Most Nile river cruises sail the same stretch of river between Luxor and Aswan and stop at the same temples: Karnak, Luxor Temple and the West Bank, the Esna lock, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Philae and the High Dam. What separates one cruise from another is the direction and number of nights, what the price covers, and whether you sail a cruise ship, a dahabiya or a felucca.
A Nile river cruise costs from $340 per person for 3 or 4 nights on a cruise ship between Aswan and Luxor, and temple entrance fees are usually extra. The cruise ships sail the same temple route between the two cities. The real differences are direction and nights, what the price covers, and the boat itself. Two listings include every temple ticket, and a dahabiya offers a small-boat alternative.
Key takeaways
Each card below is a bookable listing. The price shown is a from-price: the lowest option on the listing, usually a shared cabin on the most basic choice, and every price is per person. The platform handles the payment, not this site. Cancellation terms differ between listings, 24 hours before departure on most and 6 full days on the two Luxor to Aswan cruises, so read the terms on each card. Temple entrance fees are excluded on most cruise listings and included on only a few, so check the inclusions before you book.
A 3-night 5-star cruise from Aswan with a small-group Abu Simbel trip, a Luxor balloon flight and full board. Temple entrance fees are not included.
A 3-night Nile cruise from Aswan with an Abu Simbel excursion, a balloon flight over Luxor and a West Bank tour. Entrance fees, tips and drinks are extra.
A 3-night 5-star cruise from Aswan with a private Egyptologist guide and driver, full board and a full day in Luxor. Abu Simbel is an option.
A 3-night deluxe cruise from Aswan with every temple entrance fee included and a choice of group or private guide. Abu Simbel is not part of the price.
A 5-day, 4-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan with a licensed Egyptologist, full board and free pickup and drop-off. Entrance fees are paid on site.
A 5-day, 4-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan with a private Egyptology guide on every shore tour and full board. Check with the operator on entrance fees.
A one-night 5-star cruise from Aswan to Luxor with meals and transfers. No temple visits are listed, so it works as a quick sailing between the two cities.
A small-group 2-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor with guided tours, a horse and carriage ride to Edfu and a full Luxor sightseeing day. Entrance fees are extra.
A 4-day package from Cairo with both flights, a 3-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor, Abu Simbel and a sunrise balloon over Luxor. Tickets and drinks are extra.
A 6-night cruise out of Luxor with a balloon flight, a Luxor felucca ride, Abu Simbel and the Nubian Village. Temple entrance fees are not included.
A 3-night dahabiya sailing from Aswan to Luxor with all meals, water and hot drinks, entrance fees to the listed sites and swim stops. It is a calmer alternative to a large ship.
A traditional felucca out of Aswan with five options from a 2-hour sunset sail to 3 nights under the stars toward Edfu and Luxor. The $25 price is the lowest option, not the 3-night trip.
A short felucca ride from Aswan around Elephantine Island and Kitchener's Island with a private guide and hotel pickup. It is the cheapest way onto the Nile here.
A 2-hour luxury felucca on the Cairo Nile with an Egyptian lunch, drinks and private transfers from your hotel. Breakfast or dinner versions are available on request.
A Cairo Nile dinner cruise with an open buffet, belly dancer, tanoura and folklore shows and private hotel transfers. Drinks are not included.
Every Nile river cruise side by side: the listing price per person, the length, the route and whether the temple tickets are in the price. "Unclear" means the listing contradicts itself, so confirm with the operator.
