This 4-night Nile cruise sails upstream from Luxor to Aswan over five days on a 5-star cruise ship. With an Egyptologist guide, you explore Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings, stop at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, and finish in Aswan with the High Dam, Philae and a felucca ride. Full board on board and road transfers from Hurghada are included.
Important information
- Departure days: Cruises leave Luxor 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 before departure; upgrades to luxury ships may be available.
- Transfers: The road transfer from Hurghada to Luxor takes about four hours. The return from Aswan to Hurghada on day 5 is longer, so expect to arrive in the late afternoon or evening.
- Early starts: Temple visits are timed for the cooler morning hours. The balloon and Abu Simbel options leave before dawn.
- 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 Luxor and Aswan 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 who want to see Upper Egypt’s main temples at a comfortable pace, including Red Sea holidaymakers adding a Nile cruise to a beach stay. It works well for couples, families, older travelers and first-time visitors to Egypt.
It is less suited to travelers with very limited time. The 3-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor covers the same sites in one day less.
Trip info
-
Full board, except lunch on day 5
-
Egyptologist guide; entrance fees to the listed sites included
-
Optional hot air balloon, Abu simbel temple, felucca sail
-
Standard 5 star ship, shared cabin (2 beds) confirmed at booking
-
1
-
99
Full tour overview
The 4-night cruise is the classic way to sail between Luxor and Aswan. It visits the same temples as the shorter 3-night cruise but spreads them across an extra day, leaving more time to enjoy the river itself from the sun deck.
From Hurghada, a road transfer of about four hours takes you to Luxor, where you board the ship before lunch. In the afternoon you visit Karnak and Luxor Temple on the East Bank. The next morning, after an optional hot-air balloon flight, you cross to the West Bank for the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon before the ship begins sailing south.
On day three you ride by horse carriage to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, then sail on to Kom Ombo, where a double temple honours the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, arriving in Aswan in the evening. Day four is spent in Aswan: the High Dam, the island Temple of Philae and a felucca ride on the river, with the option of an early trip to Abu Simbel. On the last morning you disembark after breakfast and travel back to Hurghada.
The cruise suits travelers who want to see Upper Egypt’s main temples without rushing. If you are short on time, the 3-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor covers the same sites in four days.
Tour highlights
- Sail upstream from Luxor to Aswan on a 5-star cruise ship
- Explore Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings with an Egyptologist
- Ride by horse carriage to the Temple of Horus at Edfu
- Visit the double temple of Kom Ombo on the riverbank
- See the High Dam and the island Temple of Philae in Aswan
- Take a felucca ride on the Nile in Aswan
- Enjoy full board on the ship and road transfers from Hurghada
