Please help with Itinerary!

We are going to Egypt in mid-December. We'll arrive in Cairo and catch a flight to Hurghada. We'll be spending the first 10 days on the dive liveaboard-Red Sea Explorers. We were thinking about spending a couple of days in Hurghada after that so that we can see Luxor and Aswan. After that we want to go to Cairo and spend a few days there. Would like to take a train trip up to Alexandria as well.

It'll be about 3 weeks. My question is this. How many days should we stay in Hurghada to see the sites in Luxor and Aswan? Should we fly back to Cairo or take the sleeper train? I've seen videos that indicate it's not a pretty train and we'd be cramped with 3-4 large bags. It seems like flying would just be faster and less hassle. Is that true?

Once in Cairo is there enough to see from there to spend 6 or 7 nights? We'd like to see the pyramids, the antiquities museum, shop the bazaar, and just relax. Maybe an overnight trip to Alexandria--not sure. This is getting expensive fast
I'm also thinking that I will not want to spend so much time in this dirty, congested city given that I have allergies and asthma. Maybe extending in Luxor area? Western desert sounds beautiful.

I was thinking about staying at the Hilton in Hurghada and at the Hotel Longchamps in Cairo. Feedback will be greatly appreciated as well as other suggestions for itinerary.

It's just my husband and me. The only thing that is set in stone is the dive part. It is going to take us 31 hours to get to Egypt and I want to maximize my time in Egypt.

scubamickey:

It'll be about 3 weeks. My question is this. How many days should we stay in Hurghada to see the sites in Luxor and Aswan? Should we fly back to Cairo or take the sleeper train? I've seen videos that indicate it's not a pretty train and we'd be cramped with 3-4 large bags. It seems like flying would just be faster and less hassle. Is that true?

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Luxor can be done overnight from Hurghada. But if you want to see all the sites, it'll take more time. Keep into consideration that Luxor has 1/3 the world's sites!

Aswan is further south and again it depends on what you want to do in Aswan.

I'd fly to Cairo from Aswan if I were in your shoes. Flight time is around 1 hour, train is like 12.

scubamickey:

Once in Cairo is there enough to see from there to spend 6 or 7 nights? We'd like to see the pyramids, the antiquities museum, shop the bazaar, and just relax. Maybe an overnight trip to Alexandria--not sure. This is getting expensive fast

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6 or 7 nights in Cairo is too much.

scubamickey:

I was thinking about staying at the Hilton in Hurghada.

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This part I don't get. Why are you using a hotel in Hurghada? You'll be on a liveaboard, then you're planning on leaving to Luxor and Aswan.

Why not jump on a Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan... That takes care of the accommodation plus you get to see everything.

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Why not jump on a Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan... That takes care of the accommodation plus you get to see everything.

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Red Sea Shadow:

This part I don't get. Why are you using a hotel in Hurghada? You'll be on a liveaboard, then you're planning on leaving to Luxor and Aswan.

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Oh, I will be getting to Hurghada a day or 2 prior to the liveaboard departing.

samaka:

Why not jump on a Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan... That takes care of the accommodation plus you get to see everything.

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Expensive. If this was all we were doing I would go for it. But besides the fact that we aren't cruise ship types, a 4 night trip would run around $1500 and I think we can see the same sites a heck of a lot cheaper.

I'm not being cheap. Between the flight to get there and the liveaboard we are already at about $7000 . To stay longer I'm looking at cheaper options for the second 7-10 days.

Red Sea Shadow:

6 or 7 nights in Cairo is too much.

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That's what I was thinking.

3-4 days maybe? 1 day for walking around and shopping- we could spend a few hours at the museum alone. 1 day for the pyramids and other local sites. Then we were thinking about a trip out to the white desert for a 2 night trip. Keep the hotel room so we can leave our ton of dive gear behind.

scubamickey:

That's what I was thinking.

3-4 days maybe? 1 day for walking around and shopping- we could spend a few hours at the museum alone. 1 day for the pyramids and other local sites. Then we were thinking about a trip out to the white desert for a 2 night trip. Keep the hotel room so we can leave our ton of dive gear behind.

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Cairo is 1 or 2 days. If you want to do the white desert and just keep the room for luggage that's fine. Keep in mind that in December/January it's cold at the desert.