Choosing how to do it
Cairo to Luxor: day trip or overnight?
The private day trip by plane, your own flights, the overnight sleeper train or a night in Luxor: how each works, who it suits and who should skip the tour.
See Luxor day trip tickets on GetYourGuide ↗Quick answer
The private day trip by plane suits you if Luxor is one day in a tight Egypt schedule and you want flights, a guide, entry fees and lunch handled in one booking. If you can spare a night, your own flights, the overnight sleeper train or a stay in Luxor give you more time at each site and a calmer pace. The day trip is the most compact way to see both banks of the Nile.
Four ways to see Luxor from Cairo
| Option | Time | You arrange | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day trip by plane (this tour) | One day, back that night | One booking covers it | Tight schedules |
| Own flights, same day | One day if timetables fit | Flights, guide, entry, lunch | Confident planners |
| Overnight sleeper train | Night on the train, then Luxor | Sightseeing, maybe a hotel | Saving a hotel night |
| One or two nights in Luxor | Two or three days | Everything, or a tour | Seeing it unhurried |
What the private day trip is
It is a private tour, not an entry ticket. The guide and vehicle are for your group alone, and one booking covers the return flight tickets, private air-conditioned transport, entry fees, guide, lunch, a bottle of water and tips. The day runs from a hotel pickup in Cairo to a flight south, then the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, the Colossi of Memnon, Karnak and Luxor Temple, then a flight back and a transfer to your hotel. The whole day is listed as 10 hours, with each flight shown as about two hours. Guides work in English, Spanish, German or Arabic.
How the booking works
Flights make this different from an ordinary tour. The operator books the seats after you book, asks for at least 48 hours' notice and needs every traveller's full name and passport number. The booking is only confirmed once seats are secured, and if there are none the tour is cancelled with a full refund. Read the cancellation terms twice. The booking page shows a free-cancellation window of up to three days before the start, while the operator's notes say a tour with flights booked is non-refundable unless the operator cancels. Check both for your date before you pay.
Option two: book your own flights
You can build the same day yourself. Luxor's airport is about 6 km east of the city, and EgyptAir, Air Cairo and Nile Air all serve the Cairo route. You would then arrange the airport transfers, a driver or guide, entry tickets and lunch. That suits you if you are comfortable doing it and want your own pace. Check the timetables first: a same-day return only works if the first flight out and the last flight back leave real time on the ground, and schedules change with the season.
Option three: the overnight sleeper train
Abela Trains runs the sleepers, taking over from Watania in 2023. Southbound trains leave Cairo in the evening, from Cairo Upper Egypt station (also called Bashtil) or from Giza, and take roughly ten to eleven hours by the timetable. Dinner is a tray in your compartment, breakfast comes before arrival, and bedding is provided. Delays are possible. Booking opens months ahead and tour groups can fill the berths at peak times such as Easter. A sleeper out and a sleeper back gives you one full day in Luxor and no hotel night, but the sightseeing is yours to arrange.
Option four: stay in Luxor
Luxor splits into two banks. The East Bank holds Luxor Temple, Karnak, the Luxor Museum and the Mummification Museum. The West Bank holds the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, Deir el-Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon. The day trip fits five of those sites into one day. A night or two lets you add the Valley of the Queens and the museums, and avoid the middle of the day, when summer highs average above 40 degrees Celsius. Luxor is also the only Egyptian city that offers hot-air balloon rides, which fly at sunrise over the ancient sites.
Read next: Karnak and Luxor Temple in one afternoon
Which one fits you
None of these is right for everyone, and the day trip is not always the best choice. It buys convenience and a private guide, and it costs time at each site, because five stops share one day. If you can spare a night, the other options usually give you a calmer visit. Match the option to what you are short of.
- Short of days: the private day trip, or your own flights if you like to plan
- Short of hotel nights: the sleeper both ways, with one day in Luxor between
- Short of patience for rushing: one or two nights in Luxor
- Short of time to organise: the tour books flights, transfers and entry for you
Road and daytime trains
Daytime express trains also run between Cairo and Luxor. The state railway's own website and app sell only to Egyptian citizens, so foreign travellers usually book through an agency or at the station, generally no earlier than about two weeks ahead and at least two days before. These trains make sense as a way to reach Luxor for a stay, and the Nile scenery is the draw. They do not work for a day trip, because Luxor is 671 km from Cairo by rail.
The early start and the day before
The flight south leaves early, so the day starts well before sunrise. The tour description says it begins with a hotel pickup in Cairo ahead of the first flight, and the booking calendar and your confirmation show your pickup time. The booking offers five pickup areas, across Giza, Cairo, 6th of October City and Al Haram, so confirm yours after you book. Pack the night before, keep that evening free and avoid an early departure out of Cairo the next morning. The day is mostly outdoors, so bring water and sun protection.
What the tour does not decide for you
Entry fees are included, but the booking does not say that every tomb ticket is. At the Valley of the Kings, Tutankhamun's tomb carries its own charge, so ask the operator after you book whether it is covered. At Karnak, the Mut Temple has a separate ticket from the main complex. The itinerary is marked as subject to change, so treat the stops as the plan, not a guarantee. For how the tomb system works, read our Valley of the Kings guide.
Read next: Valley of the Kings: which tombs are open
What the five stops are
The Valley of the Kings holds the rock-cut tombs of New Kingdom rulers. Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari is built against the cliffs on three terraces. The Colossi of Memnon are two seated statues of Amenhotep III at the front of his ruined mortuary temple. Karnak is the great temple complex of Amun, with the Great Hypostyle Hall of about 134 columns. Luxor Temple stands in the modern town, and a processional way once lined with sphinxes linked it to Karnak for the Opet Festival. The tombs and Hatshepsut's temple lie on the West Bank; Karnak and Luxor Temple lie on the East Bank.
Who this isn't for
Skip the day trip if a pre-dawn start sounds miserable, if you want hours at a single site such as Karnak, or if you want a booking you can change late. It is not suitable for people over 95. If you can arrange a night in Luxor, your own flights, the sleeper or a stay will give you more time on the ground. And if your date is within the next two days, it will not work, because the flights need at least 48 hours' notice.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get from Cairo to Luxor?
You fly, take the overnight sleeper train or ride a daytime express train. Flying is the only practical choice for a same-day return. Luxor is 671 km from Cairo by rail.
Can you do Luxor from Cairo in one day?
Yes, by plane. The private tour books the flights, transport, guide, entry fees and lunch in one go and lists 10 hours for the day. You can also book flights yourself and arrange the rest. Either way, expect limited time at each of the five stops.
Is the sleeper train a good alternative?
It is if you would rather give up a night than a day. You board in the evening, sleep in a compartment and arrive in the morning, with about ten to eleven hours on the timetable. You arrange your own sightseeing, so it suits independent travellers.
What do I need to book the tour?
Every traveller's full name and passport number, because the operator books the flights. Bring your passport or ID card on the day; a copy of the passport is accepted. Book at least 48 hours ahead.
What if there are no flight seats?
The tour depends on flight availability and is only confirmed once seats are secured. If none are left, it is cancelled and you receive a full refund. The operator asks you to contact them directly after booking to keep the process smooth.
Which languages do the guides speak?
The tour runs in English, Spanish, German and Arabic. Check the language shown for your date when you look at availability.
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