Last Updated on tenth March 2023 by Sophie Nadeau
Who hasn’t dreamed a couple of journey to fascinating Egypt? I guess you’ve… This unbelievable nation within the northern a part of Africa is an ideal place to go to for an extended journey. Here’s the proper 10 days in Egypt itinerary to encourage your subsequent journey.
Is 10 days sufficient time in Egypt?
Egypt is a reasonably massive nation with loads to see and do, particularly for first timers. With that being mentioned, 10 days is greater than sufficient time to get a short overview of the nation and see a few of its fundamental sights.
As Egypt is simple to succeed in touring from any nation in Europe, it will also be a really perfect brief escape vacation spot as effectively. In this 10-day Egypt itinerary, we provide a well-planned define across the nation that features key landmarks that everybody desires to see and a few tremendous enjoyable actions to do.
You can simply copy our proposal or adapt this itinerary to your style and journey model. Are you prepared? Let’s see the most effective of Egypt in 10 days!
Getting round Egypt
This 10-day in Egypt itinerary begins and ends in El Cairo, Egypt. Moving across the nation is simple with low-cost flights, buses, and even inexpensive group excursions.
It can also be very handy to rent a driver and a information to take you round. You can focus on your route with them throughout the planning part to make the most effective of the time there and to be sure you go to the precise place you plan to find.
Best Things to Do in Egypt in 10 Days
Days 1-3: Cairo and extra
Devote the primary two (and even three) days in Egypt to discover the capital. El Cairo has quite a bit to see and uncover, particularly if you’re within the mysterious historical past of the civilization that thrived on each banks of the Nile centuries in the past.
Once in Cairo, it is going to be inconceivable to resolve which of the various native museums to discover. For that cause, and given that each traveler is completely different, we depart you down the 2 finest museums to find in Cairo, be at liberty to resolve if you wish to discover each of them or only one.
Egyptian Museum of El Cairo
It could be a pity to get to Cairo and never make a while to discover the Egyptian Museum. Spare a minimum of 2-3 hours in your first day on the town to go to probably the most exceptional museum within the nation, the place an important items of Ancient Egypt are exhibited.
This unbelievable museum stands in Milan Tahrir, within the heart of Cairo. The very first thing that can catch your eye would be the unmistakable pink facade giving life to the superb neoclassical-style constructing designed by a French architect.
The museum, which opened its doorways again in 1902, maintains a standard ornamental model that can definitely transport you again in time.
Home to the world’s largest archaeological assortment of proof relationship again to the varied pharaonic eras, you’ll be amazed on the greater than 120,000 findings and monuments together with the contents of the tomb of Tutankhamen, and many of the mummies found throughout completely different excavations.
Spanning two huge flooring, the museum explores points of Egypt from the Ancient Kingdom to the Greco-Roman interval.
However, it’s a very historical exhibition that has not been reordered or reorganized for greater than a century. Unfortunately, this ends in some sections missing sufficient content material or data, so it’s all the time advisable to e-book a tour led by an expert information.
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC)
The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is without doubt one of the most necessary landmarks within the nation and one of many largest worldwide museums for the exhibition, conservation, analysis, and dissemination of Egyptian historical past.
Besides, that is the primary museum devoted to probably the most historical and prehistoric civilizations that includes displays which were transferred from different museums in Egypt such because the Cairo Museum, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Coptic Museum, and the Museum of the Royal Jewels in Alexandria.
- This unbelievable tour features a go to to each the Egyptian Museum of El Cairo and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization with an Egyptologist as your information. Check costs and availability right here.
Coptic Quarter
During the afternoon, head to the spectacular Christian quarter of Cairo the place aside from exploring the streets and previous homes, you may spend a while visiting the spectacular Church of Santa Barbara also called the Hanging Church.
Located within the coronary heart of Old Cairo, the church stands on prime of one of many entrances of the Babylon Fortress and its fundamental nave stands suspended above a hall giving the impression of an imposing constructing suspended in midair.
