3-day Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor: Temples, balloon ride

Sail downriver, walk four temples, rise at dawn in a balloon

A 3-day Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor aboard a 5-star ship with guided tours of Kom Ombo, Edfu, Valley of the Kings and Temple of Hatshepsut, plus a 30–40 minute hot air balloon flight over Luxor at sunrise. The itinerary includes all meals on board, hotel pickup in Aswan, and an English-speaking Egyptology guide who stops the cruise every few hours so you walk into each temple and tomb.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Aswan tour and sail to Kom Ombo

• Pick up from Aswan hotel or station
• Visit Philae Temple
• Visit High Dam
• Check in cruise and have lunch
• Sail to Kom Ombo
• Visit Kom Ombo Temple
• Dinner on cruise
• Sail to Edfu for overnight

Day 2: Edfu temple visit and sail to Luxor

• Breakfast on cruise
• Horse carriage ride to Edfu Temple
• Return to cruise and relax on deck
• Sail to Luxor crossing Esna Lock
• Lunch and afternoon tea on board
• Arrive Luxor and dinner on cruise
• Belly dancing show on board

Day 3: Hot air balloon and Luxor West Bank tour

• Pick up for hot air balloon ride
• Hot air balloon flight over Luxor
• Breakfast and check out
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Temple of Hatshepsut
• Photo stop at Colossi of Memnon
• Transfer to Luxor hotel, airport or station

The experience

The cruise leaves Aswan in the early afternoon after a morning pickup from your hotel, airport or train station. Your guide takes you first to Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis, and to the High Dam built in 1960. Then you board the 5-star ship, have lunch, and sail toward Kom Ombo, where you visit the dual temple of Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the falcon god. Dinner is on board as you continue sailing to Edfu for the night.

On day two, after breakfast, you ride in a horse carriage with your guide to Edfu's Temple of Horus, considered the most complete and best-preserved Egyptian temple. Back on the cruise, you relax on deck watching the Nile landscape while sailing to Luxor, crossing the Esna Lock and enjoying lunch and afternoon tea. That evening you arrive in Luxor, have dinner on board, and watch a belly dancing show.

Day three starts before dawn. A pickup around 5:30 or 6 am takes you to the hot air balloon launch for a 30–40 minute flight over the west bank at sunrise, with an aerial view of temples and mountains below. After breakfast and checkout, you drive to the Valley of the Kings to walk among the pharaohs' mountain tombs, then visit the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at El Deir El Bahari. A photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon ends the west bank tour. A transfer then takes you to your Luxor hotel, airport or train station.

What’s included

• Hot air balloon flight over Luxor's west bank for 30 to 40 minutes at sunrise.
• 2 nights accommodation on a 5-star cruise on full-board basis with lunch from day one and breakfast through day three.
• all transfers by air-conditioned vehicle.
• English-speaking Egyptology guide for temple tours and site visits.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day except Wednesday and Sunday6 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 10:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6)

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Arabic

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 20

Prices and times updated 11 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Egypt Gift Tours

Is this one for you?This is a guided group cruise with fixed stops and a set itinerary, so you travel with other passengers and follow the schedule the ship maintains. The balloon flight and west bank temples happen on a fixed morning, which means you catch the sunrise and complete all four major sites in one 3-day span, but you cannot shift the timing to suit a different part of your trip.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and Arabic.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What temples do I actually visit on this cruise?

You visit Philae Temple in Aswan on day one; Kom Ombo Temple and Edfu's Temple of Horus on the sail downriver; and on day three, the Valley of the Kings and Temple of Hatshepsut on Luxor's west bank. The cruise stops at each one so you walk inside with your guide.

Is the hot air balloon ride included, or do I pay extra?

The hot air balloon flight is included in the price. It runs 30 to 40 minutes at sunrise on day three over Luxor's west bank. Children under 6 and pregnant women are not permitted on the balloon. If bad weather cancels it, you receive a $30 refund per person.

What meals are provided on the cruise?

All meals are included on a full-board basis: lunch on day one (starting when you board), dinners and breakfasts on days one and two, and breakfast on day three before checkout. Lunch on day three in a local restaurant is optional and not included.

How does pickup work from Aswan?

Your guide picks you up from your Aswan east bank hotel, train station or airport between 6 am and 10 am on day one, depending on the cruise sailing time around 2 pm. On day three, after the west bank tour, a transfer takes you to your Luxor hotel, airport or train station. Pickup from Aswan west bank hotels costs an extra $10 per person. West bank dropoff in Luxor costs an extra $10 per person.

Do I need to pay entrance fees separately?

Yes, entrance fees to the temples and motorboat access to Philae Temple are not included and must be paid by card on the day of your tour. Your guide will direct you when and where to pay.