to luxuriate in one of Egypt’s sun-soaked Red Sea resorts.

You’re not alone!

In Egypt, the desert meets metropolis and modern-day chaos layers on millennia of history to create a unique blend of historical and cultural moments. Visiting Egypt offers so much more than a vacation – it’s a hands-on history lesson like no other!

Whether you want to walk where the Pharaohs trod in Luxor or share the joys of the ancient pyramids with the local camels, one thing is for sure: the allure of Egypt attracts millions of visitors each year.

But there are important things to know before you go. I asked Tom Henty from Tom Henty’s Travel for his advice on travelling to Egypt, fresh from his experiences in “The Land of Ra” with his family.

By the end of this guide, you’ll know exactly what to do when planning a trip to Egypt, from deciding when to travel to how to stay safe in Egypt, what to pack, and which Egyptian landmarks to add to your itinerary.

Let’s get started!

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Planning A Trip To Egypt

It is no secret that Egypt has seen its share of troubles over the years or that its entry requirements have been fluid at times. You need to stay up to date with current rules.

1. Prepare for Your Trip 📓

You’ll likely need a visa to visit Egypt (most passport holders do). The Egyptian Portal is the easiest place to get your visa, with a single entry tourist visa costing US$25 (£20). When you arrive in Egypt, you’ll also need to show:

• Your passport, which should have at least six months left on it.
• Your planned travel itinerary.
• Details of your accommodation bookings.

You’ll also need to check whether you need any vaccinations and make sure you have good travel insurance for your trip.

2. Choose the Best Time to Visit Egypt 📆

Due to its geographical location, Egypt’s climate is warm all year round. If you plan to explore the ancient sites and enjoy the hustle of the cities, then the best times to visit are in spring, between March and May, or autumn, between September and November.

Summers, however, can get inhumanly hot, especially in southern cities like Luxor and Aswan and desert towns like Siwa. You might enjoy a summer trip to Egypt if you love heat and you want to experience the Rea Sea beach resorts or take a Nile cruise outside the peak tourist season.

It very rarely rains in Egypt, with the odd exception in winter months 🙂

3. Pack The Essentials for Adventure and Comfort 🎒🧳

One of the most important things to know before going to Egypt is that you’ll likely not need to pack much more than lightweight summer outfits!

But … you must cover up your legs and arms to respect cultural traditions at Egypt’s religious sites and if you venture beyond the main tourist areas.

Insider packing essentials:

• A hat: Many ancient sites are outdoors, with lots of sun exposure
• Comfortable shoes: You’ll walk miles around the temples and pyramids
• A reusable water bottle like this one: It gets hot inside the tombs and pyramids
• Sunscreen and insect repellent: Use lots of it 🙂
• Cash in low denominations: To strengthen your bargaining position in the souks

➡️ Read Next: Your Essential Packing List For Egypt (+ What Not To Wear)

4. Hire Tour Guides 🎫

Egypt can be intimidating, especially for solo travellers and first-time visitors to the country. I always recommend hiring a knowledgeable local guide to help you navigate the ancient sites in Egypt without stress.

• You will learn the more detailed history of the different sites
• Most tours include a hotel pick-up and drop-off, saving you the hassle of organising logistics yourself and giving you time back to enjoy your vacation
• An official tour group leader will help to keep hustlers off your back at the main sites, especially the pyramids! This sort of hassle can ruin your experience

5. Discover Cairo: Pick The Egyptian Wonders You Want to Explore🕌

When you arrive in Egypt, your starting point will likely be Cairo, a chaotic capital home to around 10 million people and some of the world’s most iconic ancient wonders.

Tahrir Square is a great base, with many accommodation options to suit all budgets. It’s also home to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, which has the largest collection of Egyptian artefacts in the world.

I recommend spending at least two full days in Cairo before heading down the Nile to explore the other wonderful cities.

Here’s my suggested itinerary

Day 1 in Cairo: Museums, Bazaars and Coptic Cairo

Getting your bearings on your first day in a new destination is always a good start, especially if the city is Cairo! The sensory attack occurs as soon as you leave the airport and doesn’t stop day or night, but this adds to the city’s character.

Two hours is enough time to explore both floors of the museum, including the famous room dedicated to King Tutankhamun, which is packed with original treasure uncovered in his tomb alongside the mummy.

Although Tutankhamun’s mummy still lies in his tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor, his iconic mask is inside the museum.

Other notable relics from the ancient world in the Egyptian Museum include the Narmer Palette, a statue of the pharaoh Djoser, and the popular Meidum Geese painting.

