9-Day Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor & Aswan Tour with Nile Cruise

Valley of the Kings, Abu Simbel, and a sunrise balloon flight over Luxor in one journey.

A 9-day private tour of Egypt's major archaeological sites, starting in Cairo and moving through Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan aboard a 5-star Nile cruise ship. You visit the Giza Pyramids and Sphinx, the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa in Alexandria, the Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Abu Simbel Temples, and Karnak Temple, with a professional Egyptologist guide throughout. Hotel stays in Cairo, flights between cities, all ground transport, meals on the cruise, and a sunrise hot air balloon ride over Luxor are included. You choose between Luxury, Deluxe or Standard ship accommodation at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival, Giza Pyramids, and Museum

• Greeted at Cairo airport and transfer to hotel
• Assisted with baggage and arrival procedures
• Visit Great Pyramids of Giza with guide
• Visit Great Sphinx and temple, camel ride
• Tour Grand Egyptian Museum with guide
• Lunch and transfer back to hotel

Day 2: Full-Day Trip to Alexandria

• Transfer to Alexandria by air-conditioned car
• Explore Kom El-Deka archaeological site
• Visit Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa
• Lunch at high-class local restaurant
• Visit Great Library of Alexandria
• Visit Citadel of Qaitbay with guide
• Return to Cairo hotel for dinner and accommodation

Day 3: Flight to Luxor and West Bank Tour

• Transfer to Cairo airport and fly to Luxor
• Meet delegate at Luxor airport
• Visit Valley of the Kings with guide
• Visit Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon
• Transfer to Nile cruise ship for lunch and accommodation
• Begin sailing at 2:00 pm

Day 4: Edfu Temple Visit

• Visit Temple of Horus at Edfu with guide
• Return to Nile cruise ship and enjoy meals

Day 5: Aswan Highlights Tour

• Visit Aswan High Dam
• Visit Philae Temple with guide
• Visit Unfinished Obelisk
• Return to Nile cruise ship for overnight

Day 6: Abu Simbel Temple Visit

• Early morning visit to Abu Simbel Temples with guide
• Return to Nile cruise ship

Day 7: Kom Ombo Temple Visit

• Visit Kom Ombo Temple with guide
• Return to Nile cruise ship

Day 8: Relax and Karnak Sound & Light Show

• Breakfast and relax on Nile cruise ship
• Enjoy views of Esna lock while sailing
• Arrive in Luxor at 5:00 pm
• Attend sound and light show at Karnak Temple
• Transfer back to Nile cruise ship

Day 9: Hot Air Balloon and Luxor Temples

• Early morning hot air balloon ride over Luxor
• Visit Karnak Temple with guide
• Felucca ride on the Nile at sunset
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Return to Nile cruise ship, collect luggage
• Transfer to Luxor airport and fly to Cairo
• Meet delegate and transfer to Cairo hotel

The experience

Cairo is your entry point. A driver meets you at the airport and takes you to a 4-star hotel, then at 1 pm your Egyptologist guide arrives to walk you through the Giza Pyramids (the oldest of the Seven Wonders still standing), and the Great Sphinx. You'll take a camel ride around the pyramid area, then spend time at the Grand Egyptian Museum to see the complete Tutankhamun collection displayed together for the first time.

Day two is a full-day trip to Alexandria by car. You explore Kom El-Deka, a Graeco-Roman residential area, then the Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa: one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. Lunch comes from a high-class local restaurant. You visit the Great Library of Alexandria and finish at the Citadel of Qaitbay, a 15th-century fortress on the Mediterranean coast, before returning to Cairo for the night.

A 1-hour flight takes you from Cairo to Luxor on day three. Your guide leads you through the Valley of the Kings, where 63 royal tombs lie carved into the rock, then to the Temple of Hatshepsut on the west bank and the Colossi of Memnon. By afternoon you board the 5-star Nile cruise ship, which sails at 2 pm. Days four through eight unfold on the water: you visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, the Aswan High Dam, the Temples of Philae, the Unfinished Obelisk, and Abu Simbel Temples in the early morning. Colossal statues of Ramses carved into the mountainside. A sound and light show at Karnak Temple plays one evening as the ship sails toward Luxor.

On your final full day, you rise before dawn for a 45-80 minute hot air balloon flight at 1,500 feet above Luxor's landscape. After landing, your guide takes you to Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in the world, then you sail on a traditional felucca down the Nile at sunset. You visit Luxor Temple before returning to the ship to collect your luggage. A 1-hour flight brings you back to Cairo, where a driver transfers you to your hotel.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned vehicle for all ground transport.
• professional private Egyptologist guide speaking English.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo.
• airport pickup and drop-off.
• 5-star Nile cruise ship accommodation with full board meals.
• sunrise hot air balloon ride lasting 45-80 minutes.
• felucca sailboat ride on the Nile at sunset.
• horse carriage at Edfu temple.
• round-trip flights Cairo to Luxor.
• entry to Giza Pyramids, Great Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum, Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa, Great Library of Alexandria, Citadel of Qaitbay, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Temple of Horus, Abu Simbel Temples, Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple, Unfinished Obelisk, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, and Kom Ombo Temple.
• sound and light show at Karnak Temple.
• all fees and taxes.

Options for this experience

3 options

Standard ShipGuide in English · 15 departure times: the first at 04:00, the last at 11:00Pickup is included

Deluxe ShipGuide in English · 15 departure times: the first at 04:00, the last at 11:00Pickup is included

Luxury ShipGuide in English · 15 departure times: the first at 04:00, the last at 11:00Pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesWednesday, Friday and Sunday15 departure times: the first at 04:00, the last at 11:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (12 to 60 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French and German

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Nice tours

Is this one for you?Choose the Luxury ship if you want the highest comfort level on the Nile; the Deluxe ship balances amenities and value; the Standard ship keeps costs down while maintaining full board and access to all sites. The 9-day span gives you time to move slowly through each region (Cairo, Alexandria, and the Nile valley temples) without rushing between them, and the Egyptologist guide with you throughout means you're not reading plaques or guessing at what you're seeing.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and German.

Can children come?

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

What's included in the 9-day tour price?

Private transportation, hotel stays in Cairo, a 5-star Nile cruise with all meals, flights between Cairo and Luxor, airport and hotel pickups, a professional English-speaking Egyptologist guide, the hot air balloon ride, felucca sailing, and entry to all archaeological sites are included. You select your cruise ship tier (Luxury, Deluxe or Standard) at checkout.

Do I need to arrange flights between Cairo and Luxor myself?

No. Round-trip flights from Cairo to Luxor are included in the package. Your driver takes you to the airport and your guide meets you on arrival.

What is the Valley of the Kings?

The Valley of the Kings is an ancient royal necropolis on Luxor's west bank holding 63 magnificent tombs carved into the rock. Your Egyptologist guide explains the history and architecture of the site as you walk through it on day three.

How long is the hot air balloon ride over Luxor?

The sunrise hot air balloon flight lasts 45 to 80 minutes and reaches 1,500 feet above Luxor, giving you a view of the city's temples and the Nile valley from above.

What is Abu Simbel and why visit it?

Abu Simbel is a temple complex in southern Egypt featuring four colossal statues of Ramses carved into the mountainside. The temples were relocated in the 1960s to save them from flooding caused by the Aswan High Dam. You visit on day six in the early morning with your guide.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, transportation options are wheelchair accessible, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.