I’ve finally decided to make my childhood dream come true—and at the same time, fulfill my two boys’ dreams (ages 9 and 13).
Just to give you some context, we’re used to "backpacker" vacations—the little one even crossed Malaysia on my back. But now I’ve got a teenager, so if I pack too much, he complains, and I’m getting older, so I’m more tired 😉.
I’ve put together this itinerary trying not to rush, based on a felucca trip with a small local agency that has a solid reputation.
Day 1: Late arrival in Cairo
Day 2: Cairo - Flight to Aswan (11:20 PM)?
Day 3: Aswan? Cairo?
Day 4: Aswan
Day 5: Sail Day 1
Day 6: Sail Day 2 (camel market + Kom Ombo)
Day 7: Sail Day 3 (Jabal El Silsila)
Day 8: Sail Day 4 Edfu - transfer to Luxor - arriving at 2 PM
Day 9: Luxor (Valley of the Kings)
Day 10: Luxor (Karnak)
Day 11: Luxor / Cairo?
Day 12: Cairo: Giza
Day 13: Cairo Giza again - Flight home at 11 PM
My main question is about how much time to allocate in Aswan, Luxor, and Cairo to avoid missing out but without feeling rushed.
We definitely have:
- 3 full days in Cairo
- 2.5 days in Luxor
- 1 day in Aswan
I can adjust a bit:
- By adding 1 day in Aswan or Cairo
- By adding a half-day in Cairo or Luxor.
Hello everyone,
Day 1: Arrival at Cairo Airport—what time???
Day 13: Is that the time for your 11 PM flight??
Day 3: Aswan? Cairo? I don’t get why Cairo?? Since on Day 4 you’re in Aswan, so that’s almost two days in Aswan??
Day 6: If you’re doing a felucca cruise to the livestock market, you need to know the day, because it depends—it’s not the same thing. The camel market is on Saturdays and Sundays, and depending on the day of the week, it’s cows, sheep, goats, and others.
Day 11: Luxor - Cairo?? Is this still undecided, or is it the flight time??
Thoutmosis
Hi everyone, and thanks for shedding some light on this!
I’ve put my answers to your questions in bold.
Day 1: Arrival at Cairo airport — what time??? - Like midnight, basically a wasted day
Day 13: Is your flight at 11 PM?? - Yes, that’s the departure time for the return flight
Day 3: Aswan? Cairo? I don’t get why Cairo?? Since you’re in Aswan on Day 4, that means almost two days in Aswan??
That’s the question — are we only spending one day in Aswan?
Day 6: If you’re doing a felucca cruise to the livestock market, you need to know the day, because it depends. The camel market is on Saturdays and Sundays, and on other days of the week, it’s cows, sheep, goats, etc.
Yep, I know — we’re good, it’ll be on Saturday. I’d already planned for that, and the provider specifies the right days
Day 11: Luxor to Cairo?? Is that not decided yet, or is it the flight time?? It’s not decided yet.
I think we’ll actually take off for Aswan on Day 3. We’re gonna skip Abu Simbel — too much driving from Aswan for my taste. So one day in Aswan should be enough, and that’ll give us time to relax a bit after the arrival trip.
So, in my opinion, we’ll spend most of our time in Luxor on Day 11 before heading to Cairo.
Hello everyone,
For day 13, you can still make the most of the day since your flight is at 11 PM. To be sure you don’t miss it, it’s best to arrive early—accounting for the 2-hour time difference plus the journey and traffic, I’d recommend leaving 4 hours before your flight. You can always grab a coffee or something while you wait. Honestly, it’s the safer option, and if you’re organized, it’s no problem, even with teens.
Now, if you wanted to see as much as possible, the cruise wasn’t the best solution. For me, it’s just watching the banks go by (been there, done that, and it kills my mood—I’m used to moving around, taking tons of photos and videos, so cruises are a no-go for me now). But if it’s a real passion for you, that’s your call, and I get it.
