Egypt luxury holidays from South Africa are easier than most long-haul trips. One overnight EgyptAir flight from Johannesburg, about eight and a half hours, lands in Cairo on a clock that is the same as home or one hour ahead. At Egypt Best Vacations we plan these holidays as private tours of 4 to 15 days, with your own Egyptologist guide, five-star hotels, and a luxury Nile cruise ship or a dahabiya between Luxor and Aswan. Prices start from $1,130 per person, without international flights.
You deal with the people who run the tour. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator with our own office in Luxor (Standard Tours, tourism licence no. 1082), founded by Egyptologist Essam Ali, who still leads tours himself. We have received the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award in 2024, 2025 and 2026.
The calendar also works in your favour. South Africa’s long December holiday falls in Egypt’s coolest months, so the weeks when most South African families can travel are also the best weeks to stand at the Pyramids and sail the Nile. Every luxury tour is private, and we shape the route around your flight days. If you are comparing all price levels, see our Egypt tours from South Africa.
| Length | Luxury tour | Best for | From, per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 days | Private 4-Day Luxury Cairo & Luxor Tour | A short break: the Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and a day in Luxor by air | $1,300 |
| 5 days | 5 Day Luxury Cairo Luxor and Aswan Tour: Pyramids and Abu Simbel by Air | Cairo, Luxor and Aswan in a working week, with Abu Simbel | $1,899 |
| 6 days | 6 Day Luxury Cairo & Dahabiya Cruise Holiday Package | Couples who want a small sailing boat on the Nile instead of a ship | $2,310 |
| 8 days | 8-Day Luxury Cairo & Nile Cruise Holiday | A first visit: Cairo and a luxury Nile cruise at an easy pace | $2,530 |
| 10 days | 10 Day Egypt Luxury Tour Package: Cairo, Nile Cruise & Hurghada | Temples first, then beach days on the Red Sea | $3,250 |
| 15 days | 15 Day Egypt Luxury Vacation: Cairo, Abu Simbel, Nile, Hurghada | The long December holiday: the full route with Abu Simbel and the Red Sea | $5,350 |
Prices checked in October 2026 and shown in US dollars. The tour cards below always show the current price.
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Hubby and I have wanted to visit Egypt for ages but did not want to go as part of a large group. Found Egypt Best Vacations on Facebook and was impressed with the range of options available. We wanted to see as much of Egypt as possible and Egypt Best Vacations was great at helping us book the most suitable holiday for us at a reasonable price.
An awesome short 4 day trip for travelers wanting an authentic experience to explore ancient Egypt, with very informative and well known tour guides who were always helpful throughout the tour. Both Sara and Sami were great! Would recommend to anyone wanting to explore Egypt. A great experience!
Valley of Kings , Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple ,Felucca Ride in Aswan are very Good. Had wonderful time. The guide Mr.Essam Ali is Wonderful and Knowledgeable. He had taken very good care of us through our the trip at every place . We strongly recommend Mr.Essam Ali.
Great tour. Our guide Essam was excellent. He was very knowledgeable and articulated the tour well. Offering our group good advice on how to customize our tour based on our interests. He was sure to warn us on all potential scams aswell as unnecessary/non affiliated persons. He also went above by making our restaurant reservations for us.
We enjoyed our Egypt travels through Egypt Best Vacations. Essam is the best tour coordinator and guide one can find! I am so glad we found him because he made our trip memorable in so many ways! He was always able to make the tours fun by telling us stories of the past in engaging ways! He was always helpful and gave us honest guidance regarding all local experiences eg. How to behave with street vendors. You felt you could trust him and rely on him fully through the travel!
Egypt luxury holidays from South Africa with Egypt Best Vacations are private tours. Packages normally cover five-star accommodation, airport transfers, a private air-conditioned vehicle and driver, your own licensed Egyptologist guide, the entrance fees named in the itinerary, and domestic flights where the route uses them. A luxury Nile cruise is included on the itineraries that list one. International flights from South Africa, the entry visa, tips and optional activities are not included. Each tour page lists exactly what is and is not included.
Prices start from $1,130 per person for a 4-day luxury Nile cruise and reach $5,350 per person for the 15-day tour. As a guide, the Private 4-Day Luxury Cairo & Luxor Tour is from $1,300, the 5 Day Luxury Cairo Luxor and Aswan Tour is from $1,899 and the 8-Day Luxury Cairo & Nile Cruise Holiday is from $2,530. The price depends on the travel dates, the room type and the hotels you choose. Prices are in US dollars and were checked in October 2026. Each tour page shows the current figure.
Yes. EgyptAir flies non-stop from O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg to Cairo about four times a week. The flight takes about eight and a half hours, leaves in the evening and lands early the next morning. From Cape Town and Durban you can connect through Johannesburg, or fly with one stop on Emirates, Qatar Airways or Ethiopian Airlines. International flights are not included in our prices, so you choose the airline and fare you prefer.
Yes. South African passport holders need a tourist visa for Egypt. A single-entry visa valid for 30 days costs US$30 on arrival at Cairo airport, or you can apply for an e-visa before you travel on the official portal. Your passport should be valid for at least six months after arrival. Entry rules can change, so check with the Embassy of Egypt in Pretoria before you book.
Very little. Egypt keeps the same time as South Africa from the end of October to late April, and is one hour ahead from late April to the end of October. You arrive without jet lag, which makes even a short luxury tour of 4 to 6 days worthwhile.
All our luxury tours are private. You have your own Egyptologist guide, driver and vehicle, and no other guests join your party. You set the pace, and you can change the order of visits or add a free afternoon.
Luxury tours use five-star hotels. In Cairo, examples are the Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah, the Kempinski Nile Hotel, the Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza, The St. Regis Cairo and The Nile Ritz-Carlton. In Aswan we use the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract and the Mövenpick Resort Aswan. On the Nile you sail on a five-star luxury cruise ship or on a dahabiya, a small sailing boat. If a named hotel or ship is not available, we book one of equal or higher standard.
Because the flight is overnight and there is no jet lag, a private tour of 4 to 6 days already covers the Pyramids and either Luxor or Aswan. Eight to ten days suits most guests: Cairo, a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan, and one more stop. With 12 to 15 days you can add Abu Simbel and beach days on the Red Sea.
October to April, when days are warm and evenings are cool. South Africa’s December and January school holiday falls in this season, together with Christmas and New Year, so book those weeks early. The June and July winter holiday is hot in Luxor and Aswan, and touring then starts early in the morning.
Send us an enquiry with your dates and we confirm the itinerary and price with you. A deposit, normally 25%, secures the booking, and we confirm the balance date by email. Payment is by secure online payment link or bank transfer. We do not accept cash. Prices are in US dollars, and your bank converts the amount from rand.
Yes, when a child shares a room with the parents. On tours without domestic flights, children under 6 travel free and children aged 6 to 11 pay half. On packages with domestic flights, children under 3 pay 30%, ages 3 to 5 pay 40% and ages 6 to 11 pay 50% of the adult price.
The places on these tours, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea resorts, receive millions of visitors a year and are well policed. On a private tour you are with a licensed guide and driver throughout, and our Luxor office answers the phone at any hour. Read our full answer in Is Egypt safe to visit?