Tour 02 · 5 days
Historic Cairo: 5-day private tour
Five days to discover four thousand years of civilisation: private, in depth and unforgettable.
Historic Cairo is a 5-day private city trip by Egypt Travel Planner with four hotel nights in Cairo, the pyramids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Saqqara, Dahshur and Islamic Cairo, from €1,195 per person sharing a double room, including a private English-speaking Egyptologist and all transfers.
About this tour
Historic Cairo
Cairo is not a city you understand in a day. In five days we build a trip that starts at the very beginning, with the first pharaohs and the oldest pyramids in the world, and ends among the medieval layers of Islamic Cairo. Every day a private English-speaking Egyptologist is at your side, telling the stories no guidebook knows. No groups, no rush. Just you, your own driver and one of the oldest civilisations on earth.
The route
Your route on the map.
This is how the stops on this tour relate to each other. The dotted line follows the order of the programme. All transport along the way is arranged for you.
- CairoDay 1-5
- GizaDay 2
- SaqqaraDay 3
Itinerary
Day by day.
Every itinerary is a proposal. Your pace, your interests, your trip: this is the base we build on.
Arrival & the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
Transfer from the airport to your hotel. After a short rest we visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC): not the busiest museum in Egypt, but perhaps the most impressive. The hall of the royal mummies speaks for itself. The evening is free for a first impression of the city.
The pyramids & the Grand Egyptian Museum
The early morning belongs to the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, at the quietest time of day. If you wish, you can go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu (separate ticket, not included). In the afternoon: the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), home to the complete Tutankhamun collection and thousands of objects never exhibited before. The museum is vast, and with a private guide you go straight to the galleries that interest you most.
The oldest pyramid in the world
Memphis was the capital of Egypt for a thousand years. Saqqara holds the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest stone pyramid on earth. Dahshur offers the Red Pyramid and the Bent Pyramid: magnificent, and almost without tourists. A day for those who want to dig deeper than Giza alone.
Citadel, Coptic Cairo & Khan el-Khalili
The Citadel of Saladin, with its sweeping view over the city. The early Christian churches of Coptic Cairo, some more than 1,800 years old. And to finish: the living chaos of the bazaars of Khan el-Khalili. Three worlds in one day, but never rushed.
Free morning & departure
A free morning for a last coffee in a Cairo café, a quiet walk through a neighbourhood you have not yet seen, or a visit to a local market. Transfer to the airport in good time for your flight.
Clear about what you get
Included & not included.
Included in the tour
- Private transport throughout the trip (airport, hotel, excursions)
- Private English-speaking Egyptologist as your guide on all excursions
- 4 nights in a selected boutique or luxury hotel (4 or 5 star), breakfast included
- Entrance fees for all monuments, temples and museums in the programme
- All transfers, including airport transfers on day 1 and day 5
- Your personal contact at Egypt Travel Planner is easy to reach throughout your trip
Not included
- International flights to and from Cairo
- Travel insurance (we recommend cancellation and medical cover)
- Lunches, dinners and drinks (unless stated otherwise)
- Personal expenses and souvenirs
- Tips for your guide, driver and local staff
- Optional tickets, such as the interior of the Great Pyramid
- Egyptian visa, easy to apply for online; we help you with it
Extensions
Optional additions.
Give your trip an extra dimension. All options are planned on request and woven seamlessly into the programme.
- Nile dinner cruise from Cairo (can be added on day 2 or day 4)
- Day trip to Alexandria: Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Citadel of Qaitbay (+1 day)
- Bahariya Oasis & the Black and White Desert (+2 days, 1 night in a desert camp)
- Extended stay at the Red Sea: Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh (+3 to 5 nights)
- Interior of the Great Pyramid of Khufu (separate ticket, on request)
- Hot-air balloon flight over the pyramids at sunrise
Why Egypt Travel Planner
Planned for you.
Not for a crowd.
No off-the-shelf tour: we plan every route for you alone, with your own driver and your own Egyptologist.
