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Egypt is such an amazing place- the history, the culture, the people, the food, the juxtaposition of new and old; it was so high on our list. After traveling to 28 countries prior to Egypt, we consider ourselves pretty experienced when it comes to travel. Egypt challenged us in so many ways- from planning, to avoiding scams. So here is our detailed guide to help you navigate this beautiful country.

Safety 

Is Egypt safe? At the time of writing, according to the US Department of State, Egypt is a level 3 travel risk (reconsider travel). With that being said, we didn’t feel as though we were in danger of being harmed by anyone at any time.

From a female perspective, Joc did experience a lot of men wanting to touch her or “give hugs”, many unwanted compliments about her appearance, and general glaring.

The biggest safety concern in Egypt is the relentless scams. People are constantly trying to do things for you or tell you things and demand money for their “services”.

Although we love to engage with locals typically, it is incredibly important to remain vigilant during your time in Egypt. For this reason, we truly recommend a local guide. They can drive away unwanted scammers.

Visa process

US visitors need a single-entry tourist visa. Cost is $25USD and is valid for 30 days. We completed our visa on arrival with assistance arranged by our local travel guide. 

When to visit?

Egypt is known for sweltering summers, for that reason, it is recommended to visit between October-April.

If you’re looking to skip the temples and opt for beach days, June- September is ideal for visiting the red sea.

Getting around

Getting to Egypt, you will likely fly into Cairo International Airport (CAI).

Egyptian driving rivals our experiences with SE Asia driving. Egypt has a mix of under developed and modern roads, but essentially no road rules. With various police check-points located at random, you never know when you will be stopped or what for (likely a bribe is required).

Due to the driving hazards and general safety concerns, we recommend hiring a private driver. Additionally, we highly recommend the services of an Egyptologist during your visit– their knowledge is truly astounding.

Currency & Preferred payment

The currency in Egypt is the Egyptian pound (EGP). 1EGP is the equivalent of $0.02USD. Although cards seem to be widely accepted, we still recommend carrying EGP or USD as tipping is very customary and expected. 

For ease, we always opt to remove cash at the airport ATM on arrival.

Pro-tip: Make sure to decline the ATM conversion to get the best exchange rate from your bank.

DIY Versus Hiring a Local Agency

We are extremely PRO hire a local agency. We did work with a local operator for the entirety of our stay; they helped arrange transportation, getting entry tickets, going through customs and immigration, and ensuring egyptologists at all sites.

We had formulated our itinerary and allowed a few critiques from them- we vetted multiple agencies and this itinerary format seemed to be the best from multiple sources.

We selected our own accommodations because we felt most comfortable getting a place that would suite our mid-range needs.

While, we can’t recommend our agency’s particular service (we only recommend things we truly believe in), we do recommend reaching out to multiple agencies and finding the best fit for you.

Pro-tip: haggling is part of Egyptian culture. It feels taboo to us, coming from the US, but you NEED to do it.

Driving & Flying Versus Nile River Cruise

We opted to fly & drive because we had heard that the Nile River cruises spend much less time at the sites. We are extremely fascinated by Egyptian history and didn’t want to “cheat” ourselves.

Because of the time it takes to travel through the nile, some sites are also omitted (depending on your route). We wanted to have complete control over our itinerary and ensure we saw everything that we could.

Having done the fly & drive option, we do actually think the cruise would be a fantastic option for people who want a sampling of the history without all the hassling.

That said, you can’t go wrong with either option.

Itinerary

Cairo- 3 days

Where to stay?

For a fantastic, luxury stay (with pyramid view), you should absolutely consider this hotel:

We personally stayed here, which we consider a Mid-range hotel. It has an amazing pyramid view & excellent breakfast included.

A great budget option, with a pyramid view, you should take a look at this hotel:

Day 1

Good morning from Cairo! Since you likely flew into CAI, you will start your journey through Egypt here. Today, you will visit the Giza pyramids, Sphinx, and panoramic viewpoint.

Cost to enter the Giza plateau is 540 EGP. This will get you into the general area, going inside additional pyramids is an extra fee. While at the pyramids you have the option to ride a camel. While we won’t speak to the ethics of this, we will only note that it is an option. 

