Private Customized 3 Day tours to Cairo, Giza and Alexandria

The biggest draw here is the amount of Egypt you cover in three days. You move from the Great Pyramid and Sphinx to Saqqara, Memphis, Alexandria’s catacombs, Coptic churches, Saladin’s Citadel, and Khan Al-Khalili without having to arrange separate cars, guides, and tickets. Private transport keeps the pace practical, especially on the long Alexandria day.

I like the door-to-door service and the Egyptologist guide, since Cairo’s major sights are spread far apart and need context. I also like the mix of famous monuments and less obvious stops, from the tombs beneath Alexandria to the cave at Abu Serga Church. The main caution is that the schedule is full, and the price details need a careful check: food, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and entry inside a pyramid are not clearly covered in the included items.

Key points to know before booking

• Giza is only the beginning: The first day also reaches Saqqara and Memphis, two important sites often missed on a short Cairo stay.
• Alexandria means a long road day: The drive takes about 2.5 hours each way from Cairo, with roughly three hours of sightseeing listed in the city.
• The final day shifts from pharaohs to faith: You visit the Egyptian Museum, Coptic churches, the Citadel, and Khan Al-Khalili.
• A private car saves time: Hotel pickup and drop-off are provided each day, and only your group takes part.
• Some extras cost more: Entering a pyramid is optional, the library ticket is not included, and food is excluded from the formal inclusions.
• Ahmed and Jimmy are named guides: One detailed account credits driver Ahmed and guide Jimmy with making the sightseeing feel safe, reliable, and possible to manage.

A three-day route that covers far more than Giza

This tour is designed for you if you want a broad first look at Cairo and Alexandria without planning each transfer yourself. It is not a slow museum holiday. You will spend long periods in the car, walk through large archaeological areas, and move between very different parts of the city.

The private format matters in Cairo. Giza, Saqqara, Memphis, Old Cairo, and the downtown museum are not next door to one another. Having a driver collect you at your hotel, wait while you visit each site, and return you at the end of the day removes much of the usual guesswork.

The experience begins at about 8:00 a.m. The third day has a stated pickup time of 8:30 a.m., while the Alexandria day starts at 7:00 a.m. That early start is sensible for the road trip, but you should be ready for three active mornings in a row.

Day one: Khufu, Saqqara, and Egypt’s first capital

The first stop is the Giza Plateau, where you spend about two hours across three viewpoints. The main focus is the Great Pyramid of King Khufu, the only surviving member of the ancient Seven Wonders. You then move to a panoramic point for views of all three pyramids before finishing at the Valley Temple and the Sphinx.

This arrangement gives you both close views and the classic wide picture. At the Great Pyramid, you can choose to pay for entry inside, but that cost is not included. I would treat this as an optional add-on rather than an essential part of the day. The outside scale of the pyramid, the plateau views, and the Sphinx already provide the core experience.

The Sphinx stop includes the nearby Valley Temple, a useful pairing because the temple helps explain how the royal complex worked. Your guide can connect the pyramid, temple, and statue rather than presenting each one as an isolated photo stop.

Next comes Saqqara, about two hours according to the planned schedule. Here you see the Step Pyramid, the pyramid of King Teti, and the tomb of Teti’s vizier. Saqqara rewards you with a different feel from Giza. The monuments are spread through a wider archaeological area, and the Step Pyramid shows an earlier stage in the development of pyramid building.

The final stop is Memphis, the first capital of Egypt according to the tour description. You spend about an hour there before returning to your hotel. Memphis adds useful political context to the morning, since the tour is not only about royal tombs but also about the city that helped organize early Egyptian rule.

Day one is full, but its order makes sense. Giza provides the famous opening, Saqqara supplies more detailed ancient sites, and Memphis rounds out the story. Wear practical clothing and shoes, and remember the stated dress code is smart casual.

Day two: Alexandria’s underground and coastal monuments

The Alexandria day begins at 7:00 a.m., with a drive of about 2.5 hours each way. That means you should view this as a full road excursion, not a quick side trip. The reward is a different Egyptian city, shaped by Greek, Roman, and later Islamic influences.

The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa are the first major visit. These underground tombs have three levels and combine Greek, Roman, and ancient Egyptian artistic features. You see the main tomb, including carved figures and symbols from those traditions.

This stop is valuable because Alexandria cannot be understood through one culture alone. The catacombs show how artistic ideas crossed borders and changed over time. The underground setting may also be difficult for some people, so ask your guide about the visit if stairs or enclosed areas are a concern.

Pompey’s Pillar follows. The column is described as a 25-meter piece of red Aswan granite and the last remaining relic of the Serapeum temple complex. It was built in honor of Emperor Diocletian. Allow about an hour here, enough time to see the column and hear how the surrounding temple once fit into Alexandria.

The Qaitbay Citadel comes next. It was built after an earthquake destroyed Alexandria’s famous lighthouse, using the city’s northern position as a defensive point. The itinerary lists only one minute for this stop, which is clearly too brief to describe a meaningful visit, so confirm the actual time with the provider before you go. The citadel itself is meant to explain Alexandria’s military past and its connection to the lost lighthouse.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the final named stop before the return to Cairo. The visit is planned for about an hour, but admission is not included. That distinction matters, particularly because the tour price is only $95 per person. Confirm the current ticket cost and whether the guide enters with you or explains the building from outside.

The Alexandria day offers strong variety, but it asks a lot of you. A 5-hour round-trip drive leaves less time for relaxed wandering, and the listed sightseeing schedule is compact. You should book it for historical range, not for a leisurely seaside day.

