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

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/30

Duration4d

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN · PT +3

PickupAt your hotel

Sailing the nile from aswan to luxor with sunrise temples and balloon rides

You’ll ride a Nile cruise between Aswan and Luxor with hotel pickup included, visit Abu Simbel at sunrise with an expert guide, float above Luxor in a hot air balloon, and explore ancient sites like Philae Temple and Valley of the Kings. Expect moments of laughter, local flavors, and quiet wonder you’ll carry home long after you leave.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Aswan and board Nile Cruise

Arrive in Aswan
Visit Philae Temple by motor-boat
Visit Aswan High Dam
Check in Nile Cruise
Enjoy lunch on cruise
Rest and refresh
Attend evening Nubian party

Day 2 — Abu Simbel and sail to Edfu

Early pick up for Abu Simbel temple
Return to Aswan
Start sailing towards Kom Ombo
Visit Kom Ombo temple
Sail towards Edfu

Day 3 — Visit Edfu temple and sail to Luxor

Enjoy breakfast on cruise
Visit Edfu temple by horse-carriage
Sail past local villages
Drink Egyptian tea on sun deck
Pass Esna lock
Arrive Luxor at sunset
Visit Luxor local market
Drink upper Egyptian sugar cane juice

Day 4 — Hot Air Balloon and Luxor temples

Hot Air Balloon ride over Luxor
Visit Valley of the Kings
Visit Queen Hatshepsut temple
Visit Colossi of Memnon
Drive to east bank
Visit Karnak Temple
Visit Luxor temple
Transfer to hotel, train station, or airport

The Experience

We got picked up in Aswan early — I was still shaking off sleep when we met our guide, Hossam, who greeted us with this big grin and a joke about “Nile time.” The city felt different than Cairo somehow — slower, warmer. We took a small motorboat out to Philae Temple and the water smelled faintly sweet, like reeds. There was this old man selling tea on the dock who winked at me when I tried to pay with too many coins. By afternoon, after seeing the High Dam (honestly bigger than I’d pictured), we checked into the cruise ship. The room was nicer than I expected. That night there was a Nubian party on board; I tried dancing but mostly laughed at myself.

The second morning started before dawn — 5am for Abu Simbel. It’s a long drive south through desert that looks endless until suddenly those giant statues appear out of nowhere. Our Egyptologist guide told stories about Ramses II that made the place feel less like a postcard and more… lived in? On the way back I fell asleep on the bus and woke up just as we were pulling up to Kom Ombo Temple. There were kids waving from the riverbank as we sailed away; one of them had a plastic bag kite. Something about that stuck with me.

I didn’t expect to love Edfu Temple so much — we rode there by horse carriage (the horse’s name was Aisha), and it felt almost surreal passing through narrow streets at sunrise. Egyptian tea on the sundeck after? Perfect. The cruise drifted past villages where people waved or just watched us float by; it’s quieter than you’d think out there except for birds and sometimes music echoing across the water. Arriving in Luxor as the sun set painted everything gold, even my hands looked different holding a glass of sugarcane juice from the market.

The last day started with something wild: floating over Luxor in a hot air balloon just after 5:30am. The Valley of the Kings looked small from above but later walking inside those tombs — colors still bright after thousands of years — it felt huge again. Hossam pointed out details in hieroglyphics I would’ve missed; he seemed genuinely excited every time someone asked questions (even my dumb ones). Karnak Temple was our last stop before heading off in different directions, tired but kind of buzzing inside.

What’s included

Your trip covers hotel pickup in Aswan or drop-off in Luxor (airport/train/hotel), three nights’ accommodation aboard a 5-star Nile cruise boat with meals included along the way, all entrance fees to major sites like Philae Temple, Abu Simbel, Edfu Temple and Valley of the Kings, guided tours led by an Egyptologist throughout your journey between Aswan and Luxor—and yes, that sunrise hot air balloon ride over Luxor if weather allows.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Roxana Travel