It’s a shame to skip Abu Simbel, but if you have no choice, then stay two nights in Aswan before the cruise. After your cruise, you’ll disembark after Edfu, so it’s about a two-hour drive to Luxor, hopefully passing through Esna and the Temple of Khnum.
The time you’re going isn’t too hot yet, so sightseeing won’t be unbearable. At your age, you’ve still got all that youthful energy 😏, and if the teens aren’t too difficult, the visits will be a breeze 😏.
Thoutmosis
Thanks for your insights and great tips—I’ll take them for my peace of mind 🙂.
Life is all about choices, and I’m not one for rushing. They were easier to travel with as backpackers when those two were just 1 year old (we definitely turned heads back then)...
A felucca cruise is a childhood dream—taking the time to do nothing, just soaking in the scenery (my inner mountain lover coming through). I don’t want to see or consume as much as possible; I want to *live* the trip. I’ve been a backpacker for 25 years (well, with a break...) and we’ve always preferred quality over quantity.
Abu Simbel will have to wait for another time if we return—along with Lake Nasser, the White Desert, and who knows what else...
I’ll be going at the end of October, so I’ve got time to fine-tune things before then...
Hello everyone,
Mountain lover from Toulouse? Probably originally from there?
Same here, which is why we always try to stay in small hotels or, when possible, in guesthouses or with locals.
We always plan everything ourselves, like many others, but even some "backpackers" freak out when it comes to Egypt—why? Weird.
For our next trip, at the end of October, it’s still hot but bearable. Though in Aswan and Abu Simbel, it’ll be a different story.
Thoutmosis
Here’s our tentative itinerary—unless you tell me it’s a bad idea:
D1 Outbound flight
D2 Cairo – The city
D3 Cairo – Saqqarah + flight to Aswan at 11 PM
D4 Aswan – Philae – Elephantine
D5 Sailing – 1st villages
D6 Sailing – 2nd market + Kom Ombo
D7 Sailing – End of cruise – Edfu + road to Luxor (14 hours?)
D8 Luxor – Karnak + hot-air balloon
D9 Luxor – Valley of the Kings + evening bus
D10 Hurghada – Red Sea
D11 Hurghada – Red Sea + late-night bus
D12 Giza – we’ll see
D13 Giza
This gives us two nights in each place, which we really need.
I think we’ll stay in Hurghada itself to minimize transport. We all dive, but I’m also planning to do some snorkeling. From what I’ve gathered, given the limited time, the best option is a boat excursion, right?
And I’ve heard the beaches are all pretty developed—is that correct? What a shame.
Another little question: if we had to pick one sound and light show, which one should we go for?
I’ve read that:
- Philae is great but a bit harder to get to
- Karnak: easy access but the quality is so-so
- Cairo: haven’t read anything, but we’re staying with a view of the pyramids
Hello everyone,
I saw the other post with the schedule, and if that’s what you want, no one’s going to argue with you, but...
Is it really more packing and unpacking? It’s already so tight—one little hiccup and it’s a nightmare. That’s why I always say to plan for some flexibility.
Hurghada is already a 4h30 drive, and then there’s the transfer to Cairo if your return flight is from there—another long trip??? I wouldn’t do Hurghada myself. Some will say it’s doable, sure, but as usual, they’re not the ones in your shoes.
For the sound and light show at Philae, it’s really a matter of taste. It also depends on how many days you’re spending in Aswan. If you plan to visit the islands, that takes time, especially if you go all the way to Sehel Island. If you’re just visiting, take a small motorboat—feluccas are *very* slow, so you’ll lose even more time. I saw Philae and Karnak a long time ago, so I don’t know if they’re still the same. As for explanations, nothing special in my opinion. Cairo’s the same—plus, they no longer have the French version. It was taken down for renovations, but anyway, if you have a hotel facing the pyramids, they usually have a rooftop terrace. No need to buy a ticket for the sound and light show—we did that in 2018, and the view of the whole site was beautiful. You could do the same. Of course, others might have a different opinion.
What interests me isn’t so much the sound and light show, but getting evening photos of the site. With the new lighting, it’s much better.
Once you’re in Luxor, head toward the Theban Hills—you’ll see they’re lit up all along. It’s absolutely stunning.
