There’s a particular moment on the Nile that no hotel room can give you. You’ve spent the morning inside a royal tomb, the air still and dry and older than almost anything you’ve stood in before. By mid-afternoon you’re on a sun deck with a glass of tea, watching sugarcane fields slide past at walking pace. Same day. Same trip. That contrast — ancient stone in the morning, moving river in the afternoon — is the whole argument for luxury Egypt tours with Nile cruise rather than a land-only itinerary.
We’re Egypt Luxury Trips, and we’re based in Luxor. Not in a call centre three time zones away. That matters more than it sounds, and we’ll come back to why.
This page covers our two private Nile cruise itineraries — one sailing Luxor to Aswan over four nights, one sailing Aswan to Luxor over three — plus the day tours that extend them. Everything below is what’s actually confirmed in each programme. Where something isn’t included, we say so plainly, because a surprise at the gate is the fastest way to ruin a good day.
Luxury Egypt Tours with Nile Cruise: Private Sailings Between Luxor and Aswan
Most travellers researching a luxury Nile cruise Egypt itinerary assume the route is fixed. It isn’t. The Nile flows north, so sailing from Aswan means travelling with the current, and sailing from Luxor means going upstream. Both are lovely. They just start and end in different cities — and that’s usually the deciding factor.
| 4-Night Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan | 3 Nights Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Luxor → Aswan (upstream) | Aswan → Luxor (downstream, with the current) |
| Duration | 4 nights / 5 days | 3 nights / 4 days |
| Board basis | Full board | Full board |
| Guided sites | Nine | Nine |
| Starts in | Luxor | Aswan |
| Ends in | Aswan | Luxor |
| Pairs well with | Extra nights in Luxor beforehand | Extra nights in Luxor afterwards |
| Add-ons available | Abu Simbel by flight or by road | Abu Simbel, Nubian village, Karnak Sound and Light Show, hot-air balloon over Luxor |
Here’s the simple version. Already staying in Luxor? Take the four-night sailing — it begins where you are, no repositioning transfer needed. Flying into Aswan, or want to finish your trip in Luxor with time on both banks? Take the three-night sailing.
Neither is the “better” cruise. They’re the same river, read in opposite directions.
The 4-Night Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan
This is our longer private Nile cruise Egypt itinerary, and it opens with the heavyweight: Karnak. You board in Luxor, settle into your cabin, and after lunch your Egyptologist walks you through Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on the East Bank — monumental courts, forests of columns, obelisks, and a riverside sanctuary as the day cools.
Day two crosses to the West Bank for the Valley of the Kings, where you go inside the open royal tombs, then on to Hatshepsut’s cliffside temple and a stop at the Colossi of Memnon. Day three is Edfu and Kom Ombo. Day four is Aswan — the High Dam, a motorboat across to Philae Temple, and the Unfinished Obelisk where the cruise programme includes it. Day five is breakfast, check-out, and your onward transfer.
| Day | Where you are | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luxor — embarkation | Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple |
| 2 | Luxor West Bank | Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon |
| 3 | Edfu & Kom Ombo | Temple of Horus, Kom Ombo double temple, Crocodile Museum |
| 4 | Aswan | High Dam, Philae Temple (by motorboat), Unfinished Obelisk |
| 5 | Aswan — disembarkation | Free morning, check-out, confirmed transfer |
What’s included: your cabin for four nights; full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, breakfast only on the final day); embarkation and disembarkation assistance; pickup or meeting arrangements in Luxor; guided sightseeing at all nine sites listed above; the motorboat transfer to Philae; and local coordination and booking support from our team.
What’s not: Abu Simbel (available as an add-on), the extra-fee royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings such as Tutankhamun’s — those are bought separately at the gate — entrance tickets not listed above, drinks and meals not served on board, personal expenses, tipping, and travel insurance.
Abu Simbel can be added by flight or by road, priced and confirmed before you board rather than pitched at you halfway through the cruise. We think that’s how it should work.
See the full 4-Night Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan itinerary
The 3 Nights Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor
Shorter, downstream, and arguably the more dramatic opening — because Aswan hands you its modern and ancient stories side by side on day one.
You start at the High Dam, completed in 1970, which created Lake Nasser and triggered the international rescue that moved both Abu Simbel and Philae stone by stone to safety. Then the granite quarries, where the Unfinished Obelisk still lies half-cut from the bedrock. It would have been the largest single piece of stone ever quarried in Egypt, had a crack not ended the project. The tool marks are still in the rock. You can put your hand on the moment the work stopped.
