Nile River Boat CruiseNile Cruise from Cairo: 4 Days with Flights, Abu Simbel and a Balloon
This Nile cruise from Cairo package costs $1,300 per person and runs four days and three nights. It solves one problem: you are staying in Cairo, and the cruise ships sail between Aswan and Luxor, far to the south. The listing from Nice Tours on GetYourGuide bundles both domestic flights, hotel transfers, three nights on a 5-star ship with full board, a group day trip to Abu Simbel and a sunrise balloon over Luxor that the itinerary lists but the Includes list does not name. The trade-off is the price, and a long list of exclusions: temple entrance tickets, tips and every drink, water included, are all extra. This page walks through the days, the money and the alternatives, and links the wider catalog of Nile river cruises for comparison. See all Nile river cruises side by side.
About This Tour
Nice Tours runs this 4-day package on GetYourGuide with a 4.4 rating from 156 reviews. An early pickup at your Cairo hotel starts the day, followed by a flight to Aswan of about 1.5 hours. You tour the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple with a private guide, then board a 5-star cruise ship for three nights sailing north to Luxor.
Day 2 is an early start, about 4:00 AM, for the group van trip to Abu Simbel, about 4 hours away, then Kom Ombo after lunch. Day 3 brings a horse-drawn carriage to Edfu Temple and a long sailing stretch. Day 4 is the sunrise balloon over Luxor and the West and East Bank sights before the flight back to Cairo and a transfer to your hotel.
$1,300 per person on GetYourGuide. Reserve now and pay later is available.
4 days and 3 nights, one way from Aswan to Luxor.
Early morning pickup at your Cairo hotel. The cruise boards in Aswan and ends in Luxor, then a flight back to Cairo and drop-off at your hotel.
A 5-star cruise ship. Single rooms require each person to book separately. Group size is not stated.
Entrance tickets are not included, nor are tips or any drinks, water included. Lunch and dinner on day 1, full board on days 2 and 3, and breakfast on day 4, all on board.
All temple tickets, tips, drinks, and any guides in Spanish, German, Italian or French are an add-on. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
Starting times and pickup details appear at checkout. Reserve now and pay later, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Quick answer The short answer
This Nile cruise from Cairo costs $1,300 per person for 4 days and 3 nights, including both domestic flights, three nights full board on a 5-star ship, a group Abu Simbel trip, with a sunrise balloon over Luxor on the itinerary but not in the Includes list. Temple entrance tickets, tips and all drinks including water are excluded and paid separately.
Key takeaways
- The flights make it the simplest package out of Cairo, but the exclusion list is long. See what the price covers.
- Cruising from Aswan instead cuts the cost sharply. The 3-night cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon starts at $340 per person without flights, plus $110 in checkout charges on Viator.
- Tickets included changes the math. The 3-night cruise with temple tickets costs $600 with all listed entrance fees in.
- Only a few long cruises sail the whole river. Most travellers compare all Nile river cruises on the route between Luxor and Aswan.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $1,300 covers transport, the ship and meals. Almost everything at the sights, and everything in your glass, costs more.
Included, and What Is Not
The Includes list names the departure and return flight tickets, hotel pickup and drop-off, three nights on a 5-star cruise with full board, ground transportation, the horse carriage at Edfu and an English-speaking guide. Other languages are an add-on.
Three things sit outside the price and matter for your budget. Entrance tickets are excluded at every sight on the itinerary, so carry cash for the ticket offices. Tips are excluded too, and tipping is a normal part of a Nile cruise, including a collection for onboard crew. And no drinks are included, not even water, so buy bottles before boarding and at each stop.