Pro-tip: the pyramid area is filled with people looking to scam you for a quick buck. Do not allow anyone to take photos for you, do not walk someone’s camel, generally- DO NOT ENGAGE. 

We did an ATV ride in Giza and this was a fantastic and slightly sketchy (AKA a man sat on the front the whole time) way to see a different perspective of the pyramids with less hassling.

Pro-tip: wear light neutral colors to hide the dust on your clothes (obviously, we didn’t do this…learn from our mistake).

Day 2

Today you will visit The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. The cost is 80EGP per person.

Here you will find more than 50,000 artefacts, mummies, and tombs from all across Egypt. We highly recommend the services of an Egyptologist. 

Next you will visit the Citadel of Salah El Din. This is an old palace built as a defense against the crusaders and is complete with the beautiful Mohamed Ali Mosque. The entrance fee is 60 EGP.

Day 3

Today you will visit Old Cairo (also known as Coptic Cairo). Two famous sites in Old Cairo are the Hanging Church and Abu Sengra. Abu Sengra is thought to be the place where the holy family sought refuge. 

Next you will visit the Islamic district in Cairo. This open-air market is said to be the oldest in the middle east. It is vibrant, lively, and where you can buy any item that your heart desires. We recommend heading there later in the evening as Egypt really comes alive at night.

If the night markets aren’t your thing (it’s truly sensory overload), you could also opt for a Nile dinner cruise. We did one and there was belly dancing and loads of unique entertainment. We wouldn’t say its a “don’t miss”, but it does beat sitting in your hotel room.

Aswan

Where to stay?

For a higher end stay, closer to downtown, we recommend staying here:

For a mid-range hotel, with an authentic Nubian vibe, we recommend this hotel: while it is a little out of the way from the downtown area, where else in the world would you experience a stay like this?

For a budget hotel with Nubian themes (although again, further from downtown), this would be a great option:

Day 4- fly to Aswan

After an early morning flight you will have plenty of time to visit the Temple of Philae. Philae temple is one of the most recognizable temples- it was also featured in the Death on the Nile movie.

This temple was relocated after the construction of the high dam and is devoted to goddesses Isis and Hathor. The entrance fee is 550 EGP.

Day 5- Visit Abu Simbel

Get an early start today because Abu Simbel is approximately a 6 hour (round trip) drive by private car from Aswan.

There are two temples located here. The first temple was built by Ramesses II for the god Rahorakhty. The second, smaller temple was dedicated to Queen Nefertari. The entrance fee is 550 EGP.

Abu Simbel is one of the most beautiful temples, but is often excluded from most Nile cruise itineraries (If opting for a cruise, check to see if you can do this as a day trip from Aswan).

Luxor

Where to stay?

For a luxury stay, we recommend staying here:

For a mid-rang stay, we recommend this hotel:

For a budget stay on the East Bank, we recommend staying here

Day 6-Drive to Luxox.

Today you will drive to Luxor and em route, visit two additional temples. To be completely transparent, our guide for the day really rushed us through and because of that, we have SOOO few photos or history to share. Even travel bloggers can’t have wins every day.

The first temple you will visit is the Kom Ombo temple dedicated to Sobek and Haroeris. The entrance fee is 100 EGP. There was a lot of crocodile information here, which was super interesting- they even had mummified crocodiles.

Next you will visit Edfu, the temple of Horus. The entrance fee is 450 EGP.

Day 7- Explore the West bank of Luxor

You will start by exploring the west bank of Luxor. Here you will visit the Valley of the Kings.

This area is filled with tombs (some yet to be found) of Egyptian kings. Interestingly, many tombs are located under pyramid shaped mountains or mounds.

Different tombs are open at different times depending on the environment, but of the ones we saw, they are all stunning. These tombs have the most vibrant and elaborate colorings and hieroglyphics that we have ever seen. The entrance fee is 350EGP.

Next you will visit the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. This is a mortuary temple, dedicated to the god Amun. Fun fact- they tried to have her erased from history… but clearly they didn’t succeed. THIS TEMPLE IS MASSIVE. The entrance fee is 350EGP.

