3-night Nile cruise sails downstream from Aswan to Luxor over four days on a 5-star cruise ship. With an Egyptologist guide, you visit Philae Temple and the High Dam in Aswan, the riverside temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu, and finish in Luxor at Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings. Full board on board and road transfers from Hurghada are included.
Important information
- Departure days: Cruises leave Aswan on set days of the week. Your ship and departure date are confirmed when you book.
- Your ship: The package uses a standard 5-star Nile cruise ship. The ship’s name and cabin type are confirmed at booking; upgrades to luxury ships may be available.
- Early starts: Temple visits are timed for the cooler morning hours, and the Abu Simbel option leaves before dawn.
- Long transfers: The road transfer from Hurghada to Aswan takes most of the morning, and the return from Luxor takes about four hours.
- Schedule changes: Sailing times and the order of visits can change because of lock queues or river conditions.
- Season: October to April is the most comfortable time. From May to September, temperatures in Aswan and Luxor are very high.
- Passport: Carry your passport; it is needed at check-in on the ship.
- Tips: Tipping the ship’s crew is customary, usually collected at reception at the end of the cruise.
- Children: Children aged 0–3 travel free and children aged 4–11 pay half the adult price when sharing a cabin with two adults.
What to bring?
- Passport
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Light clothing that covers shoulders and knees, plus a warm layer for winter evenings on deck
- Swimwear for the sun-deck pool, if the ship has one
- Smart-casual clothes for dinner on board
- Egyptian pounds or US dollars in cash for drinks, extra tickets and tips
Who is this tour for?
This cruise suits travelers with limited time who want to see the major temples of Upper Egypt, including Red Sea holidaymakers who want to add a Nile cruise to a beach stay. It works for couples, families, first-time visitors and history enthusiasts who are comfortable with early starts.
It is less suited to travelers who want a slow, relaxing pace. The 4-night cruise spreads the same sites over an extra day.
Trip info
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Egyptologist guide; entrance fees to the listed sites included
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Weekly departures, Friday or Monday, days set by the ship
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Abu Simbel, balloon and extra tombs paid separately
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Customary not included
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October to April most comfortable
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Standard 5-star Nile cruise ship; ship confirmed at booking, Shared cabin (2 beds)
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1
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99
Full tour overview
The stretch of the Nile between Aswan and Luxor holds some of Egypt’s best-preserved temples, and a cruise is the classic way to see them. The ship is your hotel for three nights, carrying you from site to site while you watch villages, fields and desert pass from the sun deck.
The 3-night cruise is the shortest standard itinerary. It sails downstream, with the current, from Aswan to Luxor. From Hurghada, you travel by road to Aswan on the first morning and board the ship in time for lunch. In the afternoon you visit the Aswan High Dam and the island Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis.
On the second day the ship sails north to Kom Ombo, where a rare double temple honours both the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, then continues to Edfu. Early risers can add a trip to Abu Simbel before the ship leaves Aswan. On the third morning you ride by horse carriage to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the most complete temples in Egypt, before sailing through the Esna lock to Luxor. In Luxor you visit Karnak and Luxor Temple, and on the final morning the West Bank: the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. You then disembark and travel back to Hurghada.
The cruise suits travelers with limited time who want to see the main temples of Upper Egypt in comfort. The pace is full, with early starts. For a more relaxed schedule, the 4-night cruise covers the same sites with an extra day.
Tour highlights
- Sail the Nile from Aswan to Luxor on a 5-star cruise ship
- Visit the island Temple of Philae and the Aswan High Dam
- See the double temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to Sobek and Horus
- Ride by horse carriage to the Temple of Horus at Edfu
- Pass through the Esna lock on the way to Luxor
- Explore Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings with an Egyptologist
- Enjoy full board on the ship and road transfers from Hurghada