⏱ Opening times – 9 am – 5 pm daily.

🎟️ Pre-book your skip-the-line entrance ticket to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities here

Coptic Cairo

If you want to learn about the vast religious history of the capital, then a trip to Coptic Cairo is a must, as it’s one of the oldest parts of the city. It was the central hub for centuries and is home to one of the largest Christian populations across the whole Middle East.

If you prefer to explore independently, booking an Uber is the cheapest and most efficient way of reaching the enclosed religious area.

Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

The most famous bazaar in Egypt is located in Cairo.

Khan el-Khalil is a cultural hotspot and a great place to watch the locals drinking tea or coffee. If you want to be more daring, then you can head to the stalls hunting for the perfect souvenir, but they don’t come easily! The local culture is to haggle ferociously.

An evening trip to the market is the best option if you want to capture the true atmosphere of the Mazey Souk.

Khan el Khalili is exciting and it’s always busy. It’s a great place to explore independently if you’re a confident traveller. However, if you prefer the security of a guided tour, this highly-rated private day tour of Old Cairo includes time browsing for those all-important Egyptian souvenirs in Khan el Khalili.

⏱ Opening times – 9.30 am – 12 am daily.

Day 2 in Cairo: Pyramids of Giza, The Sphinx and Saqqara

On your second day in Cairo, you’ll want to explore a little more to see some of Egypt’s most iconic landmarks!

The Giza Plateau

The Pyramids of Giza are on many tourists’ bucket lists. These incredible ancient relics show the skills of the ancient civilisation that built them thousands of years ago.

You can wander around the three main pyramids at your leisure or ride a camel around them, but be warned, as locals will likely try to overcharge you if you haven’t pre-booked your camel ride!

The Giza plateau is also home to the crouching limestone statue of the Great Sphinx of Giza. It’s one of the largest monolithic statues in the world, measuring 66 feet tall by 240 feet long.

⏱ Opening times: 7 am – 6 pm daily (April – September), 8 am – 4 pm daily (October – March).

🎟️ Entrance costs: International visitors – Adults 360 EGP (£9) / Students 180 EGP (£4.50) + extras to enter inside pyramids.

Saqqara

Saqqara Necropolis may not be as famous as the Giza pyramids, but it definitely matches them in terms of history, as it is home to the oldest pyramid in the world.

‘The Step Pyramid of Djoser’ dates back to 2670 and still stands strong over 4000 years later. While this ancient pyramid is the site’s highlight, there are tombs, temples, and an incredible landscape on show as well.

Saqqara is a 40-minute drive from the Giza plateau and much quieter, making it a more enjoyable experience.

⏱ Opening times: 8 am – 5 pm daily (summer), 8 am – 4 pm daily (winter).

🎟️ Entrance cost: International visitors – Adults 60 EGP (£1.5) / Students 30 EGP (£.75) + extras to enter inside the pyramid.

6. Discover Luxor: The Open-Air Museum on the Nile 𓅀

Luxor is globally known as an open-air museum spread across both banks of the Nile. Its fascinating temples, immaculate museums, and colourful tombs continue to intrigue international visitors.

Originally known as “Thebes”, Luxor was once Egypt’s capital city and is unmatched in terms of relics from the past. It’s the final resting place for most of the famous pharaohs, queens and high-status people from Egypt’s different dynasties.

Luxor is huge, and you’ll need a clear plan of what you want to see during your visit! Here are some of the most popular attractions in Luxor:

The East Bank

The East Bank is the city’s vibrant heart, where locals and tourists mingle in the souks, restaurants and the famous “Corniche” promenade along the Nile.

The two famous temples on the East Bank (Karnak and Luxor) were once connected by the impressive Avenue of the Sphinxes. Although their elegance has faded, many of the statues remain for visitors to marvel at and enjoy.

Karnak Temple is over one thousand years old and one of ancient Egypt’s largest and most important religious buildings.

You can wander throughout the complex, but the real highlight, if you want to step back in time and imagine how grand the temple once was, is the Great Hypostyle Hall. The picture-perfect columns stand 69 feet tall and still bear the original hieroglyphics from thousands of years ago.

⏱ Opening times: 6 am – 5.30 pm daily.

🎟️ Entrance costs for International visitors: 220 EGP (£5.50).

Luxor Temple has a different story but is equally impressive. It was dedicated to the ancient Egyptian deities Mut, Konsu, and Amun when it was first built in 1392 BCE.