You board, have lunch as the ship settles into its mooring, then cross by motorboat to Agilkia Island for Philae Temple — dedicated to Isis into the Roman period, centuries after most of Egypt had moved on, making it one of the last places in the ancient world where the old religion was openly practised.
| Day | Where you are | What you see |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aswan — embarkation | High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, Philae Temple, night moored in Aswan |
| 2 | Aswan → Kom Ombo → Edfu | Free morning in Aswan, Kom Ombo double temple, tea on the sun deck, night near Edfu |
| 3 | Edfu → Esna → Luxor | Temple of Horus (by horse-drawn carriage from the dock), Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple |
| 4 | Luxor West Bank — disembarkation | Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Colossi of Memnon, onward transfer |
A few details worth knowing. Kom Ombo is unique among Egyptian temples: one half dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek, the other to the falcon god Horus, with matching entrances, halls and sanctuaries running as mirrored pairs down a single building. There’s nothing else like it on the river.
Edfu survived so completely because it lay buried under desert sand until the 19th century — roof and outer walls intact. Its inscriptions record the temple’s own founding myth and construction in more detail than any other surviving building from ancient Egypt. You reach it from the dock by horse-drawn carriage, which is exactly as good as it sounds.
And Karnak, which successive pharaohs built up over nearly two thousand years, until the hypostyle hall alone held 134 columns — the largest of them wide enough that five people still can’t link hands around it.
Included: cabin for three nights; full board (breakfast only on the final day); embarkation and disembarkation assistance; pickup in Aswan and drop-off in Luxor; guided sightseeing at all ten listed sites; the motorboat transfer to Philae and the horse-carriage transfer to Edfu Temple; plus our coordination and booking support.
Excluded: Abu Simbel, the Nubian village visit, the Karnak Sound and Light Show and the hot-air balloon flight over Luxor — all optional add-ons — plus entrance tickets not listed, drinks and meals not served on board, personal expenses, tipping and travel insurance.
See the full 3 Nights Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor itinerary
What “Private” Means in Luxury Egypt Tours with Nile Cruise
We’d rather be precise than impressive, so: your cabin and your guide are private. The ship itself carries other passengers, as on any standard Nile cruise. This isn’t a chartered vessel, and we’re not going to imply otherwise.
What that buys you is the part that actually shapes your day — the pacing. You’re not waiting for forty people to finish photographing the same pylon. You’re not on a shore-excursion timetable set by someone else. When you want ten more minutes in a tomb, you take ten more minutes.
One Egyptologist, the whole route
The same guide meets you at the first temple and is still with you at the last. That sounds like a small thing. It isn’t. On a typical Egypt guided tour with Nile cruise, you’re handed to a different local guide at every stop, which means the history resets each morning — the same introduction, the same basics, no thread connecting Philae to Kom Ombo to Karnak.
Ours carries the story forward. By day three, your guide already knows what you’re interested in and pitches the next temple accordingly.
Add-ons priced before you board
Abu Simbel, the balloon flight, the Sound and Light Show, the Nubian village — all confirmed and priced before you travel. Not sold to you on the sun deck with a clipboard. You decide what you want when you’re calm and comparing, not when you’re three days in and feeling agreeable.
Support that doesn’t route through a desk
If a stop needs to move for weather or opening hours, you message us directly. We’re in Luxor. You’re not queuing at a ship’s excursion counter hoping someone has an answer.
Optional Add-ons
| Add-on | Available on | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Abu Simbel Temples by flight from Aswan | Both cruises | Confirm availability and price on enquiry |
| Abu Simbel private tour by road | 4-night Luxor to Aswan | Confirm availability and price on enquiry |
| Nubian village by motorboat | 3-night Aswan to Luxor | Confirm availability and price on enquiry |
| Karnak Temple Sound and Light Show | 3-night Aswan to Luxor | Confirm availability and price on enquiry |
| Hot-air balloon over Luxor | 3-night Aswan to Luxor | Confirm availability and price on enquiry |
| Special tombs (Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramses VI) | Luxor day tours | Separate ticket, bought at the gate |
Extending the Cruise: Day Tours Before or After
A cruise gives you the river. Day tours give you the days on either side of it — and since one itinerary ends in Aswan and the other ends in Luxor, there’s a natural place to add them.
| Tour | Base | Duration | Main stops |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full-Day Luxor Tour: East and West Banks | Luxor | Approx. 8 hours | Colossi of Memnon, three open tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Karnak, Luxor Temple |
| Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples from Luxor | Luxor | Approx. 8 hours | Temple of Horus, Edfu pylon, Temple of Sobek and Haroeris, surgical-instrument relief, Crocodile Museum |
| Philae Temple, High Dam and Unfinished Obelisk | Aswan | Approx. 4 hours | Unfinished Obelisk, High Dam, motorboat to Agilkia Island, Temple of Isis, Temple of Hathor, Kiosk of Trajan |
The full-day Luxor tour includes hotel or cruise pickup and return, private air-conditioned transport, entrance fees to the listed sites, lunch at a local restaurant, a private English-speaking Egyptologist, bottled water and taxes. The special tombs — Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramses VI — are separate.
