Egypt 14-day Itinerary – Best places to visit in 2 weeks
All the best things to see and do in Egypt in two weeks, including a step-by-step route across the cities of Cairo, Hurghada, Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Alexandria. Discover the country’s best landmarks and tourist hotspots in our Egypt 14-day itinerary!
This Egypt 14-day itinerary is a part of our broader Egypt travel guide. We recommend you check it out for the best travel tips and the most accurate information on transportation, hotels, restaurants and scams in Egypt.
Egypt 14-day Itinerary – Best places to visit in 2 weeks
Considering how big of a country Egypt really is, it comes as no surprise that you should spend as much time as possible here in order to take in all that the nation has to offer. That being said, 14 days (or 2 weeks) in Egypt is actually a fairly good amount of time to start with. However, and so that you adjust your expectations, there will still be a lot left to see and do by the time your adventure comes to an end.
Although our 2-week travel plan is quite packed, magnificent places such as the White and Black Deserts, the entire Sinai Peninsula, the Pyramids of Saqqara and Dahshur or the Siwa Oasis still had to be left out to make room for bigger highlights. This might give you a pretty solid idea of how absurdly blessed – from an historical, cultural and natural point of view – Egypt really is. Well, all the more reason to make it back soon!
Anyhow, if you’re not able to take 2 weeks off from work or prefer a shorter adventure to begin with, we have also compiled two other itineraries for Egypt:
- Egypt 7-Day Itinerary – One week in the Land of the Pharaohs
- Egypt 10-Day Itinerary – What to see and do in the country
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 1 – Cairo: The Downtown
Since you’ll be flying into the country, your first day in Egypt will necessarily have to be shorter. After completing your check-in at the hotel and freshening up a bit, we recommend a walk through the city center, most commonly known as the Downtown.
Once a bohemian area and meeting point for the British and French colonial elites, no other area of Cairo screams “decaying beauty” quite like the Downtown. There’s just something about its streets and Parisian-like façades that clearly shows the quarter’s best and most glorious days are way past behind it. And yet, the Downtown still somehow retains its inexplicable charm. Since you won’t have much time today, we recommend wandering aimlessly, trying some of the street food and slowly getting accustomed to Cairo’s very particular atmosphere. This a rough city, far from being unanimous among travelers. However, if you allow yourself to be absorbed into its controlled chaos, I promise you the rewards will be oh-so gratifying.
Take a walk around Tahrir Square, the spiritual heart of the city and epicenter of the 2011 Revolution, and, if you still have time, visit the Egyptian Museum (200 EGP). Since a brand-new museum is finally scheduled to be inaugurated this year at the Giza complex, the old institution is now emptier and far less resplendent than it used to, losing its previous status as a “must-see” in Cairo. Still, if you make it in time to fit the museum into your itinerary, it is still very much worth a visit.
Recommended tours (if you arrive in Cairo early in the day):
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 2 – Cairo: One of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World
Now that you’re about to have your first actual full day in Egypt, it’s time to cross off your bucket-list the place you are most probably the most eager to visit in Cairo: the Giza Pyramids!
Considered the oldest of the 7 Ancient Wonders of the World, and funny enough the only one to resist the test of time, the Giza Pyramids (240 EGP to access the complex) are a true conundrum of architecture/engineering, having been built about 4500 years ago. Once inside the precinct, it is possible to enter the Khufu Pyramid (400 EGP) – colloquially known as the Great Pyramid – as well as its two smaller sisters, the Khafre and Menakure Pyramids (100 EGP to enter both). Plus, the general ticket also includes access to the royal tombs, the Eastern and Western Cemeteries, and, of course, the world-famous Great Sphinx of Giza. As mentioned above, the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) will also be located inside the complex after its inauguration, somewhere in 2023. As an extra tip, and before returning to Cairo, make sure to check one of the most coveted views of the pyramids… which happens to be located inside an unsuspicious PizzaHut! A million-dollar view for a couple bucks worth of pizza.
After making it back to the big city, we recommend visiting the Saladin Citadel (200 EGP), a medieval Islamic fortress where you’ll find the Muhammad Ali Mosque, the most beautiful in all of Cairo, the Al-Gawhara Palace or the Egyptian Military Museum. To make things even better, the views over the city center are beyond gorgeous. On a clear day, you may even be able to spot the silhouette of the Pyramids in the horizon.