Thoutmosis
To avoid packing and unpacking, we travel light—we’re used to it, and we stay pretty grubby 😉.
For budget reasons, we were planning to take the bus from Luxor to Cairo, but between a 10-hour bus ride or a 4h + 7h trip (via GoBus), the latter’s less awful. Especially since I just snagged flights for 35 € on EgyptAir from Hurghada to Cairo 🙂, which was totally unexpected!
Either way, thanks for all the new insights and info I’ve picked up from your other discussions. No sound and light show for us, but we’re doing a hot-air balloon ride over Karnak instead...
No sound and light show, but a hot-air balloon ride over Karnak...
Oh wow, that sounds like a dream, Cat! Just out of curiosity, how much is it per person? (Because if it’s within my budget, I’m booking it right away 😄)
Thanks!
Christelle
Hello everyone,
Since 2015 and the 2013 accident I narrowly avoided, the number of companies has increased significantly, and as a result, prices have gone up. Forget about 20 €—now it’s more like 50 € or even up to 100 €. You can already spot quite a few companies just by looking at the Luxor map (Google Maps): Sindbad, Salem Hot Air Balloon, Memphis Tour, King Tut, Top Level, etc. They’re buzzing around like a swarm of hornets.
Thoutmosis
Hello everyone,
no worries, same here—I never proofread because I’m usually juggling about ten conversations at once (and now I don’t open several at the same time anymore because I’d get mixed up ). Anyway, as I always say, today’s prices definitely won’t still be good in a week, maybe two, or even a month or two, but the current prices give you a ballpark.
For the price, check in private—unless you’ve already seen what you might be able to do???
Thoutmosis
We’re planning a trip to Egypt from January 21 to 28, 2027.
J21 – Arrival in Cairo at 6 PM
V22 – Visit the Pyramids
S23 – Early flight to Aswan, visit Aswan
D24 – Visit Aswan, depart mid-afternoon for Abu Simbel
L25 – Morning visit to Abu Simbel, return to Aswan. Is it possible to go all the way to Luxor the same day? Private driver between Aswan and Luxor
M26 – Visit Luxor
M27 – Visit Luxor
J28 – Early flight to Cairo, arrive around 9–10 AM, head back into the city to see 1 or 2 museums (probably just 1 due to time), then flight to Lyon at 7 PM
Does this itinerary seem realistic to you? Does it cover the highlights?
During our trip to Egypt at the end of January, beginning of February, we plan to visit the White Desert and nearby oases for 3 to 4 days, starting from Cairo.
If my initial agency searches weren't conclusive, I now have a "too many options" situation.
Here’s an alphabetical list of my first findings.
If you’ve had any experience (good or bad) with any of these agencies in the White Desert:
Hello, my husband and I will be in Egypt this coming November. Cairo seems more challenging to explore without a guide, and we’ll be there for 3 full days. Would anyone have the name of a guide?
Thanks!
Hi
It's hard to tell from Maps or anything else whether the road along the Tessaout is fully paved from Amezri all the way to the junction with the road connecting Demnate to Ouarzazate (RN23).
Thanks for your replies!
Herviche
Here’s a first draft for a 14-night itinerary during the Christmas break with two teens. We’re especially fond of hiking (nothing too extreme, though), which is why we’re drawn to the south.
- Marrakech (2 nights)
- Aït Ben Haddou (1 night)
- Dadès (3 nights, though we’re thinking of doing a day trip to the Todra Gorge on one of those days)
- M'hamid (1 night)
- Erg Chigaga (1 night)
- 4 nights to slot in
- Marrakech (2 nights)
Okay, I realize this involves a lot of driving, and we’re still debating the return route since we’d like to avoid the Tichka Pass in January, but going through Taroudant seems like it would add *a lot* of time. 😕
If you’ve got other suggestions for an itinerary with great hikes, I’m all ears!
Also, the 4 nights total in MRK isn’t really our preference, but since we’re arriving/departing super early from overseas, we’d like to be a bit rested before the long flight.
