5 excursions
Alexandria
Three hours to Giza and back, or stay in the city for the catacombs, the Qaitbay Citadel and the Bibliotheca.
From, per person$110
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Egypt Shore Excursions
Private tours from five cruise ports, timed around your ship. A licensed Egyptologist meets you at the gangway and has you back before all-aboard — in writing.
5 ports
Back-on-time guarantee
From $85 per person
Private vehicles
Shore excursions are a timing problem before they are a sightseeing problem. A day from Safaga to Luxor is 230 km each way; from Sokhna to Giza is 120 km through Cairo traffic. Getting it wrong means missing the ship.
We plan every port day backwards from your all-aboard time, with a buffer built in, and put it in writing on your confirmation. In seventeen years we have never left a guest behind — and if a delay were ever ours, we would get you to the next port at our cost.
Why not book through the ship?
You can, and it is simpler. What you get with us instead is a private vehicle rather than a coach of fifty, a licensed Egyptologist rather than a shared guide, and roughly half the price. What the ship gives you is their own guarantee, which is why ours is written down.
Which port reaches what
Alexandria and Port Said both reach Cairo and Giza, at three and two and a half hours respectively. Safaga and Port Ghalib reach Luxor. Sokhna reaches Cairo in about two hours. Sharm El Sheikh is Sinai — St Catherine's and Ras Mohammed, not the pyramids.
Group sizes and price
Everything is private, so the price falls with the number of you. A Giza day from Sokhna is around $180 each for two and about $95 each for six. Send us the number in your party and we will quote it exactly.
Browse by port
Where does your ship dock?
Five ports, each reaching different parts of Egypt. Pick yours and we will tell you honestly what fits in the hours you have.
5 excursions
2 excursions
Port Said
The shortest run to Cairo at two and a half hours. Giza, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Old Cairo in a full day.
From, per person$120
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2 excursions
Safaga & Port Ghalib
The Luxor ports. A long day to Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, or a shorter desert and Red Sea option.
From, per person$135
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2 excursions
Ain Sokhna
Two hours to Giza. The easiest port for the pyramids and the museum in a comfortable single day.
From, per person$95
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3 excursions
Sharm El Sheikh
Sinai rather than the Nile — Ras Mohammed, the Blue Hole, and St Catherine's monastery at the foot of the mountain.
From, per person$85
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Any port
Private tailor-made day
Tell us your ship, your port and your all-aboard time, and we design the day backwards from it.
From, per personOn request
Design my day
Plan the day
What each port can actually reach
Driving times are one way, on a normal day. Every itinerary is planned backwards from your all-aboard time with a buffer.
| Port | Reaches | Drive, one way | Hours ashore needed | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ain SokhnaRed Sea | Giza, GEM, Old Cairo | 2 hours | 9 – 10 | $95 |
| Port SaidMediterranean | Giza, GEM, Old Cairo | 2.5 hours | 10 – 11 | $120 |
| AlexandriaMediterranean | Giza, or Alexandria itself | 3 hours / in town | 11 / 5 | $110 |
| SafagaRed Sea | Luxor east and west bank | 3.5 hours | 12 – 13 | $135 |
| Sharm El SheikhSinai | Ras Mohammed, St Catherine's | 1 – 2.5 hours | 6 – 12 | $85 |
Back-on-time guarantee, in writing. Every port itinerary lists your all-aboard time and the buffer we've built in. If a delay is ours, we get you to the next port at our cost.
Why book with us
Four things that matter on a port day
Shore excursions are timing, not sightseeing. These four are how we get you back before your ship leaves.
Back-on-time, in writing
Every itinerary lists your all-aboard time and a printed buffer. Never late in seventeen years.
GuaranteedLicensed Egyptologist, not the shared guide
A qualified guide with you the whole day, in your own vehicle. Not a coach of fifty.
PrivateHalf the ship's price
Roughly. Same sites, same length, direct pricing without the cruise operator's mark-up.
CheaperOne number if anything happens
Direct WhatsApp with the person who planned your day. No call centres, no forms to fill.
24 / 7
Before you go
Travel tips for Egypt
The things guests ask us on the phone, answered properly. Written by the team who meet you at the airport.
When cruise ships stop
Cruise season on the Mediterranean is April to November; Red Sea ports run year-round.
April – JunePeak Mediterranean cruise season. Alexandria and Port Said busy but weather ideal.
September – NovemberSecond peak, cooler and quieter.
December – MarchRed Sea ports (Safaga, Sokhna, Sharm) run year-round. Mediterranean stops thin out.
