5.0 on Tripadvisor Licensed by the Ministry of Tourism and AntiquitiesMinistry licensed guides On the river since 2011 Luxor and Aswan, every week

4 nights, Luxor to Aswan

Four nights from Luxor is the classic Nile cruise. You board in Luxor, spend the first afternoon at Karnak, give the West Bank a proper morning, then sail south through the Esna lock to Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan. The extra night is spent on the river, not in a bus.

4 nightsLuxor to Aswan
UpstreamAgainst the current, more time sailing
Mon, Thu, SatDepartures from Luxor
Full boardAll meals included on board

The route, city by city

Satellite view of the Nile valley between Luxor and AswanSatellite map of the four-night route from Luxor to AswanAbu SimbelAbu Simbel280 km south, optional280 km south, optionalLuxorLuxorEsnaEsnaEdfuEdfuKom OmboKom OmboAswanAswanSatellite imagery: NASASatellite imagery: NASA

Sailing south from Luxor to Aswan, upstream against the current.

  1. LuxorKarnak and Luxor Temple on the east bank. The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon on the west.
  2. EsnaThe lock the ship passes through, in the middle of the town. Watched from the sundeck.
  3. EdfuThe temple of Horus, a short ride up from the mooring. The best preserved temple in Egypt.
  4. Kom OmboThe double temple shared between Sobek and Horus, a few steps up from the water.
  5. AswanPhilae Temple on its island, the Unfinished Obelisk in the granite quarry, and a felucca around Elephantine Island.
  6. Abu SimbelRamses II cut into the cliff, 280 km south of Aswan. An optional early start by road, or a short flight. How the Abu Simbel trip works.

Day by day

Boarding day is Luxor. Aswan is the last full day.

Day 1Luxor, Karnak and Luxor Temple

We meet you at Luxor airport and drive you to the ship. Welcome drink, then settle into your cabin and have lunch on board. In the afternoon, Karnak, the largest religious building ever raised, and then Luxor Temple, which is best seen as the light goes. Dinner and overnight moored at Luxor.

Accommodation

  • Your Nile cruise ship (1 night)

Meals

  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Included activities

Optional activities

  • The sound and light show at Karnak

Arranged for you and quoted on request.

Day 2The West Bank, then sailing south

An early start if you want the balloon. After breakfast, the Valley of the Kings with three tombs, the temple of Hatshepsut under its cliff, and the Colossi of Memnon standing alone in the fields. Back on board for lunch as the ship sails south through the Esna lock. Dinner and overnight at Edfu.

Accommodation

  • Your Nile cruise ship (1 night)

Meals

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Included activities

Optional activities

  • A balloon over the West Bank at sunrise
  • The Valley of the Queens
  • Deir el-Medina, the workers’ village

Arranged for you and quoted on request.

Day 3Edfu and Kom Ombo

Edfu Temple in the morning, a short ride up from the mooring. It is the best preserved temple in Egypt and the only one where you can still read the whole building. Back on board and sailing on to Kom Ombo, with lunch on the way. Kom Ombo is a double temple shared between Sobek and Horus, a few steps up from the water. Then we sail to Aswan for dinner and the night.

Accommodation

  • Your Nile cruise ship (1 night)

Meals

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Included activities

  • Edfu Temple
  • Kom Ombo, the double temple and the Crocodile Museum
  • Sailing on to Aswan
Day 4Aswan

Breakfast on board, then Philae Temple on its island, built for Isis and moved stone by stone when the dam was raised. The Unfinished Obelisk still lies in the old granite quarry where it cracked. In the afternoon, a felucca around Elephantine Island. Dinner and overnight at Aswan.

Accommodation

  • Your Nile cruise ship (1 night)

Meals

  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Included activities

  • Philae Temple on its island
  • The Unfinished Obelisk
  • A felucca sail around Elephantine Island

Optional activities

  • Abu Simbel by road, a very early start
  • Abu Simbel by plane
  • The High Dam
  • A Nubian village visit
  • The sound and light show at Philae

Arranged for you and quoted on request.

Day 5Aswan, departure

Breakfast on board, then check out and disembark. We drive you to Aswan airport or to your hotel, and that is where our services end.

Meals

  • Breakfast

Included activities

  • Disembarkation and transfer to Aswan airport or your hotel

Ships that sail this route

Every ship we book runs the same programme with the same licensed Egyptologist. The difference is the ship.

Prices are per person for the whole cruise, two people sharing. Prefer a sailing boat with twenty guests? See the Swan dahabiya.

What is included and what is not

Included

Four nights on board, full board
Meet and assist on arrival and departure
All transfers in a private air-conditioned vehicle
Every excursion in the itinerary, privately guided
Entrance fees to all the sites between Luxor and Aswan
Our own staff with you throughout the trip

Not included

Extra meals and drinks
Personal expenses
Tipping
Optional tours

Three nights from Aswan

The same temples in a shorter trip, sailing with the current. See the 3-night itinerary.

A full week

Both directions on one ship, with time for Abu Simbel. See the 7-night itinerary.

Send us your dates

We reply within one working day with the ships sailing on your dates and a price per person.