Another question:
For hikes (aside from the desert one), is it better to have a guide with us, or are the trails well-marked?
Hi there!
I’m heading to Dakhla at the end of October for about two weeks as a backpacker.
Without renting a car or booking pricey excursions, what are the best ways to get around and explore?
I’ve heard that the small taxis only cover limited routes outside the city center, and the local buses might be tricky...
Thanks to anyone who knows the area and can share their tips for nature and culture in this up-and-coming destination!
Laurence
Hi, I’m planning a 10-day trip to Morocco starting on 12/30 with my parents, and I’d love your thoughts on the itinerary. Since I’m traveling with my parents, who are 78, I’m trying to keep train rides between cities short. I’d like to start with 4 days in FES (with Meknès nearby), then head to Casablanca for 2 days, and finish with 4 days in Marrakech, including a day trip or overnight stay in Essaouira. Thanks for your input!
During our road trip in Morocco in November/December, we’re planning to spend a night at the Hassilabied dunes around November 10th.
We don’t want to sleep in a camp, go on a camel trek, or do a 4x4 tour—we just want to stay right at the foot of the dunes so we can walk around on our own, on foot, at sunrise and sunset. It seems like Hassilabied is better located for this (closer to the dunes) than Merzouga.
Do you know of any clean accommodation with hot water, not too rustic but not too "bling-bling" either, and—most importantly—ideally located right in front of the dunes?
Thanks so much for your tips!
Fran
Hi, we're looking for a guide to show us around Essaouira.
We're 11 adults and don't want to go through an agency. If you have a contact to help us discover this city, that would be great!
Thanks
We're heading to Egypt in a few days, inspired by many of your travel journals (thanks especially to Franck!).
We’ll spend a short day exploring Cairo before an evening departure, with our luggage in tow. We’re traveling light, but it’s still not very practical...
Does anyone know if baggage storage/lockers are easy to find, and if so, do you have any recommendations?
Thanks!
I’m currently planning several trips to Morocco (Marrakech, Draa Valley, Merzouga) and I’m wondering about the reliability of data connections outside major urban centers.
Here’s what I’ve observed on the ground so far:
- In cities (Marrakech, Agadir, Fez), 4G is excellent, including in the medina riads.
- On the Tizi n'Tichka road and toward Ouarzazate, coverage remains decent, with a few dead spots here and there.
- In Saharan areas (Merzouga, Chegaga), the connection becomes patchy: some camps get great reception, others none at all.
My specific questions:
1) On your recent trips, which operator (Maroc Telecom, inwi, Orange) gave you the best coverage in the Atlas and Sahara?
2) Have international eSIMs seemed as reliable as a local Moroccan SIM, or have you noticed a difference in speed in rural areas?
3) While trekking or driving a 4x4 in the desert, have you come across completely dead zones despite theoretical coverage?
I’m happy to share my own coverage notes if it helps, and I’ll gladly answer any questions about Morocco—I know it well.
I'm looking for a travel companion for a road trip in southern Morocco at the end of March 2027.
Duration: 15 days.
Departure from Marrakech.
Car rental and Airbnb accommodation.
Budget: 1200 €.
Itinerary to plan together
I’m heading back to Egypt for the first time in 30 years this July. Last time, I was 20, and we spent two weeks traveling on a shoestring as backpackers.
I’m wondering about a "cruise" on a felucca from Aswan—mainly to avoid being stuck in an air-conditioned tourist bubble (we’re already spending our first week in that setting with our diving club). We’d like to explore the most interesting stretch of the Nile between Aswan and Luxor. Do you have any thoughts on this option, tips, or maybe some contacts?
I was wondering if it’s possible to join a group as a solo traveler with local agencies in Djanet for circuits like Tadrart, Essendilene, Sefar, or Tassili?
If you have any agencies to recommend, I’d love to hear about them.
I didn’t find any info on the forum.
Best,
Hi everyone,
Our trip to Morocco will be from November 3 to 17, in the High Atlas.