One gap needs checking before you pay. The sunrise balloon is in the listing title and on the day 4 itinerary, but it does not appear in the Includes list. Message the operator through the platform and get the answer in writing before booking.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flights Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo | Yes | About 1.5 hours to Aswan per the listing |
| Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo | Yes | Early morning pickup, time set at checkout |
| 3 nights on a 5-star cruise ship | Yes | Full board, meals as listed day by day |
| Abu Simbel day trip | Yes | Runs as a group tour by air-conditioned van, about 4 hours away. The Abu Simbel ticket is extra |
| Sunrise balloon over Luxor | Check first | In the title and itinerary but not in the Includes list, confirm before booking |
| Temple entrance tickets | No | Excluded at every sight, pay at the ticket offices |
| Drinks, including water | No | Buy bottled water yourself |
| Tips | No | Budget for guides, drivers and onboard crew |
What the Tickets You Buy Yourself Cost
The ministry price list sets the official foreign adult fees at the sights on this route. Philae is EGP 550 and open 7:00 to 16:00. Abu Simbel is EGP 750 and open 6:00 to 17:00, with a special EGP 1,200 ticket on the sun alignment days.
Kom Ombo is EGP 450. The Valley of the Kings is EGP 750. Those four alone come to a real sum in local currency, and the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, Edfu, Karnak, Hatshepsut and Luxor Temple each add their own fee, which this guide does not list, so ask your guide for current prices on the day.
| Sight | Foreign adult ticket | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Philae Temple | EGP 550 | 7:00 to 16:00 |
| Abu Simbel | EGP 750 | 6:00 to 17:00 |
| Kom Ombo Temple | EGP 450 | not stated |
| Valley of the Kings | EGP 750 | not stated |
The Price Beside the Others
$1,300 buys the flights, which is the whole point of the listing. Cruise-only packages from Aswan cost far less per person. The comparison below uses the catalog prices on this site, and this Cairo package and the $340 listing leave entrance tickets out of the price, while the $600 listing includes them.
| Listing | Price per person | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| This Cairo package | $1,300 | Both flights, 3 nights, Abu Simbel group trip, balloon to confirm |
| 3-Night Cruise with Abu Simbel and Balloon | $340 | Same route from Aswan, no flights, $110 in checkout charges on Viator |
| 3-Night Cruise with Temple Tickets | $600 | All listed entrance fees included, Abu Simbel not part of it |
Sources: Nile, Wikipedia, Aswan, Wikipedia
The Nile in central Cairo is lined with towers and a riverside promenade. Photo: Alx R, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
Four days, two flights, one cruise. The listing sets out the days like this.
Day 1, Cairo to Aswan
An early morning pickup at your Cairo hotel takes you to the airport for the included flight to Aswan, about 1.5 hours. Your private guide and driver meet you on arrival. The first stop is the High Dam, one of the world's largest embankment dams, then the Unfinished Obelisk, which shows ancient stone-cutting work.
The obelisk would have measured about 41.75 m and weighed nearly 1,090 tonnes before cracks ended the work. A motorboat then carries you to Philae Temple, the Ptolemaic sanctuary of Isis. After the visits you board the ship for lunch and dinner on board.
Day 2, Abu Simbel and Kom Ombo
The van leaves around 4:00 AM for Abu Simbel, about 4 hours away by road. Ask cruise reception for a breakfast box the night before, the listing says so itself. Abu Simbel holds the rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Nefertari, moved in the late 1960s before Lake Nasser rose.
The trip runs as a group tour. You return to the ship for lunch and begin sailing toward Kom Ombo, about 45 to 50 km north of Aswan on the river bank. The guide takes you ashore to the double temple dedicated to Sobek and Horus, then back on board for dinner and the night.
Day 3, Edfu and the Sailing Stretch
After breakfast a horse-drawn carriage takes you to Edfu Temple, one of Egypt's best-preserved temples, finished in 57 BC. You return to the ship for lunch and the rest of the day is sailing north toward Luxor. This is the longest stretch on the water, and it is where the Nile river cruise earns its keep: scenery on both banks and the Esna lock somewhere ahead.
Cruisers can face a wait at the lock, so treat the arrival time as loose. Dinner is the final night on board.
Day 4, Balloon and Luxor, Then Home
Wake early, check out of the cabin and leave your luggage at reception. The sunrise hot air balloon floats over the Nile Valley, with the balloon minimum age set at 6. After landing the guide takes you to the Valley of the Kings, where you walk through three royal tombs, then the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari and the Colossi of Memnon.
On the East Bank you see Karnak, whose Great Hypostyle Hall holds 134 columns, and Luxor Temple, linked to Karnak by the Avenue of Sphinxes. You collect your luggage from the ship, transfer to Luxor Airport for the included flight to Cairo, and a driver takes you back to your hotel. Breakfast is the last meal.
