jess8716

Hi!

My husband and I are planning our first trip to Egypt and are super excited! We'll be there for 13 days in December. Here's what we're thinking so far.

Day 0 - land in Cairo 8PM
Day 1-3 - Siwa Oasis tour
Day 4 - Cairo (Pyramids and Egyptian Museum)
Day 5 - Daytrip to Alexandria
Day 6 - White Desert Day tour
Day 7 - Cairo (Main Coptic and Islamic sites), night train to Aswan
Day 8 - Aswan
Day 9 - Abu Simbel, Aswan
Day 10 - Tour to Kom Ombo and Edfu with transfer to Luxor
Days 11-13 - Luxor
(Day 13, late night flight to Cairo and then fly out early from Cairo on Day 14)

People who have been to Egypt, does this seem reasonable? I know we loaded a lot of driving time especially in the first week, is it going to seem like we do nothing but sit in a car? I found out about Siwa and the White Desert and kind of got my heart set on them, but they're both pretty far from Cairo. Has anybody done a 3 day Siwa or a 1 day White Desert from Cairo? Was it worth it?

Thanks so much!

tripplanner001

Other than a lot of time on the road with Siwa and the White Desert as you already pointed out, this seems fine. You’ve given yourself a good amount of time in each destination to see the highlights.

progol

We recently went to Egypt and, to me, this seems to be unrealistic in how much you want to cover. We didn’t go to the desert regions or Alexandria and we were there for 17 nights. OTOH, we did a dahabiya trip (traditional boat) from Luxor to Aswan which we loved.

Are you working with an agency or putting this together on your own?

For planning purposes, I find it better to note how many NIGHTS in one place rather than number of days. For instance, the Days 1-3 to Siwa - when are you traveling and when are you touring? The fastest time between Cairo and Siwa is around 9 hours, so are you spending days 1 & 3 traveling to and fro? Are you returning to Cairo on Day 3 or Day 4? If on Day 3, you’ve essentially got one day for touring and 2 full days for traveling. If you’re returning on Day 4, you won’t be seeing the pyramids and the museum.

Again, the distance to and from the White Desert is another long drive and I can’t imagine you are able to do this in one day. And, while some people visit Abu Simbel from Aswan, I wouldn’t recommend it. It’s a 3 1/2 to 4 hour trip between the 2 cities. Yes, the main focus is seeing Abu Simbel, but it’s a long way for a visit (IMO). And, again, is Alexandria as a day trip seems a lot of time in transit for a short visit.

And why take the night train to Aswan? Why not fly?

I would review this itinerary and consolidate. We met people who did visit Siwa and loved it, but they were traveling in Egypt for a month. If you have your heart set on visiting Siwa, I’d eliminate Alexandria and the White Desert, then have all your Cairo days together. Right now, I think you’re covering more than is realistic. Again, I suggest working out this itinerary with looking at where you’re staying the night and how much time it will take to transit from one place to another.

jess8716

Thanks for the responses!

So the three days for Siwa is with a guided tour, we'll be back in Cairo for night 3. The tour looks like travel on day 1 and 3 with some stops. This leaves us two actual full days in Cairo. I do try to work itineraries by where we're staying the night, so if something is listed for the day, we spent the previous night there (or on a train. Heh). The White Desert would also be a guided tour and it's a long day, but they do offer it as a daytrip. I think I'm comfy with those.

I'm not entirely sold on the Alexandria daytrip. There are mixed reviews online. If I were to cut out Alexandria, where would that day be best spent? Cairo? Luxor?

The night train looked interesting, but haven't thought about it much. Would you recommend the flight? I usually choose trains instead of flights because airports (generally) are much more of a hassle to get to/check-in/eat up some hours sitting in the airport. Prices look about the same for the train and flight.

We are opting out of a cruise because we decided we didn't want to visit all the sites with a tour group. We're both big history people and want to go our own pace at the sites.

progol

Without going into details now, I’d suggest you look at both tripplanner’s and my trip reports on this page.

Instead of Alexandria, don’t miss Saqqara. This is another remarkable series of sites that have some of the most impressive ruins outside of Luxor.

The cruise we took was on a dahabiya, a traditional boat, with a very small group of people, not a large cruise boat. We had 11 people on our boat and it was a pleasurable experience. I’m not pushing it, just saying it’s not a “large group tour”.

I’m not fond of night trains as it’s generally hard to sleep well while traveling on them and I’d be tired during the day for touring. I’d opt for the flight as it’s a quicker trip, you can get to Aswan and get some sleep at night.

HappyTrvlr

There were independent travelers on our boats, both on Lake Nasser and the Nile.

jess8716

I did not know about trip reports - those are fantastic, thank you!

Definitely thinking flight instead of train now, and Saqqara looks incredible!

Swiss_Sights

Hello jess8716

That sounds like a lovely trip to Egypt! But what I would definitely add is a stay at the Red Sea! Of course, this is a matter of taste, but for me it is always wonderful to be at this sea. The difference between the barren desert and the blue water bursting with life and the fantastic coral reefs is incomparable.

Have a great trip!
Martin

samotours5163

Hi there!

Your itinerary looks great! You've definitely packed a lot in, but it's all doable if you're up for it. The driving times between destinations can be a bit long, but the scenery is beautiful, so you won't be bored.

I've been to Egypt a few times, and I've done both a 3-day Siwa trip and a 1-day White Desert trip. I would definitely recommend both, but they're very different experiences.

Siwa is a beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert. It's a great place to relax and escape the hustle and bustle of Cairo. There are a lot of things to see and do in Siwa, including visiting the Temple of the Oracle, swimming in the Cleopatra's Pool, and exploring the White Desert.

The White Desert is a unique landscape of white sand dunes and rock formations. It's a great place to go for a camel ride or a quad bike tour. The views from the top of the dunes are amazing.

If you're short on time, I would recommend doing a 1-day White Desert tour from Cairo. It's a great way to see the desert without having to spend too much time on the road. However, if you have more time, I would definitely recommend doing a 3-day Siwa trip. It's a more relaxed and immersive experience.

Here are some of my tips for planning your trip to Egypt:

• Book your flights and accommodation well in advance, especially if you're traveling during peak season.
• Get a visa before you go. You can apply for a visa online or at the Egyptian embassy in your home country.
• Learn some basic Arabic phrases. This will help you communicate with locals and get around.
• Be prepared for the heat. Egypt can be very hot, especially in the summer. Wear loose-fitting, light-colored clothing and sunscreen.
• Drink plenty of water. It's important to stay hydrated in the heat.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Egypt is a safe country, but it's always a good idea to be aware of your surroundings and take precautions against petty theft.

I hope you have a great time in Egypt!

jess8716

Thank you so much! We're super excited!