Finally, and because traveling is about a lot more than looking at pretty things, we suggest visiting the quarter of Manshiyat Nasser, located right next to the Citadel. However, I advert that this experience might not be for the faint of heart of weak of stomach. Also known as the “Trash Town”, this district is mostly inhabited by Coptic Christians and is well-known as the place where most of the trash of a 10-million people city ends up in. Since Cairo doesn’t really have a centralized system of waste treatment and management, this task has been taken up by the population of Manshiyat Nasser decades ago, as pretty much everyone is somehow connected to the sector. The end result is downright suffocating, and probably one of the greatest cultural-shocks you’ll ever experience while traveling.
Recommended tours:
- Full-Day Tour of the Giza Pyramids, Memphis and Saqqara
- Private tour of the Giza Pyramids with Camel Ride and Lunch
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 3 – Cairo: The Islamic Quarter
Considering this will be your final day in Cairo, a city where you could easily spend 5 or 6 days without running out of new places to see, it is time to go on a real journey down its true, magnetic essence. But both in travel and anatomy, you cannot reach the heart without fighting your way through the guts, which in the case of the Egyptian capital, can only mean a visit to the Islamic Cairo, a quarter this is just as beautiful and mesmerizing as it is daunting and exhausting. On a personal note, I am a big-time fan of Cairo… but I can understand exactly why so many people dislike it! If after your first two days you still can’t tell which side of the fence you sit on, then the Islamic Cairo is where you’ll pass your sentence.
Start your route at the Ibn-Tulun Mosque, the biggest in Egypt and one of the oldest in the African continent, before moving on to the Mosque-Madrasa Sultan Hassan (80 EGP), a beautiful complex made up of two religious buildings which stands to this day as one of the greatest examples of mamluk architecture in the city. On your way to the next tourist attraction, get lost inside the maze of narrow streets and alleyways that make up most of this ancient quarter, where the older gentlemen still sit on the doorstep talking about their lives while the kids spend their days kicking and running around an old rag ball.
After reaching the old Fatimid city walls, you must climb the Bab Zuweila (40 EGP), the city’s old western gate, where you’ll be surprised with an atmospheric view of the domes and minarets that populate much of the Old Cairo. From this point onward, you are officially entering the Khan el Khalili, the apparently endless city bazaar that occupies an enormous section of the old city. While walking through the insanely busy streets of the bazaar, make sure to do a small detour to visit the Al-Azhar Mosque and walk along the Al-Muizz li-Din Allah Street, an ancient road lined with classical buildings from the Mamluk Era.
At nightfall, make your way to Cairo’s Bus Station and prepare a few snacks and comfy clothes for the long night ahead of you. You’ll be waking up in a different city tomorrow.
Recommended tours:
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 4 – Hurghada: Sun and Sand
After a few days running at Cairo’s frantic and exhilarating pace, soon you’ll find yourself needing a vacation from your vacation… well, welcome to Hurghada!
Board a bus (Go Bus has vehicles leaving all night) and after 6-7 hours you’ll be laying your eyes on the Red Sea. If you leave early enough, you’ll still have plenty of time to check-in at the resort, have lunch and spend the afternoon enjoying the idyllic waters of the coast. The perfect plan!
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 5 – Hurghada: Rest and Recreation
After a well-rested night at the resort in Hurghada, your day will be spent doing absolutely nothing!
Just take the day off to rest your body after the stressful past few days, work on your tan and swim in the warm waters of the Red Sea.
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 6 – Hurghada: The Red Sea Corals
For your last day in Hurghada, you’re about to engage in what is the undisputed best activity one can try along the Red Sea coast: snorkeling!
Considering you won’t have much time to plan this activity beforehand, you’ll be better off booking your tour online or asking for contacts of local spotters at your hotel’s front desk. All tours usually include lunch, transportation and snorkeling equipment. You may also choose to scuba dive for an additional fee.
The Red Sea is world-famous for being the best place in the world to go snorkeling and watch the marine wildlife – and I can personally vouch for its reputation! Now it’s time for you to try it yourself.
Recommended tours:
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 7 – Luxor: The East Bank Temples
At the dawn of day, board another bus in Hurghada and head towards Luxor (4 hours), the main city in southern Egypt. If you leave early enough, you’ll get dropped off in Luxor way before lunch time, allowing you to make the most of your day.