Basically, our route would be:
Marrakech - Aït Benhaddou
Skoura - Tinghir - Merzouga
Merzouga via the N12 to Zagora
Zagora - Draa Valley - Marrakech
It seems to be the low season, so I’d love to travel without having to book accommodations in advance. In other countries, pre-booking has restricted us and kept us from visiting unplanned sites. Freedom is important to us, but I’d also like to avoid arriving somewhere and finding nothing available.
What do you recommend? Book ahead or not?
Your advice is always helpful, and thanks to anyone who can shed some light on this for me.
Roberto
First of all: a big thank you to everyone whose insightful, funny, lively, and exotic posts we’ve enjoyed. It’s a joy to find such lovely writers on this forum, who’ve given me tons of ideas and addresses to prepare our trip.
Our plan: to explore Morocco from November 2nd to December 4th. We’ll have our own vehicle (a 2011 Renault Grand Scenic, in great condition), shipped with us from Sète to Tanger Med. Returning from Nador.
Our profile: 75 and 62 years young, so old but happy to be, in very good health. Seasoned travelers—it’s practically our whole life. Lovers of beautiful landscapes, historic sites, fine craftsmanship, and road trips. This will be my 3rd trip to Morocco, but the first two were 20 and 17 years ago. I’ve never been north of the Essaouira-Marrakech line (though I’ve gone further south). As for my husband, a lifelong expat including in Muslim countries, it’s his first time in Morocco.
He’s the one driving. He’s very experienced, cautious, not necessarily fast, but used to driving in all conditions (and countries, including the most creative on the road). But I don’t want to tire him out, and he no longer drives at night (and we’ll be there in November).
I’ve decided to show him a bit of everything by taking a road trip along beautiful backroads, with daily distances averaging 180-200 km (except on highways, which will be rare), regularly broken up by rest days. I’m counting on a speed of 40-50 km/h, plus stops/visits along the way.
Since I’ve read so many posts, I’ve narrowed it down to some very specific questions.
1) Coming directly from Rabat via the highway, we’d prefer to skip Marrakech*. Still, we’ll need to sleep somewhere nearby. We’ll head toward Skoura the next day. Does anyone have a well-located address for this route, possibly east of Marrakech? Ideally, we’re looking for a small town, easy parking, clean accommodation (minimum) with average comfort (or better if available), a bit heated, and if possible, pretty and/or nice—but above all, a place to sleep well, wash with lukewarm (ideally hot) water, and have a decent dinner.
(*Explanation for the "no-go" in Marrakech: it’s a shame, because there are truly beautiful things in this city, but I think the vibe won’t suit us—it’s an understatement for "it’ll put us off" / "make us flee" / "traumatize us." Not because it’s too crowded and we want to stand out from tourists (we’re part of them), but because of forced henna on your hand, or spending 10 minutes every quarter-hour saying "no thank you" to a "guide" who’s as much a guide as I am a trapeze artist. Knowing us, it’ll wear us down. The country is vast and beautiful, and our time too short to waste our memories just days after arriving. And I don’t want to ruin things for my peaceful husband, or he’ll demand we turn back—and Sète in November isn’t exactly thrilling either.)
2) Which route to Skoura (in 2 days)? I see two options: either via the Tichka Pass, with a night in Telouet before reaching Skoura, or via the R307/N23 from Demnate, with a night near Megdaz before descending to Skoura. So: Tichka Pass or R307/N23? I have a slight (big) preference for the second option, even though I know the other route is very beautiful too. Of course, before deciding, we’ll check the weather and the current state of the R307/N23—does anyone know where to get info on the road conditions? But even assuming the road is "passable," is it a bit too tough in itself? In short, is it reasonable? If a kind soul could share their experience, a thousand thanks in advance.
That’s all I’ve written for now. I’ll save the other questions for later posts. Thanks again to those who had the patience to read this and to those who can respond. Happy Sunday to all!
I’m just a few days away from my trip to Marrakech—I’m leaving from November 13th to 20th and bringing my parents along! I’d love to plan my stay as best as I can, and I’m sure the forum crew can help. So, here are my questions:
- Where’s the best place to exchange money without getting ripped off? The owner of the riad where we’re staying told us to avoid doing it at the airport because it’s really expensive and to do it in the medina instead, near Jemaa el-Fna square.
