No trip to Egypt would be complete without a cruise on the Nile, the most memorable experience during a holiday to this beautiful country. This 3-day cruise leaves from Aswan and arrives in Luxor, the ancient capital of Thebes.
3 Night Nile Cruise
Day 1: Arrival in Aswan + Philae Temple
On the first day, we'll pick you up at the Aswan airport whenever you land. We can also pick you up from your hotel or the train station. From there, we'll take you in an air-conditioned vehicle to the motonave what the Nile riverboats are called and where your cruise begins.
After you've settled into your cabin, we'll meet up again to visit the Philae Temple. Located on an island and dedicated to the goddess Isis, this temple actually spent decades underwater due to the old Aswan Dam.
Afterward, we'll take you to a perfumery to learn how their fragrances are made. It’s the perfect welcome!
Day 2: Aswan – Kom Ombo – Edfu
After breakfast, anyone who's up for it can take a trip to the Abu Simbel temples, which we think is a total must-do while you're in Aswan.
Once we're back on the ship, we'll have lunch and start sailing down the Nile, reaching the Kom Ombo Temple right at sunset, a view you won't forget. After visiting the temple, we'll keep sailing toward Edfu, where we'll dock for dinner and stay the night.
Day 3: Edfu – Esna – Luxor
Once you've had breakfast and recharged your batteries, we'll hop off the boat for a horse-drawn carriage ride through Edfu and explore its temple, which is dedicated to the god Horus.
The cruise then continues toward the Esna lock, which works like an elevator for boats to handle a 10-meter drop in the river level.
As soon as we reach the majestic city of Luxor, we'll go see two of the most spectacular temples in Egypt: the Luxor Temple and the Karnak Temple. Did you know they used to be connected by the 3-kilometer-long Avenue of the Sphinxes?
We'll have dinner and spend the night docked in Luxor.
Important: the tour of Edfu is by horse-drawn carriage. If you want another type of transport, like a car or bus, you'll need to tell the guide the day before.
Day 4: Luxor
Having eaten and checked out, around 6 am we'll hit the road towards the giant necropoles nearby. We'll visit the Valley of the Kings (taking a look inside three of the tombs) the Hatshepsut Temple (dedicated to the only woman to rule over Egypt for an extended period of time) and the Colossi of Memnon. To complete the tour, we'll visit a stone, sculpture and alabaster store to discover the local craftsmanship.
You'll have the option to do a thrilling Luxor Hot Air Balloon Ride on this day.
The tour then finishes at around 4:30 pm, and then we'll take you to the Luxor airport, the train station, or whichever point in the city you would like.
Boats & Categories
There are 2 different categories of boats to choose from:
- 5-Star Standard Category: MS Pioneer II, MS Mirage, MS Nile Delta, Miss Egypt, Beaurivage II, Grand Princess, Voyager, MS Jasmin, MS Grand Princess, King of Thebes, Queen of Sheba, MS Luna, MS Malaga, or similar.
- 5-Star Superior Category: MS Zeina, Royal Princess, Crown Jewel, MS TiYi, MS Liberty, MS Renaissance, MS Jaz C. Jubilee, MS Nile Marquis, Casa Sol, Royal Ruby, Radamis I, Royal Viking, or similar.
The specific boat will be assigned a week before the activity begins.
All of these boats offer comfort and are a good option to make the most of the cruise. If you're looking for a more luxurious option, we recommend the two luxury cruises; their rooms, service, and food have that extra special touch.
If you book a standard category, you get to Aswan on the first day whenever you want, and the same applies to the premium category if you arrive on a Friday. However, if you have booked a premium category with arrival on a Wednesday, you must be in Aswan before midday, since you'll join a tour on that day.
Price Info
- The price indicated is per person in a double room or cabin. People traveling alone will have to pay a supplement.
- Bookings for three people will be allocated a double room with an extra bed. If the third person wants a separate single room, a single supplement will be charged.
Changes to the Itinerary
The order of the activities may change depending on the boat, but you'll always enjoy all of the activities indicated in the itinerary. Once on the boat, you can also reserve additional visits not included in the tour, such as the Valley of the Queens, Deir el-Medina or the Unfinished Obelisk.
Holiday Periods
From December 20 until January 2 (Christmas) and during Holy Week, refunds will not be issued in the event of a cancellation.
Hotel Pickup
If, instead of the airport or the Aswan train station, you'd like to be picked up from your accommodation in the city, please keep in mind the following:
If your hotel or boat is located on one of the following islands in Aswan, we'll collect you at the listed meeting points:
- For accommodation on the Western Aswan Island (Gharb Aswan): We'll collect you from the West Bank Ferry Terminal.
- For accommodation on Elefantina Island (Guizirit Alfantin): We'll collect you from the Kornish Al Nile KFC or the Telecom Egypt Office on El Sadat Road.
- For accommodation on Suhil Island (Guizirit Suhil): We'll collect you from the West Bank Ferry Terminal.
If your hotel or boat in Aswan is not located in the city centre, or on any of the islands mentioned, please make your way to one of the mentioned meeting points.
Booking Accommodation with Children
Please note that the reduced rate for kids is only applicable when the child shares a room with two adults.
If you have any doubts during the booking process, please contact the customer service team directly.
