Holidays to Egypt at Christmas and New Year 2026
Overview
Egypt For Travel’s 12-day Holidays to Egypt at Christmas and New Year is the most complete festive Egypt package available — combining the ancient world of Cairo, a 5-star Nile cruise, the romantic adventure of an overnight night train across Egypt, and four nights on the pristine Red Sea beach of Sharm El Sheikh. This itinerary covers every dimension of Egypt in one trip: the Pyramids of Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Philae, and the Red Sea. Departs December 20, 21, 22 and 23 only. Book by September — Christmas availability sells out by October.
Holidays to Egypt at Christmas 2026 — At a Glance
| Duration | 12 Days / 11 Nights |
| Departure Dates | December 20, 21, 22 & 23 only — limited spaces |
| Cairo | 3 nights · 5-star hotel · Breakfast included |
| Nile Cruise | 3 nights · 5-star cruise · Full board |
| Night Train | 1 night · Aswan to Cairo/Sharm · Half board |
| Sharm El Sheikh | 4 nights · Hotel · Full board |
| Tour Type | 100% Private — licensed Egyptologist guide throughout |
| Price from | $2,549 per person |
Day by Day Outline
| Day | Location | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cairo | Arrival · Private airport transfer · 5-star hotel check-in |
| 2 | Cairo — Giza | Pyramids of Giza · Great Sphinx · Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) |
| 3 | Cairo | Saqqara · Memphis · Saladin Citadel · Khan El-Khalili Bazaar |
| 4 | Fly Luxor · Embark Cruise | Cairo–Luxor flight · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple · Embark Nile cruise |
| 5 | Luxor West Bank | Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Colossi of Memnon · Sail south |
| 6 | Edfu · Kom Ombo | Edfu Temple (calesh) · Kom Ombo Temple · Sail to Aswan · Christmas Eve gala on board |
| 7 | Aswan — Christmas Day | Philae Temple · Aswan High Dam · Unfinished Obelisk · Christmas Day gala on cruise |
| 8 | Aswan · Night Train | Optional: Abu Simbel by flight · Disembark cruise · Board overnight night train to Cairo |
| 9 | Cairo → Sharm | Arrive Cairo by train · Transfer to Sharm El Sheikh · Hotel check-in |
| 10 | Sharm El Sheikh | Red Sea beach · Snorkelling or diving · Ras Mohammed National Park |
| 11 | Sharm — New Year’s Eve | Beach & leisure · New Year’s Eve gala dinner at hotel · Countdown at Naama Bay |
| 12 | Sharm El Sheikh | Beach morning · Transfer to Sharm Airport · Departure |
Why This Is the Best Egypt Christmas & New Year Package
Most Egypt Christmas packages offer either the Nile or Sharm. This itinerary gives you both — three nights sailing the Nile between Luxor and Aswan with Christmas Day on the river, followed by four nights of full-board Red Sea relaxation in Sharm for New Year’s Eve. The overnight night train from Aswan is itself an experience — sleeping across the Egyptian desert, waking at dawn as the train pulls into Cairo. As we explain in our Egypt in December guide, December’s 20–24°C temperatures make it Egypt’s finest month for sightseeing, while Sharm’s 25°C winter sun makes the beach genuinely warm. The result is an itinerary that delivers Christmas on the Nile and New Year on the Red Sea — the two most memorable Egypt holiday experiences in one 12-day trip.
| Duration: 12 | Type: Private Tour | Run: 20th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd December only |
Included
• Meet and assist by our representatives at the airports with a name sign in the passport control area
• Accommodation for 3 nights in a 5-star hotel with breakfast included in Cairo.
• Accommodation for 3 nights on a 5-star cruise on the Nile with full board.
• Accommodation of 1 night in night train with half board
• Accommodation for 4 nights in Sharm hotel with full board.
• The meals mentioned in the previous itinerary in healthy restaurants
• Private tour guide in English/Portuguese/German/Spanish
• All tours have guided and private tours
• Entrance fees to all the sites mentioned in your trip through Egypt
• Bottled water during your trip through Egypt
• All transfers in a private luxury vehicle with air conditioning.
