30 DAYS IN EGYPT
Egypt has everything you could want from your next destination; culture, ancient history, beaches, diving, deserts, cities - you name it, it has it - and we have the perfect 30 day travel guide to Egypt to make sure you get the most out of your time there!
Is 30 days enough time to explore Egypt?
We found that the 30 days you get on your tourist visa were enough for us to check off everything.
If you do want to stay longer you'll need to renew your visa, which we believe you are able to extend for an additional 30 days.
You can extend your Egypt visa in two ways:
1. Leave Egypt before your original 30 days expire, re-apply for an E-Visa online and then re-enter once it's granted (this will require at least 7 days)
2. Head to the tourist office in Cairo to renew in person - this involves 2 or 3 trips to the office and huge queues as well as timing your visit for the limited number of hours the office is actually open!
For our recommendations on where to stay, where to eat and what to do in more detail in each place please refer to our guides on each of the places!
KEEP READING FOR THE ULTIMATE 30 DAY EGYPT ITINERARY!
NOTE - WE'VE LEFT A FEW DAYS SPARE INCASE YOUR FLIGHTS DON'T QUITE WORK OUT OR YOU NEED EXTRA TIME IN A PLACE OR TWO
For our recommendations on where to stay, where to eat and what to do in more detail in each place please refer to our guides on each of the places!
Days 1 - 3:
Sharm El Sheikh
We found that geographically it makes the most sense to start your trip in Sharm over on the Sinai Peninsula.
Sharm has a well connected international airport so it should be easy to reach for most.
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We recommend spending no more than 3 nights in Sharm - as a town, it wasn't really our thing!
However we are divers and Sharm offers some of the world's best diving and snorkelling including the Thistlegorm Wreck and Ras Mohammed National Park with amazing crystal clear waters so it's definitely worth stopping!
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You'll spend your days here lazing by the ocean, snorkelling or diving and eating out at the restaurants either in your hotel or in the main town. We recommend at least one night in Sharm Old Town for dinner for a different experience!
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Check out our full guide to Sharm HERE for more details.
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Diving day in Ras Mohammed National Park​
Days 4 - 7:
Dahab
From Sharm your next destination is the sleepy town of Dahab further North on the peninsula.
You will need to take a taxi here which should take around 1.5 hours and cost c. $20 one way. We believe there is also a very infrequent bus that runs the route, however we didn't see it or hear of anyone taking it!
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We would budget 4 nights here in Dahab - despite being small and sleepy there's actually a lot to pack in, and it's one of those places that sucks you in and leaves you wanting more!
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Make sure you check off the St Catherine Mount Sinai midnight hike one night, get some diving (or snorkelling) in and definitely hit the white and red deserts on a day trip!
It won't be hard to fill your evenings as Dahab has a buzzing little centre packed with bars and restaurants!
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When you're finished in Dahab the only way back is to take another taxi in reverse back to Sharm. This should be another $20 and another 1.5 hours. This time head straight to Sharm airport.
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Check out our full guide to Dahab HERE for more details.
Days 8 & 9:
Giza
Once you're back to Sharm Airport take a quick internal flight to Cairo International followed by an Uber down to the area of the city known as Giza.
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Giza is an area that struggles with poverty, and as such it is recommended that you do not wander the streets alone too much here as crime is high.
That said, we would 100% recommend staying in Giza for 2 nights!
You might wonder why, but the reason is simple - there is quite literally no where else in the world where you can wake up to the view of the Great Pyramid! It is a true bucket list experience that cannot be missed!
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You only need one full day to explore The Great Pyramid Complex, Dahshur and Saqqara but it's an early start and you won't have time to fully appreciate the morning views before you head off, so staying the second night allows you a chilled evening and morning just to appreciate where you are!
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Check out our full guide to Giza HERE for more details.
Pyramid view from our hotel room!
Day 10:
Fayoum Oasis
You may not have heard of Fayoum Oasis - we hadn't either, and by the time some local Egyptians told us about this hidden gem it was too late for us to make it out there, but we're including it here for you so that you have the opportunity to check off this off-the-beaten-track location!
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From Giza, we recommend booking an overnight tour out to the Oasis - they should collect you from your hotel or ask you to meet at a central place. The drive should take a few hours through the desert, and once you're there you'll spend your time eating home-cooked food and sleeping under the stars!
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The tour operator will drop you back into Cairo - so give them the details of your next hotel so they can drop you off there.
As we didn't get the chance to do this tour we can't recommend an operator at this time, however we heard there are a few to choose from!
Days 11-13:
Cairo
You'll probably hear from most people how Cairo isn't worth seeing or staying in and to simply skip it - however we disagree!
