4-Day Nile Cruise Aswan to Luxor: Abu Simbel & Hot Balloon

Float past 4,000 years of temples while sleeping on the Nile

This 4-day Nile cruise sails from Aswan to Luxor aboard a five-star hotel ship, with guided stops at Abu Simbel's rock-cut temples, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, and a hot balloon flight at sunrise. You visit Aswan's High Dam and the Temple of Isis on day one, then cruise through Edfu and Kom Ombo, riding a horse carriage to Edfu's Temple of Horus. Luxor days include the East and West banks, with breakfast, lunch and dinner on board plus a belly dancing show.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Explore Aswan highlights

• Meet local tour representative
• Visit Aswan High Dam
• Take motor boat to Isis Temple
• Visit Isis Temple on island

Day 2: Abu Simbel and Nile cruise

• Driver picks up for Abu Simbel trip
• Visit Abu Simbel rock-cut temples
• Return to cruise for lunch
• Sail to Komombo City
• Visit Komombo dual temple
• Sail to Edfu for overnight
• Horse carriage ride to Horus Temple
• Return to cruise and relax

Day 3: Luxor temples and entertainment

• Arrive at Luxor cruise dock
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Dinner on board with belly dancing
• Visit Karnak Temple complex

Day 4: West Bank ancient sites

• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Temple of Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon

The experience

The route works because the Nile does the traveling for you. You board in Aswan, visit the High Dam and the Temple of Isis (which sits on an island and requires a motorboat crossing), then settle into your cabin while the ship sails south toward Abu Simbel. At 4:30 a.m. on day two, a driver picks you up for the Abu Simbel trip, arriving by 8 a.m. to see the rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari before the heat and crowds build. Back on the cruise by lunch, you sail to Kom Ombo to visit the dual temple of Sobek and Horus, then continue to Edfu for the night.

Day three brings a horse carriage ride through Edfu to the Temple of Horus (the most complete and best-preserved temple in Egypt) before you return to the ship and cross the Esna lock while watching the Nile landscape unfold. Luxor arrives late afternoon, and the evening includes a belly dancing show on deck. The next morning, you visit Karnak, the world's largest temple complex, where 134 columns fill the hypostyle hall and the avenue of sphinxes stretches toward the entrance. Your final day crosses to the West Bank to walk the Valley of the Kings, where over 60 pharaohs rest in cliff tombs, then visits the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon.

A hot balloon flight is included, though the itinerary does not specify which morning it departs. Confirm the timing when you book. Breakfast, lunch and dinner come on board each day. The ship offers 3- or 5-star accommodation options, and a live English or Japanese-speaking guide leads all stops. Children from age 6 are welcome.

What’s included

• Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board each day.
• tickets to all temples and sites.
• hot balloon flight.
• a live guide in English or Japanese.
• hotel pickup.
• a belly dancing show on the final evening in Luxor.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Wednesday and Friday

AgesAdult (16 to 39 years) · Senior (40 to 80 years) · Child (6 to 15 years) · Under 6: can't be booked

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish and Japanese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Rocky Family Tours

Is this one for you?Four days is long enough to see Abu Simbel, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings without rushing, but short enough to fit inside a longer Egypt trip. The fixed ship schedule means you sleep while traveling between sites, so the rest of your week stays open.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 15 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

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 is the Temple of Isis and why do you need a boat to reach it?

The Temple of Isis stands on an island in the Nile near Aswan, dedicated to the goddess of magic and love. You take a motorboat from the shore to visit it on your first day.

How early do you have to wake up for Abu Simbel?

Your driver picks you up at 4:30 a.m. on day two to reach Abu Simbel by 8 a.m., so you see the rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari before the midday heat.

What happens at Karnak temple?

Karnak is the world's largest temple complex, where you walk through an avenue of sphinxes and stand inside a hypostyle hall with 134 columns. You also see the obelisks and the largest lake of ancient Egypt.

What do you see on the West Bank of Luxor?

The West Bank holds the Valley of the Kings, where over 60 pharaohs are buried in cliff tombs, plus the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon, the only remains of an earlier funerary temple.