Arrive Cairo, transfer to your hotel and rest after your flight; choose a centrally located hotel in Zamalek or Downtown for easy access to sites and dining.
Wander the historic bazaar's lanes for souvenirs, coffee and a first taste of Cairo street life; shops often open midday until late evening. Check shops open 10:00am–10:00pm but many remain open later.
Visit the Great Pyramids and the Sphinx early to avoid crowds and midday heat; explore the pyramid complex and get classic photo perspectives. Site hours typically 6:00am–5:00pm.
Take a short camel ride or head to the Panorama area for a sunset view over the pyramids; camel rides are short guided experiences and very tourist-friendly.
Visit Saqqara's Step Pyramid complex and nearby ruins at Memphis for early dynastic history; Saqqara is best visited early (site hours ~6:00am–5:00pm).
Add the Teti pyramid and nearby tombs or the new Imhotep Museum at Saqqara for more context; both are close by and deepen your understanding of the necropolis.
Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum near Giza (open daily, check updated hours) or the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir for Tutankhamun's treasures and centuries of artifacts; GEM generally opens 9:00am–7:00pm while the older museum hours vary.
Early visit to the Valley of the Kings to see tombs of pharaohs, including the option to pay extra to enter King Tut's tomb; site generally open 6:00am–5:00pm.
See the massive Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries and visit the modern Aswan High Dam for a contrast of ancient and modern engineering.
Start very early for the 3-hour drive (one way) to Abu Simbel or take a short flight; early arrival beats the heat and crowds at the two colossal Ramses II temples. Site open ~6:00am–5:00pm.
Tour the main temple of Ramses II and the smaller temple of Nefertari — spectacular reliefs and monumental façades relocated above the original Nile floodline.
Visit Coptic Cairo (Hanging Church, Ben Ezra) or stroll Al-Muizz for medieval Cairo architecture; many sites close by early evening (Coptic sites ~9:00am–5:00pm), so plan accordingly.
Take a morning flight from Cairo to Marsa Matruh (~1h20) — the fastest way to get near Siwa; then transfer by private car for the 4–5 hour drive to Siwa.
Visit the Temple of the Oracle where Alexander the Great was reportedly confirmed as a pharaoh and the nearby necropolis on the Mountain of the Dead for ancient rock-cut tombs.
Full- or half-day 4x4 excursion into the Great Sand Sea to see dramatic dunes, remote salt pans and the Desert Glass sites; pack sun protection and water.
Use this morning for a deep dive at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) if you didn’t visit earlier — allow plenty of time for its modern galleries and Tutankhamun collection. GEM typically opens 9:00am–7:00pm; check latest hours.