From Hurghada
Luxor Day Trip by Bus
Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut in one long day, with an Egyptologist guide.
About 15 hoursfrom€65
Wherever you are staying in Egypt, there is a day out worth taking. On the Red Sea coast that means islands, reefs, dolphins and desert safaris. In Sinai it is Ras Mohammed, the mountains and the Blue Hole. And in the Nile Valley it is the Pyramids of Giza, the temples of Luxor and the quiet beauty of Aswan.
Pick the resort where you are staying or the city you want to see. Each destination below lists our most booked excursions with the current starting price, and every trip includes pickup from your hotel.
If you only have time for a few trips, start here. These six Egypt excursions cover the reefs, the desert and the great sites of the pharaohs, with the current starting price per adult.
Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut in one long day, with an Egyptologist guide.
The Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the new Grand Egyptian Museum on a day trip by bus.
Snorkel the coral walls of Egypt's most famous marine park and swim off the white sandbank.
A full day on white sandbanks and shallow turquoise lagoons in the far south of the Red Sea.
A family boat day with snorkel stops and time on the beach at Orange Bay on Giftun island.
Float over the West Bank at sunrise, then see the temples and tombs at an easy pace.
Egypt excursions fall into three groups: days on the Red Sea, desert safaris, and trips to the historic sites of the Nile Valley. Most visitors combine one of each. Here is how to decide, based on where you are staying and how much time you have.
Every resort on the coast runs boat trips. From Hurghada, Makadi Bay and Sahl Hasheesh the favourites are Orange Bay and Paradise Island, where you snorkel on the reef and then spend a few hours on a white beach. In the south, the reefs are wilder: the Marsa Alam excursions go to the Hamata islands and to Samadai reef, where wild spinner dolphins rest in the lagoon. In Sinai, the boat trip everyone talks about is Ras Mohammed National Park, close to Sharm El Sheikh.
The desert starts right behind the hotels. A safari usually means a quad bike or jeep ride into the mountains, a stop at a Bedouin camp for tea, and dinner as the sun goes down. Afternoon safaris are cooler and end with the best light of the day. Super Safari trips from Hurghada start at €30 and include hotel pickup.
The two most popular Egypt day tours from the coast are Luxor and Cairo. In Luxor you see Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut, all part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Ancient Thebes. In Cairo you stand in front of the Pyramids of Giza, part of the Memphis and its Necropolis site, and walk through the Grand Egyptian Museum. Both are long days that leave before sunrise, so a Luxor tour or a Cairo tour works best in the middle of your holiday, not the day before your flight.
If one day is not enough, stay overnight. A 2-day Luxor tour lets you add a hot air balloon ride at sunrise. In the far south, Aswan tours take you to Philae Temple and Abu Simbel, both part of the Nubian Monuments. A Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, from €580 for five days, is the slowest and most relaxing way to see the temples in between.
Group trips by bus are the best value and run every day. Small-group trips by minivan, for up to eight guests, are quicker and more personal. Private tours give you your own car, driver and guide, and you decide when to leave and how long to stay at each site. For families with young children, a private Luxor or Cairo trip is often worth the difference.
| Season | Red Sea trips | Luxor & Cairo |
|---|---|---|
| October to April | Sunny days, cooler water in mid-winter | The most comfortable months for sightseeing |
| May to September | Hot days and the warmest water of the year | Very hot in the afternoon, so trips start early |
Book your Luxor or Cairo trip for the first half of your stay. If something changes, there is still time to move it to another day.
From El Gouna in the north to Port Ghalib in the south, the Red Sea coast is where most visitors stay. Every resort has its own boat trips and desert safaris, and Luxor and Cairo are within a day's reach from all of them.
The biggest resort on the Red Sea and the easiest base for day trips. Boats leave every morning for Orange Bay and the Giftun islands, the desert starts at the edge of town, and Luxor and Cairo are both within a day's reach.
