Six to nine days is the sweet spot for Egypt — enough time for Cairo, a private Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan, and Abu Simbel. All our tours are fully private — your group only, with the same licensed local guide from start to finish.
Six to nine days is universally regarded as the ideal duration for a first Egypt trip. It is enough time to do everything well — the Pyramids and Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo, a Nile cruise covering Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan, plus a day trip to Abu Simbel — without rushing any of it. This is the itinerary structure that Egypt Tours by Locals has refined over 14 years.
The classic 7-day format — 2 nights Cairo, fly to Luxor, 4-night Nile cruise to Aswan, Abu Simbel day trip, fly to Cairo — has been our most popular itinerary since 2012. It covers the greatest concentration of ancient monuments anywhere on earth and delivers the complete Egypt story: pyramids, temples, tombs, and the Nile.
Every 6–9 day Egypt tour from Egypt Tours by Locals is fully private — your group only, no shared Nile cruise cabins, no joined groups — with a licensed local guide, 4-star hotels, and all domestic flights and entrance fees included.
"Seven days in Egypt is not a compromise — it is the definitive first experience. Two days in Cairo to understand the ancient world's foundations, four days on the Nile to trace 3,000 years of pharaonic civilisation from Luxor to Aswan, and Abu Simbel as the final extraordinary monument. After 14 years I still consider the 7-day Egypt circuit the finest single trip in world travel."

All packages include private guide throughout, 4-star hotels, domestic flights, 4-night Nile cruise, and Abu Simbel. Fully private — your group only.
A sample 7-day structure — every private classic Egypt tour is customised to your interests and travel style.
Day 1: Great Pyramids of Giza at 7am — the Sphinx, the Valley Temple, and the solar boat museum. Transfer directly to the Grand Egyptian Museum (2km away) for 3 hours with the complete Tutankhamun collection. Day 2: Islamic Cairo — Al-Muizz Street, Al-Azhar, the Citadel. Old Cairo Coptic Quarter in the afternoon.
Morning flight Cairo to Luxor (1 hour). Afternoon on the East Bank: Karnak Temple — the world's largest religious complex, 2.5 square kilometres, best visited in soft afternoon light. Walk along the Avenue of Sphinxes at golden hour. Embark on your Nile cruise vessel.
Embark on the private Nile cruise. Over 4 nights, sail from Luxor south to Aswan — visiting the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple (West Bank), Temple of Edfu (best-preserved in Egypt), Kom Ombo (double temple rising from the Nile bank), and arriving in Aswan for felucca sailing at sunset.
5am departure from Aswan Airport — 45-minute flight to Abu Simbel. Ramesses II's greatest monument: four colossal statues carved into Nubian sandstone cliffs, with a solar alignment perfectly functional after 3,200 years. Return to Aswan by midday, afternoon flight back to Cairo.
Eight reasons why this duration delivers the definitive first Egypt experience.
Two full days in Cairo before the Nile cruise gives the historical context for everything you will see at Luxor and Aswan. The pharaohs whose tombs you visit in the Valley of the Kings — you already know their names and stories from the GEM.
Four nights is the optimal Nile cruise duration for the 6–9 day format — covering all key sites between Luxor and Aswan at a comfortable pace, with time on the deck watching the Nile Valley scenery between visits.
Every 6–9 day Egypt tour includes the Valley of the Kings — 63 royal tombs carved into the West Bank cliffs. Your guide translates the hieroglyphic Book of the Dead scenes directly off the tomb walls.
Some operators offer Abu Simbel as an expensive optional extra. We include it as standard in every 6–9 day package — because no Upper Egypt visit is complete without it.
Cairo→Luxor and Aswan→Cairo domestic flights are included in all 6–9 day packages — no separate booking required. We manage all flight arrangements as part of the tour.
4-star hotels in Cairo, full-board on the Nile cruise vessel, and the best available standard in Aswan. All confirmed before you fly.
The same licensed local guide stays with your group for the entire trip — Cairo, the Nile cruise, Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel. This continuity of guide is what allows each day to build on the last.
The 7-day classic is a framework, not a fixed package. Extend in Cairo, add a White Desert extension, upgrade to a Dahabiya sailing cruise, or add Luxor hot air balloon. Every element is adjustable.
Eight reasons our guests choose us for their classic Egypt tour — whatever the duration.
One licensed local guide for the entire trip — Cairo to Abu Simbel. No handoffs, no quality drop between segments. The depth of commentary builds continuously across 7 days.
Your group only, from first day to last. No joining other groups, no shared Nile cruise cabins, no compromises on pace or privacy.
Included in every package — not an expensive optional extra. The 45-minute flight from Aswan is arranged and included in the price.
We work with carefully selected 4-star and 5-star Nile cruise vessels. Every vessel is inspected and chosen for cabin quality, crew, and service standard.
Domestic flights, airport transfers between cities, and all logistics between segments arranged and managed by us. You focus on the experience.
6–9 day private tours depart on any date you choose. No fixed group departures to fit around.
Hotels, guide, Nile cruise, domestic flights, Abu Simbel excursion, and all entrance fees included and itemised before you book. From $1,295 per person.
The 7-day classic Egypt tour has been our core product since 2012. Every detail has been refined.
Tell us your preferred dates and any extensions — we'll design your complete private 6–9 day Egypt itinerary with a licensed local guide within 24 hours.