| Cruise | Price | Length | Route | Temple tickets | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon | $340 | 4 days, 3 nights | Aswan to Luxor | Not included | Check Availability Details |
| 3-Night Cruise with Balloon Ride | $580 | 4 days, 3 nights | Aswan to Luxor | Not included | Check Availability Details |
| 3-Night Cruise with Private Guide | $450 | 4 days, 3 nights | Aswan to Luxor | Unclear | Check Availability Details |
| 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets | $600 | 4 days, 3 nights | Aswan to Luxor | Included | Check Availability Details |
| 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise | $950 | 5 days, 4 nights | Luxor to Aswan | Not included | Check Availability Details |
| 4-Night Cruise with Private Guide | $980 | 5 days, 4 nights | Luxor to Aswan | Not stated | Check Availability Details |
| 1-Night Aswan to Luxor Cruise | $206 | 2 days, 1 night | Aswan to Luxor | No temples | Check Availability Details |
| 2-Night Small-Group Cruise | $590 | 3 days, 2 nights | Aswan to Luxor | Not included | Check Availability Details |
| Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights | $1,300 | 4 days, 3 nights | Cairo, then Aswan to Luxor | Not included | Check Availability Details |
| 7-Day Luxor and Aswan Cruise | $1,772 | 7 days, 6 nights | Luxor to Aswan and back | Not included | Check Availability Details |
| Luxury Dahabiya Cruise | $1,100 | 4 days, 3 nights | Aswan to Luxor | Included | Check Availability Details |
| Overnight Felucca from Aswan | $25 | 2 hours to 3 nights | Aswan, then toward Edfu | Not included | Check Availability Details |
| Aswan Felucca to Elephantine | $15 | 2 hours | Aswan, Elephantine | No temples | Check Availability Details |
| Cairo Felucca with Lunch | $55 | 2 hours sailing | Cairo | No temples | Check Availability Details |
| Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise | $32.50 | 4 hours including transfers | Cairo | No temples | Check Availability Details |
The from-price is the lowest option on each listing, per person. Meals, drinks and checkout charges are on each card. Figures current in Q4 2026.
The pick starts in Aswan on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday, with arrival between 8 and 10 AM. Check live dates and cabin options on the listing.
You'll confirm the exact date and time on the secure booking page.
The same river, the same temples, but the direction changes the number of nights, the order of the days and often the price. Here is how the sailings compare.
A cruise ship on the Nile at Luxor. Photo: Marc Ryckaert, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The table pulls the direction, night count and price from each listing, plus how Abu Simbel sits in the itinerary. Abu Simbel is never on the river route between Luxor and Aswan. It sits on Lake Nasser south of Aswan, so every visit runs as a road or flight excursion from Aswan before or after the sailing.
| Cruise | Direction | Nights | Price | Abu Simbel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon | Aswan to Luxor | 3 | $340 | Included, group trip on day 2 |
| 3-Night Cruise with Balloon Ride | Aswan to Luxor | 3 | $580 | Included, early departure |
| 3-Night Cruise with Private Guide | Aswan to Luxor | 3 | $450 | Optional extra |
| 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets | Aswan to Luxor | 3 | $600 | Not included, optional extra |
| 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise | Luxor to Aswan | 4 | $950 | Optional extra |
| 4-Night Cruise with Private Guide | Luxor to Aswan | 4 | $980 | Optional excursion |
| 1-Night Aswan to Luxor Cruise | Aswan to Luxor | 1 | $206 | Not in the itinerary |
| 2-Night Small-Group Cruise | Aswan to Luxor | 2 | $590 | Not in the itinerary |
| 7-Day Luxor and Aswan Cruise | Luxor to Aswan and back | 6 | $1,772 | Included, small-group transfer |
The Nile flows from south to north, so sailing from Aswan to Luxor is downstream. Cruise guides describe the downstream run as typically four days and three nights, and the upstream run from Luxor to Aswan as five days and four nights, a bit slower and more leisurely. Not every source agrees that direction changes the duration, but on this site the listings follow the pattern: 3-night ships start in Aswan and 4-night ships start in Luxor.
What the 4-night Luxor start adds is a more spread-out schedule. The 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise begins with Karnak on day 1 before check-in, gives the West Bank its own full day, and keeps day 4 free in Aswan with onboard entertainment. The 4-night ships cost $950 and $980, against $340 to $600 for the 3-night ships from Aswan.
One night buys transport and a bed, nothing more. The 1-Night Aswan to Luxor Cruise sails from Aswan around midday and arrives in Luxor about 4 PM the next day with no temple visits listed, so it works as a moving transfer. Two nights fit the temple route in a compressed form.
The 2-Night Small-Group Cruise covers Philae, the High Dam, Kom Ombo, Edfu and the Esna lock, then a full Luxor day, capped at 18 guests. Three nights is the classic: the 3-night Aswan ships cover both banks of Luxor plus the Aswan sights, and the pick adds every entrance fee. Four nights adds the slower upstream pace.
Six nights, on the 7-Day Luxor and Aswan Cruise, adds Aswan days, the Nubian Village and a return leg toward Luxor. For flights, both cities have airports. Aswan Airport is a domestic airport, so international arrivals connect through Cairo, and the Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights puts both domestic flights in the price.
