Hello you all!

My husband and I will be celebrating our 30th anniversary and we plan to go on a 2.5-week trip beginning in April’s last week / May to Egypt and Southern Italy (Sicilia) (I am posting a modified version of this message in Italy's Forum)

I would love to read your recommendations on the days to travel through Egypt. We love food, slow travel (at least a bit more than the average traveler), history (my husband), art (me), and learning more about different cultures.

We usually rent a car, choose a base go to different towns from there, and then switch bases. However, we have heard that distances are big in Egypt and we have heard that it is better to take a cruise (though my husband gets dizzy sometimes and we have never been on cruises before ). Another recommendation was to take a tour. However that is not our dearest way of traveling, we prefer some freedom and it would be awesome if you could point us to other alternatives than cruise or tour for our research.

Thanks in advance!

Barbara
P.S We have 3-4 additional days reserved for stops in our flight from Peru and to recover from the jet lag.

I haven’t been to Egypt yet, but have planned a trip. I had difficulty keeping my plans within a month. I think it would be extremely ambitious to try to visit Sicily and Egypt in the time you have. JMO.

I couldn’t imagine a 2 1/2 week to Egypt AND Sicily. That’s the bare minimum you need for each of those places!

We visited Egypt and Jordan and we managed to squeeze in a lot in 17 nights in Egypt. I wish I had allocated more time, especially to Luxor and even to Cairo. We took a lovely cruise down the Nike on a dahabiya, a traditional boat, not a large cruise ship, and it was heavenly.

Here is my trip report from Egypt and Jordan. The Egypt portion begins at post #89 (there are a lot of photos!)
Egypt and Jordan: it was truly amaazing!

10 days would be perfect, you could visit Cairo in 2 days, fly to Luxor spend 3 days the drive to Aswan 2 days to explore Aswan and one day to visit Abu simbel then fly back to cairo

You need neither a tour noir a curise.
You can easily visit Cairo by taxi (cheap) or public transport (not at rush hrs, of course).
If you book a hotel right in the centger and if you don't mind walking a few hrs per day, you can easily visit cenral places on foot.
For places like Memphis, Saqqara, ect. organizued tours are often cheaper and easier (guide included) than individual taxi and suburban train rides.
Count about 1 week (may be a bit less, according to your interests) for Cairo and surrounding.
Go then either by overnight trarin (sleeping car) of by plane to Upper Eypt.
Count 2 days for Luxor-Karnak. Individual visits are easy, but if you really wnat to understand what you see, it might be better to hire a guide or to book a guided tour.
The places between Luxor and Assuan(Esnah, Edfu, Khom Ombo (ar best visited on a Nile boat cruise:
Assuan can easily be visited individually, but trips to Philae and Abu Simbelmus be organized before (bus or cruise boat).

There are direct flights from Cairo to Luxor, Hurgadha, Assuan and from Assuan to Abu Simbel.

I think you will need about 6 days for Cairo, another 6 day for Upper Egypt and more time for the Red Sea Hurgadha, Sharm el Sheich, etc., if you are interested in.

As above: if you will really visitthe best of Egypt, you will have no time for Sicily.

OP BQ,
There is great advice from all above. Would strongly recco that you reconsider mixing these two countries. They are both best explored separately.
For Egypt, maybe check out supplementing the usual-suspect destinations with the far western oases of Siwa, Farfara, Dahkla et al?
They represent a special desert experience.
Good Luck.
I am done. the mummy

Happy Anniversary! I can't help you on your question, but we're planning a Nile River cruise in Egypt. Wishing you all the best!

Necker has great advice. I cannot imagine going all the way to Egypt and spending less than two weeks if you want to see the highlights.

Sorry but for me, 2.5 weeks split between Sicily and Egypt would be, let's just say, I would not contemplate that. You like "slow travel??" That plan is not "SlowTravel!!"

Mind you I have not been in Egypt in years, but with 2 weeks I saw only the highlights, and briefly at that.


I've been to Sicily quite a few times and think that, with two weeks, it would be a very rushed trip with time only for a few places. We were again there in September, last, for about 3 weeks, and visited only the eastern side of the island and, mind you, we'd been the year before for another 3 weeks....so 6 weeks in total within a year or so, and we didi not even get to Palermo on either of those trips. I think I've been to the island maybe 6 times...still have not seen "everything."