EGYPT VLOG 🇪🇬: Flying to Luxor, Exploring the Temples,staying on a Cruise on the Nile Rive & More!
A traveller films the flight to Luxor, the temples and the stay on a Nile cruise ship. Third-party video by Cherisse Avana. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
This package fits one traveller well. It fits several others badly, and here is who should book differently.
Travellers Counting Every Dollar
At $1,300 per person this is the expensive way onto the river, because you are paying for two flights. If you are already heading to Aswan or Luxor on your own, the same three nights with Abu Simbel and a balloon costs $340 per person on the 3-night cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon, though that Viator listing adds $110 in charges at checkout. Prefer the fees handled up front? The 3-night cruise with temple tickets costs $600 and covers entrance to every sight it names except Abu Simbel.
Families with Children Under 6
The balloon carries a minimum age of 6, and the balloon is a headline reason to book this listing. Younger children cannot fly. The $340 listing allows children from 5 with an adult, so families with a 5-year-old face the same limit.
No general minimum age is stated for the rest of the tour.
Anyone Who Cannot Do 4 AM
Day 2 leaves around 4:00 AM for the roughly 4 hour van ride to Abu Simbel, and day 4 starts before dawn for the balloon, with checkout from the cabin before the sightseeing. Wheelchair access is not stated, and the temple visits involve walking over uneven ground. Group size is not stated, and Abu Simbel runs as a group tour rather than in your private vehicle.
Heat-Sensitive Travellers in Summer
Aswan's average summer highs stay above 40 C, and the preferred cruise season is October to April. Luxor averages a daily high of 22.8 C in January and 35.0 C in April. The cooler months make the temple walking far easier.
If your dates overlap Ramadan, ask the operator about the schedule.
The first pylon of Karnak Temple stands over the open forecourt. Photo: Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There and What to Add
The listing handles your transport from door to door. What it leaves out is Cairo itself, and the extras at either end of the river.
Reaching the Start and Leaving the End
You do not need to plan transport. The listing includes hotel pickup in Cairo, the flight to Aswan, all ground transfers and the return flight from Luxor to Cairo with a drop-off at your hotel. Rome2Rio puts the Cairo to Aswan flight at 3h48m door to door with about 1h25m in the air, against a 14h15m train, so flying is the sensible choice and the package has already made it for you.
Your passport needs at least 6 months' validity and a blank page per the FCDO, and most foreign visitors need a visa. The FCDO lists the on-arrival visa at US$30 in cash, and Gulf News reports the fee rose to US$45 for on-arrival and e-visa travellers. Bring dollars or arrange the e-visa before you fly.
Add Cairo Before or After
The package starts at your hotel, so anything you want in the capital comes before or after. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo charges foreign adults EGP 550 and opens 9:00 to 17:00. The Giza plateau and the pyramids sit on the other side of the city and price separately.
For an evening on the water without leaving town, the Cairo Nile dinner cruise costs $32.50 per person with an open buffet and shows, and drinks are extra there too.
Add River Time the Cruise Skips
The ship covers the big temples, but a quiet hour under sail is a different thing. In Aswan, a short felucca ride to Elephantine costs $15 per person for about 2 hours. For background before you go, the guides to Philae Temple and Edfu Temple cover the two most storied stops on this route.
Abu Simbel is already on the itinerary, so the main sight it does not cover is Cairo, not Nubia. For the full picture of what else sails the river, the Nile river cruise catalog lists dahabiyas, feluccas and longer itineraries.
Day by Day
The times below come from the listing. Only day 2 carries a clock time, the rest are phases.
-
Early morning
Pickup in Cairo and flight to Aswan
Your driver collects you at your Cairo hotel for the airport and the included flight to Aswan, about 1.5 hours.
-
After landing
Aswan sights with your private guide
The High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and a motorboat crossing to Philae Temple, then boarding the 5-star ship for lunch and dinner.
-
About 4:00 AM
Van to Abu Simbel
A group tour by air-conditioned van, about 4 hours away. Request a breakfast box from reception the night before. The rock temples of Ramses II and Nefertari are the reward.
