Luxor to Aswan: 5-Day Nile Cruise with Balloon Ride

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.81 (79 reviews) 87% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/7

Duration5d

GroupUp to 15

LanguagesEN

PickupAt your hotel

From Valley of the Kings to Aswan’s busy markets by river

You’ll float over Luxor at dawn in a hot air balloon, wander ancient temples with a local guide who brings their stories alive, and relax as your Nile cruise drifts from Luxor to Aswan. Expect lively evenings onboard and quiet moments watching life along the riverbanks — it’s an experience that lingers long after you’re home.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — West Bank tour and cruise departure

Meet tour representative in Luxor
Visit Valley of the Kings
See Colossi of Memnon
Explore Temple of Hatshepsut
Board 5-star Nile cruise boat
Enjoy lunch onboard
Relax with afternoon tea
Dinner and belly dance show

Day 2 — Balloon ride and East Bank tour

Early morning hot air balloon ride
Breakfast onboard
Visit Temple of Luxor
Tour Karnak Temple
Lunch onboard
Sail to Esna
Afternoon tea onboard
Evening disco party

Day 3 — Edfu and Kom Ombo temples

Visit Ptolemaic Temple of Horus in Edfu
Lunch onboard while sailing
Explore Kom Ombo Temple
Dinner onboard
Galabeya party onboard
Overnight in Kom Ombo

Day 4 — Aswan sights and cruise

Sail to Aswan
Visit High Dam and Temple of Philae
Lunch onboard
Afternoon tea onboard
Dinner onboard
Overnight in Aswan

Day 5 — Disembark and departure

Breakfast onboard
Disembark cruise
Transfer to Aswan Airport

The Experience

I didn’t expect the air in Luxor to smell so sweet at sunrise. The first morning, climbing into that balloon basket with my heart thumping louder than I’d admit, I caught myself grinning like a kid. Our guide, Mahmoud, just winked and said, “Wait till you see the river from up here.” He was right — the Nile looked almost unreal from above, winding through green fields and dust-colored villages. I tried to take a photo but honestly, it didn’t even come close.

The cruise itself felt like a slow exhale after months of city noise. We’d drift along for hours, watching farmers wave from the banks or kids splashing in the water. Lunches were always something warm and tomatoey (I never did figure out what those little green herbs were), and there was this one afternoon where I just sat on deck with tea, listening to the call to prayer echo across the water. It’s strange how peaceful it felt — except when we hit disco night on board. Let’s just say Egyptians know how to dance; I do not.

Walking through Karnak Temple with Mahmoud explaining stories about gods and pharaohs — he had this way of making it feel less like a history lesson and more like gossip about people he knew. At Kom Ombo, he pointed out crocodile carvings and told us about Sobek; I tried saying his name in Arabic (badly), which made everyone laugh. The sun was hot but dry, so it never got sticky like back home.

By the time we reached Aswan Market on our last day, I was already dreading leaving the boat. There’s something about waking up each morning with new temples outside your window that gets under your skin — in a good way. Even now, weeks later, sometimes I catch myself daydreaming about that stretch of river between Edfu and Kom Ombo…

What’s included

Your journey includes hotel pickup and drop-off in both Luxor and Aswan, entrance fees to all major sites along the route (like Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings), all meals as listed (breakfasts, lunches, dinners), a sunrise hot air balloon ride over Luxor (with refund if canceled), accommodation aboard a 5-star Nile cruise boat each night, plus guided tours led by knowledgeable locals throughout your trip.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Imperialegypt