Therefore, you should explore the East Bank of the city, starting with the spectacular Karnak Temple (220 EGP), one of the most impressive sites in all of Luxor. Despite its singular noun, the “Temple” is actually a complex resembling an open-air museum and made up of 4 temple ruins, obelisks, sacred lakes and statues. Definitely the highlight of the East Bank.
Afterwards, walk along the Avenue of Sphinxes until you reach the Luxor Temple (180 EGP), the second most popular and visited temple on this side of the river. According to legend, this is where Pharaohs used to be crowned in Ancient Egypt! Within the complex you will also find the Abu Haggag Mosque, a building with adobe details perfectly integrated into the ancient temple’s structure. Finally, take a leisurely walk through the small but lively Souq of Luxor.
Important detail: so that you can adequately prepare your following day at the West Bank, don’t forget to make your transportation arrangements. Start by asking at your place of accommodation whether they know any reliable cab driver or tour agency to help you move around in between the tombs and temples of the opposite bank. If you’re not happy about the price, you may simply approach a few drivers directly on the street and ask how much they would charge to drive you around the sites you wish to visit. Based on the West Bank attractions that will be mentioned on this 14-day Egypt itinerary, a fair price would be around 10-15€/car for the whole day.
Recommended tours:
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 8 – Luxor: Valley of the Kings and the West Bank
If you want to make sure you get to visit all the places mentioned throughout this day, then you better get out of bed early in the morning! The West Bank of Luxor has an absurd number of places to visit and they’re all relatively distant from one another (or at least too far to walk between them).
We’ll kick things off at the Valley of the Kings (260 EGP), the most sought-after site in all of Luxor and probably the second greatest tourist attraction in the whole country, right after the Pyramids of Giza. The Valley of the Kings is an excavated complex of tombs where – as you can assume from its name – Egyptian rulers used to be buried. Here, each tomb has its own chambers, size and artistic decoration, making every single piece a unique work of mortuary art. The admission ticket grants you access to three tombs of your choice, with the exception of the Tomb of Tutankhamun (300 EGP), the Tomb of Seti I (1000 EGP) and the Tomb of Ramses V and VI (100 EGP), which have to be paid separately. Out of a dozen of open tombs at your choice, we recommend picking 3 out of these 5 options:
- Tomb of Tuthmosis III
- Tomb of Ramses IV
- Tomb of Tausert & Setnakht
- Tomb of Ramses III
- Tomb of Merenptah
After visiting the Valley of the Kings, you’ll get back in the car and follow that up with the Temple of Hatshepsut (160 EGP). Still built during the lifetime of one of the most powerful Pharaohs in history (and a Woman, no less) to later serve as her mausoleum, this huge temple is considered a marvel of ancient architecture. Right next, a trip to the Valley of the Nobles is in order. A precinct where you can find over 400 tombs belonging to high-status citizens and courtiers of the pharaohs, each ticket allows you to visit a pre-determined set of 2 tombs. We recommend choosing the Tomb of Rekhmire and the Tomb of Sennefer (40 EGP to visit both), two of the most important and best preserved in the complex.
Up next, we suggest visiting Deir el-Medina (100 EGP), the ruins of an ancient city where the craftsmen who had to build the tombs at Valley of the Kings used to live. Besides some other tombs, the site is worth a visit due to the picturesque scenery of the ruins and the beautiful Hathor Temple, one of the very few places where it’s still possible to escape the crowds. To cap off your long day at the West Bank, visit the Medinet Habu Temple (100 EGP), probably the most underrated in Luxor. On your way back to the shores of the Nile, stop by the Colossi of Memnon for a quick photo op.
Recommended tours:
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 9 – From Luxor to Aswan: The Temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo
The trip between Luxor and Aswan will be done aboard an Egyptian train. However, and although pretty much every single train heading south connects these two cities, there are a few places along the way worthy of a visit. Today, you will be visiting two of those sites! When you buy your ticket in Luxor, make sure to mention right away you wish to get out in Edfu, your first stop of the day. Otherwise, if you say you’re heading to Aswan, they may sell you a ticket for an express train that doesn’t make a stop in this town.
