Egypt Short Breaks Itinerary: What to See in 3, 4, or 5 Days
November 19, 2025
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about Egypt Short Breaks Itinerary: What to See in 3, 4, or 5 Days
From:
$980
4.9
Tour Details
| Duration |
5 Days / 4 Nights |
|---|---|
| Tour Location |
Cairo / Giza / Aswan / Luxor |
| Tour Type |
Daily Tour |
| Pickup |
Cairo Airport |
Unforgettable 5 Day Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor Tour
This 5 day overland Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan itinerary is one of our most popular Egypt Tours & Vacation Deals, covering Egypt's three core destinations, Cairo and Giza, Aswan, and Luxor entirely by flight and first class rail, with no Nile cruise at any point in the itinerary. It is a pure overland 5 day itinerary through Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan, using sleeper train or flight transfers between cities, hotel based throughout. Domestic flights connect Cairo to Aswan and Luxor back to Cairo; the Aswan to Luxor leg runs by first class train through the Nile Valley.
Day 1 opens in Cairo with an airport transfer and an evening Nile dinner boat on the river. Day 2 covers the Giza Pyramids Complex, the Valley Temple of Khafre, the Great Sphinx, and the Grand Egyptian Museum before a late-afternoon flight to Aswan. Day 3 takes in the Aswan High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries, and the Temple of Isis at Philae on Agilkia Island, then continues by first class train to Luxor. Day 4 works both banks of the Nile: the Valley of the Kings, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank, followed by Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on the East Bank, before a return flight to Cairo. Day 5 is the departure.
Why Book This Tour
- Pure 5 Day Overland Egypt Journey — No Nile Cruise
- Private Egyptologist Guide Throughout All Touring Days
- Private Transport Plus First Class Nile Valley Rail Travel
- Two Domestic Flights Included Within the Package
- 4 Nights in Carefully Selected Hotels
- All Entrance Fees Included for Every Listed Attraction
- Flexible Itinerary with Customization Options Available
- 24/7 In-Country Support and Airport Assistance
Included
- Meet and assist with the Tripidays representative at Cairo airport
- 2 Nights of accommodations in Cairo hotel
- 1 Night of accommodations in Aswan hotel
- 1 Night of accommodations in Luxor hotel
- Private Egyptologist Guide for All Sightseeing
- Private Air-Conditioned Transportation Throughout
- Domestic flights Cairo → Aswan, Luxor → Cairo
- First class train ticket Aswan → Luxor
- All Entrance Fees to Included Sites and Monuments
- Bottled Water During Sightseeing
- Meals are provided as mentioned in the itinerary
- Our assistance during your stay
- All Taxes and Charges
Excluded
- International Flights
- Egypt Entry Visa
- Travel Insurance
- Personal Expenses and Additional Meals
- Tips and Gratuities
- Optional Excursions and Activities
- Early Check-In or Late Check-Out Charges
Highlights
Cairo Attractions
- Pyramids of Giza Complex
- Valley Temple of Khafre
- The Great Sphinx
- Grand Egyptian Museum
Luxor Attractions
- The Valley of the Kings
- Temple of Hatshepsut
- Colossi of Memnon
- Karnak Temple
- Luxor Temple
Aswan Attractions
- The High Dam
- Philae Temple
- Unfinished Obelisk
Itinerary
Your Tripidays representative meets you at Cairo International Airport and transfers you by private vehicle to your hotel. The evening is the only programmed activity today, no early starts, no rushed orientation. Travelers comparing similar itineraries can explore all 5 day Egypt packages to see how this relaxed arrival experience differs from other tour options.
Nile Dinner Cruise
You'll board a traditional dinner boat on the Nile as the city lights come up on both banks, settling into an evening of Egyptian folk music and a buffet of local dishes. The boat runs a fixed stretch of the river for roughly 2 hours, making it the quietest way to see Cairo's waterfront before the temple days begin. Travelers visiting during December may also prefer the Christmas seasonal version of this tour, which follows a similar route while incorporating festive holiday experiences and seasonal departures.
Meals
Dinner
Your guide collects you after breakfast for the drive to the Giza Plateau. In the late afternoon, you fly from Cairo to Aswan, roughly 1 hour 20 minutes, and check into your hotel on the Nile.
The Great Giza Pyramids
You'll stand at the base of the Great Pyramid of Khufu and understand immediately why no written description prepares you for the scale at 146 metres when built, it held the record as the world's tallest structure for nearly 4,000 years. Your guide will position you at the panoramic viewpoint where all three pyramids align, the angle every photograph tries and mostly fails to capture.
