Cairo + Beyond: 4 Day Egypt Trip
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Travel advisory: Egypt sits on the edge of the wider 2026 regional conflict involving Iran. The country is not a combatant, and Cairo, Giza, and the Nile Valley remain the normal, actively-visited tourist core, with 2026 tourism hitting record numbers. There has been limited spillover, including a July 2026 drone strike on ships at Damietta port in the north, far from any tourist site. At the time of writing the US State Department lists Egypt at Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), with “Do Not Travel” limited to the Sinai interior and the remote Western Desert, not the places in this guide. Check the current US State Department and UK FCDO advisories before booking, since the situation is fluid.
Four days adds Alexandria to the Cairo and Saqqara core, a genuinely long day but a workable one. See the 3 day itinerary for the tighter version, or the full Cairo and Beyond guide for background on each stop.
Day 1: Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum
Morning at the Giza Plateau (pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure, plus the Sphinx; entry around 700 EGP, $14; free electric shuttle between monuments). Afternoon at the Grand Egyptian Museum, fully open with the complete Tutankhamun collection, foreign adult admission around 1,450 EGP ($30), booked online only through tickets.gem.eg.
Day 2: Islamic Cairo
Morning at the Citadel of Saladin and Muhammad Ali Mosque (around 180 EGP combined), then Khan el-Khalili and El Fishawy Café (since 1797). Afternoon at Al-Muizz Street, best in the evening light.
Day 3: Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur
A full day trip, about an hour each way, with a private driver or small group tour: the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, the open-air ruins of Memphis, and the Bent and Red Pyramids at Dahshur.
Day 4: Alexandria
A long day: the train from Ramses Station runs roughly 2 to 3 hours each way, so this is a full day out and back, not a leisurely half day. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Citadel of Qaitbay, the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, and a walk along the Corniche are the draws. If your schedule allows it, an overnight in Alexandria is genuinely more comfortable than the round trip in a single day.
| Day | Focus | Rough daily spend |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giza Plateau + Grand Egyptian Museum | EGP 2,300-2,800 ($46-56), verify current rates |
| 2 | Citadel + Khan el-Khalili + Al-Muizz Street | EGP 1,200-1,800 ($24-36), verify current rates |
| 3 | Saqqara + Memphis + Dahshur, incl. driver | EGP 2,000-3,000 ($40-60), verify current rates |
| 4 | Alexandria day trip, incl. train | EGP 1,500-2,500 ($30-50), verify current rates |
Book these before you go
- Book GEM tickets online in advance, slots do sell out
- Book a Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur tour
- Compare Cairo hotel rates and confirm current cancellation terms
- Before you book anything, confirm the current travel advisory at the top of this page
Book Alexandria train tickets a day or two ahead rather than assuming same-day availability. The honest tip for four days: if the Alexandria round trip sounds exhausting on paper, it is, an overnight there is the easy fix if you have a spare day to give it.