Egypt Days 1-3 follow the standard 3-day plan. Day 4 adds an Alexandria day trip (3 hours each way by road) for Mediterranean and Hellenistic heritage. Day 5 is a Luxor day flight (1 hour each way) for the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple before departure.
Five days hits the sweet spot for Cairo — three days for the major districts, plus two days for nearby destinations that show a different side of the country. The pace stays relaxed, you get more variety in your photo album, and the day trips break up the urban intensity nicely.
5-Day Total Budget at a Glance
Budget
$457
Per person, flights excl.
Mid-Range
$960
Per person, flights excl.
Luxury
$2,250
Per person, flights excl.
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Day-by-Day Detailed Schedule
Pyramids of Giza + Sphinx
Wonder of the WorldActivities
- 08:00 Pyramids + Solar Boat + Marriott Mena House sunset + Sound & Light + Abou Tarek dinner 15 hours
Same as 3-Day Day 1.
Cost: $80-250 TIP: Hire an English guide. Pre-book Sound & Light.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + ful medames
Cairo · $1-5
Standard.
Lunch
Marriott Mena House
Giza · $50-150
Pyramid view.
Dinner
Abou Tarek (koshary)
Downtown · $1-3
Egypt's national dish.
Uber.
DAY 1 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
GEM + Citadel + Khan el-Khalili + Nile Cruise
Pharaonic and Islamic CairoActivities
- 09:00 Grand Egyptian Museum + Citadel + Khan el-Khalili + El Fishawi + Nile Dinner Cruise 15 hours
Same as 3-Day Day 2.
Cost: $60-200 TIP: Pre-book GEM. Pre-book Nile Cruise via Klook.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + mint tea
Cairo · $1-3
Light start.
Lunch
Felfela
Downtown · $3-8
Egyptian classics.
Dinner
Nile Dinner Cruise
Cairo Nile · $40-80
Buffet + show.
Uber.
DAY 2 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Saqqara + Coptic Cairo + Four Seasons
Day trip + luxuryActivities
- 08:00 Saqqara + Memphis + Coptic Cairo + Four Seasons farewell 15 hours
Same as 3-Day Day 3 without the departure.
Cost: $130-350 TIP: Reserve Four Seasons 1-2 weeks ahead.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + ful medames
Cairo · $1-5
Standard.
Lunch
Andrea Mariouteya
Pyramids area · $10-25
Egyptian-Greek garden.
Dinner
Four Seasons First Residence
Giza Nile · $80-200
Polished farewell.
Day tour + Uber.
DAY 3 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Alexandria day trip (Mediterranean Egypt)
Mediterranean and HellenisticActivities
- 07:00 Cairo → Alexandria (3 hour drive) 12 hours
Egypt's second city — Mediterranean port, the modern Library of Alexandria (Bibliotheca Alexandrina, 2002), Roman Theatre, Pompey's Pillar, the catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa.
Cost: $80-120 day tour TIP: 3 hour drive each way. Pre-book a Klook day tour. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the cultural highlight; the original Library of Alexandria is long destroyed. - 20:00 Dinner — Sequoia (Zamalek Nile) 2.5 hours
Open-air Nile-side dining in Zamalek — Egyptian-Mediterranean menu with riverfront tables. The relaxed evening after a long day trip.
Cost: $30-70 TIP: Reserve Fri-Sat — riverfront tables sell out. Cards and cash. Smart casual.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + tour pickup
Cairo · Included
Early start.
Lunch
Alexandria seafood
Alexandria · $15-30
Mediterranean seafood at the port.
Dinner
Sequoia (Zamalek)
Zamalek Nile · $30-70
Riverfront.
Alexandria day tour with driver, 3 hours each way.
DAY 4 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
Luxor day flight + departure
Valley of the Kings + farewellActivities
- 05:00 Cairo → Luxor flight 10 hours
1-hour EgyptAir flight south to Luxor — the Valley of the Kings (Tutankhamun's tomb), Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple. A long but satisfying day-flight option for visitors who can't fit a multi-day Luxor stay.
Cost: $150-250 day flight tour TIP: Pre-book a full-day flight + guide package via Klook or Memphis Tours. Includes return flight, transfers, Valley of the Kings, Karnak and Luxor Temple, plus lunch. - 08:00 Valley of the Kings 5 hours
The burial ground for 18th-20th Dynasty pharaohs — 60+ tombs including Tutankhamun, Rameses VI, Seti I. Most ticket bundles cover entry to 3 tombs; Tutankhamun's tomb is a separate extra ticket.
Cost: Included in day flight tour TIP: Modest cover-up (the desert valley is exposed). Hire an English guide — tomb signage is in Arabic and French only. - 16:00 Return to Cairo + final shopping 3 hours
Return flight to Cairo, with time for final Khan el-Khalili souvenirs.
Cost: Free walking + shopping TIP: Allow at least 2 hours for the airport transfer at the end. - 20:00 Final dinner — Marriott Mena House (Pyramid view) 2.5 hours
Final Pyramid-view dinner. The iconic Cairo farewell.
Cost: $50-150 TIP: Reserve Fri-Sat. Smart casual. Cards and cash. - 23:30 Departure from Cairo International Airport (CAI) 1 hour
Late-evening international departures.
Cost: Uber $10-15 TIP: Pre-book a transfer for late departures.
Meal Recommendations
Breakfast
Hotel + early flight
Cairo · $5-15
Travel light.
Lunch
Luxor lunch (included)
Luxor · Included
Egyptian buffet.
Dinner
Marriott Mena House
Giza · $50-150
Final Pyramid view.
Luxor day flight + Uber.
DAY 5 Estimated Spend (per person, flights excl.)
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Packing Checklist
- ✓ Modest cover-up clothing (mosques and temples)
- ✓ Light layers year-round + warm jacket for December-February evenings
- ✓ SPF 50 sunscreen + hat
- ✓ Insect repellent for summer
- ✓ Crisp US dollar bills + small EGP notes
- ✓ Type C/F plug (220V)
Cairo 5-Day Itinerary FAQ
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Why you can trust 5-day itinerary
Based in Chiang Mai for 8+ years, with 30+ countries visited across Southeast Asia, Japan, and Europe. Every detail in this guide is primary-source verified as of April 2026, with prices auto-refreshed via live exchange rate APIs. This isn't AI-generated boilerplate — it's written from the perspective of someone who has actually been there.