A real itinerary across Cairo, Giza, Luxor and Aswan in seven days, with costs in EGP and USD, what changed now that the Grand Egyptian Museum is open, and which operators will not rip you off.
A real itinerary across Cairo, Giza, Luxor and Aswan in seven days, with costs in EGP and USD, what changed now that the Grand Egyptian Museum is open, and which operators will not rip you off.
Visa-on-arrival for US passport holders in 2026: **USD 30** (up from USD 25 on March 1, 2026). Cash or card. Buy at the bank counters inside the terminal before immigration in CAI, LXR or ASW. Thirty days, single entry. **E-visa online** at visa2egypt.gov.eg: USD 25 single, USD 60 multiple entry, approved within 7 days.
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opened fully in 2026 in Giza, the largest archaeological museum on earth. **Tutankhamun's complete treasure (5,300 pieces, first complete display since 1922)**. Foreign adult ticket: EGP 1,200 (USD 25), student EGP 600.
Flights from the US in 2026: JFK to CAI via Frankfurt (Lufthansa) 14 hours, USD 1,100 to 1,500; via Istanbul (Turkish) 16 hours, USD 950 to 1,400 — usually the cheapest; via Doha (Qatar) 16 hours, USD 1,200 to 1,700. EgyptAir flies JFK-CAI direct in 11 hours, USD 1,200 to 1,800.
Cairo plus Giza (three nights): the three great pyramids and the Sphinx, the GEM, the old Egyptian Museum in Tahrir (still open), the Citadel of Saladin, the mosque of Mohammed Ali, and Khan el-Khalili. Tickets add up to EGP 2,500 to 3,500 (USD 50 to 70) per person.
Nile cruise Luxor to Aswan, four days three nights, 2026: standard 4 to 5-star boats USD 600 to 1,200 per person (outside cabin, all inclusive, guide). Premium 5-star (Sonesta, Mövenpick, Oberoi): USD 1,500 to 3,500. Departures Monday to Thursday from Luxor, Wednesday to Saturday from Aswan.
A real itinerary across Cairo, Giza, Luxor and Aswan in seven days, with costs in EGP and USD, what changed now that the Grand Egyptian Museum is open, and which operators will not rip you off.