Two giant statues, known as the Colossi of Ramses II, guard the temple’s entrance. They are joined by a single giant obelisk, which now appears asymmetrical. In fact, its twin was gifted to France in the 19th century and now stands in the Place de la Concorde in Paris 🇫🇷

Influential figures, including Alexander the Great, contributed to the design of the Luxor Temple. At the back of the museum, a chapel named after him is located.

The West Bank

Across the Nile on the West Bank, you’ll find the famous necropolises that are the eternal homes to some of Egypt’s most important historical figures.

The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut

One of the most famous temples on this side of the Nile is the three-storey Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, built to illustrate Queen Hatshepsut’s life through art and hieroglyphics. It’s one of the most uniquely designed temples in the world, as it is carved into the Deir el-Bahri cliffs.

The Valley of the Kings

For many visitors, the Valley of the Kings is the biggest lure to the West Bank – perhaps even to all of Egypt. Over 60 tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs and queens from ancient Egypt hide in these barren rocks, with more still to be found. On your visit, you can enter a handful of the most decorated tombs, including King Tutankamun’s.

⏱ Opening times: 6 am – 4 pm daily.

🎟️ Entrance costs: International visitors – 600 EGP (£15) + extra for the famous tombs.

The Valley of the Queens

Dedicated to past Queens and princes, this necropolis houses the vibrantly coloured tomb of Queen Nefertari – the great wife of Ramses II. As one of the best tombs in Luxor, it’s sure to be a real highlight of your trip.

⏱ Opening times: 7 am – 7 pm daily – (summer), 7 am – 5 pm daily – (winter).

🎟️ Entrance costs: International visitors – 100 EGP (£2.50) + extra for famous tombs.

Hot Air Ballooning

Luxor’s breathtaking scenery makes it very popular for hot air ballon trips. These trips usually depart at sunrise and offer real value for money compared to similar trips in other spots worldwide.

7. Discover Nubian Hospitality in Aswan 🧿🐪

If you head down the Nile to Southern Egypt, you will receive a Nubian surprise in Aswan. The city is a tranquil oasis in the baking African heat, not far from the Sudanese border.

Aswan is home to Nubian people, who differ culturally and ethnically from other Egyptians: they bring colour, smiles and an all around positive vibe to the city. Staying with one of the Nubian families on Elephantine Island is a great way to capture the local atmosphere.

Alternatively, you may like to visit the famous Gharb Seheyl Village, located a short thirty-minute boat ride up the Nile from Aswan. Camels, crocodiles, and world-class street art murals offer a unique vibe inside the village.

As the most colourful village in Egypt, it’s a favourite with international tourists wanting to want to wander the bazaars looking for Nubian treasures or to enjoy tea inside a Nubian home with the locals.

You can learn about the Aswan region’s history by visiting the iconic Temple of Philae, Unfinished Obelisk, and Nubian Museum.

8. Plan Culinary Adventures 🍽

Egypt offers mouth-watering cuisine, from quirky street food stalls to world-class restaurants. You’ll find plenty of authentic settings to try the world-famous dishes.

A great place to start is with some of the most traditional Egyptian snacks – kofta and falafel. Or try some tahini with delicious freshly baked bread!

Alternatively, the carb-loaded national dish (Koshari) – a concoction of rice, lentils, chickpeas and pasta – will set you up well for your days out exploring Egypt’s famous sites.

If you have a sweet tooth, many stalls sell sticky-sweet baklava treats and freshly-squeezed sugar cane juice.

9. Safety Tips for an Enjoyable Trip 🦺

Many tourists worry about visiting Egypt; however, the Egyptian government has doubled down on safety for visitors, with armed police patrolling the cities and armed security guards and security scanners guarding religious and archaeological sites.

While this offers peace of mind, the region can be unstable, and health standards are not the same as in Western countries. It’s essential that you take some common precautions when planning a trip to Egypt, including:

• Stick to official tours at historical sites.
• Stay in well-lit areas at night.
• Keep your belongings close by.
• Don’t drink tap water, ice, or washed fruit.
• Avoid political or religious demonstrations.
• Ignore locals hassling you as much as you can.

The Wrap Up

And there you have it. Everything you need to plan a vacation to Egypt.

While Cairo and the pyramids are thrilling to visit, there’s so much more to see in this rewarding country.

Whether you focus your trip on Cairo or combine it with a visit to Luxor or Aswan, you’re guaranteed a memorable vacation.

If you want to take your Egyptian adventure even further, my last piece of Egypt travel advice is to check out the remarkable oasis town of Siwa. It’s located deep in the remote Western Desert but well worth visiting.

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