Two cruises on this site include temple tickets. The rest leave entrance fees, drinks and tips outside the price, and some add checkout charges on top. This section sets it out line by line.
The table compares the four cost lines that surprise travelers most, taken from each listing's own inclusions and exclusions. Temple tickets means entrance to the temples named on the itinerary. Abu Simbel and the balloon are add-ons on most ships, and drinks are where several listings are strictest, with some excluding even bottled water.
| Cruise | Temple tickets | Abu Simbel | Balloon | Drinks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon | Not included | Included, group trip | Included | Not included, not even water |
| 3-Night Cruise with Balloon Ride | Not included | Included | Included, $25 refund if cancelled | Not stated which drinks are included |
| 3-Night Cruise with Private Guide | Unclear, confirm before booking | Optional | Not listed | Listed, but confirm what is covered |
| 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets | Included | Not included, optional | Not listed | Bottled water, 2 small bottles per person per day |
| 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise | Not included, paid on site | Optional | Optional | Not included |
| 4-Night Cruise with Private Guide | Not stated, confirm | Optional excursion | Not listed | 1 bottle of water per person per day |
| 2-Night Small-Group Cruise | Not included | Not in the itinerary | Not listed | Not included |
| Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights | Not included | Included, group tour | In the title but confirm before booking | Not included, including water |
| 7-Day Luxor and Aswan Cruise | Not included | Included, small-group transfer | Included on day 7 | Not included |
| Luxury Dahabiya Cruise | Included for the listed sites | Not listed | Not listed | Water and hot drinks included |
On most cruise listings you pay temple entrance fees separately at each site, so budget for them before you book. The official Ministry of Tourism price list gives these foreign adult ticket prices: Karnak EGP 600, the Valley of the Kings EGP 750 (extra tombs such as Tutankhamun's at EGP 700 and Seti I at EGP 2,000 are separate), Edfu EGP 550, Philae EGP 550, Kom Ombo EGP 450 and Abu Simbel EGP 750. Luxor Temple is EGP 500 and Hatshepsut EGP 440.
The Valley of the Kings ticket covers three tombs. The Colossi of Memnon are free. Only the 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets and the Luxury Dahabiya Cruise include these fees in the listing price.
Two listings add mandatory charges at checkout that the from-price does not show. The most reviewed cruise adds $110 at checkout and the listing does not say what it covers, and the 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise adds $100.83. The pick carries a $200 per person surcharge for travel from December 20 to January 2.
Drinks are the next surprise, with water excluded on several ships, so the listings that include bottled water stand out. Tipping is customary in Egypt and many cruise operators collect tips for onboard staff at the end of the cruise, often by envelope on the final night. Guides disagree on the amounts: one cruise tipping guide suggests US$5 to 10 per person per night for the crew while others go as high as US$10 to 15, and the balloon ground crew customarily gets EGP 50 to 100.
Small US dollar bills suit crew and guides since coins cannot be exchanged locally.
Sources: Egyptian Ministry of Tourism price list, LiveAboard Nile guide, Nile cruise tipping guide, Luxor balloon guide.
A cruise ship, a dahabiya and a felucca all sail this river and the choice shapes the whole trip. Here is how they differ and what each costs on this site. The felucca has its own page, felucca ride, and so does the dahabiya cruise.
On board a dahabiya. Photo: Lars Plougmann, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
A modern Nile cruise ship acts as a floating hotel, with restaurants, pools and sun decks, and the biggest carry more than 100 passengers. A dahabiya is the old way to sail, a small motorless sailing boat. A felucca is a lateen-sailed wooden boat that typically carries ten passengers with a crew of two or three.
The table links to the bookable trips of each type on this site, with catalog prices per person.