Day 8- Explore the east bank of Luxor

Start your morning early with a hot air balloon ride. Honestly, this is a core memory. View the temples you saw yesterday from above and take note as you fly over the Colossi of Memnon. 

After your epic hot air balloon ride, you will visit the Karnak Temple Complex. This is the largest Egyptian temple constructed and because of this, it draws the crowds. We recommend starting early here early to avoid the crowds as much as possible. The entrance fee is 600EGP.

Lastly, you will visit the Luxor temple, the second largest temple in Luxor. This temple is dedicated to the deities Mut, Khonsu, and Amun. The entrance fee is 400EGP.

Day 9- Exploring the remaining temples in Luxor

Begin your morning by exploring the Ramasseum temple of Ramses II. While this may not be the most stunning temples, we really enjoyed it.

The temple is surrounded with remains of mud brick storehouses. While temples and tombs were built very elaborately, they were built for the afterlife and deities, respectively. Kings would have lived in modest mud brick homes, so this storefront helps paint the picture of what day-to-day life would have looked like. The entrance fee is 180 EGP.

Lastly, you will visit the Valley of Nobles. Here you will find tombs of the high priests and Egyptian court sophisticates. In contrast to the tombs of kings, which focus on the afterlife and deities, the noble tombs focus on telling the stories of their lives. The entrance fee is 150EGP.

Red Sea

Where to Stay?

For a more high-end stay, we recommend checking out this hotel:

All-Inclusives are very popular in this area. Here is a great mid-range option:

For a more budget option, here is the hotel which still includes breakfast & dinner:

Days 10-13  Red Sea

Today you will transfer to Marsa Alam. It is a 4 hour drive.

 While many people visit Hurghada, we chose to visit the quieter Marsa Alam. Marsa Alam is full of beautiful white sandy beaches, all-inclusive resorts, and aquatic adventures.

Snorkeling and diving opportunities are plentiful in the area. We recommend spending 3 days here and after all your exploring, you earned it!

We personally chose to do 2 snorkeling trips and it was some of the best reefs we have ever seen (and we’ve been to the Great Barrier Reef).

Day 14

Heading home. Flights into & out of Marsa Alam only occur on certain days of the week. If you need to return to Cairo for your flight home and cannot find a flight out of Marsa Alam, you can drive 2.5 hours to Hurghada and catch a direct flight to Cairo from there.

Final Thoughts

Egypt will leave you completely in awe. Being able to witness some of the earliest civilizations (that we know of) is so humbling. The chaos is such a unique culture and it just adds another level to the experience. If you follow this 2 week itinerary, we are sure you will see the best that Egypt has to offer and you will be so glad you finally booked the trip!

The post Egypt Travel Itinerary: How to Plan the Perfect Trip in 2025 appeared first on World Travel Lahrs.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means we earn a tiny commission (at no extra cost to you). It helps keep the adventures coming—thank you!

Outstanding animal encounters, intimate safari lodging, attentive staff that make you feel like family, Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge has it all right in the heart of Kruger National Park’s Balule Private Game Reserve.

Does the idea of a South African safari seem thrilling, but overwhelming and out of reach? Are you completely lost on where to start? We were too. With so many options out there at many different price-points, it’s truly hard to know where to turn. During the planning process of our trip to South Africa, we knew we wanted to visit Kruger National Park. Elephants in the wild? Say less. Beyond this, we were completely lost.

We prefer to stay in the mid-range price point. Joc is our book-keeper, so she leans more budget. Zach thinks our bank account is much bigger than it actually is and therefore tends to be a little bougie, so mid-range is a good compromise for us. One thing neither of us will compromise on is quality of experience- we would rather spend all our pennies if it means the experience will be memorable. Can’t take it with us, right? While scouring the internet and looking at way too many lodges, we came across Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge. It checked all our boxes:

• Mid-rang budget
• All-Inclusive meal plan (because where does one get food in the middle of an African Savannah?)
• Inside Kruger National Park
• Multiple game drives included
• Near an airport for ease of transport

Getting there

To get to Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge you have two options:

Fly into OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg (JNB) and book a package inclusive of transportation. It is a 5.5hour drive from here.

