Egypt captivates travelers with its ancient pyramids, majestic Nile River, and vibrant culture spanning over 5,000 years. From the iconic Sphinx and Valley of the Kings to bustling Cairo bazaars and Red Sea coral reefs, Egypt offers an unforgettable journey through history and natural beauty.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Alexandria
Egypt's second city sits on the Mediterranean and was the classical world's great port, founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC. Almost nothing survives above ground from that era, but the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, the Roman amphitheatre, and the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina reimagining the ancient library give the day a Greco-Roman and Mediterranean character that is completely different from Cairo's pharaonic sites. The Corniche waterfront and a seafood lunch add a coastal, faded-grandeur feel.
Highlights: Bibliotheca Alexandrina · Qaitbay Citadel · Corniche seafood restaurants · Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa · Pompey's Pillar
Fayoum Oasis and Wadi El Rayan
Fayoum is a fertile depression fed by a branch of the Nile, centred on Lake Qarun, with a landscape of farmland, waterwheels and desert that contrasts with both Cairo and the Nile Valley proper. Wadi El Rayan, further into the desert, is a protected area of two connected lakes with Egypt's only waterfall of any size and dramatic wind-carved rock formations nearby. It's a nature and scenery day rather than a monuments day.
Highlights: Wadi El Rayan waterfalls · Lake Qarun flamingos · Valley of the Whales (Wadi Al-Hitan) fossils · Tunis village pottery workshops
Saqqara and Memphis
Saqqara was the necropolis of ancient Memphis, Egypt's capital for much of the Old Kingdom, and holds the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the earliest large stone monument in Egyptian history. Memphis itself survives only as a small open-air site with scattered statuary, but combined with Saqqara it gives a clear sense of Egypt's oldest dynastic power centre, well before the Giza pyramids were built.
Highlights: Step Pyramid of Djoser · Pyramid of Unas · Serapeum of Saqqara · Memphis open-air museum · Colossi of Ramesses II
Dahshur Pyramid Field
Dahshur is a royal necropolis south of Saqqara, notably quieter than Giza, with two pyramids built by Sneferu that show the architectural experimentation leading up to the true pyramid form. The Bent Pyramid changes angle partway up from an early miscalculation, and the Red Pyramid, Egypt's first successful true pyramid, can be entered via a long descending passage. Because it draws far fewer visitors than Giza, it's a good site for actually experiencing the scale without crowds.
Highlights: Bent Pyramid of Sneferu · Red Pyramid (climbable inside) · Black Pyramid of Amenemhat III · Virtually no other tourists
Ain Sokhna and the Red Sea Coast
Ain Sokhna is the closest Red Sea beach access to Cairo, a stretch of resorts and beach clubs on the Gulf of Suez rather than a historic or cultural site. It's the trip Cairo residents take for a day of sea and sun without the longer journey to Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh, with calmer water than the open Red Sea resorts further south.
Highlights: Galala Mountain Cable Car · Red Sea snorkelling · Porto Sokhna resort beach · Zafarana lighthouse road drive
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized day tours from Cairo to Saqqara and Memphis from $40 per person; Alexandria tours from $60 including train and guide
- Private
- Private car and driver hire from $60-80/day for Giza, Saqqara, and Dahshur circuit; $120-150 for Cairo-Alexandria return
- Public
- Egyptian National Railways trains serve Alexandria (EGP 30-60), Luxor (EGP 80-200), and Aswan. Go Bus company serves Hurghada and Sinai.
- Rental
- Car rental from $30-50/day; recommended only for Ain Sokhna and Fayoum as Cairo city driving is chaotic for foreigners
Multi-day tours from Egypt
If you have longer than a day, these are organised multi-day trips that start here.
Browse multi-day tours from EgyptWe may earn a commission from bookings made through this link.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Start all desert day trips before 8 AM to complete outdoor sightseeing before midday heat from April to October
Book organized tours to Alexandria, Saqqara, and Luxor from Cairo — the guides add enormous value at sites that require context
The Egyptian National Railways online booking system requires advance purchase for air-conditioned first-class carriages on popular routes