7 Days Budget Egypt Tour To Cairo, Luxor & Alexandria

Today, you will walk through more than 4,500 years of Egyptian history. After breakfast, meet your Egyptologist guide to start your adventure.

📍Pyramids of Giza

Stand before the legendary Giza Pyramids, including the Great Pyramid of Khufu a.k.a. Cheops, the only surviving wonder of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, alongside the Pyramid of Khafre a.k.a. Chephren, the Pyramid of Menkaure a.k.a. Mykerinos, and the 3 smallest pyramids of King Khufu’s royal family. Your Egyptologist guide will bring the stories behind these monumental tombs to life and learn how they were built.

💡Did You Know? There is a theory that the three Pyramids of Giza mirror the three stars of Orion’s Belt, reflecting a possible connection between their layout and ancient Egyptian beliefs about Osiris and the stars. The idea is known as the Orion Correlation Theory, although archaeologists continue to debate whether the resemblance was intentional.

📍The Sphinx & Valley Temple

Continue to the Great Sphinx of Giza, the colossal monument with a lion’s body and a human head, 73 m (240 ft) & 19 m (66 ft), traditionally associated with Pharaoh Khafre (Chephren) to symbolize the physical power and divine kingship and his role as a guardian of the sacred necropolis. 

Nearby, explore the Valley Temple of Khafre, a remarkably well-preserved part of the pharaoh’s funerary complex from Egypt’s Old Kingdom (c. 2686 - 2181 BCE). Built from massive limestone blocks and Aswan granite, the temple served as a site for important mummification and funerary rituals, preparing the king for his journey into the afterlife.

📍Saqqara Necropolis

Head to Saqqara, the vast necropolis of ancient Memphis. Here, discover the Step Pyramid of Djoser, widely recognized as Egypt’s earliest monumental pyramid and a landmark in the evolution of pyramid construction. Designed by Imhotep, the brilliant vizier and architect of Pharaoh Djoser of the 3rd Dynasty, the pyramid rises about 62 meters in six stepped levels.

The pyramid stands at the heart of a vast funerary complex, featuring ceremonial courtyards, chapels, colonnades, and limestone reliefs, an architectural breakthrough that set the stage for the great pyramids of Giza that followed.

Today, ancient Egypt meets the future. Step into a museum built in the shadow of the pyramids and aligned with the Giza pyramid landscape 

📍Grand Egyptian Museum 

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) spans nearly 490,000 square meters, creating a spectacular bridge between 5,000 years of ancient Egyptian history and modern architectural innovation. Explore monumental statues, royal treasures, ancient jewelry, funerary objects, and artifacts that reveal the artistry, spirituality, and daily life of ancient Egypt.

Look at the Hanging Obelisk, the colossal 11-meter statue of Ramesses II, and the complete collection of more than 5,000 artifacts from the tomb of Tutankhamun, including his famous funerary treasures.

💡Insider Reveal: Beyond its galleries, GEM is also a major center for the preservation of Egypt’s heritage, with one of the Middle East’s largest conservation centers, alongside specialized research laboratories and educational facilities.

After your visit, return to your hotel to relax and freshen up before heading to the station for your overnight sleeper train to Luxor.

Overnight Sleeper Train

Settle into your sleeper cabin and watch Cairo give way to the Nile Valley as the train travels south toward ancient Thebes, Luxor. The journey takes approximately 13 hours, making the overnight train part of the Egyptian travel experience rather than simply a transfer. 

A simple dinner is served onboard, and your sleeper cabin gives you a bed for the night. For extra comfort, pick up your favorite snacks and drinks before boarding, as onboard meal choices are limited.

After reaching Luxor, meet your Egyptologist guide and begin your first day exploring the monumental temples of Luxor’s east bank.

📍Karnak Temple

Start at the vast Karnak Temple Complex, one of the largest religious sites ever built. Known in ancient Egypt as Ipet-Isut (“The Most Select of Places”) and Per-Amun (“House of Amun”), the complex developed over more than 2,000 years and remained the religious heart of ancient Thebes for centuries.

Walk among the restored sphinxes in the ram-headed Avenue of Sphinxes, the ancient ceremonial road that once connected Karnak Temple with Luxor Temple.

💡Did You Know? Karnak was dedicated primarily to the Theban Triad, Amun, his wife Mut, and their son Khonsu, the moon god, while also containing sanctuaries dedicated to other major deities, including Osiris, Montu, Ptah, and Isis. Each generation of pharaohs added new temples, pylons, columns, obelisks, and reliefs, turning Karnak into a monumental record of ancient Egyptian religion and royal power.

After sightseeing, return to your hotel to check in, relax, and recharge before your evening visit.

