4-Day Nile Cruise from Cairo: Luxor to Aswan with Hot Air Balloon

Rise above Luxor at sunrise, then sail past temples carved into the riverbank

A 4-day Nile River cruise from Cairo combines flights to Luxor and back with a 3-night stay aboard a 5-star cruise ship sailing south to Aswan. You visit nine major temples (Karnak, Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Abu Simbel) with a professional Egyptologist guide in English, plus a sunrise hot air balloon flight over the West Bank. Hotel pickup in Cairo and all transport between sites are included. Drinks and some attraction tickets depend on which ship option you choose at checkout.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Fly to Luxor and visit temples

• Pickup from Cairo accommodation
• Fly from Cairo to Luxor
• Visit Karnak Temple
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Enjoy felucca ride with tea
• Board the cruise ship

Day 2: Hot air balloon and West Bank tour

• Sunrise hot air balloon flight
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut
• See Colossi of Memnon
• Return to cruise for dinner

Day 3: Edfu and Kom Ombo temples

• Horse-drawn carriage to Edfu
• Visit Temple of Horus in Edfu
• Buffet lunch on board
• Visit Kom Ombo Temple
• Return to cruise for dinner and free time

Day 4: Abu Simbel and fly back to Cairo

• Visit Abu Simbel Temples
• Return to cruise and collect luggage
• Transfer to Aswan airport
• Fly from Aswan to Cairo
• Transfer to hotel in Cairo

The Experience

Your guide meets you at Cairo airport after the included flight to Luxor. The day starts at Karnak Temple, the largest temple complex in the city, dedicated to the god Amun and his family. From there you move to Luxor Temple on the east bank, built by Amenhotep III and completed by Ramses II. Before boarding the cruise ship for the night, you take a felucca, a traditional wooden sailboat, across the Nile with complimentary Egyptian tea, a quiet break before four days of temple visits begin.

Day two starts before dawn. You rise for the hot air balloon flight, watching the sun come up over Luxor from the sky, then land to explore the West Bank. The Valley of the Kings holds the tombs of pharaohs including Ramesses III and VI. Your guide walks you through the complex and explains what you're standing in front of. Next is the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, built for Egypt's only female pharaoh, carved into the cliff face. You finish at the Colossi of Memnon, two massive statues that once guarded the temple of Amenhotep III, before returning to the ship for dinner.

Day three takes you south by water. After breakfast on board, a horse-drawn carriage carries you to Edfu to visit the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved religious structure in Egypt, with towering sandstone walls still standing intact. Lunch is served on the cruise as you sail toward Kom Ombo, where an unusual temple dedicated to two gods sits on a bend in the river. You return to the ship for the evening. On the final morning, you travel by group to Abu Simbel, the twin temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari built into the mountainside during the New Kingdom. After the guide takes you through the complex, you collect your luggage from the ship and fly back to Cairo, where a driver meets you at the airport and returns you to your hotel.

What’s included

• Professional Egyptologist guide in English, Spanish, French or German.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo.
• round-trip flights from Cairo to Luxor and back.
• 3 nights accommodation on a 5-star cruise ship with full board (breakfast, lunch, dinner).
• horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus in Edfu.
• sunrise hot air balloon flight over the West Bank.
• felucca sailboat ride on the Nile with traditional Egyptian tea.
• all transport between sites and temples.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Nice tours

Is this one for you?Book this 4-day cruise if you want to see the major Nile temples without arranging flights, transport or accommodation separately: the ship moves you downriver each night, so you wake up at a new temple complex and your guide is waiting. The fixed itinerary and included logistics mean the four days hold together without you building them.

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Top questions

What temples do I visit on a 4-day Nile cruise from Cairo?

You visit nine temples across the four days: Karnak and Luxor on the east bank near your starting point, Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple on the west bank, the Temple of Horus at Edfu, Kom Ombo Temple on the river, and Abu Simbel's twin temples at the southern end of the cruise. Each has a guide walking you through the structures and their history.

Does the hot air balloon flight happen every morning?

The sunrise hot air balloon flight is scheduled for day two only, early in the morning before you visit the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut Temple. It's included in the package and gives you a view of Luxor and the surrounding landscape from above before you land and continue on foot.

Where do I sleep on this 4-day tour?

You stay three nights aboard a 5-star cruise ship sailing from Luxor to Aswan. The ship includes full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner), though drinks are available depending on which ship option you select at checkout. You sleep on the boat between each day of temple visits.

How do I get from Cairo to Luxor and back?

Flights are included in both directions. You're picked up from your hotel in Cairo in the morning, driven to the airport, and fly to Luxor. On day four, after visiting Abu Simbel, you fly back to Cairo (the flight takes 1 hour 30 minutes) and a driver meets you at the airport to return you to your accommodation.

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

A professional Egyptologist guide is included for the entire tour and speaks English, Spanish, French or German depending on which option you book. The guide leads you through each temple and explains the structures, the pharaohs and the history as you walk.

What's the difference between the ship options?

You choose between Luxury, Deluxe or Standard ship at checkout. All three include the same itinerary, guide, flights and accommodation for three nights. The ship option affects the cabin quality and amenities on board. Drinks and entrance tickets to some attractions vary by ship option, so check what's included with each before you book.