Egypt from the Netherlands & Belgium
Planning Egypt from the Netherlands, Belgium or Luxembourg: nonstop flights from Amsterdam and Brussels, the visa, the time difference, school holidays, and guiding in English or French.
6 min read · Updated 2026-10
Key takeaways
- EgyptAir (daily) and Transavia fly nonstop from Amsterdam to Cairo in about five hours; EgyptAir also flies from Brussels, and Air Cairo from 18 December 2026
- Dutch and Belgian passport holders can get the tourist e-visa online before flying, or a visa on arrival
- Egypt is one hour ahead for most of the year: no jet lag, no recovery day
- The autumn, Christmas and February holidays fall in Egypt's best weather; May is hot in Upper Egypt
- French-speaking Belgians can plan on our French site and travel with an Egyptologist who guides in French
Flights from Amsterdam and Brussels
Both capitals have a nonstop flight to Cairo. Frequencies change by season, so check the current schedule when you book.
- Amsterdam Schiphol — EgyptAir daily, and Transavia, nonstop to Cairo in about four and three-quarter to five hours.
- Brussels — EgyptAir nonstop to Cairo; Air Cairo adds flights from 18 December 2026.
- Luxembourg — one stop, or the nonstop from Brussels.
Note: Winter-sun charters from the Netherlands mostly fly to Hurghada and Marsa Alam, not Cairo. From Hurghada, Luxor is about four hours by road — we can add the monuments to the beach.
The visa
Dutch and Belgian passport holders can apply for Egypt's tourist e-visa online before they fly, on the official portal visa2egypt.gov.eg, or get a visa on arrival: a paper sticker, paid in cash and allowing up to 30 days, or at Cairo, where it has been piloted since 1 August 2026, a digital version paid by card. Luxembourg passport holders should check their options on the same portal.
The fee changed during 2026 and a further rise has been announced for January 2027, so check the current amount on the official portal and pay only there. Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your stay.
Important: Pay for an e-visa only on visa2egypt.gov.eg. Look-alike sites add their own fee.
The time difference
Egypt is one hour ahead of Amsterdam, Brussels and Luxembourg for most of the year; for a few weeks in spring, from late March to the last Friday of April, the clocks are level. With no jet lag, there is no recovery day to plan in.
School holidays
Apart from the summer, Dutch and Belgian school holidays fall in or near Egypt's October-to-April season:
- Autumn (herfstvakantie, or the Belgian autumn break around 1 November): 35–37°C in Luxor in October, 29–31°C in November, and the Red Sea still warm enough to swim.
- Christmas: 24–26°C in Luxor and cool evenings — in the single busiest fortnight of Egypt's year. Book as early as you can.
- February (voorjaarsvakantie, krokusvakantie): 24–26°C in Luxor, among the most comfortable weeks of the year for temples.
- Easter and May: 34–37°C in Luxor in April and 38–41°C in May, so temple visits start at dawn. For the meivakantie, Cairo with Alexandria, or the Red Sea, suits the heat better.
Tip: In the Netherlands the autumn and February holidays are staggered by region; in Belgium, French- and Dutch-speaking schools have followed different calendars since 2022. Check your own school's dates, and book holiday weeks three to four months ahead. The best time to visit Egypt, month by month →
In English, or in French
Many Dutch and Flemish travellers research long-haul trips in English, and this English site is our complete one. Your Egyptologist guides in English — or in German, or another of our languages, if that suits your party better.
French-speaking Belgians can plan on our French site and travel with an Egyptologist from our own team who guides in French. From Luxembourg, French or German both work.
How long to go for
Five hours from Amsterdam or Brussels makes short trips worthwhile:
- Four days: Cairo and Giza — the pyramids and Sphinx, the Grand Egyptian Museum, the Step Pyramid at Saqqara.
- Nine days, a school holiday week: Cairo, then Luxor — or a three-night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan. With younger children we shorten the mornings and leave time for the pool.
- Two weeks: Cairo, Luxor, the Nile to Aswan, and a few days on the Red Sea to finish.
How a private journey works
Everything is private: your own licensed Egyptologist, your own vehicle and driver, and hotels chosen for the room rather than the star rating. Our prices are set in euros, so there is no exchange rate to watch; you can pay by PayPal, card or bank transfer. In Egypt, cards work in hotels and most restaurants; keep some Egyptian pounds for small purchases and tips.