Once in Edfu, and as soon as you get out of the train, make you way to the Temple of Horus (180 EGP), my personal favorite in the whole of Egypt! Its monumental gate alone (which the Egyptians called pylon) is enough to make you drop your jaw to the floor, but then you also have the sanctuaries and inner corridors filled with ancient inscriptions. To make things even better, and when compared to other temples across the country, there’s a good chance it will be just you and a handful of other tourists – a rarity in Egipt!
Back in the train station, it’s time to buy a new ticket, this time towards the city of Kom Ombo, 60km to the south. Even tough the local temple receives plenty of cruise ship tourists, the overwhelming majority never even makes it to the town, which is why you’re guaranteed to be treated like a freakin’star once they see foreigners actually walking in the city. Just by walking the distance between the local train station and the Temple of Kom Ombo (140 EGP), I was approached by several dozen people who came to say “hi” and ask for selfies. Not a single one of them tried to sell me a thing. Actually, it was quite the opposite, with local street vendors downright refusing my money for bread and fresh fruit. A true “twilight zone” kind of experience in Egypt. As for the temple, located by the shores of the Nile, it’s yet another prime example of the country’s cultural riches.
By this time, you will have become a real pro when it comes to Egyptian trains, so just make it back to station for the final leg of your trip. Aswan, here we go!
Recommended tours:
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 10 – Aswan: Elephantine Island and the Philae Temple
Rise and shine – this is your first full day in Aswan! To start things on a high note, we recommend a visit to the Philae Temple (180 EGP), the most romantic in Egypt. Unfortunately, getting there is a true test to one’s patience! First of all, and because there is virtually no public transportation in that area, you’re going to have to negotiate a taxi or a tuk-tuk than can take you to the ticket office, wait for you while you visit the temple, and then bring you back to the city. A fair deal must be around 200 EGP per vehicle. This is where I drop a bit of a bomb: the temple is located on an island; and while the ticket technically includes the boat trip from the office quay to the island, I guarantee no one will take you there without you having to drop a pretty penny from your pocket! To make matters worse, you are completely at the mercy of the “boat mafia”. Since you’ve already made your way there and bought the ticket, they know very well you’re too invested to turn back now. Though their bid will surely start much higher, expect to settle at around 200-300 EGP per boat for a return-trip.
Still, there is no denying how awesome this temple is. The ruins are majestic, and because of its relative isolation, the atmosphere is also pretty calmer than most other temples in the region. It’s almost enough to make you forget how frustrating it was to get there! Back in Aswan, check out the bizarre Unfinished Obelisk (80 EGP) and the unmissable Nubian Museum (140 EGP), an amazing exhibition dedicated to the area’s native people, housed inside surprisingly modern facilities.
Proceed with a walk along the picturesque Aswan Corniche until you reach the public quay, where a ferry will take you to the Elephantine Island, the city’s most prominent symbol. No matter how much people try to convince you otherwise, rest assured there is indeed a public terminal where the trip costs 5 EGP. While visiting, you’ll have what is probably your first direct contact with Nubian culture and architecture, so prepare to be amazed by their bright colored façades! While you’re at it, visit the archaeological remains of the Ruins of Ancient Abu (100 EGP), which include the Temple of Khnum, as well as one of Aswan’s original Nilometers, the structures which allowed the natives to measure the water level during floods.
Recommended tours:
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 11 – Aswan: Day Trip to Abu Simbel
As conflicting as this may sound, your second and final day in Aswan will be spent… outside Aswan! Book a tour in advance online or through a trusted contact of your place of accommodation and do not miss the chance of visiting the Temples of Abu Simbel (240 EGP)! As an alternative, there is a bus that leaves Aswan’s Bus Station every day at 08h00, arriving in Aswan at 11h00. The return trip leaves from Abu Simbel at 13h00, which, if we account for the time it takes to go from the local station to the temples, will leave you with just a little over an hour to explore the site.
Still, and regardless of your chosen option, the Temples of Abu Simbel are an absolute must for anyone visiting Egypt! The image of those giant pharaoh stone statues sitting at the entrance of the temple have almost become synonymous with the nation, further cementing its importance and symbolism. Curiously, and though the temples you’ll be visiting today are indeed original, their location is not. After the Egyptian authorities decided to move forward with the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s, the resulting floods across the region jeopardized many historical monuments. An endangered list which Abu Simbel was a part of. As a result, the temples were completely dismantled and later assembled at their current location, where scientists knew would be safe and sound from the rising water levels caused by the new dam.
