Egypt Tours From the UK Nile, Cairo and Red Sea

Egypt tours from the UK need less planning than most British travellers expect: a direct flight to Cairo takes about five hours, Egypt is two hours ahead for most of the year, and in winter you can also fly direct to Luxor, Hurghada or Sharm El Sheikh. Our tours for British travellers combine Cairo, the Nile and often a few days on the Red Sea, from $1,240 per person (double room, October to April). All our prices are in US dollars.

Because the flight is short, the choices that matter most are which Egyptian airport you fly into, how your dates fit around school holidays, and whether you want a cruise, a beach finish or both. This page works through each in turn.

Direct Flights From the UK to Egypt

Four Egyptian airports have direct flights from Britain over winter 2026 to 2027, and the one you choose shapes the holiday.

EgyptAir runs 21 flights a week from London and raised Manchester to 10 a week in July 2026, so Cairo is reachable most days from both ends of the country. Our packages return you to Cairo for the flight home. If you would rather fly back to the UK straight from Luxor, Hurghada or Sharm, tell us and we will end the trip there as a tailor-made version.

Visa Rules for British Citizens, and the Sharm Exception

GOV.UK lists these entry rules for British passport holders:

• Passport. An expiry date at least six months after you arrive, and one blank page.
• e-Visa. Bought online through Egypt’s official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg, before you travel.
• Visa on arrival. $30 in US dollar cash at approved airports, valid for 30 days. At Cairo airport, a digital visa on arrival has been available since 1 August 2026 for $36, paid by card.
• Free Sinai stamp. If you fly into Sharm El Sheikh and stay less than 15 days in the resorts of Sharm, Dahab, Nuweiba or Taba, you receive a free entry permission stamp instead of a visa.

The Sharm stamp does not cover our tours. If you leave those resorts, for Cairo, Luxor or a Nile cruise, you need a full visa, even when the holiday ends in Sharm El Sheikh. Get the e-visa before you fly or carry dollars for the visa on arrival. GOV.UK’s Egypt travel advice is the place to check for changes before departure.

Time Difference: GMT, BST and Egyptian Summer Time

Both countries change their clocks, but on different dates, so the gap moves between one and three hours.

With so little jet lag, a British traveller can land in the afternoon and be at the Pyramids the next morning, which is why our itineraries keep only the arrival day free.

Planning Around Half-Term, Christmas and Easter

School holidays drive most UK bookings. Dates vary by council and academy trust, so check your own school; the dates below are a typical London borough calendar for 2026 to 2027.

On the weather side, Luxor’s average highs stay below 26°C from December to late February and reach about 41°C in July. October half-term and Christmas both fall in our October to April price season. Families can compare more options on our Egypt family tours page.

Nile Cruise and Red Sea Holidays From the UK

A cruise followed by a few days on the beach suits travellers who want rest at the end of a busy week of sightseeing. These tours start in Cairo and finish on the coast. Prices are per person in US dollars, sharing a double room, October to April.

The trade-off is travel time. HAPI and King Tut Dive keep the price down with sleeper trains and long road legs, while Nile Dream and Hatshepsut Dive fly between Cairo and the south. For every beach combination we run, see Egypt and Red Sea tours.

Luxury Nile Cruises for British Travellers

If the river matters more than the beach, you can book a luxury ship on its own and add Cairo before or after. Three examples, each per person sharing a double cabin for three nights:

• Sonesta Star Goddess. Every cabin is a suite with a balcony. $1,960, September to April.
• Oberoi Zahra. À la carte dining and a spa with private treatment rooms. $2,245, October to April.
• Historia. Spacious accommodation and a quiet atmosphere. $3,000, September to April.

Each fare includes full board and private guided sightseeing on the sailing programme. Compare every ship on our luxury Nile cruise page. For a land-based week with a private Egyptologist and Abu Simbel, Jewels of Egypt costs $2,025 per person for two to four travellers.

Money and Plugs

• Money. Egypt uses the Egyptian pound, and GOV.UK limits what you carry in or out to 5,000 pounds, so the simplest approach is to draw cash from an ATM on arrival. Hotels and ships take cards, but tips and markets need cash. Pack some US dollars as well, for the visa on arrival. As our prices are set in dollars, the sterling cost of your tour moves with the exchange rate.
• Plugs. Egypt uses two-pin type C and F sockets. The voltage is 230 volts at 50 Hz, the same as in the UK, so a simple adapter for your type G plugs is all you need.

Travelling From Elsewhere

If some of your group are flying from further afield, see our pages for travellers from the USA, Canada and Australia.

Tell us your UK airport, your school holiday dates and whether you want a cruise, a beach or both, and our family-run team in Cairo will adapt a tour to your flights. We stay in touch on WhatsApp throughout your trip. Plan a tailor-made Egypt holiday.