| Boat | Guests | How it moves | Cruise here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cruise ship | Often over 100, about 50 cabins on a modern ship | Engine, floating hotel | 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon, 3-Night Cruise with Balloon Ride, 3-Night Cruise with Private Guide, 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets, 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise, 4-Night Cruise with Private Guide, 1-Night Aswan to Luxor Cruise, 2-Night Small-Group Cruise, Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights, 7-Day Luxor and Aswan Cruise from $340 to $1,772 |
| Dahabiya | A dozen or so, often 10 to 20 | Sails, no engine propeller, a tugboat can assist | Luxury Dahabiya Cruise from $1,100 for 4 days and 3 nights |
| Felucca | About 10, up to 12 on the Aswan overnight trip | Lateen sails, wind power | Overnight Felucca from Aswan from $25, Aswan Felucca to Elephantine at $15 |
The boat on Luxury Dahabiya Cruise is a traditional Nile dahabiya, and one traveler review says it has no engine and is towed from a distance by a small tugboat. It sails from Aswan for 4 days and 3 nights at $1,100 per person, rated 4.8 from 58 reviews. Because it is small it moors where big ships cannot and stops at places cruise ships skip, such as Gebel El-Silsila, a local village and a swim stop near Kom Ombo. You disembark at Esna on day 4 for the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and Karnak. Unlike most listings on this site, entrance fees for the listed sites are included in the price, along with all meals, water and hot drinks.
The trade-off is size. There is no pool deck or disco, and the daily schedule depends on the wind. For travelers who want calm water and fewer people, the dahabiya is the closest thing on the river to how it was done until the 1870s, when the dahabiya was the standard way for tourists to travel up and down the Nile.
A felucca has no cabins. On the overnight trips of Overnight Felucca from Aswan you sleep on deck with sleeping bags, blankets and a mosquito net provided, and the crew cooks breakfast, lunch and dinner on board. The listing sells five options, from a 2-hour sunset sail to a 6-hour sail with lunch and 1, 2 or 3 nights under sail, so the $25 from-price is the lowest option, not the price of the 3-night trip. The overnight routes sail 5 to 6 hours a day and stop at Daraw village, Kom Ombo, Gebel El-Silsila and Edfu, with a private transfer to Luxor at the end. Up to 12 travelers, rated 5.0 from 162 reviews.
If you only want a short sail, two trips do it in 2 hours. Aswan Felucca to Elephantine sails past Elephantine Island and Kitchener's Island from $15, the lowest price on this site, and Cairo Felucca with Lunch adds an Egyptian lunch on the Cairo Nile for $55.
Almost every cruise ship and dahabiya stops at the same places between Luxor and Aswan. These are the six you will see most often. Each temple has a page of its own: Edfu, Kom Ombo, Esna and its lock and Philae.
EGP 600 · 6:00 to 17:00 The Great Hypostyle Hall covers 5,000 m2 with 134 columns in 16 rows, 122 of them 10 m tall and 12 reaching 21 m. Building here ran for about 2,000 years, and Karnak sits 2.5 km north of Luxor Temple. Entrance fees are included on 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets.
EGP 750 · Day 2 from Luxor A royal burial ground for nearly 500 years, the valley holds 65 known tombs, though only about 18 can potentially be opened to visitors. The standard ticket covers three tombs, with Tutankhamun at an extra EGP 700. Most 4-night cruises start here, including 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise.
Day 1 or 2 on any route Ships pass the Nile at Esna through a lock system south of Luxor, and cruisers can be held up for hours while waiting. Operators factor the delay into their itineraries. 2-Night Small-Group Cruise lists the lock by name on day 2.
EGP 550 · 7:00 to 17:00 The Temple of Horus at Edfu stands 36 m high and 79 m long and is among Egypt's best preserved. It was buried under about 12 m of sand until excavation began in 1860. Several cruises reach it by horse and carriage, as on Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights.
EGP 450 · 7:00 to 21:00 Kom Ombo lies on the Nile 50 km north of Aswan and its temple has two principal entrances, two temples united in one. A Nilometer beside it measured the river level, and a nearby museum shows crocodile mummies. It is a sunset stop on Luxury Dahabiya Cruise.
EGP 550 · 7:00 to 16:00 Philae's Temple of Isis was moved to Agilkia Island in the late 1970s, each building dismantled into about 40,000 units, and the site reopened in 1980. Cruises visit it on day 1 from Aswan. Entrance fees are covered on 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets.
Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Karnak, Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0. Valley of the Kings, Nikater, CC BY-SA 3.0. Esna Lock, Karelj, public domain. Edfu, MatthiasKabel, CC BY-SA 3.0. Kom Ombo, Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0. Philae, Pierre André Leclercq, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The cooler months from October to April suit most travelers, but the price and the crowds swing with the calendar. Here are the numbers.