Once you return to Aswan, hop on another public ferry, this time to the city’s less explored West Bank. That’s where you’ll find the Tombs of the Nobles (50 EGP), directly carved on the sides of a cliff. However, the tombs are far from being the main highlight. Considering the cliffs’ vantage point, this is the best place in the entire city to watch the sun setting over Aswan, the Elephantine Island and the calm waters of the Nile.
Recommended tours:
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 12 – The Journey between Aswan and Alexandria
Due to the huge distance between Aswan and your next destination – Alexandria – as well as the lack of any direct means of transportation between both cities, this entire day will be solely dedicated to getting from Point A to Point B.
That being said, you’ll start off your day by catching a flight from Aswan to Cairo. Once you make it to the capital, you must take one of the buses that connect the airport to the main train station, where you will then board a train to Alexandria, the second biggest city in Egypt.
This means you’ll probably make it to your destination by the end of the day, so you should simply grab something substantial to eat and recharge batteries for the next couple of days.
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 13 – Alexandria: The Greco-Roman Heritage
Your time in Egypt might be coming to an end, but you still have a full city to explore! Considered the ancient capital of the Hellenic Civilization (ancient Greek) and the biggest city in the entire Mediterranean basin, Alexandria is the result of its history as a true crossroads of people, ideologies and civilizations. As such, today you’ll be discovering the city’s most important remains from the times of Greek and Roman rule.
You should start at the Kom el Shoqafa Catacombs (80 EGP), one of the biggest attractions in Alexandria. A complex of underground tombs that mixes the rituals and cult of the pharaohs with features of the Greek and Roman cultures, this is a completely different site from all the other tombs you’ve visited so far. While you’re at it, visit the Pompey’s Pillar (80 EGP) as well, located right next to the catacombs.
Back at street level, make your way to the ruins of Kom el-Dikka, an ancient roman archaeological site, complete with the traces of thermal baths, auditoriums and even a full-on Roman Theater (80 EGP). After visiting the National Museum of Alexandria, the best-rated in the entire city, you will put an end to your day at an institution that pays tribute to one of the most iconic places ever. If you’ve done any kind of research on this city, chances are that you’ve heard (or read) a fair-share about the Great Library of Alexandria. Built by the Greeks, it is considered the most important library in mankind’s history. A place that helped shape the city around it, and an important learning center that attracted philosophers and thinkers from all over the world. Unfortunately, the library ended up being abandoned and destroyed many generations later, leaving Alexandria (and the world) with nothing but a memory of its glorious past. With that in mind, the city decided to create a new cultural center in the early 2000s that paid tribute to what is perhaps its greatest achievement. Hence the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (70 EGP) was born.
Recommended tours:
Egypt 14-day itinerary: Day 14 – Alexandria: The Islamic and Colonial Legacies
And so we’ve finally made it to your last day in Egypt! However, before returning to Cairo for your flight back home, you will get to know the other side of Alexandria. If yesterday was dedicated to roman ruins and Greek history, today you’ll discover the city’s ancient Islamic heritage and the remnants of the European colonialism’s influences over the city.
As the day begins, go for a walk through the Souq of Alexandria, a gigantic bazaar spreading across several city blocks west of Tahrir Square. Afterwards, walk along the famous Corniche of Alexandria, the sea promenade that stretches for kilometers on end. Take this opportunity to appreciate the façades of the city’s historical hotels, such as the Steigenberger Cecil Alexandria and the Paradise Inn – Windsor Palace Hotel. Old symbols of a bygone era where Alexandria was talked the world over as a bohemian metropolis, the European architecture, now crumbling and faded, will remind you of Downtown Cairo.
Keep walking along the corniche and you’ll find the Abu al-Abbas al-Mursi Mosque, regarded as the most beautiful in the city, before reaching the Citadel of Qaitbay (60 EGP), which marks the promenade’s official ending point. This 15th century fortress was commissioned by a Mamluk Sultan, was has long been considered one of the biggest and most important structures along the Mediterranean. Besides, it was built on the exact same spot where once famously stood the Lighthouse of Alexandria – one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World!
With the day quickly running towards its end, along with your vacation time, it’s time to get back to Cairo and formally say goodbye to Egypt. Let’s hope you’ve had a wonderful time in the country in the company of our 14-day Egypt itinerary.
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