GaffaUK

Hi - for reasons partially to do with budget, availability and time, I have booked 14 nights in Luxor over Christmas - (19th Dec-2nd Jan).

Can anyone suggest an itinerary?

Especially interested in how practical is it to see Cairo and the Pyramids from a Luxor base. I believe the train can take 10+ hours whilst a flight is 1 hour. Would it be best to fly, see the Pyramids, stay overnight, see Cairo and fly back to Luxor?

Any help much appreciated

Where2Travel

I am curious why you want to spend all the time in Luxor? Is the accommodation in Luxor included in your package and not changeable?

You have the perfect length of time to see plenty of Cairo, the Nile and Aswan as well as Luxor but this is not all practical from a Luxor base.

You can do that Cairo overnight trip but I don't know the cost. There's a lot more to see in Cairo than just the Pyramids so with a 2-week trip it would be good if you could extend your stay there a bit longer.

sandi

How / Why did you book 14-nts in Luxor? No space in Cairo? All Nile Cruise boats booked? Can't get to Abu Simbel or Aswan?

Luxor certainly can use two or three days if you have the time - visit to Luxor and Karnak Temples in town, over to the West bank and the Valley or Kings & Queens. What were you planning to do with your 14-days?

I'm sure some Nile Cruise boats are available to cruise between Luxor and Aswan, but that can be a 3nt/4dy or 4nt/5dy cruise when you don't need your hotel in Luxor. You would end in Aswan where you can spend a night, next day fly down to Abu Simbel for a few hours or an overnight - again nights you don't need in Luxor.

Cairo sure requires more than just the Pyramids and Sphinx - 3-days at minimum.

You mention budget concerns. Okay, what are the restrictions and if in Luxor where are you staying and what/how do you plan to get about, see sights, etc.

GaffaUK

Ok the long story...

The dates I needed to go was between 17th Dec and 2nd Jan as I have a work deadline on 16th Dec and cannot afford (in terms of time)to take 2 weeks off in Jan. However needed a break.

So after not getting very far on the net - went into a travel agency and asked for somewhere hot between these dates for under £800 each for my partner and I.

The first place that came up was Sharm el Sheikh which seemed a nice place to chill out for a fortnight. Cost was about £500 each.

My gf wanted to be closer to the sites so decided to go for the 2 week package holiday at Luxor at a 4 star hotel which we have now booked - costs around £800 (flight + B&B) which seemed a good deal over xmas.

Otherwise a Cruise would have cost twice as much and broke our budget.

So the plan is to have a mix of history and relaxing. Whilst I realise we cannot do a whistlestop tour of Egypt (there is always next time) I was wondering if anybody had any tips to places see from a Luxor base.

hastern01

I'd recommend taking the overnight train from Luxor to Cairo (www.sleepingtrains.com). It is about $50/person for a private sleeping cabin for 2 people. I'd recommend arranging for a driver to pick you up at the train station in Cairo and take you to the three pyramid sights. This will give you more than enough time to explore the Pyramids before getting back on the sleeping train for Luxor. I think the last one leaves Cairo around 8:30. If you just did Giza, you could also probably fit in some other Cairo sites and/or a bit of time in the Egypt Museum. Alternatively, I'd do the sleeping train up, see the Pyramids, maybe spend 1 night at a hotel in Cairo so you could see the Citadel, Coptic Cairo and the Egypt Museum, and then return to Luxor on the third night.