The constructing was constructed someday throughout the third century and it was initially utilized by troopers who lived contained in the so-called Babylon (or additionally Roman) Fortress.
If you have an interest within the historical past of the Coptic Christians of El Cairo, you may mix the go to to the church with a cease on the Coptic Museum, simply two minutes from the church.
The Pyramids
The entire second day in Cairo will definitely be one of many highlights of your journey, you’ll uncover the spectacular Pyramids, the primary cause to go to Egypt within the first place, proper?
The finest approach to do the Giza Pyramids Tour is to e-book a web-based expertise earlier than arriving in Cairo, that approach you’ll make sure that you simply get what you paid for, there’s sufficient availability, and – in case of a last-minute cancellation – you’ll be both given your a reimbursement or an alternate tour will likely be supplied.
You can’t rely on that for those who e-book last-minute on-site. Unfortunately, vacationer scams are tremendous widespread within the pyramid space and this is without doubt one of the finest tips to keep away from them. So e-book the whole lot beforehand and keep away from disagreeable surprises and disappointment!
No matter what tour you select, you’ll begin by visiting the Saqqara space and the Djoser Pyramid as it’s believed to have been the primary mannequin for all of the pyramids that have been constructed after this one.
Tours normally proceed with a cease at Memphis to take a look at the statue of Ramses II after which go to the weird Dashur Pyramids with their curious oval cuspids. The finest a part of the expertise comes subsequent whenever you head to Gaza to take a look at the three most well-known pyramids, Keops, Kefren, and Mankaure.
This is a personal but tremendous inexpensive tour that covers all these stops and contains transport, resort pickup and drop-off, and a personal tour information. Check costs and availability right here.
Khan el-Khalili Bazaar
Have some enjoyable in your final morning on the town exploring one of the superb markets within the continent, positioned on the entrance of an necessary mosque, this avenue market has a number of alleys of conventional stands the place bartering for a greater worth is the way in which to go, it doesn’t matter what you want to purchase!
The bazaar can also be the oldest and largest bazaar in Africa and it in all probability dates again to the early Middle Ages spreading over an space larger than 5000 sq. meters.
Other than being the fitting place for memento looking, over the centuries, the bazaar has been the place the place locals meet and socialize, focus on politics and the newest information… and finally store too!
The full of life place is secure and pleasant, and getting misplaced is nothing however a part of the journey. This fashionable spot on the town can also be among the many locals who nonetheless do a few of their buying in most of those colourful stands.
Al Muizz Street
Al Muizz Street is one other well-known nook in Cairo fairly near the bazaar. You can go for a stroll alongside this picturesque avenue and go to one of the stunning mosques and monuments in Islamic Cairo.
The avenue is among the many oldest within the nation and among the finest open-air museums and Islamic medieval buildings that you’ll find in Egypt.
One of them is the spectacular Al-Azhar Mosque and the middle of Sunni Islamic training. The unbelievable mosque dated again to the 12 months 972 B.C. and it shelters one of many oldest universities on the planet.
Citadel of Saladin
Finally, try the curious Citadel of Saladin, initially inbuilt 1176. The place is without doubt one of the world’s biggest medieval sights which homes a mosque, in addition to quite a few museums and websites.
The well-known citadel was as soon as town’s seat of energy, the place sultans, ministers, and pashas lived and dominated later in historical past, throughout the nineteenth century.
The citadel options unbelievable protecting options, together with a fortress and defensive partitions, towers, and three spectacular gates.
Days 4-5: Luxor
Today you’ll take a flight from Cairo to Luxor to take a look at locations that you’d in any other case miss on a Nile cruise. Luxor is famed for being the world’s largest open-air museum and boasts treasures such because the Karnak complicated of temple ruins and the Valley of the Kings
Valley of the Nobles
In Luxor, you’ll spend the primary day admiring the Temple of Ramses II, the Temple of Seti I, and the Valley of the Nobles. These funerary complexes have been excavated inside a rocky slope and used to honor governors, different figures of the noble class, and senior officers of historical Egypt.