Day three: Ancient Egypt, Christian Cairo, and Islamic Cairo

The final day starts at the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in downtown Cairo. The planned guided visit lasts about two hours. This is the place to pull together what you saw at Giza, Saqqara, and Memphis, since the museum gives objects and royal remains a wider setting.

A two-hour visit is enough for a guided introduction, but not enough to inspect every room at length. Listen for the objects your guide considers most important, then avoid trying to see everything. The entrance fee is included.

The route then shifts to Coptic Cairo, where you visit several important religious buildings. Abu Serga Church is linked to the Holy Family’s stay in the area, and the itinerary includes the cave beneath the church. You also visit the Hanging Church, built on the base of one of the towers of the Babylon fortress, along with St. George Church and the Ben Ezra Synagogue.

This is one of the most distinctive parts of the tour. Instead of staying with pharaonic monuments, you see how different faiths shaped one old section of Cairo. The two-hour visit also gives your guide time to explain the buildings instead of reducing them to quick photographs.

Saladin’s Citadel is next, with about an hour planned. The fortification sits high above eastern Cairo and served as a seat of government for about 800 years, according to the tour description. Inside, you visit the Alabaster Mosque and see Islamic architectural details. The elevated position also provides broad views over Cairo.

The final stop is Khan Al-Khalili, where you spend about an hour walking through one of Cairo’s oldest Islamic market areas. You can see historic mosques, schools, water buildings, and hospitals, then browse for souvenirs and practice the local art of bargaining.

This is a good place to keep your expectations sensible. One hour is enough for a walk and some shopping, not for a full study of the district. If you dislike haggling, set a firm spending limit and treat the market as part of the cultural experience rather than a shopping mission.

What the $95 price really covers

At $95 per person, this tour offers a strong list of major sites for the money, particularly if you are traveling with another person and value private transport. The stated inclusions cover a qualified Egyptologist guide, private vehicle, round-trip private transfers, local taxes, hotel pickup, and hotel drop-off.

Admission is included at many key stops, including Giza, Saqqara, Memphis, the catacombs, Pompey’s Pillar, Qaitbay Citadel, the Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo, the Citadel, and Khan Al-Khalili. That reduces the need to keep paying at every stop.

Still, read the cost details carefully. The formal inclusion list says food and beverages are not included, even though the overview refers to lunch. I would ask for written confirmation before booking. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina ticket is also excluded, and entering a pyramid costs extra. Optional tours are not part of the base price.

The tour offers group discounts, but it requires at least two people per booking. A child rate applies only when the child shares with two paying adults. Those terms make the price most attractive for couples, families, or small private groups rather than solo visitors.

Guides, drivers, and the value of a private vehicle

The experience includes an Egyptologist guide, but no single guide is promised for every departure. One detailed account names Ahmed as the driver and Jimmy as the guide, crediting them with careful transport, honesty, and a strong sense of safety. If those names matter to you, ask whether either is available for your dates.

The private vehicle is more than a comfort feature. Cairo’s traffic, the distance between sites, and the Alexandria road trip make independent transport time-consuming. Hotel pickup also means you do not have to find a meeting point before sunrise or after a long day in the city.

The trade-off is that the tour can feel tightly managed. Private does not mean slow. You still need to follow the daily plan, and your guide will set the practical rhythm between sites. Tell the guide early if you want more time at a museum, less time shopping, or a different balance between photographs and explanations.

Who will enjoy this Cairo and Alexandria plan?

I would recommend this tour to a first-time visitor who wants to cover the main sights in a short stay. It also fits you if you prefer a private guide and car but do not want to build a three-day plan from separate bookings.

It suits families and small groups well, especially with the hotel transfers and private format. The child pricing rule is worth checking before you commit. Vegetarian food can be arranged if requested when booking, but meals are not formally included.

You should think twice if you want unhurried museum time, independent wandering, or a relaxed Alexandria visit. The Alexandria drive is long, and the three days include a lot of history in a compact schedule. Most people can participate, but the archaeological areas, underground catacombs, stairs, and walking stops call for sensible footwear and a reasonable level of mobility.

A current valid passport is required on the day of travel. Confirmation is provided at booking, and free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes inside that window are not refunded or accepted.

Should you book this three-day tour?

Book it if your priority is coverage, convenience, and a private guide who can connect the sites into one story. The strongest parts are the Giza, Saqqara, and Memphis combination; the range of Coptic and Islamic Cairo; and the chance to see Alexandria without arranging a separate long-distance transfer.

Before paying, confirm three points: the meal arrangement, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina admission, and the exact time at Qaitbay Citadel. Also decide if pyramid entry is worth the extra cost. If you accept the early starts and long Alexandria drive, $95 per person can be a useful way to see a great deal of Egypt in three days.

FAQ

Where does the tour take place?

The tour is based in Cairo and includes visits to Giza, Saqqara, Memphis, Coptic Cairo, Islamic Cairo, and Alexandria.

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately three days.

What time does the tour start?

The general meeting time is 8:00 a.m. The Alexandria day pickup is listed for 7:00 a.m., and the third day pickup is listed for 8:30 a.m.

Is hotel pickup and drop-off included?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, along with round-trip private transfers in a private vehicle.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group takes part in the activity.

Are entrance fees included?

Admission is included for many listed stops, including the Giza area, Saqqara, Memphis, the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Pompey’s Pillar, Qaitbay Citadel, the Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo, the Citadel, and Khan Al-Khalili. The Bibliotheca Alexandrina ticket is not included.

Can I enter a pyramid?

Yes, but visiting inside a pyramid is an optional extra and is not included in the stated price.

Are meals included?

The formal inclusion details say food and beverages are not included. The overview refers to lunch, so you should confirm the meal arrangement with the provider before booking.

What happens if I need to cancel?

You receive a full refund if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded or accepted.