5-Day Nile Cruise Luxor to Aswan: Valley of the Kings & Temples

Options for this experience

2 options

Guide in 4 languages5 departure times, from 08:00 to 12:00

Guide in 4 languages5 departure times, from 08:00 to 12:00

You pick the guide language when booking. Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

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

Luxor to Aswan by river: tombs, temples and four nights aboard

A 5-day Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan with an Egyptologist guide, four nights on board the ship, and guided visits to Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, Edfu and Kom Ombo. Hotel pickup in Luxor and all meals are included. The optional Abu Simbel temple trip departs from Aswan at additional cost.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Luxor Nile Cruise (Karnak and Luxor Temples)

• Hotel or airport pickup in Luxor
• Transfer to Nile Cruise and check in
• Visit Karnak Temple complex
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Visit Papyrus Institute and see demonstration
• Overnight on board

Day 2: Luxor Nile Cruise (West bank tour) Sail to Edfu

• Breakfast on board
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Temple of Hatshepsut
• Visit Tomb of Tutankhamun
• Visit Tomb KV17
• Sail through Esna lock to Edfu
• Overnight on board

Day 3: Edfu and Kom Ombo temples. Sail to Aswan

• Visit Temple of Horus in Edfu
• Visit Kom Ombo Temple
• Sail to Aswan
• Overnight on board

Day 4: Aswan Free day

• Breakfast on board
• Visit Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple
• Optional visit to Nubian Museum
• Felucca sailboat trip around islands
• Transfer to hotel or airport
• Overnight on board

Day 5: Aswan Tour (Nile Cruise)

• Breakfast on board
• Free time to explore Aswan
• Optional tour to Abu Simbel Temple
• Overnight on Nile Cruise

The Experience

The cruise departs from Luxor with hotel or airport pickup. Day one takes you to Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple on the east bank, then back to the ship for your first night. A papyrus institute visit shows how the ancient art form is made. Breakfast and lunch are included from the start. Dinner and all subsequent meals come on board.

Day two crosses to the west bank to explore the Valley of the Kings, where pharaonic tombs lie carved into rock, then moves through Hatshepsut's mortuary temple and the Colossi of Memnon before the ship sails south. You pass through the Esna lock and overnight in Edfu. Day three stops at the Temple of Horus in Edfu (a Ptolemaic temple with its roof still intact), and Kom Ombo, a double temple built during the Ptolemaic dynasty, before continuing to Aswan.

Days four and five in Aswan include the High Dam and Philae Temple, a felucca sailboat trip around Kitchener and Elephantine islands, and free time to explore the city. The optional Abu Simbel temple tour, the colossal temples of Ramses II, departs by car from Aswan and costs extra. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Portuguese or French depending on the option you choose at checkout. The ship provides all accommodation, three meals daily and evening entertainment throughout.

What’s included

• Four nights' accommodation on the Nile cruise ship with cabin facilities.
• three meals daily plus evening entertainment on board.
• guided visits to Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, Edfu's Temple of Horus and Kom Ombo Temple.
• an Egyptologist guide in your chosen language.
• all entry fees to temples and sites.
• bottled water during tours.
• private air-conditioned vehicle transfers to and from your hotel or airport.
• and all service charges and taxes.

Days and timesMon · Sat · 5 departure times, from 08:00 to 12:00

AgesAges 12+ · 6 to 11 years · Under 6 — Free

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup

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

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Book Egypt Trips

Is this one for you?Book this if you prefer a guided cruise where an Egyptologist leads you through major temples rather than exploring independently, and you want meals and accommodation handled aboard ship as you travel downriver each night.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Can children come?

6 to 11 years; under 6, free.

What's the difference between the Standard and Luxury Nile Cruise options?

Both options follow the same 5-day itinerary from Luxor to Aswan with the same guide, temples and meals. The Luxury Nile Cruise offers higher-end cabin accommodations and amenities on board. The Standard option provides comfortable cabins with essential facilities. Both include all transfers, meals and entry fees.

Does the Abu Simbel temple visit come with the cruise?

Abu Simbel is optional and costs extra. It's a day trip by car from Aswan at the end of your cruise, visiting the two colossal temples of Ramses II carved into a cliff face. You choose whether to add it when you book.

What happens on the west bank tour in Luxor?

The west bank tour on day two includes the Valley of the Kings, where you walk among the tombs of pharaohs carved into the mountainside; Hatshepsut's mortuary temple, a terraced structure built into the cliffs; and the Colossi of Memnon, two massive stone statues that once guarded a temple entrance. The ship then sails to Edfu while you're on board.

Are meals included throughout the cruise?

Yes. Three meals a day are included on board starting with lunch on day one and ending with breakfast on day five. Bottled water is provided during the guided tours as well.

Is hotel pickup included in Luxor?

Yes. All transfers from your Luxor hotel or the airport to the ship, and from the ship back to your hotel or airport at the end, are included in the cruise price.