Feluccas at Aswan. Photo: Marc Ryckaert, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The table shows average daily high temperatures in Luxor and Aswan, the two ends of the cruise route, from the Wikipedia climate tables for both cities. Winter days sit in the low twenties Celsius while summer pushes past 40 C. Aswan runs one or two degrees warmer than Luxor most of the year.
| Month | Luxor high | Aswan high |
|---|---|---|
| January | 22.8 C (73.0 F) | 23.2 C (73.8 F) |
| March | 29.7 C (85.5 F) | 30.3 C (86.5 F) |
| May | 39.1 C (102.4 F) | 39.5 C (103.1 F) |
| July | 41.4 C (106.5 F) | 41.9 C (107.4 F) |
| September | 39.3 C (102.7 F) | 40.0 C (104.0 F) |
| November | 29.1 C (84.4 F) | 29.8 C (85.6 F) |
October to February is the preferred Nile cruise season, and October to April is the wider window most guides give, which avoids the intense summer heat. That popularity has a price. The pick on this site, 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets, adds a $200 per person surcharge for travel from December 20 to January 2 on top of its $600 price. Temples are busier too, with larger crowds at the sites through the peak months.
The flip side is weather. January days in Luxor average a high of 22.8 C (73.0 F), comfortable for walking a temple, though evenings drop to around 7 C, so pack a light jacket. The Luxor balloon also flies in this window, with a balloon guide naming October to April as the best flying season.
From June to August the heat is intense and the crowds smaller. Aswan's average summer highs stay above 40 C and its record is 51 C. Temples open early for a reason. Philae, Edfu and Kom Ombo open at 7:00, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings at 6:00, so tours start at dawn and finish before the hottest hours. Wikivoyage also notes that larger river cruisers are often suspended when there is not enough water in the Nile.
LiveAboard advises packing lightweight breathable clothing, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, insect repellent and that light jacket for cooler evenings. Shade is scarce at open temple sites, water matters on every shore day, and the middle of the day is best spent on the sun deck or in the cabin.
The two biggest extras on a Nile cruise sit off the main route, one by road and one in the air. Here is what they involve and which cruises include them. Aswan itself is covered on things to do in Aswan.
Abu Simbel is not on the river route. It sits on Lake Nasser south of Aswan, roughly 230 to 290 km away depending on the source, and the road trip from Aswan takes 3.5 to 4 hours each way. Group tours leave Aswan around 4:00 in the morning because the desert highway is closed to tourists from 17:00 to 5:00. On 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon the pickup is around 4:30 AM on day 2, with the ship back on board by noon. EgyptAir and Air Cairo flights from Aswan take about 45 minutes. The temple ticket is EGP 750 for foreign adults.
Which cruises cover it? 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon, 3-Night Cruise with Balloon Ride, Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights and 7-Day Luxor and Aswan Cruise include Abu Simbel in the itinerary. It is an optional extra on 3-Night Cruise with Private Guide, 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise and 4-Night Cruise with Private Guide. On the pick, 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets, it is not included, though every other temple entrance fee is.
The balloon flies at sunrise over the Luxor West Bank, with pickups running from about 3:15 to 4:45 in the morning depending on season. Flights last 45 to 60 minutes between 300 and 1,500 ft, in standard baskets of 16 to 24 passengers. Flights are cancelled when surface winds top 8 to 12 mph, and the balloon does not operate from June 1 to August 31 on 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon.
The balloon is included on 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon, 3-Night Cruise with Balloon Ride, Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights and 7-Day Luxor and Aswan Cruise. Two rules matter. On 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon children under 6 are not allowed on the balloon, and if weather cancels the flight that listing refunds 800 LE, while 3-Night Cruise with Balloon Ride refunds $25 per person.
You do not need a multi-day cruise to get on the Nile. In Cairo, Cairo Felucca with Lunch sails 2 hours with an Egyptian lunch and drinks from $55, rated 5.0 from 1,135 reviews, and Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise runs about 2 hours with an open buffet and a show lineup of belly dancer, tanoura and folklore from $32.50. Both include private hotel transfers.
If you start in Cairo but want the full river, Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights at $1,300 puts both domestic flights in the price, Cairo to Aswan and Luxor back to Cairo, around a 3-night cruise with Abu Simbel and a sunrise balloon. Entrance tickets and drinks stay extra. For a short sail in Aswan itself, Aswan Felucca to Elephantine costs $15 for 2 hours, the lowest price on the site.
Three films before you book: what travelers wish they had known, whether a cruise is the best way to see Egypt, and a 3-day sailing day by day.
The surprises on board and ashore.