- Which traditional hammams do you recommend that are reasonably priced? How much should we budget for one? That’ll help me plan my expenses.
- What are some nice restaurants in the medina?
- I’d also like to know roughly how much to expect for a tea, a meal, a taxi, a djellaba, and babouches. I don’t want to get overcharged and would like to know what to expect.
- What are the must-do activities and places to visit?
Hi, I’d like to head to Morocco next week with my car. I’ve looked online at all the different info about the ferry crossing to Tangier, but I’m finding it really expensive. Is there a way to buy tickets in Spain? Or another way to get the Algeciras–Tangier crossing cheaper? Thanks for any tips or info!
We found a guide who offers the trip from M'hamid to a camp (departure at 3 PM, tea, meal, camel ride, overnight stay, breakfast, and return to M'Hamid by 11 AM the next day via the sacred oasis). He quoted us a price of 380 € for April.
What do you think of this rate?
This might sound like a silly question, but is it common to negotiate the price for this kind of thing (we're booking from France)? It’s still a big part of our travel budget.
Hi there,
We're planning to visit Egypt between January 25 and February 15, 2027. I looked up the Ramadan dates and found some sites saying it starts on February 8, while others say February 18... Where's the mistake?
Thanks,
Christian
Hi there,
We’re a family of 4 with two boys aged 12 and 10 traveling to Egypt in February.
We’re spending 3 days in Cairo to take our time exploring the city and the sites before heading south.
-Is it necessary to have a guide to visit the GEM? Are audio guides available?
-Do you have any contacts for drivers to organize a few transfers (Giza, Saqqara, Airport)?
-Do you know a French-speaking guide who’s friendly, family-friendly, and good at making things exciting, with reasonable prices?
With our two teens, we’re heading to Morocco for two weeks at the end of December and beginning of January. It’ll be our first trip that’s more "off the beaten path," even though we’ve visited several countries before. Given the overwhelming amount of info, I’m feeling a bit swamped with the prep this trip requires, and I’ll admit I’m a little lost when it comes to figuring out what’s realistic to visit in two weeks 😕 So, all your tips, personal experiences, and suggestions are more than welcome!
- Which places should we prioritize during this time of year? (I’ve read that some spots are less accessible in winter?)
- What’s the best way to get around? (rental car, train, private transport, buses, etc.? — just a heads-up, we’ll have a few suitcases!)
- In terms of "safety," are there any areas to avoid?
- Any recommendations for reliable local tour companies (beyond the big names like "Get Your Guide") that offer excursions or private transport to help us explore the country?
- A doable 2-week itinerary that lets us enjoy the country’s diversity without having to change accommodations every two days?
I’m planning a trip to the High Atlas in Morocco and have a few questions for you:
- Why do so many people recommend avoiding international agencies for car rentals? Can anyone explain why?
- Is Booking.com reliable, and has anyone rented a vehicle through their service? There’s a pretty big price difference compared to local Moroccan agencies.
- Is there a detailed road map included in the rental car?
- Is Google Maps enough to get around the High Atlas? This will be my first trip there.
Thanks so much to anyone who can help with this destination I’ve been dreaming about for years.
Have a great evening,
Roberto
hi there, I’m heading to Tunisia 🙂 from April 27 to May 8 with my family. I’ve read through the various discussions about the country, but I’m still a bit unsure🤪: for currency exchange, I saw on the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs website that withdrawing currency with a bank card from ATMs is limited to 200 TND per week. There are four of us traveling by car, so that might be a bit tight! And it’s a hassle to carry a lot of cash, even if I’m not being paranoid! What do you all recommend?
Cheers,
Laurent.
We're planning a 2-week trip in late February/early March for a road trip in the High Atlas with a rental car, and we'd love to avoid booking our accommodations in advance. Is that doable, easily manageable, or risky (are accommodations available, expensive, or not great)? Thanks for your tips!
Annie
