Cairo to Luxor: Overnight Train, Hot Air Balloon & Valley of Kings

The Overnight Train to Luxor: Balloon, Temples & the Nile at Dawn

You board a train in Cairo at 9 pm and wake up in Luxor ready to explore. Your days include a hot air balloon ride at sunrise, the Valley of the Kings with an Egyptology guide, Queen Hatshepsut's temple, a one-hour felucca sail at sunset, and two major temple complexes, Karnak and Luxor. You stay one night in a 4-star hotel with breakfast, and all transport, train tickets, and guide are arranged from your Cairo hotel door.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Overnight train from Cairo to Luxor

• Pick up from Cairo or Giza hotel at 7 pm
• Transfer to Giza train station
• Take first class train to Luxor at 9 pm
• Overnight on first class sitting train

Day 2: West Bank tour and felucca ride

• Meet Egyptology guide at Luxor train station
• Drive 40 minutes to West Bank
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Queen Hatshepsut temple
• See Memnon statues
• Drive back to East Bank and check in hotel
• Enjoy one-hour Nile felucca ride before sunset
• Overnight at 4-star hotel in Luxor

Day 3: Hot air balloon and East Bank tour

• Pick up for hot air balloon ride early morning
• Enjoy 30-40 minute balloon flight over West Bank
• Return to hotel for breakfast
• Relax or swim until check-out at 12:01 pm
• Meet guide at hotel lobby at 2:30 pm
• Visit Karnak Temple
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Drive to Luxor train station
• Take first class train back to Cairo
• Overnight on first class sitting train

Day 4: Arrival and transfer to hotel

• Arrive at Giza train station
• Meet driver and transfer to Cairo or Giza hotel

The Experience

There's something about boarding a train at 9 pm from Giza that makes the whole trip feel like it's already begun. You're leaving Cairo behind, and nine hours later you'll wake up in Luxor, the open-air museum city, ready to see what the pharaohs left behind. The overnight train is first class sitting (you can upgrade to a sleeper if you want), and it's included in the tour, so you're not scrambling to book separate transport or figure out timing. Your hotel pickup happens at 7 pm, the driver collects you, and then it's just you and the rails heading south.

Day two starts early (around 5:30 or 6 am) when the balloon agent picks you up for the real centerpiece of this trip: 30 to 40 minutes floating above Luxor in a hot air balloon. It's the kind of thing people say they'll do and then don't, but here it's already arranged. After you land and have breakfast back at the hotel, you've got time to rest or swim before the afternoon temple tour. An Egyptology guide meets you at 2:30 pm to walk through Karnak Temple (the largest temple in the world, they'll tell you), and then Luxor Temple with its massive statues and obelisk. The scale of these places doesn't hit you until you're standing in front of them.

The first day on the west bank is where you touch the real culture, as the description puts it. After the train arrives and you're picked up from Luxor station, it's a 40-minute drive to the Valley of the Kings: the burial ground where pharaohs hid their mummies and tombs. You'll see Queen Hatshepsut's temple and the two giant Memnon statues. Then, before sunset, there's a one-hour felucca sail on the Nile, which is the kind of quiet moment that makes the whole trip settle. You stay overnight at a 4-star hotel in Luxor with breakfast included, so you're not hunting for food or worrying about where to sleep.

The return journey is the same way you came: first class sitting train back to Cairo, leaving in the evening after your temple tour. A driver meets you at Giza station and takes you back to your hotel. The whole thing is door-to-door, which means no figuring out taxis, no language barriers at the station, no wondering if you're getting on the right train. You pay entrance fees by card at each site, and if the balloon gets cancelled due to weather, you get a $30 refund per person. If you're flying in or out of Cairo airport, there's an option to add pickup or drop-off for an extra $10 per person.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off by air-conditioned car in Cairo.
• first class sitting train tickets round trip from Giza to Luxor.
• one night at a 4-star hotel in Luxor with breakfast.
• English-speaking Egyptology guide for the west and east bank tours.
• 30–40 minute hot air balloon ride over Luxor.
• one-hour felucca sail on the Nile at sunset.
• guided tours of the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut's Temple, Karnak Temple, and Luxor Temple.
• breakfast at your Luxor hotel.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Egypt Super Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Luxor's main sites (temples, tombs, and the Nile) without arranging separate train tickets, guides, or accommodation. The two-night structure (one train, one hotel) and fixed schedule are what pack a full Luxor experience into a short trip from Cairo.

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Top questions

How long is the train ride from Cairo to Luxor?

Approximately 9 hours. The train departs from Giza station at 9 pm and arrives in Luxor the next morning.

What's included in the tour price?

First class sitting train tickets (round trip), one night at a 4-star Luxor hotel with breakfast, Egyptology guide, hot air balloon ride (30–40 minutes), one-hour felucca sail, hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo, and entry to the temples. You pay entrance fees separately by card at each site.

Can I upgrade from sitting train to a sleeping train?

Yes, you can upgrade to a sleeping train for an extra charge, arranged when you book.

What time does the hot air balloon depart?

The balloon agent picks you up from your Luxor hotel around 5:30 to 6 am for a 30–40 minute flight.

Are children allowed on the hot air balloon?

Children under 6 years old are not permitted. Older children can ride.

What happens if the balloon is cancelled due to weather?

You receive a $30 USD refund per person.

Can I take photos on the hot air balloon?

Professional cameras are not allowed, but you can use your cellphone to take photos.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Infants can travel in a pram or stroller, and must sit on an adult's lap on the train.

Can I arrange pickup from Cairo airport instead of my hotel?

Yes, pickup and drop-off at Cairo airport, 6th of October City, 5th Residence, or New Cairo is available for an extra $10 per person.

Is a guide included, and what language do they speak?

Yes, an English-speaking Egyptology guide is included. Other languages are available for an additional charge upon request.