Eight days over Christmas and New Year, with the Nile in between. Cairo for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. A four-night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan over the in-between week. Back to Cairo for New Year’s Eve.
This is a fixed departure — December 24 to December 31. Christmas Eve dinner at the Steigenberger Pyramids, Christmas Day at the Pyramids of Giza, New Year’s Eve gala back in Cairo. The Nile cruise is on the Farah Nile Cruise, 5-star, full board.
Christmas is peak season in Egypt. Prices are higher, and hotels and cruise ships sell out 4-6 months ahead. Book early. We also run a Cairo-only 5-day Christmas version if you don’t want the cruise.
What you actually see
Cairo — Days 1-2. Christmas Eve at Steigenberger Pyramids, Christmas Day at the Giza Plateau and the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Three pyramids, the Sphinx, the Tutankhamun galleries, and the grand staircase. Christmas dinner at the hotel.
Luxor & Nile Cruise — Days 3-7. Fly to Luxor the morning of December 26. Board the Farah Nile Cruise. Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s Temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan. Four nights on the ship, full board. Optional Abu Simbel on Day 7 morning.
Cairo — Day 8. Fly back from Aswan. Free afternoon. New Year’s Eve gala dinner at the Steigenberger Pyramids. Late-night departure, or add a night to welcome the new year properly.
What’s special about this departure
Christmas Eve dinner at the Steigenberger Pyramids. Traditional Christmas menu — turkey, stuffing, the works. Live music in the dining room.
Christmas Day at the Pyramids. Giza is busier than usual on December 25, but the weather is perfect. 20°C, sunny, no humidity. Bring a light jacket for the morning.
New Year’s Eve gala at the Steigenberger Pyramids. Dinner, live band, countdown, and champagne at midnight. Dress code is smart casual.
Coptic Christmas note. Coptic Orthodox Christmas is January 7, not December 25. If you’re still in Egypt on January 7, we can arrange a visit to a Coptic church service. Tell us in advance.
What’s open and what’s closed
Open on December 25: Giza Plateau, Grand Egyptian Museum, hotels, restaurants, Khan el-Khalili (most shops open in the afternoon).
Open on January 1: Most sites, hotels, restaurants. Some smaller shops close. Banks are closed.
Closed on December 25: Most government offices, some banks. Not relevant to your tour.
Egypt does not observe Christmas as a public holiday (Coptic Christmas is January 7). Tourist sites run normally on December 25. The only thing that changes is that hotels and restaurants have special Christmas menus, and prices are higher.
The hotels & ship
Steigenberger Pyramids (Cairo, 3 nights total — Dec 24-25 and Dec 30-31). 5-star, pyramid views from some rooms. 10 minutes from the Giza plateau. Christmas Eve dinner and New Year’s Eve gala on-site.
Farah Nile Cruise (Luxor → Aswan, 4 nights, Dec 26-30). 5-star ship. Cabins with Nile views. Restaurant, bar, sundeck pool, spa. Full board (drinks excluded). Special Christmas dinner on board.
About the flights
Two economy flights included: Cairo → Luxor (Dec 26) and Aswan → Cairo (Dec 30). Both on EgyptAir. Luggage: 23 kg checked, 7 kg carry-on per person.
Fixed Christmas pricing: The $2,400 price is fixed for this departure. No low-season or high-season variation. Christmas is peak — hotels and cruise ships charge their top rates, and we’ve built that in. Flight prices are locked when we book, 2-3 months out. Book early — flights and cabins sell out 4-6 months ahead for Christmas.
What’s included
- 3 nights at Steigenberger Pyramids (Cairo, Dec 24-25 and Dec 30-31)
- 4 nights on Farah Nile Cruise (Luxor → Aswan, Dec 26-30, full board)
- Two economy flights: Cairo→Luxor, Aswan→Cairo
- Christmas Eve dinner at Steigenberger Pyramids
- Christmas dinner at Steigenberger Pyramids (Dec 25)
- New Year’s Eve gala dinner at Steigenberger Pyramids (Dec 31)
- Daily breakfast
- Lunch on all tour days
- Dinner on cruise nights (4 nights)
- All entrance fees (Giza Plateau, GEM, Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu, Kom Ombo, High Dam, Philae)
- Private A/C vehicle in Cairo
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide
- Airport transfers in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan
- Bottled water during tours
What’s not included
- International flights
- Visa ($25 on arrival for most nationalities)
- Drinks on the cruise (water, soft drinks, alcohol) — budget $15-25 per person per day
- Dinner in Cairo on Dec 26 and Dec 30 (cruise covers the others)
- Tips for guide, driver, and cruise crew ($10-15 per person per day land, $5-8 cruise)
- Abu Simbel day trip ($350-400 by flight, $100-130 by road)
- Extra tombs in Valley of the Kings (Tutankhamun $20, Seti I $25)
- Optional hot air balloon in Luxor ($120-150)
- Travel insurance (get one that covers trip cancellation — Christmas travel is more expensive to rebook)
Honest notes
Christmas in Egypt is not “Christmas-y” in the Western sense. No Christmas markets, no decorated streets outside 5-star hotels, no carolers. It’s a Muslim-majority country with a Coptic Christian minority. What you get is: warm weather, empty sites (relatively), and Christmas dinner at your hotel. If you want an authentic Christmas-abroad experience with lights and snow, Egypt is not it.
The weather is perfect though. December in Cairo is 18-22°C, sunny, dry. Luxor and Aswan are 22-26°C. No rain. This is why people come to Egypt in December.
The Nile cruise is full for Christmas. Ships sell out 4-6 months ahead for the Dec 24-31 window. Book by August or September for the best cabin selection.
New Year’s Eve gala is a big deal. The Steigenberger Pyramids does a proper NYE event — live band, multiple courses, champagne at midnight. Dress code is smart casual. Rooms book out early for Dec 31 in Cairo.
Day 7 is a travel day. Abu Simbel in the early morning (optional), then disembark, then fly Aswan → Cairo, then check in at Steigenberger. You arrive in Cairo in the evening. Day 8 is the free day before the NYE gala.
If you want an easier Christmas without the cruise, book the 5-day Cairo Christmas version. It’s Cairo-only, with the same Christmas dinner and a slower pace.
Who this is for
- Travelers who want Christmas AND New Year in Egypt, with the Nile in between
- Couples, families with teenagers, honeymooners
- Anyone who wants a fixed, no-surprises Christmas departure
- Travelers who don’t mind peak-season pricing for a special occasion
Who this is not for
- Travelers who want a Western-style Christmas with snow and markets
- Budget travelers — Christmas is the most expensive time in Egypt
- Families with kids under 6 (the cruise pace is slow for young kids)
- Anyone who wants to decide dates last-minute (this is a fixed departure)
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