Valley Temple of Khafre
Your guide walks you into one of the best preserved Old Kingdom temples in Egypt, where the original polished red Aswan granite cladding still lines the inner walls. Built to serve the mortuary rituals of Pharaoh Khafre around 2500 BCE, this is the building most visitors walk past on their way to the Sphinx. Those who stop find it more compelling than the pyramid above it.
The Great Sphinx
Stand before the enigmatic Great Sphinx, the guardian of the pyramids, and capture memories that will last a lifetime.
Grand Egyptian Museum
Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the world’s largest archaeological museum, housing treasures that narrate the history of Egypt’s civilisation.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast at your Aswan hotel, your guide collects you for a full day across the city's sites. By early evening, you board the first-class train south to Luxor, roughly 3 hours through the Nile Valley, arriving in time to check in and rest before the next day's full itinerary. Travelers who prefer sailing between Upper Egypt's temple cities can instead upgrade to a Nile cruise from Cairo, replacing the rail segment with a multi-day journey along the Nile.
High Dam Visit
Witness the grandeur of the Aswan High Dam, a modern engineering marvel that controls the Nile and generates hydroelectric power.
Unfinished Obelisk
Standing over a granite shaft that was abandoned mid-quarry approximately 3,500 years ago after a crack appeared in the stone, it would have been 42 metres tall and weighed 1,200 tonnes, the largest obelisk ever attempted in Egypt. What makes it worth the visit is what surrounds it: the tool marks, the worker channels, and the evidence of how these monuments were extracted, still visible in the rock face on three sides.
Philae Temple
You'll take a short motorboat across to Agilkia Island, where the entire Temple of Isis complex was dismantled block by block and rebuilt on higher ground between 1972 and 1980 to save it from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Inside, the reliefs are among the sharpest cut of any temple in Upper Egypt. The island setting, surrounded by water on all sides, approaches any other temple arrival on this itinerary.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, your guide takes you across to the West Bank by road. The day runs west bank sites in the morning and east bank temples in the afternoon, finishing at Luxor Temple as the light drops. You fly back to Cairo from Luxor in the evening and check in for your final night.
Valley of the Kings
Start with the west bank of Luxor and explore the Valley of the Kings, the final resting place of New Kingdom pharaohs. Admire the intricate tomb decorations and learn about ancient Egyptian beliefs in the afterlife.
Temple of Hatshepsut
Visit the mortuary temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a remarkable fusion of architecture and mountainous backdrop.
Colossi of Memnon
You'll stop before two quartzite statues of Amenhotep III that have been standing in open farmland for 3,400 years. Each one is 18 metres tall and was carved from a single block of stone transported 675 kilometres from quarries near Cairo. They are the last visible remnant of what was once the largest mortuary temple on the West Bank.
Karnak Temple
Experience the vast Karnak Temple Complex, with its massive pillars and statues, a testament to Egypt’s religious devotion.
Luxor Temple
Conclude your Luxor exploration at the Temple of Luxor, showcasing architectural brilliance spanning different reigns.
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast at your hotel, you check out and transfer by private vehicle to Cairo International Airport. Your Tripidays representative assists with the handover.
Departure
Reflect on the incredible journey through Egypt’s history and culture. Travelers with additional time in Egypt often choose to add Alexandria to your Egypt trip before departure, extending their stay with visits to the Mediterranean coast, the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, and Bibliotheca Alexandrina.
Meals
Breakfast
Notes:
* You can let us know if you'd like to customize your tour itinerary to meet your needs. We value your input and aim to accommodate your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
This tour includes domestic flights on two routes (Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo), a first class train from Aswan to Luxor, 4 nights in hotels across Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor, daily breakfast, selected lunches, a Nile evening dinner boat on Day 1, entrance fees to all listed attractions, and a private Egyptologist guide throughout. International flights, visa, travel insurance, and tips are not included.
This is the only 5 day overland itinerary in this price tier that combines a domestic flight and a first class Nile Valley rail transfer within the same package; most comparable tours use road transport throughout or a single internal flight without the train leg. The routing gives you a full Aswan day before arriving in Luxor rather than losing a temple day to a long transfer.
The Aswan to Luxor first-class train runs approximately 3 hours through the Nile Valley, with air-conditioned carriages and assigned seating. It is the most direct land connection between the two cities and passes through farmland and riverside villages that the road bypasses entirely. Tickets are included in the tour price and arranged by Tripidays.