The Edfu and Kom Ombo day tour includes Luxor pickup and return, private air-conditioned vehicle, admission to both temples, a qualified Egyptologist, bottled water and taxes. Lunch isn’t included on this one, so plan accordingly.
The Philae half-day includes pickup from your Aswan hotel or your Nile cruise, private air-conditioned transport, entrance fees, the return motorboat, a professional English-speaking guide, bottled water and taxes. Meals aren’t included — eat before or after.
That cruise-pickup detail is the useful one. If your ship is moored in Aswan with a free morning, this tour fits inside it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is included in a luxury Egypt tour with a Nile cruise?
On both our sailings: your cabin, full board (breakfast only on the final day), embarkation and disembarkation assistance, pickup and drop-off as listed, guided sightseeing at every site in the itinerary, the motorboat to Philae — and on the three-night route, the horse-carriage to Edfu — plus our coordination throughout.
How many days are needed for a luxury Egypt tour?
Our cruise itineraries run three nights / four days or four nights / five days. Add day tours on either end if you want more time in Luxor or Aswan.
Is it better to cruise from Luxor to Aswan or Aswan to Luxor?
Practical, not philosophical: pick the one that starts where you’ll already be. Aswan to Luxor sails downstream with the current and finishes in Luxor. Luxor to Aswan sails upstream and suits travellers already based in Luxor.
How much does a luxury Egypt tour with a Nile cruise cost?
Pricing depends on your travel dates, cabin category, group size and which add-ons you want. We quote on enquiry rather than publishing a number that won’t match your trip. Send us your dates and we’ll come back with real figures.
Does the package include Cairo and the Giza Pyramids?
Not these two itineraries — both run between Luxor and Aswan. If you want Cairo built into your trip, tell us in your enquiry and we’ll discuss options.
Are private Egyptologist guides included?
Yes. A qualified Egyptologist guide accompanies you at every stop on both cruises, and on all three day tours.
Are domestic flights between Cairo, Luxor and Aswan included?
Flights aren’t listed in the inclusions for either cruise. Ask us when you enquire.
Does a luxury Nile cruise include meals?
Full board on both — breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, with breakfast only on your final morning. Drinks and meals not served on board are extra.
Is Abu Simbel included?
It’s an optional add-on on both cruises, by flight from Aswan, or by road on the four-night itinerary. Priced and confirmed before you board.
What’s the difference between a luxury cruise ship and a Dahabiya?
Both our itineraries use standard Nile cruise ships — private cabin and private guide, shared vessel. We don’t list a dahabiya programme on these two tours. If a smaller boat is what you’re after, raise it in your enquiry.
Are entrance fees to temples and monuments included?
Entrance to every site listed in each itinerary is included. Extra-fee tombs in the Valley of the Kings — Tutankhamun, Seti I, Ramses VI — are bought separately at the gate.
Is tipping included?
No. Tipping is excluded on both cruises and all three day tours, so it stays at your discretion.
Are visa assistance and travel insurance included?
Travel insurance is excluded on both cruises. Visa assistance isn’t listed in either programme — ask us directly.
Can the itinerary be customised?
Tell us what you’d like changed and we’ll tell you honestly what’s possible. Add-ons, extra nights, day tours before or after — all worth raising before you book.
Are these suitable for honeymooners, families and small groups?
The private format works for couples, families and small groups. Group-size details are confirmed with us at booking, along with cabin category and any dietary requirements.
What should I confirm before booking?
Your pickup point, cabin category, which optional excursions you want, dietary requirements, and any mobility considerations. Five minutes of questions now saves a lot of adjusting later.
Ready to Put Your Dates on the River?
Here’s what you’ve got. Two private Nile cruise itineraries between Luxor and Aswan, each covering nine guided sites, each on full board, each with a single Egyptologist who stays with you from the first temple to the last. Three day tours to extend either end. Add-ons priced honestly before you board rather than sold to you mid-sailing. And a team based in Luxor, not somewhere else entirely.
What we can’t do from a web page is tell you which direction suits your flights, what your dates will cost, or whether the four-night or the three-night route fits the rest of your trip. That’s a conversation, not a paragraph.
Fill in the enquiry form with your travel dates, group size and the itinerary you’re leaning toward. We’ll come back with availability, current pricing, cabin options and a straight answer on any add-on you’re considering — no pressure, no placeholder numbers, no vague “from” prices that evaporate when you ask.
The Nile has been carrying travellers past these temples for a very long time. We’d like to help you join them properly.
Plan your journey with us
Plan your journey with us and discover unforgettable Egypt experiences