Any monthEvery excursion is planned backwards from your all-aboard, whatever the season.
Visas & entry
Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival or apply online before travelling. Your passport must be valid for at least six months from your arrival date.
Visa on arrivalUS$25 in cash at Cairo, Hurghada, Sharm and Luxor airports. Single-entry, 30 days.
e-Visa (recommended)Apply at visa2egypt.gov.eg 7 days before travel. US$25, single-entry.
Passport validitySix months from arrival, plus one blank page for the entry stamp.
Sinai-only exemptionFree 15-day permit for Sharm airport if you're not leaving South Sinai. Ask on arrival.
Money & tipping
The currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP). US dollars and euros are widely accepted at hotels and cruise boats; local shops and cafés want EGP.
ATMsWidely available in Cairo, Luxor and the resort towns. Withdraw EGP for local spending; the exchange rate is fine.
Guide tippingUS$10–15 per person per day is the norm. Driver US$5. Restaurant staff 10% if not on the bill.
Cruise crewUS$70–100 per person for a 4-night cruise, pooled and split by the boat manager on the last night.
Card acceptanceHotels and 4★+ restaurants take Visa and Mastercard. Small shops and cafés want cash.
What to wear
Layered light clothing during the day, something warmer for the desert at night, and a scarf if you're visiting mosques or churches.
At the sitesClosed shoes with grip (the tombs are steep), a hat, sunglasses and sun cream.
At the mosquesShoulders and knees covered. Shoes off at the door — a light scarf handles it.
On the cruiseSmart casual at dinner, swimwear on the sun deck, light layers for the top deck at sunset.
In summerCotton or linen. Loose fit. Colours don't matter — locals wear everything from black to bright.
Health & safety
Egypt is generally safe for tourists, especially in the main destinations. Standard travel-health precautions apply.
WaterBottled only, and included on every day tour. Ice at hotel and cruise restaurants is fine.
Travel insuranceComprehensive cover is a condition of booking. Must include diving and ballooning if you're adding those.
MedicalCairo and Sharm have international hospitals (As-Salam, Sharm International). Pharmacies open late, most staff speak some English.
EmergencyOur WhatsApp is answered day and night. If it's a medical situation we call an ambulance for you and meet you at hospital.
Customs & etiquette
Egyptians are famously hospitable, and small courtesies go a long way. The below is the minimum.
PhotographyAsk before photographing people. Never photograph military or police installations.
RamadanSites stay open with shorter hours. Many restaurants close during the day; hotels serve normally.
AlcoholAvailable in hotels, cruise boats, and licensed restaurants. Not sold in supermarkets during Ramadan.
HagglingExpected at Khan El Khalili and the papyrus/perfume shops. Start at 40% of the asked price. Not expected at supermarkets, restaurants or hotels.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
We run private shore excursions from every cruise port Egypt calls at — Alexandria and Port Said for Cairo and the pyramids, Safaga and Port Ghalib for Luxor, Ain Sokhna for the closest run to Cairo, and Sharm El Sheikh for Sinai and the Red Sea. Each is designed around what that port can realistically reach in one day. Every excursion is private with a licensed Egyptologist, entry tickets and air-conditioned transport included.
Getting you back before all-aboard is the fixed point every shore excursion is built around, whatever the port. We plan the day backwards from your ship's stated departure with a buffer, and your driver and guide know each port's clearance procedures. Because the tour is private, the itinerary flexes to your call hours rather than a shared coach schedule, and we adjust if your ship's timing changes.
Yes, every excursion is private — just your party, your driver and a licensed Egyptologist. Your guide meets you at the quay holding a Min Travel sign as soon as passengers are cleared ashore, so there is no queue or haggling with dockside vendors. Private also means the pace, stops and lunch are arranged around your group.
If your ship is delayed, your driver waits and the day simply starts when you clear — we track arrivals rather than working to a rigid start time. If the cruise line cancels the call entirely due to weather or scheduling, that is outside your control and we handle it fairly. Free cancellation also applies up to 24 hours before your scheduled pickup.
Visa requirements vary by port, nationality and whether your line arranges group clearance, so we confirm the exact rule for your passport when you enquire — Sinai ports differ from the rest of Egypt in particular. Book by enquiry form or WhatsApp with your ship name and call date, and we reply quickly. Prices are per person in USD and fall as your group grows.
Tell us your ship and your port
Send us your itinerary and all-aboard time. A consultant in Cairo replies with two or three options for the day, with the drive times worked out backwards from your departure. Usually within a couple of hours.