Okay, about a month delayed on this blog post, and it definitely feels surreal that it’s already February 2026, but wanted to do justice to our brothers trip in December 2025 to Egypt!! This was a super spontaneous trip because Shawn and I had booked Antarctica with plans to go to Chile before hand, stargazing in the Atacama, exploring Santiago, then Punta Arenas to board a flight to the Antarctic continent. And then… the cruise was canceled due to the ship needing mechanical repairs one week before it started, and just two days before our flights to Chile!!
We had already mentally planned for the time off and gotten it squared away with our respective work, and we still wanted to do a brothers trip, so we locked in a next-best option that we could mutually agree on, which is how we settled on Egypt. Shawn is a huge history buff, and I’ve always been curious about Egypt in general.
We arrived in Cairo on December 19 and left on December 29 and packed in museums, temples, a Nile cruise, and yes, going inside the Great Pyramid. This was also our first brothers trip in 10 years (the first was when we went to Europe together as Shawn had just graduated undergrad and I was about to start). Here’s what we did, what I’d do again, and what I’d skip.The trip logistics (our exact itinerary)
Our 10 day itinerary
- 12/19 Arrive Cairo after a 24 hr flight → hotel
- 12/20 National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (real mummies!)
- 12/21 Pyramids of Giza + Sphinx + Grand Egyptian Museum
- 12/22 Fly to Aswan → Philae Temple → check into Nile Cruise
- 12/23 Abu Simbel + Kom Ombo Temple
- 12/24 Edfu Temple + Luxor Temple
- 12/25 Check out of boat → Valley of the Kings + Hatshepsut + Colossi of Memnon + Karnak → hotel in Luxor
- 12/26 Fly back to Cairo, free day
- 12/27 Alexandria day trip → back to Cairo
- 12/28 Memphis + Saqqara
- 12/29 Depart
I feel like 10 days is probably longer than average, we packed in a lot during that time and it still felt super fast-paced. Multiple wakeups before 7am, a lot of shuttles, drives, planes, and boat rides, and a LOT of history. By the end, I definitely started getting temple fatigue. The pictures might be a bit out of order due to that 🙂.
Where we stayed (and what I’d change)
Cairo: Helnan Dream Hotel (Sixth of October City)
We stayed at Helnan Dream Hotel & Conference Center. It was fine — modern-ish facilities, near Mall of Egypt, and in a newer area (Sixth of October) that felt more spacious than central Cairo. But: it’s out of the way. It felt like we were 30 minutes from Giza attractions and not really in “Cairo.” And because we’re foreigners, getting Ubers wasn’t always smooth — sometimes you get upcharged, sometimes it’s just annoying.
Where to stay in Cairo depends on what you value
- Want Pyramids + museums convenience → stay closer to Giza
- Want the urban center → stay in central Cairo neighborhoods
- Want something more modern / spread out → Sixth of October or New Cairo can work, just accept the commute (and plan transport)
Nile Cruise: M/S Jaz Crown Emperor
No complaints. Rooms are a little cramped (as expected), but you’re not there to hang out indoors. The dining area and rooftop were great “between activities” zones, and sunsets on the top deck were a core memory.
Luxor: Sonesta St. George
Very nice hotel… and we basically just slept there. Luxor felt less dense than Cairo and we didn’t really venture out; we were tired and a bit nervous about making it back smoothly without knowing the language.
Cairo highlights
⭐National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (mummies!)
I think this is now the main place to see real mummies in Cairo since major exhibits have been moved to the brand new Grand Egyptian Museum. It’s worth it alone to see a real mummy. Some even still had hair, teeth, and nails.
⭐Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)
A must-see. This is where the scale and chronology starts to click. If you only have time for one “big museum” moment, make it this. This has the full King Tut exhibit and is ‘fully open’ after being partially open to the public for years.
⭐Pyramids of Giza (and camel riding)
This was my personal favorite of the trip: riding camels with the pyramids in the background feels like you’re in a movie. It sounds touristy, but it’s also so cool. We did end up paying a bit extra to go inside the pyramid of Khufu. It’s a tight, narrow, and hot walkway that goes to the center of the pyramid. It’s definitely a bit claustrophobic but honestly I think the novelty was worth it.
Aswan + the start of the Nile Cruise
Philae Temple
We were supposed to do this in the day, but our flight was delayed, so it became a nighttime visit. The temple itself is cool but the nighttime “show” felt a bit kitschy to me. I’d rather see it in daylight.
Abu Simbel
We woke up at 4am for Abu Simbel. It’s about a 3-hour drive out, and it’s a long day, but I’d still recommend it. The temple is massive, carved into rock, and feels almost Jordan-like in the “built into the cliff face” way. It was one of the most memorable temples for me because the scale is immediate and distinct.
