Egypt from Singapore, Hong Kong & China

Key takeaways

Getting there

Five mainland Chinese cities have nonstop flights to Cairo: Beijing, with EgyptAir and Air China (about 11–12 hours); Shanghai, with EgyptAir and China Eastern (about 12–13 hours); Guangzhou and Hangzhou, with EgyptAir (about 10½ and 11½ hours); and Chengdu, with Sichuan Airlines (about 10½ hours). Frequencies change by season, so check the current schedule when you book.

There is no nonstop flight from Singapore or Hong Kong. From Singapore it is one stop, through Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi or Istanbul; from Hong Kong, one stop through a Gulf hub or mainland China; from Taipei, connect through mainland China or a Gulf hub. EgyptAir has announced a Cairo–Singapore–Sydney route for 2027, subject to approval. We meet you on arrival at Cairo airport and take you to your hotel.

The visa, passport by passport

Apply for the e-visa only on the official portal, visa2egypt.gov.eg. The fees changed during 2026, so check the current amount there. Cairo airport began a digital visa on arrival, paid by card, as a pilot on 1 August 2026; other airports still issue the paper visa sticker, paid in cash.

In a family travelling on different passports, each person follows the rule for their own. Every passport should be valid for at least six months beyond your stay.

Important: Pay for an e-visa only on visa2egypt.gov.eg. Other sites that look official add their own fee.

Guiding in Mandarin

Kemet has licensed Egyptologists who guide in Mandarin Chinese. Every guide at Egypt's sites needs a licence from the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, and on a private journey your Egyptologist guides your party alone: no shared group, and time for every question.

For Chinese-speaking families anywhere — in Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, North America or Europe — it means grandparents can hear the story of the pyramids in their own language. Tell us the language your party prefers when you enquire; our Egyptologists also guide in English, Malay, Indonesian and the other languages of this site.

Time difference and the first day

Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Taipei and Singapore keep the same time. Cairo is six hours behind them in winter and five in summer, when Egypt moves its clocks forward — from the last Friday of April to the last Thursday of October. After a long flight, and often a connection, we keep the first day light: the hotel, the Nile at sunset, and the pyramids the next morning.

When to come: Chinese New Year and Golden Week

October to April is the season. Chinese New Year, in late January or February, falls in the heart of it: 24–26°C by day in Luxor and 20–23°C in Cairo, with cool evenings. It is also Egypt's high season, when the best Nile cabins and hotel rooms go first — book three to four months ahead.

The National Day Golden Week, at the start of October, opens the season. It is still warm — 35–37°C in Luxor and 28–31°C in Cairo — so temple days start at dawn, and the Red Sea is warm enough to swim. The December holidays fall in Egypt's best weather too; in July and August, the Red Sea and Alexandria suit better than Upper Egypt.

Food and dietary preferences

Egyptian food is made for sharing — grilled meats and fish, rice, fresh bread, slow-cooked beans and vegetable stews — and your guide can order for the table and explain each dish. Tell us how your party eats — mild food, vegetarian, no beef, smaller portions for children or grandparents — and we plan the meals around it and brief the hotels and Nile boats before you arrive.

How many days

After a long flight, eight to ten days lets Egypt unfold: Cairo and Giza with the Grand Egyptian Museum, a short flight to Luxor, the Nile to Aswan, and Abu Simbel with a day more. A week covers Cairo and Luxor at a comfortable pace.

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, and you can pay by PayPal, card or bank transfer. 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.