A lagoon town north of Hurghada, built around canals, a marina and small hotels. Boat trips leave from the marina, and the desert and Luxor trips pick you up at your door.
A quiet bay south of Hurghada with sheltered water and big family resorts. Short island trips, dolphins and an easy Luxor day trip are the favourites here.
An upscale bay just south of Hurghada, with a long seafront promenade and clear water off the hotel piers. It is a short drive to the Hurghada marina for the island and snorkeling trips.
A peninsula of large resorts between Hurghada and Safaga, known for its steady wind, kitesurfing and golf. Our excursions pick you up at the resort for Luxor, Cairo and the boat trips.
A working port town with quiet beaches and some of the best wall reefs south of Hurghada. The road to Luxor starts here, so the Nile Valley is an easy day out.
One of the oldest ports on the Red Sea, with an Ottoman fortress and a small old town. The hotels here sit on reefs you can snorkel straight from the beach, and the desert and Luxor trips pick you up at your hotel.
All El Quseir excursions →The wild south of the coast, with empty beaches, turtles at Abu Dabbab and wild dolphins at Samadai reef. The Hamata islands are a full day out and worth every minute.
A marina town north of Marsa Alam, a few minutes from the airport. Boats leave from here for Sataya reef, Marsa Mubarak and the southern islands.
The Sinai peninsula pairs some of the best reefs in the Red Sea with high desert mountains. Sharm El Sheikh is the main base, and the quieter towns along the Gulf of Aqaba are made for divers, hikers and anyone who wants a slower pace.
The tip of the Sinai, between Ras Mohammed National Park and the mountains. Snorkel the coral walls, ride a quad into the desert, or take the ferry across the gulf to Petra in Jordan.
A laid-back Sinai town north of Sharm, known for the Blue Hole and a seafront lined with cafés. Good for divers and snorkelers, and a starting point for desert trips and the night climb of Mount Sinai.
All Dahab excursions →A quiet stretch of beach on the Gulf of Aqaba, with Bedouin camps and the ferry port to Jordan. A good base for the Coloured Canyon and for simple, unhurried days by the sea.
All Nuweiba excursions →The northern tip of the Sinai, facing Jordan across the Gulf of Aqaba. Close to Pharaoh's Island with its old fortress and to the Coloured Canyon.
All Taba excursions →This is the Egypt of the pharaohs: the Pyramids of Giza, the temples and tombs of Luxor, Philae and Abu Simbel in the south, and Greek and Roman Alexandria on the Mediterranean. Visit on a day trip from the coast or stay a few days and go deeper.
The Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx and the new Grand Egyptian Museum, in a city of mosques, markets and the Nile. Reach it on a long day trip from the Red Sea, or use it as a base for Alexandria and Abu Simbel.
More temples and tombs than anywhere else in Egypt: Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings and the West Bank. See it on a day trip, from a hot air balloon at sunrise, or from the deck of a Nile cruise to Aswan.
The far south, where the Nile is at its prettiest: Philae Temple, the High Dam, Nubian villages and felucca rides. The great temples of Abu Simbel are a morning's drive further south.
Egypt's Mediterranean city, founded by Alexander the Great. Walk the Corniche to the Qaitbay Citadel, go down into the catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa and visit the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Most guests come on a full day from Cairo.
All Alexandria tours →All 17 destinations side by side: the region, the airport you fly into, what each place is best for, and the lowest price of an excursion from there.