Video: Tips For TravellersThe case for and against the river.
Video: Finding Gina MarieA short sailing, temple by temple.
Video: World Wild HeartsThird-party videos, embedded from YouTube. This site did not shoot them and has no relationship with the creators.
The checks that separate a smooth sailing from an expensive surprise. Each one comes from the tour listings or the official sources behind this guide.
An honest look at what a Nile river cruise gives you and where it falls short.
Who it's NOT for: Not for travelers who want engine-free sailing and a tiny passenger list, who should look at a felucca or a dahabiya instead, or for anyone set on a fixed daily schedule, because the Esna lock and sailing conditions can shift the timetable.
Six common situations and the listing that matches each one.
If You want temple tickets already in the price
Book the 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets, the only 3-night cruise with all entrance fees covered, or the Luxury Dahabiya Cruise, which includes fees for its listed sites.
If You want the lowest price on the river
Start with a 2-hour sail, the Aswan Felucca to Elephantine at $15, or the cheapest multi-night option, the 1-Night Aswan to Luxor Cruise at $206 with no temples.
If You want a private guide on every shore day
Pick the 3-Night Cruise with Private Guide from Aswan or the 4-Night Cruise with Private Guide from Luxor.
If You want a small boat rather than a big ship
Choose the Luxury Dahabiya Cruise, a sailing boat, or the 2-Night Small-Group Cruise, capped at 18 guests.
If You want to start in Cairo
Take the Nile Cruise from Cairo with Flights, which includes both domestic flights, or add a Cairo Nile Dinner Cruise to a separate river trip.
If You have only one evening for the river
Book the 1-Night Aswan to Luxor Cruise, or spend it in Cairo on the Cairo Felucca with Lunch.
Our guide was Mahamed Gobra and he did a very good job organizing and explaining everything, he also gave us tips about how to navigate the touristic vs local prices The trips was very enjoyable
Ahmed Abd Elwahab was our guide in Abu Simbel and did a very good job. He was friendly, explained the history of the temples in clear and interesting detail, and pointed out several features that we would probably have overlooked on our own. His guidance made the visit more enjoyable and helped us better understand the significance of the site without feeling overwhelming.
The ship was great during the three days, and so were the two guides. The excursions were really well organized with drivers, and the pick-ups were on time.
Mustafa is an excellent and very knowledgeable guide. He accompanied us to Abu Simbel and was very helpful and friendly. I recommend him.
We had a great time on the dahabiya! I was so glad we booked this instead of some cruise. It was a beautiful boat, lively and experienced crew, and not too crowded. I highly recommend our guide Shrief, who was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and kind.
The felucca ride on the Nile was a wonderful experience. The guide was lovely and tailored the trip to my interests, including my wish to visit the botanical gardens. It was a relaxed, enjoyable and personalised experience.
Multi-night cruise ships run from $206 for a 1-night sailing to $1,772 for a 7-day cruise per person. The main 3 and 4-night options sit between $340 and $980, and temple entrance fees are extra on most listings, so read what the price covers on the 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets versus the cheaper 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon.
The pick is the 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets, $600 for 4 days and 3 nights from Aswan to Luxor with full board, every temple entrance fee included and a rating of 4.8 from 468 reviews. If you want a small boat, the Luxury Dahabiya Cruise is the alternative with fees included.
Both directions cover the same temples, so choose by your flights. Aswan to Luxor typically takes 3 nights and Luxor to Aswan 4 nights, sailing upstream against the current. Compare the 4-Night Luxor to Aswan Cruise with the 3-night options from Aswan and match the port to your arrival city.
Three nights is the classic length for Aswan to Luxor and four nights for the reverse direction, with a 2-night small-group option in between and a 7-day cruise for a slower pace. If you only have one night, the 1-Night Aswan to Luxor Cruise is a pure sailing with no temple stops.
October to April, the cooler months, is the best window, since Luxor highs reach the low 40s C in summer while January averages a high of 22.8 C (73.0 F). Details and month-by-month temperatures are on the best time to cruise section.
Usually not. Most listings exclude entrance fees and you pay at each site, with official prices such as EGP 750 for the Valley of the Kings and EGP 550 for Edfu. Only the 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets and the Luxury Dahabiya Cruise include them. The full breakdown is in the what the price covers section.
Before you book
The temples on the route, Aswan and the felucca, each on its own page.
Nile River Boat Cruise
