Travel with the river
Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor: 3 Nights
Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Thebes, with the river doing the travelling between them.
This Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor spends three nights on the river between Upper Egypt's great temples, sailing north with the current. You are met at Aswan airport or railway station and taken straight to the boat.
On the first day your Egyptologist takes you to Philae, the temple of Isis rebuilt on Agilkia Island, and to the High Dam above Lake Nasser. The boat then sails for Kom Ombo, the double temple of the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris, and Edfu, where the Temple of Horus is one of the best preserved in Egypt. Between them you pass through the lock at Esna, where the ship is raised or lowered to a new water level.
The last full day is Thebes: the Valley of the Kings, the temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon on the West Bank, then the Karnak temple complex on the East Bank. You disembark in Luxor after breakfast on the fourth day.
All meals are on board, in an air-conditioned cabin with its own bathroom. The order of visits can change with the river schedule; every visit listed is kept.
- Travel time
- Sailing between sites; short transfers ashore
- Time at sites
- Guided visits at every stop, set by the river schedule
- Group
- Minimum 2 guests
- Transport
- Nile cruise ship; vehicles ashore
- Departure
- From Aswan
- Meeting point
- Aswan airport or railway station
- Guide languages
- English, French, Italian, Spanish
- Best time to go
- October to April
- Intensity
- Moderate
What the day includes
- Philae temple and the High Dam
- Kom Ombo's double temple and the Temple of Horus at Edfu
- Passing the Esna lock
- Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and Karnak
- Full board with an Egyptologist guide
Places you visit
- Philae Temple
- Aswan High Dam
- Kom Ombo Temple
- Temple of Horus at Edfu
- Esna Lock
- Valley of the Kings
- Temple of Hatshepsut
- Colossi of Memnon
- Karnak Temple
Included
- 3 nights full board on a Nile cruise ship
- Guided tours in Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Luxor
- Egyptologist guide
- Entrance fees to all sites in the itinerary
- Pickup at Aswan airport or railway station
- Taxes and service charges
Not included
- Optional excursions
- Tips and personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Holiday supplements at Christmas, New Year and Easter
- Entrance tickets
- Included: all sites in the itinerary
- Optional / extra
- Optional excursions not listed
- Cancellation
- Multi-day terms: ask when you enquire.
- Tour format
- Shared
Day by day
Day 1
Aswan: Philae and the High Dam
Meet at the airport or station, board the ship, then visit Philae temple and the High Dam. Lunch, dinner and night on board.
Day 2
Kom Ombo and Edfu
The double temple of Kom Ombo and the Temple of Horus at Edfu, then sail through the Esna lock towards Luxor.
Day 3
Luxor: both banks
Valley of the Kings, temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon, then Karnak. Night on board in Luxor.
Day 4
Disembark in Luxor
Breakfast and check-out. Onward transfers or tours on request.
Questions about this tour
Is Abu Simbel included?
No. Abu Simbel is about three and a half hours by road south of Aswan and is booked as a separate day.
Is Wi-Fi available on board?
Some ships offer Wi-Fi in public areas, but it can be slow. Mobile data is more reliable.
How much does it cost?
$670 per person, in US dollars, for a minimum of two guests. Supplements apply at Christmas, New Year and Easter.