5-Day Nile Cruise Luxor to Aswan: Temples, tombs, Abu Simbel

The temples on the west bank are older than the ones across the river, and you see both in a single morning.

A 5-day Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan with an Egyptologist guide covers the major temples and tombs of ancient Egypt (Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and Abu Simbel) with all accommodation, meals and transport included on the cruise boat. The guide speaks English, Arabic or Russian. Pickup from your hotel or Luxor airport is arranged. You sleep on board each night and move downriver between sites without packing or changing hotels.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Luxor east bank

• Pick up from hotel or airport
• Visit Karnak Temple
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Lunch and relax on Nile cruise
• Dinner and belly dance on board

Day 2: Luxor The West Bank

• Breakfast on board
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Stop at Colossi of Memnon
• Visit Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
• Lunch on board
• Sail to Esna
• Afternoon tea and disco party

Day 3: Edfu to Kom Ombo

• Breakfast on board
• Visit Temple of Horus in Edfu
• Lunch on board
• Visit Kom Ombo Temple
• Afternoon tea and Galabya party

Day 4: Aswan

• Breakfast on board
• Sail to Aswan
• Visit Aswan High Dam
• Visit Unfinished Obelisk
• Visit Philae Temple
• Lunch on board
• Felucca sail around Kitchener's Island
• Afternoon tea and dinner on board

Day 5: Aswan and Abu Simbel

• Travel to Abu Simbel
• Visit Abu Simbel Temples
• Return to Aswan

The experience

You arrive in Luxor and the guide meets you at your hotel or the airport, then takes you straight to the boat. The first afternoon covers the east bank: Karnak Temple, where 134 columns rise in the Hypostyle Hall, then Luxor Temple, which layers five civilizations (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Christian and Islamic) into one structure. Dinner and a belly dance performance happen on board that night.

Day two is the west bank. After breakfast you cross to the Valley of the Kings, where royal tombs cut into the rock face hold the remains of pharaohs. On the way back you stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two seated statues facing the Nile, then climb to the Temple of Hatshepsut, built into the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. The boat sails south to Edfu while you rest and eat lunch on board.

Day three takes you to the Temple of Horus in Edfu, the best-preserved Ptolemaic temple in Egypt, then south again to Kom Ombo, where a single temple served two gods (Sobek and Horus the Elder) with matching entrances and sanctuaries on either side. A Galabya party (traditional dress celebration) happens that evening on board.

Day four reaches Aswan. You visit the High Dam, completed in 1971, then the Unfinished Obelisk in the stone quarries: the largest known ancient obelisk, abandoned mid-carving. The Temple of Philae, relocated by UNESCO after the dam threatened it, sits on an island you reach by felucca sailboat. Day five is the long drive south to Abu Simbel, the temples of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari, carved into the mountainside 300 km away, then back to Aswan.

What’s included

• Egyptologist tour guide in your chosen language.
• entrance fees to Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Temple of Horus, Kom Ombo Temple, Philae Temple and Abu Simbel Temples.
• four nights accommodation on the cruise boat.
• all meals on board.
• private transportation between sites.
• felucca sailboat ride around Kitchener's Island.
• hotel or airport pickup on day one.
• bottled water during tours.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday and Saturday6 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (11 and older) · Child (6 to 10 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Arabic and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Adam's Tours

Is this one for you?You're arriving in Luxor without a rental car or planning to stay in different hotels each night. The cruise solves both: pickup is arranged, you sleep on the same boat the whole time, and the guide handles every stop and entrance, so the five days unfold without you organizing transport or accommodation changes between sites.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Arabic and Russian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 10 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's included in the 5-day Nile cruise price?

The cruise includes four nights of accommodation on the boat, all meals, entrance fees to every temple and site, private transportation between stops, and an Egyptologist guide who speaks English, Arabic or Russian. A bottle of water during the tour is also provided.

How do I get to the boat on the first day?

Hotel or airport pickup is arranged. The guide meets you at your Luxor hotel or Luxor airport and takes you directly to the cruise boat, so you don't need to arrange your own transport.

What happens at the Valley of the Kings?

The Valley of the Kings holds the royal tombs of pharaohs cut into the rock face on the west bank. You tour the tombs with your guide, who explains the hieroglyphics and the history of the dynasties buried there.

Is the Temple of Hatshepsut difficult to reach?

The Temple of Hatshepsut is built into the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari and requires climbing, but it's accessible for most fitness levels. The site is wheelchair accessible, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

Why is Abu Simbel on day five if it's so far away?

Abu Simbel sits 300 km south of Aswan and is the final major site. The 5-day structure allows a full day trip there and back from Aswan before the cruise ends, so you see both temples of Ramses II and his wife Nefertari without cutting the visit short.