Tell us your dates, how many of you are travelling and the language you would like to be guided in; we reply within one working day with a real itinerary and a clear price, with no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
Are there direct flights from the Netherlands and Belgium to Egypt?
Yes. From Amsterdam, EgyptAir flies nonstop to Cairo daily and Transavia also flies the route, in about five hours. From Brussels, EgyptAir flies nonstop, and Air Cairo adds flights from 18 December 2026. Check the current schedule when you book.
Do Dutch and Belgian citizens need a visa for Egypt?
Yes, but it is simple: apply for the tourist e-visa online on visa2egypt.gov.eg before you fly, or get a visa on arrival. Check the current fee on the official portal — it changed during 2026 and a further rise has been announced for January 2027.
What is the time difference between the Netherlands and Egypt?
Egypt is one hour ahead of the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg for most of the year, and level for a few weeks in spring, from late March to late April.
Can we travel with a French-speaking guide?
Yes. We have Egyptologists on our own team who guide in French, and our French site covers planning in French. German-speaking Egyptologists are part of the team too.
Is Egypt a good idea for the May holiday?
It is hot in Upper Egypt in May — 38–41°C in Luxor — so temple visits start at dawn. Cairo with Alexandria, or the Red Sea, suits the week better; for Luxor and the Nile, the autumn, Christmas and February holidays are more comfortable.
- From Luxembourg, compare one-stop flights with the Brussels nonstop.
- Check your own school's holiday dates — they differ by region in the Netherlands and by language community in Belgium.
- Check the visa fee on visa2egypt.gov.eg when you book — it changed in 2026 and a further rise has been announced for January 2027.
- Your passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your stay in Egypt.
- The free Sinai-only entry stamp at Sharm el-Sheikh covers short stays on the Sinai coast only — not Cairo, Luxor or the Nile.
Related destinations
Places covered in this guide.
Cairo
Egypt's capital on the Nile — medieval Islamic and Coptic quarters, the Egyptian Museum, and the gateway to Giza.
Explore →Giza
Home of the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx, on the desert plateau across the Nile from Cairo.
Explore →Luxor
The open-air museum of ancient Thebes — Karnak, Luxor Temple and the royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings.
Explore →Aswan
Egypt's tranquil southern city on the Nile — Nubian culture, the High Dam and the island temple of Philae.
Explore →Hurghada
Egypt's main Red Sea resort coast — warm, clear water over island reefs, and the easiest beach pairing with a Luxor or Nile itinerary.
Explore →Related tours
Egypt Icons & Nile Cruise
Our signature journey: Cairo, Alexandria, a sleeper train south, and a three-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor — every layer of Egypt in one arc.
Family Egypt: Pyramids to the Nile
Egypt with children done right: short guided mornings, family-specialist Egyptologists, pool afternoons, and the moments no classroom can match.
Saqqara, Memphis & Dahshur
Djoser's Step Pyramid, the open-air ruins of Memphis, and the Bent and Red Pyramids of Dahshur — the story of how the pyramid was invented.
Related guides
Best Time to Visit Egypt
Egypt's best travel season is October to April, when Nile Valley temperatures are mild and monuments are comfortable to explore. Here is what to expect season by season and destination by destination.
The Ideal 10-Day Egypt Itinerary
A field-tested 10-day Egypt route — Cairo and Giza, a flight south, Luxor's two banks, a three-night Nile cruise to Aswan and Abu Simbel — with the pacing mistakes to avoid.
Where to Stay in Egypt: The Best Hotels, City by City
The hotels worth building an Egypt journey around — Giza, Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, the Nile and the Red Sea — and which of the famous ones can actually be booked for the 2026–27 season.
Related experiences
Private activities at the destinations covered in this guide.
Sunrise at the Giza Pyramids
Be in place before sunrise at a quiet viewpoint where all nine pyramids of Giza stand in one line, with time of your own for sunrise yoga, a photo session or simply the view — then the plateau with a licensed Egyptologist before it opens to day visitors.
Private Felucca Sailing on the Nile
Charter an entire traditional felucca and drift down the Nile past ancient temples, granite boulders and palm-lined riverbanks — at the same unhurried pace Egyptians have sailed for millennia.
Old Cairo Walking Experience
Walk the medieval lanes of Islamic Cairo and the Coptic quarter with a historian guide who reads nearly two thousand years of layered city — from Roman fortifications to Ottoman merchant palaces.
Book a travel consultation
A short conversation can save weeks of research. Speak to our team about destinations, timing, budgets and what to expect.