The best places to visit in Egypt are the Giza Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Luxor’s temples and tombs, Aswan and Abu Simbel. Egypt has 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites, and most first trips combine Cairo, Luxor and Aswan in 7 to 8 days. With more time, add a Nile cruise, Alexandria, the Red Sea or the Western Desert.
Key Takeaways
- Egypt has 7 UNESCO World Heritage sites: Memphis and its Necropolis (1979), Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (1979), the Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae (1979), Historic Cairo (1979), Abu Mena (1979), Saint Catherine Area (2002) and Wadi Al-Hitan (2005).
- There is no separate “Pyramids of Giza” listing: the Giza pyramids are covered by the Memphis and its Necropolis inscription, and Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings by Ancient Thebes.
- Egypt Top Tours’ 7-day and 8-day Nile packages cover Cairo, Aswan and Luxor with domestic flights; the package pages list October–April as the best season.
- The Royal Mummies are at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Fustat, not at the Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square.
15 top places to visit in Egypt
“Time to allow” is our suggestion for a typical visit, not an official figure. Places marked UNESCO are World Heritage sites (inscription year in brackets).
| # | Place | Region | UNESCO | Why go | Time to allow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx | Cairo / Giza | Yes: Memphis and its Necropolis (1979) | The pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and the Sphinx on the Giza Plateau | Half to full day |
| 2 | Grand Egyptian Museum | Giza | No | Home of the Tutankhamun galleries; tickets must be booked online for a timed slot | Half day |
| 3 | Egyptian Museum and NMEC | Cairo | No | The classic Tahrir Square museum; NMEC displays the Royal Mummies (17 kings and 3 queens) | Half day each |
| 4 | Khan El Khalili and Coptic Cairo | Cairo | Historic Cairo (1979) | The bazaar, old churches and the historic quarters of the city | Half day |
| 5 | Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur | Near Cairo | Yes: Memphis and its Necropolis (1979) | Home of the Step Pyramid of Djoser and early pyramid-building sites | Half to full day |
| 6 | Karnak Temple | Luxor, East Bank | Yes: Ancient Thebes (1979) | A vast temple complex of courtyards, columns and obelisks | Half day |
| 7 | Luxor Temple | Luxor, East Bank | Yes: Ancient Thebes (1979) | A temple in the middle of the city, popular at sunset | 1 to 2 hours |
| 8 | Valley of the Kings | Luxor, West Bank | Yes: Ancient Thebes (1979) | The royal tombs of the New Kingdom pharaohs | Half day with the West Bank sites |
| 9 | Temple of Hatshepsut | Luxor, West Bank | Yes: Ancient Thebes (1979) | The mortuary temple at Deir al-Bahari, usually visited with the Valley of the Kings | 1 to 2 hours |
| 10 | Aswan | Aswan | – | The High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, Nubian culture and the Nile at its most scenic | 1 to 2 days |
| 11 | Philae Temple | Aswan | Yes: Nubian Monuments (1979) | The temple of Isis on its island | 1 to 2 hours |
| 12 | Abu Simbel | South of Aswan | Yes: Nubian Monuments (1979) | Temples of Ramses II, relocated in the 1960s; the sun reaches the sanctuary on October 22 and February 22 | Full-day excursion |
| 13 | Nile cruise | Luxor to Aswan | – | Ships are based in Luxor and Aswan and stop at Edfu and Kom Ombo | 3 nights or more |
| 14 | Alexandria | Mediterranean coast | – | Egypt’s Mediterranean city, with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Qaitbay Citadel | Day trip from Cairo or longer |
| 15 | Red Sea: Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab | Red Sea coast and Sinai | – | Beach resorts with snorkeling and diving | 2 to 4 days |
Beyond the classic route
If you have time for less-visited places, consider Siwa Oasis, the White Desert and Fayoum in the Western Desert region, and the Saint Catherine Area on the Sinai Peninsula, a UNESCO site inscribed in 2002. Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley), inscribed in 2005, is Egypt’s most recent UNESCO listing.
How many days do you need?
| Trip length | Typical route | Example package |
|---|---|---|
| 5 days | Cairo and Giza only | 5-day Egypt Pyramid Tour Package |
| 7 to 8 days | Cairo, then Aswan and Luxor with a Nile cruise | 7-day Cairo and Nile Cruise Package |
| 8 days with Abu Simbel | Cairo, Luxor, Nile cruise, Aswan and Abu Simbel | 8-day Trip to Egypt from USA, Deluxe Nile Cruise & GEM |
| 11 days | Adds Red Sea leisure time in Hurghada | 11-day Egypt Travel Package |
For dates, see the best time to visit Egypt; for costs, see how much a trip to Egypt costs; and for the first-trip basics, read planning your Egypt trip from the USA.
Before you book
Government travel advice for Egypt and the wider region has changed during 2026. Read the current status in our travel advisory guide and check your government’s live advisory before you pay.
Sources: UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Egypt (inscriptions and years); National Museum of Egyptian Civilization Royal Mummies Gallery; Grand Egyptian Museum FAQ (checked August 13, 2026); Egypt Top Tours package pages (checked September 28, 2026).