Egypt Travel Guides – Holiday Planning by Egypt Discovery

Egypt travel guides, written by people who live here.

Here are our 77 guides to Egypt, each one listed a single time under one of 7 places or 3 subjects. They are written by our staff in Egypt, and each carries the date of its latest update.

Choose the place you are staying, or the subject you want settled. If this is a first visit, begin with when to travel, and move on to an Egypt tour or a Nile cruise after your dates are fixed.

Questions we are asked

Questions travellers ask about our Egypt guides

How is this collection of Egypt guides arranged?

Every guide is listed a single time. Where a guide concerns one resort or city it is filed under that place (Cairo and Giza, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel, Alexandria, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Sinai and Marsa Alam). Advice that holds for the whole country is grouped by subject instead: timing, visas and money, Nile cruises and so on.

Are the guides written by people in Egypt?

They are. The writing and checking is done by our staff in Egypt. The company is a licensed Egyptian tour operator, in business since 1988, with six offices: Cairo · Luxor · Aswan · Hurghada · Marsa Alam · Sharm El Sheikh. We do not lift material from other sites.

Where is the best place to begin?

With no dates fixed, begin with the section on when to go and how long to stay. Once you know your base, turn to that place and read the guide that compares its excursions.

How can I tell whether a guide is up to date?

The date of the latest update is printed beside each guide here and again on the guide. Entry fees and opening times do move, so look at that date before relying on a figure.

Will the guides point me towards your holidays?

Sometimes, when one of our excursions fits the subject. Such links say plainly where they lead, and the guides cost nothing to read whether you travel with us or not.

Cairo and Giza

Cairo day trips: how to choose between the twelve

Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur: what the day looks like

Dahshur: the Bent and Red Pyramids, and why they matter

Luxor from Cairo by air in a day: is it worth it?

Abu Simbel from Cairo by air in a day: an honest view

A long layover in Cairo: can you see the Pyramids?

Further guides: Cairo and Giza

Luxor

Luxor after dark: what to do once the temples close

Banana Island: a gentle few hours on the Nile at Luxor

Giza and back in a day from Luxor: is the early flight worth it?

Quad biking on Luxor's West Bank: what the ride is actually like

Luxor day trips: temples, tombs, river and a little adventure

Luxor with children: tombs, boats and sensible timing

Further guides: Luxor

Aswan and Abu Simbel

Aswan day trips: boats, temples, markets and one very long road

Kalabsha Temple: the island temple that was saved from the lake

Elephantine Island and Kitchener's garden: Aswan by motorboat

Kom Ombo and Edfu from Aswan: a day of two very different temples

Aswan to the Pyramids and back in a day: should you do it?

The right month for Aswan: heat, cool nights and the river

Alexandria

Alexandria day trips: matching the right outing to your time

One day in Alexandria: a route that works on foot and by car

A cruise stop in Alexandria: what fits into your time ashore

Pyramids and back in a day from Alexandria: a straight answer

Rosetta, the town behind the famous stone: a day east of Alexandria

Eating in Alexandria: fish, liver sandwiches and rice pudding

Further guides: Alexandria

Hurghada

Visiting Luxor from Hurghada: a single long day or an overnight stay?

Cairo from Hurghada: fly or take the overnight coach?

When is the best time to visit Hurghada?

Which Hurghada boat day should you choose?

What works in Hurghada for which ages?

What is a first scuba dive in Hurghada really like?

Further guides: Hurghada

Sharm El Sheikh and Sinai

Ras Mohammed or Tiran Island: which snorkelling day to pick

Mount Sinai sunrise climb: what the night is really like

Cairo from Sharm El Sheikh: worth it, and by air or road?

The best time to visit Sharm El Sheikh, month by month

Sharm El Sheikh with children: what works at each age

A first scuba dive in Sharm El Sheikh: how the day unfolds

Further guides: Sharm El Sheikh and Sinai

Marsa Alam

Choosing your Marsa Alam day trips: a simple way to pick

Sataya or Samadai – which of the two dolphin reefs suits you?

Snorkelling with turtles at Abu Dabbab Bay

When is the best time to visit Marsa Alam?

Marsa Alam with children: what works at each age

A desert evening from Marsa Alam: quads, camels and stars

Further guides: Marsa Alam

Visas, money and staying safe

Do I Need a Visa for Egypt, and How Do I Get One?

What to pack and wear in Egypt for a Nile cruise holiday

Tipping in Egypt: a straightforward guide to baksheesh and your Nile cruise

Solo travel in Egypt and Nile cruises: what it is really like

Nile cruises

Nile cruise ship types explained: from 5-star standard to ultra-luxury

What to expect on a Nile cruise: a day on board

Luxury small-boat Nile cruises: the dahabiya guide

Cheap Nile cruises: smart ways to save on your Egypt trip

Other guides

Egypt Travel Tips, From a Team That's Been Doing This Since 1988

Why was the Nile important to ancient Egypt?