Egypt in 5 Days: A Short Highlights Itinerary (2026)

Five days isn't long for a country this rich, but with the right plan it's enough to stand before the pyramids, see Tutankhamin's treasure and walk among Luxor's temples. The trick is to fly rather than cruise, and to resist over-packing. Here's the efficient version. (See it on the interactive map.) ## At a glance Cairo & Giza (2 nights) → fly to Luxor (1 to 2 nights) → fly home via Cairo. ## Day 1 Cairo: Giza & the GEM Hit the headline straight away: the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, then the Grand Egyptian Museum next door, home to Tutankhamun's complete treasure. (Guides: Pyramids · GEM.) ## Day 2 Historic Cairo Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar, the Citadel for the view, and Coptic Cairo or the Tahrir Egyptian Museum. An evening felucca to close. (See the Cairo guide.) ## Day 3 Fly to Luxor A short morning flight. Karnak and, after dark, a floodlit Luxor Temple on the East Bank. (See the Luxor guide.) ## Day 4 Luxor's West Bank An optional sunrise balloon, then the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon. (See the Valley of the Kings guide.) ## Day 5 Home A relaxed morning before flying back via Cairo. ## What you'll skip and how to add it Five days leaves out Aswan and Abu Simbel. With two more days you can add them by extending into the classic 7-day itinerary; with five total, accept the focus and enjoy it. For timing, see the best time to visit.