Safaga Port Shore Excursions
Luxor Day Tour from Safaga Port
After a delicious breakfast, your tour manager will escort you to Cairo Airport for…
per person
$95
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Safaga & Port Ghalib Shore Excursions
2 itineraries
8 – 14 days
4.9 average
From $95 per person
October – AprilBest months to travel
10 daysMost booked length
PrivateEvery departure
Free cancellationUp to 30 days before
Every itinerary on this page is private — your own guide, your own driver, your own pace — with hotels and cruise boats our team has inspected in person. The archaeology is done properly, the pace is yours, and nothing on any of them is a commission stop.
Most guests take between 9 and 12 days. That is long enough to give Cairo three full days, spend four nights on the Nile between Luxor and Aswan, and still finish on the Red Sea rather than flying home exhausted.
How long do you actually need?
Eight days covers Cairo and a short cruise. Ten gives you Cairo, Luxor and Aswan without rushing. Twelve or more lets you add Alexandria or the Red Sea. Under a week, we would rather sell you a focused Cairo trip than a scramble.
When to travel
October to April. Upper Egypt reaches 41°C by lunchtime between June and August, which makes tomb days genuinely unpleasant. Those months are excellent for the Red Sea and considerably cheaper.
Safaga Port Shore Excursions
2 Day Trips to Luxor from Safaga Port
Discover the wonders of ancient Luxor on an unforgettable two-day shore excursion from Safaga…
per person
$150
View tour →
Compare
How the itineraries stack up
The honest version — this is what your budget actually changes.
| Level | Duration | Hotels | What's different | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value4★ | 8 – 10 days | 4★ properties | The essentials, done properly. Clean rooms, licensed guides, no shortcuts. | $95 |
| Mid-range4★ superior | 10 – 12 days | 4★ superior + deluxe cruise | Bigger rooms, better food, and named-brand cruise boats. | $123 |
| Luxury5★ | 12 – 14 days | 5★ Cairo & Luxor · luxury cruise | Suites, fine dining, resident Egyptologist on the cruise. | $150 |
All prices are per person and fall with group size. Send us the number and we'll quote it exactly.
Why book with us
What sits inside the price
Egypt is cheap to book badly. These four are the difference, and they are written into every confirmation we send.
Licensed Egyptologists only
A Ministry licence and a degree in Egyptology. No drivers doubling as guides.
IncludedOne price, quoted upfront
Entry tickets, transfers, guiding and taxes are in the number you approve.
No extrasHotels we have slept in
Inspected in person, named on your voucher. If a room isn't what we promised, we move you.
InspectedOne number, 24/7
The same WhatsApp thread from enquiry to airport, staffed by the person who planned your trip.
24 / 7Traveller reviews
What guests say
Collected from TripAdvisor and Google. We publish the critical ones too.
4.9
345+ reviews on TripAdvisor & Google
“Our guide Hoda knew every corner of the Valley of the Kings and got us in before the coaches arrived. Fourteen days and not one wasted morning.”
“Our flight to Aswan was cancelled the night before. The team rebooked us, moved the hotel and messaged at 1am to confirm. We didn't lose a single site.”
“The boat is comfortable rather than glamorous — be clear on that. But the guiding was the best of the three trips I have taken to Egypt.”
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 to travel
October to April for the archaeology. May to September for the Red Sea, at roughly two-thirds of the price.
November – FebruaryPeak season. Luxor sits at 23–25°C, ideal for tombs and temples. Busiest and priciest — book about three months ahead.
March – April, October – NovemberOur own favourite. 29–35°C, noticeably thinner crowds, and prices below the December peak.
May – September41°C in Upper Egypt by lunchtime. Excellent for Hurghada and Sharm, hard work in the Valley of the Kings unless you finish by eleven.
Nights get cold8°C in Luxor in January is normal, and cruise sun decks are chilly after dinner. Bring a jacket — nobody expects to need one.
What we'd book. Late October or early November for a first trip — warm enough for the coast, cool enough for the tombs, six weeks clear of the Christmas crowds.
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
Yes. Luxor is the main reason cruise ships call at Safaga, and our private day excursion covers Karnak, the Valley of the Kings and either the Temple of Hatshepsut or the Colossi of Memnon before you return to the ship. Port Ghalib and Marsa Alam are further south, so the drive is longer and we start correspondingly earlier. Every excursion runs with a licensed Egyptologist, entry tickets and air-conditioned transport included.
Safaga to Luxor is roughly three to three and a half hours each way across the desert road, so it is a full, early day. We collect you at the quay the moment you are cleared ashore and time the whole itinerary around your ship's all-aboard, not a fixed schedule. Because the tour is private, the pace and the lunch stop are arranged around your group rather than a coach timetable.
Yes — getting you back before all-aboard is the single fixed point every Safaga shore excursion is built around. We plan the day against your ship's stated departure time with a comfortable buffer, and your driver and Egyptologist know the port procedures. If your ship's schedule changes while you are ashore, your guide adjusts the return.
Visa rules depend on your nationality and whether your cruise line arranges group clearance, so we confirm the current requirement for your passport when you enquire. As a licensed Egyptian operator we meet you inside the port with the paperwork the authorities expect for a private shore tour. Message us with your ship, call date and nationality and we will tell you exactly what you need.
Your driver and licensed Egyptologist meet you at the quay holding a Min Travel sign once passengers are cleared ashore, and the price is per person and falls as your group grows. Because Luxor excursions from Safaga fill on busy call days, we recommend booking ahead by enquiry form or WhatsApp. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before your pickup time.
Something different in mind?
Tell us what you most want to see. A consultant in Cairo replies with a draft itinerary and a real price within one working day.