Egypt is fascinating, probably one of the most beautiful and attractive countries there is, with a fabulous tourist potential, hard to match, which, as we all know, does not consist only of human attractions such as pyramids, temples, tombs of the pharaohs, libraries or museums.
Let's not forget the natural attractions lined up along the Nile Valley or the fascinating Red Sea, with its exclusive resorts and fine sandy beaches. You can see them all and enjoy each place at your leisure, in a circuit through Egypt, on your own, as I will tell you next: Cairo - Aswan - Luxor - Hurghada. A little, or more of each! As possible!
I get questions almost daily about planning a visit to Egypt. This only makes me happy, of course, but it also comes with a huge responsibility, because you, those who read my articles and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing so, give credit and rely on my experiences, information and the advice you expect to receive.
So how can we see them all in one holiday?
There are two possibilities, three actually:
- one of them is to book an organized tour of the country that includes all these places. There are a few agencies here that sell such circuits and from what I've seen they last for about 10-12 days
- you arrive in Egypt, let's say Hurghada, on your own or through an agency and take optional trips to Cairo, Luxor and/or Aswan. To have time to do them all, it would be preferable to book a stay of 14 days. If for Cairo and Luxor things are a bit clearer and simpler, for Aswan and Abu Simbel the organization will be a bit more complicated due to the great distance, which implies staying overnight (or even two) in Aswan or its surroundings.
- the third option, tried by me, is to end up organizing your circuit through Egypt on your own: Cairo – Aswan – Luxor – Hurghada. I'm not claiming that this is the best, most efficient, most affordable or cheapest option, but this is what I tried. And as I have already accustomed you and as is normal in blogging, I will tell you about myself, about my experiences, about how they have unfolded since the emergence of the idea, the beginning of planning, the actual organization and the course of the circuit. It wasn't easy, but it wasn't hard either, and when you do something out of passion, everything goes smoothly.
Visit Egypt on your own
Cairo-Aswan-Luxor-Hurghada
Arrival in Cairo
I chose Cairo as my initial point of arrival. Cool experiences follow and don't cling to an arrival at 3 in the morning. Here it would be good to stay 2-3 nights or as many as you want, to get used to the atmosphere. It might come as a shock to you, especially if you've never been to an Arab country or a city as chaotic as Cairo.
I arrived in Cairo by coach from Hurghada, where I had already spent two weeks in the sea and sun.
I don't think a more suitable initiation than the Egyptian Museum in Cairo would be more suitable, and if you also choose a central accommodation, the transport here should not give you much trouble either. In the continuation of the first day, you can try to take the streets at your pace, and in the evening go to admire the illuminated banks of the Nile.
The next day, but not in the first hour, go to Giza to discover some of the wonders of the ancient world: the Egyptian Pyramids. You can do it very simply, without taking a guide, I was on my own and I told you here in detail how and in what way.
You can choose to stay one more night in Cairo to discover more cool places, get lost in the alleys of the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, see the city from the top of the Cairo Tower, or take a tour of the mosques. Or you can leave things to do and places to see for another time, like I did, and move on.
The road from Cairo to Aswan
I did not choose this route in one piece by chance. I was kind of just at the beginning of more complex explorations and I told myself to do the more demanding part first: by train from Cairo to Aswan.
The distance between Cairo and Aswan is about 900 km, and with the night express I covered it in 14 hours. Theoretically it should have been 12, but we had problems with the locomotive.
If you sleep well in the means of transport, then traveling at night is ok. You will have the day left for visits. If instead you can't sleep, as I can't, it's better to choose a day train. You keep looking out the window, you won't get bored, you walk along the Nile, flanked on both sides by human settlements, cultures, etc. By no means just desert like I imagined.
I recommend that you buy your tickets online, you can do it up to two weeks before the planned date. The prices are very low. I paid 137 EGP for a seat in first class, in a carriage with seats.
Theoretically, foreign tourists are not allowed to travel by night train from Cairo to Aswan. If you go to the ticket office to reserve a seat, you will be sent to the Watania counter for the Deluxe Sleeper Train, where a sleeper ticket costs €100.
There are two other options: the fastest and easiest by plane, or to board a cruise ship to Aswan. Princeless!!!
Stay in Aswan and visit the Temples of Abu Simbel
Give yourself as many days in Aswan as you think you will need. First of all, take into account the time you arrive at your destination. If you leave Cairo in the evening you will arrive in Aswan in the morning and theoretically you will gain an extra day for activities.
Basically, in my case it wasn't like that because I couldn't sleep at all on the train (and neither could my friends, hardly at all). So after I arrived at the accommodation, I just left my luggage and rested.
In Aswan I had the most authentic accommodation I have ever had, on Elephantine Island in the middle of the Nile. I had a rented apartment here and stayed for two nights.
The first day I walked the streets, ate something Nubian style and tried to plan the next day's trip to the Temple of Abu Simbel. Being 6 of us, we rented a mini-bus with a driver, thus having the freedom to decide the time of departure and arrival back.
I left Aswan at 8 in the morning and at 11 I was in Abu Simbel. I was able to visit the temples without crowds, because at the time we arrived, the bus groups were returning. I paid 2500 EGP for the minibus, and a ticket to enter the temples costs 215EGP.