Private Egyptologists as your guides
No group tour, no compromises. You travel with a certified, English-speaking Egyptologist who tells the stories that match your interests.
Fully tailor-made
Every day in this programme is a proposal, not an obligation. Pace, hotels and excursions are adapted entirely to you.
One personal contact
From your first question until your flight home, the same person looks after you and is easy to reach. No call centres, no delays.
Financially protected
Your trip is covered by VZR Garant and the Dutch Calamity Fund, the statutory guarantee schemes of a European tour operator. You book with financial certainty.
Lars Janssen
Founder & Egypt travel specialist
Your personal travel planner
Lars plans this trip personally.
Lars knows the route, the hotels and the people on the ground. He puts your trip together himself and stays in direct contact while you travel. Ask your question and you will always get a personal answer.
“The service is excellent; we got quick answers to changes even though we booked shortly before departure, and the price was lower than with other providers. Lars thinks along with you and comes up with good alternatives. We had a wonderful trip.”
“Everything was perfectly organised from start to finish! A fantastic travel company, they were very helpful and everything was open for discussion. We are coming back next year. Highly recommended.”
These reviews come from the Google profile of Origins Travel Group, the company behind Egypt Travel Planner, and are translated from Dutch. So far they are about our tours in Oman. The same team plans your trip to Egypt. We show a selection. Read all reviews on Google.
Read all 36 reviews on GoogleFrequently asked questions
Got a question?
Is five days enough for Cairo?
Yes, five days is enough for the pyramids, the two great museums and Islamic and Coptic Cairo. With a private guide you lose no time to waiting or poor timing. If you also want to see Luxor, Aswan or the Red Sea, our 10-day or 14-day routes are the better choice.
What is the best way to get around Cairo?
With a private driver. On this trip you travel every stretch in your own air-conditioned car, from the airport transfer to the excursions to Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur. Traffic in Cairo is dense and confusing, and we advise against hiring a car. Your driver knows the shortcuts and the best times of day, and your Egyptologist plans the days so that you spend as little time as possible in traffic.
When is the best time to visit Cairo?
October to April are the most pleasant months, with temperatures between 15 and 28°C (59 to 82°F), dry air and clear light. In summer we schedule the pyramids early in the morning and the museums in the afternoon. Read more in our guide to the best time to visit Egypt.
Is Cairo safe for tourists?
Yes. Cairo has welcomed millions of visitors a year for decades. With private transport and your own guide you move through the city in a way that is both safe and rewarding: your guide knows the right routes, times and places, and you are never on your own for transfers. Read more in Is Egypt safe?.
Can I see the Grand Egyptian Museum in one day?
Yes, you can see the highlights of the GEM in an afternoon, including the complete Tutankhamun collection. The GEM is the largest museum in the world devoted to ancient Egypt, and a full tour would easily take a whole day. With your private guide you choose beforehand the galleries that match your pace and interests, so you never walk around exhausted.
How does booking work?
You send us an enquiry through the contact form or by WhatsApp. Within one working day Lars gets back to you with a few practical questions about your wishes, travel dates and budget. You then receive a day-by-day route proposal, followed by a trip proposal with hotels and price. Nothing is booked until you agree.
Other routes
Discover more routes.
Read on
Practical information for this tour.
Is Egypt safe?
An honest assessment of the current situation for culture travellers, with practical advice.
Tipping in Egypt
How much to tip your guide, driver, hotel staff and on a Nile cruise, and whether to use euros, dollars or pounds.
Egypt visa
E-visa, visa on arrival, cost and validity: everything for a smooth entry.
Best time to visit Egypt
Month by month: when Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea are at their most comfortable.
Ready to start?
Let's talk about your Historic Cairo trip.
Tell us what you are looking for. We will think along on route, duration, hotels, guides and budget, with no obligation. No standard tour, no commitment. Just a conversation.
Reply within one working day · No obligation · VZR Garant & Calamity Fund