Whilst the city is definitely busy, loud, dirty and crowded, it's also home to some of the world's best museums, ancient history and crazy markets that you don't want to miss out on!
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We recommend staying 3 nights in Cairo downtown - close to Tahrir Square is an ideal location and safe.
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You'll need to plan your days so that you can fit in seeing the Egyptian Museum and the Civilisation Museum, as well as checking off Coptic Cairo and everything Old Islamic Cairo has to offer at a minimum!
In addition, we also recommend heading to the top of the Cairo Tower for sunset as well as spending some time on Zamalek Island.
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Whilst you're in the city book another overnight trip with a tour operator out to the White Desert for your next night.
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Check out our full guide to Cairo HERE for more details.
Cairo's main Tahrir Square at night
Day 14:
White Desert Tour
Sadly another experience we did not manage to fit in, but also did not want to leave out of the ultimate month in Egypt!
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Your tour operator should pick you up from your hotel or central location in Cairo and take you out to spend a night camping under the stars in the middle of the desert! There are two deserts these tours will take you to; the black and the white deserts.
We've heard the stars are pretty incredible out here so please share photos if you go!
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It's an early morning start to make the long drive back into Cairo. You'll be flying down to Aswan next, so if your flight times work ask your operator to drop you off at Cairo International Airport. If you couldn't book a late enough flight then you'll need to budget one extra night in Cairo and leave early the next morning.
Days 15-17:
Aswan
Once you land in Aswan you'll take a taxi into town - we recommend that you book accommodation on Elephantine Island so you'll need to take the little river boat crossing too.
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Book 3 nights in Aswan so that you have enough time to check everything off.
The most important item on your agenda to do is the half day trip down to Abu Simbel - these tours leave at 4am and are a long day, but totally worth it!
You'll also want to check off the Philae Temple, the unfinished obelisk, a felucca boat ride on the Nile and a little sunset desert trip before you leave!
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From Aswan you'll be taking a Nile Cruise, which we recommend booking once you arrive through your hotel.
It is common for hotel owners to have connections with all of the Nile cruise ships, and they are able to get last minute (cash) deals which will save you hundreds of dollars! The only requirement is that you're slightly flexible on the departure date and boat you want - so we recommend sorting this on your first day in Aswan. It's less of an issue in low season.
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Check out our full guide to Aswan HERE for more details.
Egyptian tea on a sunset felucca cruise down the Nile
Days 18-20:
Nile Cruise
Without a doubt some of the best 3 nights you'll have in Egypt - floating 'down' the Nile!
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The boats leave from Aswan early afternoon to allow people to return from the morning Abu Simbel tours. Choose a boat with a rooftop pool and you can spend your next 3 days tanning as you float past endless desert hills and the odd temple.
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The boats stop at Kom Ombo and Edfu temples on their way into Luxor. You'll arrive in Luxor pretty early in the morning (around 6.30am) and depending on where your boat docks you may need to arrange a taxi/Uber into Luxor town as we did.
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Check out our full guide to a Nile Cruise HERE for more details.
Aboard our Nile Cruise - The Steigenberger
Days 21-22:
Luxor
These will be your last 2 nights exploring Ancient Egypt - and what a way to end the month!
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Luxor is home to Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, Hatshepsut's Temple as well as Valley of the Kings, Queens & Nobles!
There's a lot of exploring to be done here and you'll need to start early to get going before the heat of the day, but you have more than enough time with 2 full days.
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Once you arrive in town from your boat, check in or drop your bags at your hotel and immediately head out to Luxor Temple to make a start on the East Bank. Later that afternoon check off Karnak Temple to complete the East Bank.
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The second day is for the West Bank - this is where you will see Hatshepsut's Temple and the Valley's.
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We highly highly recommend having a guide for all of the temples in Luxor as there is just so much there!
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Check out our full guide to Luxor HERE for more details.
Inside Karnak Temple
Days 23-26:
Hurghada
To wrap up your incredible but tiring month of exploring Egypt we recommend chilling out at the coast for a few nights. This itinerary allows for 4 nights on the beach at the end of your month so you have some wiggle room in other places if you'd like or need longer.
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From Luxor you can take an easy and cheap 4 hour bus to the coast to either Hurghada or Marsa Alam.
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We chose Hurghada as it has more going on - Marsa Alam is just resorts and no real town.
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The airport at the coast is also in Hurghada - it is an international one so you may be able to fly to your next destination/home from there, otherwise it's only a short domestic flight back to Cairo International.
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Check out our full guide to Hurghada HERE for more details.