If you have time, don't miss visiting the Temple of Philae, I didn't manage to get there even though I would have loved to. Also the Great Dam of Aswan!
I only stayed two nights in Aswan, I would have needed at least one more night to be able to visit everything and ride the felucca on the Nile. Next time!
The road from Aswan to Luxor
On the way back, we stopped in Luxor. I really wanted to go on the hot air balloon trip, I had actually booked and paid for it, but the wind played tricks on me. We couldn't get off the ground and they gave us our money back.
For the road segment from Aswan to Luxor, I took the morning train at 07.30. For this one I had to stand in line at the ticket office the day before. Tickets couldn't be bought online, so I complied. I sat in line, I stayed for about half an hour. But instead, I got a lot of weird and curious looks from those who were also queuing like me. Only I was white and a tourist 🙂
This part of the journey by train was a breeze compared to the one in the shower, which for me was a terrible torture. I envied everyone who slept on the sofa.
Luxor
If you are coming to Luxor for the first time, allocate at least two nights here. As I arrived in Luxor around 10 and was able to leave my luggage in the room, I walked the streets. Well…. I like to walk a lot. We had come for the balloon trip so the goal of the day was to book for the next morning.
The best lifts (it seems) from the ground are early morning at sunrise. After a lot of offers and discussions, I paid $60, leaving to leave for the other side of the Nile at 5 the next morning. The next morning, what to see? It was very windy so I had to leave it for another time.
In Luxor I stayed at the Nefertiti Hotel, a nice hotel with a very cool roof terrace and a superb view of the Luxor Temple. Not to be confused with Karnak Temple.
Well, speaking of temples, you shouldn't miss the Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings (Tutankhamun's tomb) and the Valley of the Queens, the Temple of Hatshepsut and possibly some alabaster workshops.
I had visited all of these last year, on a day trip from Hurghada.
At Luxor I had the best falafel of my life. They were found on the street, they did them on the spot. Mmmm, my mouth is watering!
The road from Luxor to Hurghada
Hurghada was my home for almost a month this year. I had a super cool apartment here and I felt amazing when it was raining in Romania and it was only a few degrees above zero. As there is no railway network to Hurghada, the only way remains the road.
Go Bus has two daily services between Luxor and Hurghada. I had chosen the one with a departure at 3 p.m., just to have time with the balloon. Around 8 o'clock I arrived in Hurghada.
Stay in Hurghada, on the shores of the Red Sea
I told you at the beginning that Hurghada is one of the top 3 places in my top preferences when it comes to Egypt. I have already been to Hurghada 7 times, and the last time I stayed here for almost a month. That's saying something though.
When we say Hurghada, we mean the Red Sea, and when we say the Red Sea, no description is needed. Give yourself a few days, at least a week to enjoy the sunny weather, the fine sand beaches, the water activities, everything this wonderful place has to offer.
Hurghada is a scuba diving enthusiast's paradise and I have to admit, this has become my favorite activity in Hurghada. Diving is definitely one of the coolest experiences I've ever tried.
You can enjoy the beauties under the water's shine and by snorkeling, not just deep diving. Every hotel located on the seashore has pontoons for launching into the water, designed for this very purpose.
And if you are still at the shore of the Red Sea, I recommend you to choose an accommodation right on the seashore. The offer is varied, there is something for every preference, fad, budget or type of tourist. Just take a look at Booking and the variety of offers will already make your decision difficult!
If you want, you can opt for private accommodation, this year I booked an apartment through airbnb.com and I really liked the experience. I will probably do the same this year.
Other activities and places to visit/do in Hurghada:
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The fish market - you can go to see it simply as a tourist attraction. You will marvel at the many types of fish and crustaceans. You can buy whatever fish you want, there are places set up where they can clean and cook it for you, so you can enjoy the freshest and tastiest fish ever. To be able to do that, you have to have some tolerance for smells, we are still talking about a fish market, which does not look and smell like a perfumery.
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Fruit and Vegetable Market – Tell the taxi driver you want to go to Souq Dahar! Otherwise it will take you to various vegetable shops. You will meet here a bustle of traders and buyers, you will have the opportunity to try your negotiation skills in the purest way. Fruits are very cheap and tasty.
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Grand Aquarium – it's not just an aquarium, but also a mini-museum, exhibits and zoo at the same time. It's cool! Make your reservation online!
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Mina Mosque – the largest and most photogenic mosque in Hurghada. These minarets are visible from almost any corner of the city. You can visit it only if you are properly dressed, if not, at the entrance there is a changing room where you can equip yourself with a galabeya
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Moto-safari in the desert and/or camel ride – a must for Egypt, I tried both, although I don't know if I would do it again. It's cool, worth a try
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nautical activities: whether we are talking about snorkeling or scuba diving, or simply taking a glass-bottomed boat ride, you must observe the diversity of the Red Sea. Excursions are made to Paradise Island or to the Dolphin House, go by sea! Try your luck at fishing too. I've done it many times and even caught a few fish.
You are probably wondering now what the price of such a circuit would be. The financial side is a subject that I don't really enjoy talking about, but I have nevertheless touched on it in a few situations.
The part about the costs is a rather delicate subject, purely subjective and clear, it differs a lot from one person to another, from the activities we carry out at the destination.
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