Temple of Karnak
On the East Bank of Luxor, you may try priceless archaeological websites of the traditional metropolis of Thebes, such because the Temple of Karnak, one of the treasured gems within the nation.
The Karnak temple is a posh that incorporates a former fortified village with a large number of temples, chapels, columns, and different buildings made between 1971 BC and round 30 BC.
The complicated is an unlimited open web site the place you may try the Karnak Open Air Museum, the second-most visited archaeological web site within the nation after the pyramids in Giza.
Important tip: If you’ve additional time to find the nation, it’s a good suggestion to embark on a 4 or 5 Nilo cruise that from Luxor takes you to Aswan.
Or, for those who choose to keep away from visiting the seaside cities dealing with the Read Sea we suggest beneath, these Nile cruises could be a good choice for a calming journey stuffed with sightseeing and onboard actions.
Days 6-10: The Red Sea and again to Cairo
It is a good suggestion to spend the final days discovering the Red Sea coast. And Hurghada is a wonderful vacation spot.
You can get to Hurghada by aircraft from Luxor (the journey is a little more than an hour) or by bus (about 4 hours). Once on the vacation spot, it is possible for you to to spend time by the ocean and luxuriate in scuba diving, one of the fashionable actions within the space.
Where to remain in Hurghada
These are a few of the finest seaside lodges and resorts on this necessary Egyptian city.
– Arabella Azur Resort: This stunning complicated incorporates a lagoon-style pool, a personal seaside space, and a spa. The rooms are vivid and open onto a balcony overlooking Hurghada or the Red Sea. Check costs and availability right here.
– Bel Air Azur Resort (Adults Only): Check out this attractive, all-inclusive seaside resort with unbelievable freshwater swimming pools, and rooms with a balcony and free minibar. Check costs and availability right here.
During these three full days in Hurghada, actions are fewer. The concept is to chill out from the a number of museums and archaeological websites visits that crammed your first days in Egypt.
However, now we have listed beneath a few of the finest issues to do in Hurghada to find the unbelievable coast of the Red Sea and chill out whereas having fun with unbelievable adventures and experiences.
Best issues to do in Hurghada
- Giftun Islands: One of the most well-liked boat journeys in Hurghada takes you to discover the spectacular white sand seashores in Giftun Islands, a paradise for snorkeling lovers and followers of scuba diving. In the realm, you will see that easy accessibility to cal reefs colourful fish, and crystal-clear waters.
- Jeep Safari to the Desert: Another fashionable factor to do in Hurghada is to spend a day of adventurous drives by way of the desert, touring off-road to find the curious acacia tree valleys within the space surrounding Hurghada.
- Visit the Marina: Hurghada Marina is positioned within the central district of Sigala and it’s the good place to go for a stroll after sundown or to take pleasure in a cup of tea and even dinner in one of many many native and worldwide eating places.
- Hurghada Aquarium: Located within the Ad-Dahar district of Hurghada, this spectacular aquarium affords you one of the simplest ways to find out about and determine the identical number of fish that you’ve already admired whereas snorkeling within the Red Sea.
- Sindbad Submarine: Probably among the many hottest sights in Hurghada, providing the prospect to take a look at the worldwide well-known underwater surroundings of the Red Sea. This vacationer submarine expertise takes you greater than 20 meters below the Red Sea’s floor to see the plentiful reef fish and colourful corals for about an hour. This is the most effective exercise for individuals who don’t swim or for small youngsters, nonetheless too little to go on a scuba journey.
On the tenth and final day of your Egypt journey, you may take an early flight from Hurghada again to Cairo to board your connecting flight again residence.
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Gabi Ancarola is a journalist and journey author who has lived over 20 years in Italy, and has been dwelling in Crete for the final 5 years. She hosts culinary excursions, interprets and writes for her Crete journey weblog The Tiny Book. She’s written for Greek Reporter and printed a number of journey guides about Greece.