7-day Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan
Follow the Nile from Luxor to Aswan and back over seven nights, pairing private Egyptologist-led visits with leisurely days of river cruising.
7-day Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan is a seven-night round voyage with private guided sightseeing and generous time to watch life along the river. Start among the temples and tombs of Luxor, then sail south through Edfu and Kom Ombo to Aswan before returning north.
Your Egyptologist guide joins you for the principal included visits: Karnak and Luxor temples, the west-bank royal necropolis, Edfu’s Temple of Horus and Aswan’s dam, quarry and island temple. Abu Simbel, the Philae Sound & Light Show and a Luxor hot-air balloon flight remain optional, so you can add them or keep the slower days free for the sundeck and passing scenery. The return sailing gives the program a different pace from a one-way cruise.
The price covers your Egyptologist guide, private transfers, every included sight in the itinerary and your full-board cabin on the cruise — flights and hotels are booked separately so you choose your own standard. Entrance tickets and optional excursions are paid separately. This itinerary works well for travellers who prefer a complete river journey with fewer hotel changes and room between the guided touring days.
What you will see
- Karnak Temple Complex — monumental courts and columned halls
- Luxor Temple — an ancient sanctuary in the modern city
- Valley of the Kings — three open royal tombs with your guide
- Temple of Queen Hatshepsut — terraces against the western cliffs
- Temple of Horus at Edfu — carved ritual scenes and sanctuary
- Kom Ombo Temple — paired sanctuaries for Sobek and Haroeris
- Philae Temple — the island sanctuary of Isis
- Abu Simbel Temples — optional journey to Ramses II’s monuments
Day by day
Day 1Embark in Luxor
Meet your representative in Luxor and transfer to the ship for embarkation before lunch, normally around 11:00 am. After time to settle into your cabin, eat on board and leave with your private Egyptologist guide for the east bank. Allow about two hours to explore the pylons, courts and Great Hypostyle Hall of the Karnak Temple Complex.
Continue to Luxor Temple, following its ceremonial spaces and the surviving section of the Avenue of Sphinxes. The afternoon circuit generally takes around four hours in total, depending on traffic and the ship’s schedule. Return to the ship after the visit. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 2Luxor West Bank
After breakfast, cross to Luxor’s west bank in a private vehicle for a four-to-five-hour tour. Begin at the Valley of the Kings, where the standard admission covers three open royal tombs and specially ticketed tombs can be added separately. Your guide explains the burial beliefs behind the painted chambers.
Continue to the terraced Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, then pause at the Colossi of Memnon, the two seated statues from Amenhotep III’s mortuary complex. Return to the ship for lunch as it begins sailing toward Edfu. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 3Edfu & Kom Ombo
Go ashore at Edfu and transfer from the quay to the Temple of Horus. A guided visit of about 90 minutes follows the ancient ceremonial route through the pylon, open court and halls to the sanctuary, with time to study the inscriptions that describe temple rituals.
Rejoin the ship and sail south to Kom Ombo. From the riverside landing, walk to the Kom Ombo Temple, whose mirrored courts served the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Haroeris. Allow about an hour at the site before returning to the ship and continuing toward Aswan. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 4Aswan Sightseeing
Set out after breakfast for a private four-hour tour of Aswan. Stop at the High Dam to look across Lake Nasser and hear how the project changed the Nile valley. Continue to the granite quarry, where the Unfinished Obelisk shows the scale and methods of ancient stoneworking.
Travel by motorboat to Agilkia Island and explore the courts and reliefs of the Temple of Philae with your guide. Return to the ship for lunch and a free afternoon. The Sound & Light Show at Philae Temple is available as a separately paid evening activity. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 5Optional Abu Simbel Excursion
Keep the morning free on board or choose the separately priced excursion to the Abu Simbel Temples. The road journey from Aswan takes about 3.5 hours each way and normally starts before sunrise. At the site, allow around two hours to see the rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari with your guide.
If you do not take the excursion, enjoy an unhurried morning and the ship’s shared facilities. Lunch is served on board, and the vessel begins its return voyage north toward Kom Ombo during the afternoon. Relax on deck as the scenery changes along the river. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 6Sailing & Relaxation
Spend a full day cruising north, with no scheduled sightseeing ashore. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served on board according to the ship’s timetable. Use the time to sit on the sundeck, read in the lounge or watch the palms, fields and villages pass along both banks.
The vessel continues through the Edfu and Esna area, and passage times can vary with river traffic and the Esna lock. Afternoon tea may be served as part of the ship’s regular program; onboard entertainment and facilities depend on the assigned vessel. This slower day provides a break between Aswan and the final return to Luxor. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 7Return to Luxor
Arrive back in Luxor and keep the afternoon at leisure, with meals served on the ship. You can rest on deck, revisit the riverfront independently or choose a separately paid activity according to the vessel’s arrival time. No included temple visit is scheduled today.
An optional hot-air balloon flight over Luxor’s west bank can be arranged, subject to weather and local operating permission. Balloon pickups are normally before dawn, so this activity may be scheduled early rather than during the afternoon described in the seed program. Rejoin the ship afterward and enjoy the final evening of the cruise. Dinner and overnight on board.
Day 8Disembarkation
Eat breakfast on board and check out of your cabin at the time set by the ship, generally by 9:00 am. Your representative will meet you after disembarkation, help with the luggage and escort you to the waiting private vehicle.
Transfer to Luxor airport, the railway station or an independently booked hotel in the city. Most central journeys take around 20 to 30 minutes, while the precise timing depends on traffic and your chosen drop-off. There is no sightseeing planned, giving you flexibility for an onward flight, train or another stay in Luxor. Today’s service ends at drop-off, with no overnight arranged.
Included
- 7 nights in a cabin on a 5-star Nile cruise Luxor – Aswan – Luxor, full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner on board)
- Meet and assist on arrival and departure
- All transfers and sightseeing by private air-conditioned vehicle
- Professional English-speaking Egyptologist guide throughout
- All sightseeing tours as listed in the itinerary
- Bottled water during tours
Not included
- International and domestic flights — not included (we can book domestic flights for you on request)
- Hotel nights before or after the cruise — not included (we can arrange them on request)
- Entrance fees to all mentioned sites (to be paid by guests on-site)
- Optional tours (Abu Simbel, Hot Air Balloon, Sound & Light Shows)
- Drinks during meals
- Egypt entry visa
- Tipping for guide, driver and cruise staff
- Personal expenses
Frequently asked questions
Are flights included?
No. Flights to or from Luxor are arranged separately from the cruise. If your wider Egypt program requires a domestic flight, we can book the most suitable option for you on request.
Is the hotel or other accommodation included?
Your accommodation for all seven cruise nights is the cabin on board. Hotel nights before embarkation or after disembarkation are separate, and we can arrange a 4-star or 5-star hotel if required.
What is included on the cruise?
The cruise price covers seven cabin nights and full board on board, beginning with lunch and dinner on embarkation day and ending with breakfast before disembarkation. Optional excursions and drinks beyond the meal plan are separate.
Are entrance fees included?
No. Guests pay entrance tickets at the sites. Your private guide will identify the required admissions and explain optional supplements, including specially ticketed tombs, before you enter.
Is this a private tour?
Yes. The sightseeing and road transfers are private for your party, led by your own Egyptologist guide. The ship, dining areas, sailing timetable and onboard facilities are shared with other cruise passengers.
What should I pack for seven nights on the Nile?
Pack comfortable walking shoes, light modest clothing, sun protection and a warmer layer for winter evenings. Bring a small day bag for shore visits and smart-casual clothes if you prefer to dress for dinner.
