Tailor-made Egypt vacations shaped around your passions

Most people come to Egypt for its sun-baked pyramids, hieroglyphics-carved tombs, and riverside ruins that date back thousands of years, but while there, you can also unwind on the deck of a luxury ship on the Nile, watch vividly patterned fish dart in and out of coral reefs as you snorkel in the Red Sea, or try your hand at bartering in the spangled souqs of Cairo.

We can pair you with an Egyptologist who will reveal the secrets of pharaohs and ancient peoples as you descend into 4000-year-old tombs that still appear to be freshly painted, attempt to decrypt the symbols etched into towering columns, and walk alongside the ever-watchful mythical creatures carved out of stone.

Egypt offers a wealth of different stays, including luxury beach resorts, classically designed hotels overlooking the pyramids, and Nile cruise ships that range from simple and comfortable to around-the-clock butler service. While there are many international hotels dotted around Egypt, we can help you find more characterful stays too, such as a rustic Nubian-style ecolodge or a 19th-century Victorian hotel perched on a pink granite cliff overlooking the Nile.

Our specialists can help you find an Egyptian stay to suit your tastes, but, in the meantime, you can take a look at a selection of the hotels we have to offer.

It’s usually best to start your Egypt trip in Cairo where you can take in the towering pyramids of Giza before heading onto Luxor and Aswan to further unravel the mysteries of Ancient Egypt. In Luxor, you can explore the Valley of the Kings, Colossi of Memnon, and Temple of Ramesses III, while Aswan cradles the imposing temple complexes of Edfu and Kom Ombo as well as the Temple of Philae.

If you’d like to unwind after a whirlwind tour of Egypt’s pharaonic lands, you could add on a beach stay at either Hurghada or El Quseir to swim and snorkel in the coral-adorned Red Sea, or head north to Alexandria to learn about the Greco-Roman past of this now-chilled-out city.

Many people also combine Egypt with a trip to Jordan to witness the third-century ruins of Petra.

It takes around 22 hours to fly from either Toronto or Vancouver to Egypt’s capital city of Cairo. We recommend flying with Delta, Air France, KLM, and a few other airlines, which we can advise on.

The time zone in Egypt is UTC+2 from October to April and UTC+3 from April to October.

The best way to get around Egypt across longer distances, such as between Cairo and Luxor, is to fly, and then you can take private cars with a guide for shorter distances. Another popular way of seeing Egypt is taking a cruise along the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, discovering the ancient civilizations that flourished on the riverbanks along the way.

Use our travel tool to find up-to-date visa and passport requirements for Egypt. Enter where you’re traveling to and from (including any stopover destinations en route or flight layovers), along with your intended travel dates and passport details, for a full list of requirements.

• Entry requirements travel tool

You should check with your doctor to see which vaccinations you’ll need for Egypt, but we recommend that you are at least up to date with the vaccinations recommended for your home country. You can take a look at suggested vaccinations for Egypt on the Government of Canada — travel vaccinations website.

Egypt is a predominantly Muslim country, and while you don’t need to cover up completely, the more you do, the less unwanted attention you’ll get. Men should never be in public without some kind of shirt on, and women are best to cover their shoulders and knees. You should remove shoes if visiting a mosque, no matter your gender, and women will need to cover their hair.

The weather in Egypt is typically hot and dry during the day but can become much cooler in the evening during the winter months (December to March), so we also recommend packing layers, as well as comfortable and sturdy shoes.

During the holy month of Ramadan, many Muslim locals will be fasting, and while you won’t be expected to fast too, you shouldn’t eat, drink or smoke in public out of respect. You may find that restaurants and shops change their opening hours to help staff who are fasting and attending the mosque for prayer, but hotels and visitor sites will remain open as normal.

No, it’s forbidden to photograph any military or government buildings in Egypt. Similarly, you should also avoid photographing bridges, canals, or anything that could be construed as having strategic significance. Your guide will be able to help you understand what you can and can’t take photos of during your trip.