Fly into Hoedspruit Civil Airfield (HDS) from here it is a 20 minute drive to the reserve.

We highly recommend flying into HDS. Airlink and CemAir PTY both fly into HDS directly and it is about a one hour flight from JNB. We personally used Airlink and were very pleasantly surprised with the service we received, even on this short 1 hour flight. It’s a smaller plane, but not as tiny as a private jet.

Pricing

The cheapest option is staying in a king room, which costs R6800.00 per person (sharing) or R8800.00 (single rate) per day. This equates to approximately $381USD or $493USD respectively.

For a suite with a private plunge pool, the rates are R9900.00 per person (sharing) or R19 800.00 (single rate) per day.

This equates to approximately $555USD or $$1,109USD respectively.

We chose to stay in the king room and felt this was plenty luxurious to us.

What’s included

This was probably the most important booking factor for us. Joc is our trip logistics planner, but this trip had her stumped. How does one get food while in a game reserve in Africa? How do you book game drives? Who do you book them through? Cue Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge saving the day and making sure we had everything we needed.

Included in our stay:

• Transportation to and from HDS airport
• 3 freshly made meals, daily
• Tea & coffee
• 2 game drives per day (morning & afternoon)
• Expert knowledgeable guides
• Access to the property’s pool

Booking Process

We booked our stay through booking.com. We prefer to use booking.com primarily as our gateway to any great destination. Book with Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge here:

First Impressions & Arrival

Funny story: this trip was our first true travel blunder. Remember how we recommended flying into HDS airport? Well, somehow when booking our flights, we accidentally booked to fly into a different airport (not HDS)… 2ish hours away.

We realized this right before boarding our flight and emailed the lodge to notify them. They didn’t miss a beat and had arranged a driver to pick us up. Sure, it was an added headache, but it really gave us an insight how attentive and accommodating the staff were.

Once we arrived, we were warmly welcomed with a fantastic lunch on the lawn. The kind of home-cooked South African goodness that your body needs after the stress of traveling. The view? It was even better than the lunch. Under the shade to the acacia tree, we observed the watering hole and stunning African savannah. Truly, not sure any meals in our lifetime will op this experience.

Room Tour & Amenities

Our room was a King room, a typical African dwelling complete with a thatched room. Once inside, we were removed from the heat with access to air-condition and slept peacefully with the white noise of a fan (anyone else have a co-dependence with fans for sleeping?).

South Africa does struggle with energy and rolling blackouts are very common, however, Mohlabetsi has backup generators which allowed us to never be without electricity, AC, or most-importantly: WIFI.

The bathroom was complete with an outdoor shower- not the icky kind, the glamorous kind. For some reason, using this shower was the epitome of an African Safari experience to me (Joc).

One of our favorite things about Mohlabetsi was the pool. To be honest, having a pool in Africa was not even on my radar. After a beautiful lunch on the lawn, there was nothing more relaxing than spending the afternoon poolside while we waited for our evening game drive.

Safari/Game Drive Experience

Morning game drives:

With a gentle knock on the door, we were woken every morning around 5:30am. Just as the sun was starting to rise, we loaded up in our Landcruiser. We met our guides for the week- Sam & Richard. Sam had the kind of quick dry-witted humor that was absolutely hilarious, while Richard was stoic and more reserved (but equally as lovable). Both grew up in the South African bush and honed their animal guide abilities while protecting their village. It was at a young age that they learned how to pay attention to animal tracks, learn their behaviors and preferences, and developed their fearlessness.

Sam & Richard would take turns with their position on the landcruiser. One would sit up front, observing, looking for tracks, and guiding the other who would be our driver. Together they ensured that we saw the big 5: lion, leopard, elephant, rhinoceros, and African buffalo. Zach and I both realized quickly that we were not expert spotters, but we excelled at finding grass that looked like lions, rocks that looked like elephants, and trees that looked like giraffes. When we asked Sam the secret to being a good spotter, he quickly replied “tabasco sauce”.