Days 1 and 5 use private vehicle transfers between Cairo airport and your hotel. Day 2 ends with a domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan. Day 3 ends with a first class train from Aswan to Luxor. Day 4 ends with a domestic flight from Luxor back to Cairo. All transport is arranged and confirmed by Tripidays; no independent connections are required at any point.
Yes, two domestic flights are included: Cairo to Aswan on Day 2, and Luxor to Cairo on Day 4. The Aswan to Luxor leg on Day 3 runs by first class train rather than air.
What to Pack
Hat
Backpack
Comfy Shoes
Powerbank
Medical Kit
Comfy Clothes
Sunglasses & Sunscreen
Personal Hygiene Products
Valid Passport For 6 Months
Tour Locations
Tour Prices
From Jan 2026 to Apr 2026
- Solo $1970
- 2 - 4 Pax $1280
- 5 - 8 Pax $1050
- 9 - 16 Pax $1020
From May 2026 to Sep 2026
- Solo $1910
- 2 - 4 Pax $1230
- 5 - 8 Pax $1010
- 9 - 16 Pax $980
From Oct 2026 to Dec 2026
- Solo $2060
- 2 - 4 Pax $1320
- 5 - 8 Pax $1100
- 9 - 16 Pax $1060
Xmas 21 Dec - 7 Jan Easter 29 Mar - 11 Apr
- Solo $2150
- 2 - 4 Pax $1370
- 5 - 8 Pax $1140
- 9 - 16 Pax $1110
Cairo:
Cleopatra Hotel – Cosmopolitan Hotel – Pyramids Park Resort or similar
Luxor:
Aracan Eatabe – Ibrotel or similar
Aswan:
Citymax – Basma or similar
From Jan 2026 to Apr 2026
- Solo $2160
- 2 - 4 Pax $1370
- 5 - 8 Pax $1140
- 9 - 16 Pax $1110
From May 2026 to Sep 2026
- Solo $2070
- 2 - 4 Pax $1320
- 5 - 8 Pax $1100
- 9 - 16 Pax $1060
From Oct 2026 to Dec 2026
- Solo $2270
- 2 - 4 Pax $1430
- 5 - 8 Pax $1210
- 9 - 16 Pax $1170
Xmas 21 Dec - 7 Jan Easter 29 Mar - 11 Apr
- Solo $2500
- 2 - 4 Pax $1550
- 5 - 8 Pax $1320
- 9 - 16 Pax $1290
Cairo:
Hilton Pyramids Golf - Mövenpick Media City - Helnan Dreamland Hotel or similar
Luxor:
Sonesta St. George - Steigenberger Nile Palace - Jolie Ville Luxor Hotel or similar
Aswan:
Tolip Hotel Aswan or similar
From Jan 2026 to Apr 2026
- Solo $2470
- 2 - 4 Pax $1530
- 5 - 8 Pax $1300
- 9 - 16 Pax $1270
From May 2026 to Sep 2026
- Solo $2210
- 2 - 4 Pax $1390
- 5 - 8 Pax $1170
- 9 - 16 Pax $1130
From Oct 2026 to Dec 2026
- Solo $2490
- 2 - 4 Pax $1550
- 5 - 8 Pax $1320
- 9 - 16 Pax $1280
Xmas 21 Dec - 7 Jan Easter 29 Mar - 11 Apr
- Solo $2750
- 2 - 4 Pax $1690
- 5 - 8 Pax $1460
- 9 - 16 Pax $1420
Cairo:
Hilton Heliopolis - Hyatt Regency - Triumph Luxury or similar
Luxor:
Hilton Luxor or similar
Aswan:
The Zen Wellness Resort - Mövenpick Aswan or similar
From Jan 2026 to Apr 2026
- Solo $4100
- 2 - 4 Pax $2370
- 5 - 8 Pax $2140
- 9 - 16 Pax $2100
From May 2026 to Sep 2026
- Solo $3480
- 2 - 4 Pax $2050
- 5 - 8 Pax $1820
- 9 - 16 Pax $1790
From Oct 2026 to Dec 2026
- Solo $4570
- 2 - 4 Pax $2610
- 5 - 8 Pax $2370
- 9 - 16 Pax $2340
Xmas 21 Dec - 7 Jan Easter 29 Mar - 11 Apr
- Solo $4990
- 2 - 4 Pax $2820
- 5 - 8 Pax $2580
- 9 - 16 Pax $2540
Cairo:
Four Seasons Nile Plaza - St. Regis Cairo - Nile Ritz - Marriott Mena House or similar
Luxor:
Sofitel Winter Palace or similar
Aswan:
Sofitel Legend Old Cataract or similar
