Egypt with kids: a parent's planning guide

Egypt works well with children, as long as the trip is paced for them rather than for an adult tour group. Here is how we plan family trips, and what we suggest you think about before booking.

The right age

There is no wrong age, but the trip changes with it.

• Under 5: plan for one site a morning, a pool every afternoon and a pushchair that folds. Many tomb corridors and temple floors are uneven, so a baby carrier is more useful than a pushchair at the sites.
• 6 to 12: the sweet spot. Children of this age have usually met mummies and pyramids at school, and they remember the trip.
• Teenagers: give them a role. A camera, a map of the Valley of the Kings, or the job of choosing which three tombs to visit.

Pacing a day

Our family days follow the same rhythm:

1. Sites early, before 11:00, when it is cooler and quieter.
2. Lunch and a long rest at a hotel with a pool.
3. One gentle outing in the late afternoon: a felucca, a market, Luxor Temple after dark.

Two big sites a day is plenty. Karnak and the Valley of the Kings on the same day is a lot for a seven-year-old, and for most parents.

Sites children enjoy most

• The Pyramids of Giza, especially a short camel or horse ride with a stable we have checked.
• The Grand Egyptian Museum, where the Tutankhamun galleries hold their attention. Book a guide who is good with children and set a time limit.
• Karnak, as a scavenger hunt: find the obelisk, the scarab, the sacred lake.
• Wadi El Hitan in Fayoum, where whale skeletons lie in the desert. It surprises every child we take there.
• Snorkelling in the Red Sea, which is why we suggest ending with three beach days.

Nile cruise or not?

Cruise ships are easy with children: one cabin, meals included and a pool on deck. Ask us for a ship with triple cabins or connecting rooms, because these go first. A private dahabiya charter suits larger families who want the boat to themselves.

Practical notes

• Car seats are not standard in Egypt. We fit them before you land if you tell us the ages.
• Food: hotel restaurants and cruise ships cater well for children. Drink bottled water, and ask us for a list of child-friendly Egyptian dishes to try.
• Sun: hats, sunscreen and light long sleeves, even in winter.
• Health: check with your doctor about routine vaccinations before you travel.

A sample family trip

Our ten-day family trip follows this pattern: three nights in Cairo, three in Luxor and three on the Red Sea, with short mornings and a hieroglyph workshop. Every part of it can be changed. Tell us who is coming and we will adjust it.