-
Afternoon
Sail and Kom Ombo
Lunch on board, sailing north, then the guide takes you to the double temple of Sobek and Horus at Kom Ombo before dinner.
-
Morning
Carriage to Edfu
A horse-drawn carriage ride to Edfu Temple, one of Egypt's best-preserved, then back on board for lunch, an afternoon of sailing and the last dinner.
-
Before sunrise
Balloon, then Luxor
Sunrise balloon over the Nile Valley, minimum age 6. Then the Valley of the Kings with three tombs, Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon, Karnak and Luxor Temple.
-
After the Luxor tour
Flight home to Cairo
Collect your luggage from the ship, fly Luxor to Cairo and take the transfer back to your hotel.
What Works and What Does Not
An honest read of one listing against the others on this site.
What we genuinely like
- The flights, transfers and cruise sit in one booking, which removes the hardest part of planning a Nile river cruise from Cairo
- A private English-speaking guide and driver on the shore days, with other languages as an add-on
- The Abu Simbel van trip is on the itinerary, though its entrance ticket is not included, and several Aswan departures sell the trip separately
- Full board for three nights, with vegan, vegetarian and halal diets accommodated
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure and reserve now, pay later
The honest downsides
- Temple entrance tickets, tips and all drinks including water are excluded, which adds a real amount on top of $1,300
- The sunrise balloon is in the title and the itinerary but not in the Includes list, so it must be confirmed in writing before booking
- Day 2 starts about 4:00 AM and the van ride to Abu Simbel takes about 4 hours
- Abu Simbel runs as a group tour, not with your private guide and vehicle
- Groups where everyone wants their own room must book each person separately
Who it's NOT for: Not for budget travellers already in Aswan, who can sail the same river for far less, and not for families with children under 6 because of the balloon age rule.
Questions About This Cairo Package
Does this Nile cruise from Cairo include the flights?
Yes. The listing includes departure and return flight tickets, Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo, plus hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo. For a cheaper cruise-only version see the 3-night cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon.
Are temple entrance tickets included in the $1,300?
No. Entrance tickets are listed as excluded along with tips and all drinks including water. If you want the fees handled up front, the 3-night cruise with temple tickets includes every entrance fee it names except Abu Simbel.
Is the sunrise balloon really part of the price?
The listing puts the balloon in the title and on the day 4 itinerary but not in the Includes list, so confirm it with the operator in writing before booking. The balloon has a minimum age of 6, and other balloon departures such as the 3-night cruise with balloon ride carry the same rule.
How early do the days start?
The Cairo pickup is early morning with the exact time shown at checkout, and day 2 leaves around 4:00 AM for the roughly 4 hour van ride to Abu Simbel, with a breakfast box ordered the night before. Day 4 begins before sunrise for the balloon. If early starts rule this out, the 3-night cruise with temple tickets leaves Abu Simbel out, so it has no 4 AM van ride.
Can I cruise the Nile from Cairo the whole way by boat?
A few long cruises sail the full Cairo to Aswan route, but there is no regular schedule, so this package flies you south and cruises the standard Aswan to Luxor stretch. The routes are compared on Nile River Boat Cruise.
What meals do I get on board?
Lunch and dinner on day 1, breakfast, lunch and dinner on days 2 and 3, and breakfast on day 4, all on the ship. Drinks of any kind, water included, are extra, and vegan, vegetarian and halal diets are accommodated. An evening option in the capital is the Cairo Nile dinner cruise.
How does the price compare with sailing from Aswan instead?
This package costs $1,300 per person with both flights and full board. The same three nights with Abu Simbel and a balloon from Aswan starts at $340 per person before checkout charges. Browse the full range on the Nile river cruise homepage.
What Travelers Said
Excellent service from the guide, Heba. She was super friendly and very knowledgeable about the landmarks she took us to.
Mahamoud and Malak have been a great tour guide and companion. Very polite and friendly at all times. The excursion was very much worth it.
Mustafa is an excellent and very knowledgeable guide. He accompanied us to Abu Simbel and was very helpful and friendly. I recommend him.
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
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