• Domestic flights (Luxor/ Sharm – Sharm/ Cairo)
• All taxes and service costs
Excluded
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt visa ($25 on arrival at Cairo Airport or e-visa online)
- Optional: Abu Simbel by flight · hot air balloon · diving courses · quad bike
- Christmas/New Year gala supplement at hotel or cruise (confirmed at booking)
- Personal drinks · Tips and gratuities · Travel insurance
Itinerary:
Day 1: Your dream Egypt Tour comes true
Welcome to Cairo, Egypt An Around Egypt Tours representative will meet and assist you at Cairo International Airport. You will then be escorted to your hotel in a luxury air-conditioned vehicle. The representative will help you check into your hotel, and will review your Egypt travel itinerary to confirm the pickup times for each tour. Welcome drink upon arrival.
In the evening, our tour director will pick you up at the hotel in a private air-conditioned vehicle to attend the sound and light show of the Giza Pyramids of Cheops, Khafre and Menkaure. Discover the fascinating history of the ancient Egyptians. It begins with the story of the Sphinx, a guardian who has been guarding the city of the dead for five thousand years. The show also shows the history of the construction of the pyramids and tells the story of famous great figures of Ancient Egypt, such as Thutmosis IV, Akhenaten, Nefertari and Tutankhamen. Back to the hotel. Overnight stay in Cairo.
Activities included:
• Cairo- Light and sound show
Day 2: Pyramids Tours – Train to Aswan
Day 3: Nile Cruise in Aswan
Day 4: Temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu
Day 5: Nile Cruise Tours in Luxor
Day 6: Flight from Luxor to Sharm el-Sheikh
Day 7: Excursion through Ras Muhammad National Park
Day 8: Optional tours in Sharm el-Sheikh
Day 9: Optional tours in Sharm el-Sheikh
Day 10: Flight to Cairo from Sharm
Day 11: Tours of Cairo
Day 12: Cairo – Return home. End of your holidays in Egypt
Prices:
Prices
Notes:
Holidays to Egypt at Christmas and New Year — Prices
Our tour prices are quoted in US dollars per person per trip, but you can also choose to pay in Euro or GBP. Please be aware that prices during Christmas, New Year, and Easter reflect peak-season demand and are fixed at the time of booking. Once your Holidays to Egypt at Christmas and New Year is confirmed, we guarantee that no changes will be made to your rate from our side.
Book Early — December Availability Is Limited
This tour departs on December 20, 21, 22 and 23 only. Nile cruise ships, Cairo hotels and Sharm El Sheikh hotels for Christmas and New Year week are fully booked by October without exception. Book by September to secure your preferred departure date. WhatsApp: +20 155 555 2466 · ETA Category A Licence No. 1947.
Tips for Departure
On the final day of your holiday it is advisable to avoid booking any outgoing international flights before 3:00 PM. The Sharm El Sheikh airport transfer takes approximately 45 minutes from the Naama Bay hotel area. You may also consider extending your stay. Our Tour Leader is happy to assist with additional accommodation and transfers if required.
Children Policy
| Age | Price | Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2 years (Infant) | Free of charge | Shares parents’ room · no extra bed needed |
| Under 6 years | 25% of adult rate | Shares parents’ room with extra bed · max 1 child per room |
| Under 12 years | 50% of adult rate | Shares parents’ room with extra bed · max 1 child per room |
| 12 years and older | Full adult rate | Considered adult · pays full rate |
Payment Policy
A deposit of 50% is required to confirm your Christmas and New Year booking (peak season). This deposit goes toward your final payment, which is due one week before arrival or can be paid in cash upon arrival in Egypt.
Installment Policy
We offer a convenient installment payment option over 6, 9, or 12 months. Contact us on WhatsApp: +20 155 555 2466 to arrange a personalised installment plan.
Tipping
Tipping is a common and appreciated gesture, though not mandatory. General guide: Egyptologist guide $10–$15 per day, private driver $5–$8 per day, Nile cruise crew $10–$12 per night (collective). See our Tipping in Egypt 2026 guide for full detail.
Cancellation Policy
| Days Before Arrival | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| 61+ days before arrival | 10% of total price |
| 31–60 days before arrival | 20% of total price |
| 15–30 days before arrival | 50% of total price |
| 1–14 days before arrival | 100% of total price |
Cancellation fees also apply to all domestic flights within Egypt.