Just prior to finishing our game drive, we would find a safe spot, empty of the landcruiser and break for tea in the bush. Talk about a surreal experience. I’m getting misty in my eyes just thinking about it.

Evening Game Drives:

With the heat of the day dissipating, we would set off on our evening game drives. The interesting thing about game drives is that no two are ever the same. Animals are…wild. They are living their lives and we got the honor of catching glimpses of their day.

On one of our evening game drives, we had just arrived at a watering hole where buffalo had stopped for a mud bath . While watching the buffalo, Zach was startled and quietly whispered “look behind us”. A heard of about 20 elephants were sauntering past us. They stopped, looked at us, and the tiniest baby elephant let out a yell before they continued on their journey. I will never forget how quietly these gentle giants appeared and how magical it felt to be in their presence.

Staying safe on safari:

As I said, animals are wild. Of course, there are risks associated with being near wild animals, but Sam and Richard used their expert knowledge to ensure we stayed safe. I mean, if you had to have someone guide you in the wild, wouldn’t you want the person who kept their village safe from lions?

A few ground rules we followed to stay safe:

• Don’t make any noises or calls to the animals
• Don’t stand up inside the vehicle
• Don’t make any sudden movements
• Keep voices low

While these are wild animals, they are on a game reserve and therefore they are used to vehicles being in close contact with them. The animals view the safari vehicle as a whole, passangers included. Standing and making large gestures breaks that illusion.

Dining

Going into this experience, we fully expected to starve. Joc packed our bag full of protein bars and we were prepared to live off of them. I am happy to report that we can home with a suitcase full of our protein bars. The food was excellent.

Breakfast:

After our early morning game drive, we headed for our freshly made breakfast. We were welcomed into the breakfast area with a buffet of fresh yogurt and fruit. The entree of the morning was freshly prepared for each person individually and typically consisted of some variation of an English breakfast.

Lunch:

Every morning, the lunch & dinner menu was hosted in the reception area. Lunch was always served on the lawn accompanied by a light breeze in the shade. Lunch was typically lighter fare- salads or sandwiches. All fresh and completely delicious. The best part about lunch was it was finished with a dessert (aka the most important part of the meal).

Dinner:

Dinner was served by candlelight around the Boma with a blazing fire and stars twinkling above. If that sounds dreamy, it’s because it was. A special part about dinner was that we were joined by the staff. Again, the food was nothing short of outstanding, served as a three course meal. Think soups, steak and veggies, creme brûlée dessert… you know, exactly what you would expect in the African bush.

Final Thoughts

When someone asks our favorite place… South Africa is one of the first things out of our mouths. While South Africa as a whole is absolutely amazing, Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge was truly the highlight of our time there. It was a core memory for us and the experiences we had there, we will never forget. The people, the wildlife, the staff, each detail collectively made the experience an a bucket list memory. If you’re considering a trip to South Africa, we 100000000% recommend booking a stay with Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge.

This should tell you something: Joc said she could easily live there… and she loves her modern conveniences like amazon prime, having her own car, and grocery delivery, but she would consider giving it up to live in this slice of paradise.

FAQ Section

Is Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge worth it?

ABSOLUTELY. Not a single doubt. The value for what you get is outstanding, especially for a trip that is once in a lifetime.

When is the best time to go on safari in South Africa?

Two things to note: There is a rainy season/dry season & malaria is prevent in this area.

Dry season is from May-September

Rainy season is from (November – March)

Shoulder season is in April & October.

We chose to go in October and it was perfect!

Pro-tip: Make sure to contact your physician for anti-malarial medications & pack plenty of bug spray.

What should I pack for a safari lodge stay?

We’ve created an amazon storefront with some of our favorite amazon purchased safari supplied here. Here are our basic recommendations:

• Bug spray
• Antimalarial medications
• Neutral color clothing (tans, greens, black)
• Closed toe shoes
• Sunglasses
• Rain jacket or poncho
• A brimmed hat
• Lightweight breathable clothing

The post Best Safari Lodge in South Africa? Our Stay at Mohlabetsi Safari Lodge appeared first on World Travel Lahrs.