Edfu, Kom Ombo, Luxor
Somewhere around Kom Ombo / Edfu, I started getting really tired in my back and feet, and the temples were blending together; it was hard to keep all the pharaohs who decided to create it in mind, and remember every god or goddess that the temple was dedicated to. Every site is thousands of years old and not shown chronologically, so it’s hard to keep track of “what made this one unique”
There are plenty of ‘do-nothing’ periods, since some temples or sites are just half-day activities, so there should be plenty of rest, but you may want to explicitly understand when you’ll have a 6 hour excursion one day followed by 6 hours of rest, or what the exact schedule is per day just so you know what to expect.
Luxor
⭐Valley of the Kings + Hatshepsut Temple
These were awesome. Valley of the Kings is a series of tombs for major pharoahs, and is really interesting to observe just how much went into their belief of the afterlife. Hatshepsut Temple also stands out. She was a major female pharoah that ruled and the site is distinctly dedicated to her reign.
Your standard Valley of the Kings ticket includes 3 tombs. Ask your guide what to prioritize or look up which ones you personally care about. If there’s an extra-ticket tomb you really want, plan for it.
Karnak Temple
Huge. This is one of the ones that doesn’t blur as easily because it’s just so massive.
Colossi of Memnon
Skippable. We stopped, we looked, and… that was it. They’re very worn down and didn’t stick with me.
Alexandria: I’d skip
We drove 3 hours each way to Alexandria. The Mediterranean was beautiful, but in terms of “things I’d tell a friend they must do,” this wasn’t it. Even the “Library of Alexandria” isn’t really a historical site you can visit — the original location is unknown, and the modern library felt like… a modern library. If you’re limited on time or energy, use Alexandria as your cut.
Memphis + Saqqara: one skip, one keep
Memphis
Skippable. It’s historically important (old capital), but it didn’t feel additive after everything else.
⭐Saqqara
Worth it. Seeing the step pyramid / early pyramid forms was interesting because you can visually understand the evolution toward the “classic” pyramids. It’s also only about an hour outside Cairo, so the logistics aren’t brutal.
What we ate (and a few recs)
One of the best parts of this trip was meeting up with my coworker Ahmed in Cairo. Having a local recommend choices at the restaurant is always appreciated!
⭐ Zeeyara Pyramids Elite
Phenomenal. Great service, great food, and the view actually delivered. I would definitely recommend this to anyone in Cairo for a great view of the pyramids + good food.
The Moghul Room (Marriott Mena House)
Supposedly some of the best Indian food in Cairo. But we were inside, so the nighttime pyramid view was barely there. I’d recommend it for food, not for the advertised view (Mena House outside does have a great view, but its a different restaurant).
Ahmed also introduced us to a bunch of traditional foods:
- Kofta
- Molokhia
- Pigeon
- Lentil soup
- Tea with mint
Practical tips for Egypt
- Carry cash for baksheesh (tips). Small bills matter. Even $1–$10 equivalents go a long way, and you scale up for day-long guides/drivers. I had to withdraw more cash mid-trip because I underestimated this.
- Expect tourist upcharging. It’s constant. Keep your wits about you and don’t feel bad saying no.
- Guides matter a LOT. Our Cairo experiences were solid, but outside Cairo, the guides were pleasant and friendly but not very strong on English and historical accuracy. We ended up looking things up afterward to validate facts.
- Tour company tradeoff: We used Look At Egypt. They were “middle of the road” price-wise ($5,699 for two), and the organization was undeniably helpful (e.g., 4am drivers to remote sites). But in hindsight, the premium for coordination is large relative to actual local costs for tickets, food, and hotels. You get what you pay for — be clear what you value (comfort, accuracy, luxury, flexibility).
- Shopping stops are often kickback-driven. Every guide will bring you to a “low pressure” store for restrooms/rest. It’s almost never special. Haggle hard if you want something (you can often go below half the first price), and don’t let politeness trap you.
- eSIM worked fine: I used Airalo and had no issues.
- Pacing: Egypt is exhausting. Personally I would try to add buffer time for rest.
- Safety: We felt safe overall. I’ll also acknowledge that it was me and Shawn traveling as two men, which changes the experience. That said, we saw women traveling solo and in groups even in Luxor/Aswan, and we didn’t feel like we were in danger.
Cost / value
- Tour package: $5,699 for two people (Look At Egypt)
- Biggest extra costs for us:
- Meals not included (outside hotels / cruise dining)
- Baksheesh (more than expected)
- A few small souvenirs (spices for kofta, essential oils, small stone sculptures)
Final thoughts
If you love history and culture, Egypt is hard to replicate. The bulk of the value is standing in the historical arc of civilization — museums, tombs, temples, the Nile, and seeing how geography literally supported a world.
If you’re looking for a trip that’s primarily first-world luxury, fine dining, or highly urban experiences, I’d probably choose a different destination.
Most of all, I’m grateful Shawn and I got to do this together. Our first brothers trip in 10 years, and somehow we ended up riding camels next to the pyramids and watching the sun set over the Nile. Not a bad pivot at all.