Temples, then the coast
Nile cruise and a week on the Red Sea
The temples first, then a week on the Red Sea. A combination German and Italian travellers book heavily.
About these trips
Nile and Red Sea trips at a glance
Six days of ruins is a lot, particularly with children. Adding a week on the Red Sea at Hurghada or Marsa Alam turns a demanding cultural trip into a holiday, and the transfer from Luxor is only about four hours.
Two weeks is the usual length: Cairo, a cruise, then seven nights on the coast with a direct flight home from Hurghada.
Why the Red Sea works after the temples
Temple days are long and hot. You walk on stone from eight in the morning. By day six most people have had enough history.
The Red Sea fixes that. You fly Luxor to Hurghada in under an hour, or drive it in four. Then the trip changes gear completely.
The water stays warm year-round. Reefs sit close to shore, so snorkelling needs no boat and no licence. Divers get wrecks and walls within a short ride.
Choosing between Hurghada and Marsa Alam
Hurghada has the flights, the restaurants and the shorter transfer from Luxor. It also has the crowds.
Marsa Alam sits three hours further south. Fewer hotels, better reefs, and a real chance of swimming with dugongs at Marsa Mubarak.
El Gouna splits the difference. It is a built resort town rather than a strip, and it suits families who want to walk somewhere in the evening.
Official sources
Entry rules, opening hours, security advice and exchange rates all move. Check them at the source, not here.
- Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities ↗The ministry lists which tombs and temples currently open.
- UK FCDO travel advice for Egypt ↗It updates continuously, and most UK travel insurance follows it.