📍Luxor Temple at Sunset

As the sun begins to set, head to Luxor Temple, a masterpiece on the east bank of the Nile that captures the artistic spirit of ancient Thebes. Beautifully illuminated by the warm glow of sunset. Developed as a vast religious complex connected with royal kingship and the annual Opet Festival, when the sacred images of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu traveled from Karnak to Luxor Temple. Built mainly during the reign of Amenhotep III around 1400 BCE, known in ancient Egyptian as Ipet-Resyt, meaning “The Southern Sanctuary.” 

Walk beneath the monumental First Pylon of Ramesses II, admire the colossal statues and Obelisk of Ramesses II, and continue through the temple’s grand courtyards and elegant Colonnade of Amenhotep III.

Today, step into the hidden world of ancient Thebes. Check out of your hotel and cross to the West Bank of Luxor with your tour guide to see the greatest monuments of Egypt’s New Kingdom.

📍Valley of the Kings

Enter the Valley of the Kings, the legendary royal necropolis where pharaohs of the 18th, 19th, and 20th Dynasties were buried in hidden rock-cut tombs. More than 60 tombs and chambers have been identified here, including the famous tomb of Tutankhamun (KV62), discovered by Howard Carter in 1922.

Instead of building highly visible pyramids, New Kingdom rulers concealed their tombs within the mountains of western Thebes, creating elaborate underground journeys into the afterlife. Tomb walls are decorated with scenes and texts from ancient funerary books, including the Amduat and Book of Gates, depicting the pharaoh’s journey through the underworld.

The Valley of the Kings forms part of the Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its exceptional historical and artistic importance.

📍Mortuary Hatshepsut Temple

Continue to the spectacular Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, known in ancient Egypt as Djeser-Djeseru (“Holy of Holies”). Built for Queen Hatshepsut, one of Egypt’s most powerful 18th-Dynasty rulers, the temple rises dramatically against the limestone cliffs.

Its three monumental terraces, colonnades, ramps, statues, and reliefs tell the story of Hatshepsut’s reign and her devotion to Amun-Ra. Look for the famous reliefs depicting her expedition to the Land of Punt, showing ships, exotic plants, animals, and valuable goods brought back to Egypt.

📍Colossi of Memnon

Stand before the Colossi of Memnon, two enormous seated statues of Amenhotep III, each about 18 meters (60 feet) high and carved from quartzite. They once stood as monumental guardians at the entrance to the pharaoh’s vast mortuary temple.

💡Did You Know? During the Greco-Roman period, the northern statue became famous for the mysterious “Vocal Memnon” phenomenon, when travelers reported hearing a sound from the statue around sunrise. The phenomenon was later linked to changes in temperature and moisture affecting the damaged stone after an earthquake.

After your West Bank tour, transfer to Luxor Airport for your domestic flight back to Cairo for an overnight in a Cairo hotel.

Leave Cairo behind and follow the Mediterranean coast to Alexandria for about 3 hours, the legendary city founded by Alexander the Great, where Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Islamic history meet by the sea.

📍Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

Descend beneath Alexandria at the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, a remarkable 2nd-century AD Roman-era necropolis carved into the rock. The tombs reveal an extraordinary blend of ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman artistic traditions, with funerary decorations and architectural elements reflecting Alexandria’s multicultural character. Its famous Hall of Caracalla and richly decorated tomb chambers offer a fascinating glimpse into how different cultures merged in Roman Alexandria.

📍Citadel of Qaitbay 

Continue along the Mediterranean to the Citadel of Qaitbay, a 15th-century Islamic fortress built in 1477 by Sultan Al-Ashraf Sayf al-Din Qaitbay. Its location is especially significant: the citadel stands on or near the site traditionally associated with the ancient Pharos Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Much of the fortress was constructed using stone from the ancient lighthouse and other nearby ruins. 

★ Take a break from sightseeing and enjoy a traditional Egyptian lunch in Alexandria. Taste local favorites while soaking up the city’s relaxed Mediterranean atmosphere.

📍Bibliotheca Alexandrina

End your Alexandria sightseeing at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the spectacular modern library and cultural complex created as a contemporary tribute to the legendary Library of Alexandria. Its striking circular design faces the Mediterranean and houses extensive collections in Arabic, English, and French, alongside museums, exhibitions, research facilities, and cultural spaces.

The new library carries forward Alexandria’s ancient reputation as a center of knowledge, scholarship, and cultural exchange, creating a fascinating link between the intellectual world of the Hellenistic era and modern Egypt.

★ After exploring Alexandrina, relax in your comfortable vehicle for the drive back to your Cairo hotel, bringing your Alexandria day trip to a warmer close.

Your Egyptian adventure comes to an end, but the memories travel home with you. 

After breakfast at your hotel, our representative will escort you in a comfortable vehicle to Cairo International Airport (CAI) for your departure flight.

Until Egypt calls you back!