| Destination | Region | Nearest airport | Best for | Excursions from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hurghada | Red Sea | Hurghada (HRG) | First-time visitors, island trips, day trips to Luxor and Cairo | €17 |
| El Gouna | Red Sea | Hurghada (HRG) | Couples, lagoons, marina life, kitesurfing | €20 |
| Makadi Bay | Red Sea | Hurghada (HRG) | Families, calm water, short island trips | €20 |
| Sahl Hasheesh | Red Sea | Hurghada (HRG) | Quiet luxury, snorkeling off the piers | €25 |
| Soma Bay | Red Sea | Hurghada (HRG) | Kitesurfing, golf, all-inclusive resorts | €35 |
| Safaga | Red Sea | Hurghada (HRG) | Diving, quiet beaches, easy Luxor trips | €25 |
| El Quseir | Red Sea | Hurghada (HRG) or Marsa Alam (RMF) | House reefs, history, a slower pace | — |
| Marsa Alam | Red Sea | Marsa Alam (RMF) | Turtles, wild dolphins, diving | €35 |
| Port Ghalib | Red Sea | Marsa Alam (RMF) | Marina stays, Sataya dolphin reef | €35 |
| Sharm El Sheikh | Sinai | Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) | Ras Mohammed, Mount Sinai, Petra | €18 |
| Dahab | Sinai | Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) | Blue Hole, diving, relaxed pace | — |
| Nuweiba | Sinai | Sharm El Sheikh (SSH) or Taba (TCP) | Bedouin camps, Coloured Canyon | — |
| Taba | Sinai | Taba (TCP) | Gulf of Aqaba views, Pharaoh's Island | — |
| Cairo | Nile Valley | Cairo (CAI) | Pyramids of Giza, Grand Egyptian Museum | €75 |
| Luxor | Nile Valley | Luxor (LXR) | Temples, Valley of the Kings, balloon rides | €65 |
| Aswan | Nile Valley | Aswan (ASW) | Philae, Abu Simbel, Nile cruises | €300 |
| Alexandria | Mediterranean | Alexandria (HBE) | Greek and Roman history, the sea front | €75 |
Prices are starting prices per adult for an excursion from that destination. A dash means the price is on the destination page.
Short answers from our team in Hurghada.
For most first-time visitors, Hurghada is the easiest choice. It has the widest range of hotels and excursions, the boat trips to the islands are short, and both Luxor and Cairo can be done as day trips. If you mainly want reefs and quiet beaches, Marsa Alam is the better pick. If Ras Mohammed and Mount Sinai are on your list, choose Sharm El Sheikh. See all Hurghada excursions.
Yes, from every resort on the coast. A Luxor day trip by bus from Hurghada starts at €65 and covers Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut. A Cairo day trip by bus from Hurghada starts at €80 and includes the Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum. Both are long days that start early in the morning. From Marsa Alam, Luxor by bus starts at €90. See all Luxor tours and Cairo tours.
For coral reefs, Ras Mohammed near Sharm El Sheikh and the Hamata islands south of Marsa Alam are the two standouts. For wild dolphins, the best spots are Samadai reef (the Dolphin House) near Marsa Alam and Sataya reef, which you reach by boat from Port Ghalib. From Hurghada and Makadi Bay, the island trips to Orange Bay, Paradise Island and Hula Hula combine snorkeling with a beach day. See our Marsa Alam excursions and Sharm El Sheikh excursions.
Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh and Hurghada work best for families: calm water, short transfers and plenty of half-day trips. Children usually love the semi-submarine, which starts at €17 in Hurghada, the island beach days and the Grand Aquarium. Luxor and Cairo mean many hours on the road, so they suit older children better. See our Makadi Bay excursions.
Short trips start low: a semi-submarine in Hurghada from €17, Ras Mohammed by bus from Sharm El Sheikh from €18, and quad biking from €20. Full-day boat trips to the islands cost €30 to €85, Luxor day trips from the coast €65 to €90, and multi-day trips more, such as a 5-day Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan from €580. Prices are per adult, and hotel pickup is included.
Yes. Every excursion on our site includes pickup and drop-off at your hotel in the destination you book from. If your hotel is far from the town centre, the pickup time is simply earlier, and we confirm it with you before the trip.
Send us your hotel name, the date and the number of adults and children on WhatsApp at +20 120 290 5255. We confirm availability and your pickup time. There is no deposit to pay, and you pay on the day of the trip.
Tell us where you are staying and what you like. We will suggest the best trips for your dates.
