Title: Planning my first 10-day trip to Egypt Need advice on itinerary, guides

Hi, My partner and I are planning our very first trip to Egypt for 10 days later this year, and while we are super excited, we’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the logistics!


Here is our rough idea for the itinerary so far:


Days 1–3: Cairo (Pyramids, Egyptian Museum, Khan el-Khalili)


Days 4–7: Fly to Aswan, take a Nile Cruise down to Luxor


Days 8–10: Luxor highlights (Valley of the Kings, Karnak), then head back to Cairo for departure


Before we lock anything in, I’d love to get some real advice from people who have been there recently:


1. Guided Tour vs. Private Guide vs. DIY:* Is it easy to explore places like Luxor and Aswan independently, or should we definitely hire a private guide/driver for each city? We prefer flexibility over big group tours.


2. Nile Cruise:* Is the Nile Cruise actually worth it for 3–4 nights, or would we save time and get a better experience by staying in hotels and taking a felucca ride instead?


3. Budgeting & Tipping (Baksheesh):* What is the practical etiquette for tipping day-to-day? How much cash (EGP vs. USD) should we realistically carry on us for small tips and local markets?


4. Safety & Hassle:* We've read mixed reviews about aggressive street vendors and taxi drivers. What are your top tips for keeping hassle to a minimum so we can enjoy the trip?


Any hotel recommendations, food spots, or hidden gems in Cairo and Luxor would also be greatly appreciated!


Thanks in advance for your help!

Places to Visit: Giza Pyramids & Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), Salah El-Din Citadel, and Khan el-Khalili Market.


Tip: Use Uber instead of haggling over taxi fares for city transportation.


Days 4–7: Nile Cruise (Aswan → Luxor)


Places to Visit: Domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan. Temple of Philae, (optional) Temple of Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, and Edfu, then take a Nile Cruise to Luxor.


Luxor: Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak and Luxor Temples.


Days 8–10: Red Sea (Hurghada) or Alexandria


Rest: Travel by road from Luxor to Hurghada for snorkeling/diving and relaxation in the Red Sea, or return to Cairo for a day trip to Alexandria.

The hotels are terrible. I went and saw for myself. It was a bad experience.

It's cold inside the pyramids, you might catch a cold.😁