Nile River Cruise Aswan to Luxor: Abu Simbel & Kings

Float past ancient temples and rise above the Nile at dawn in a single journey

A 4-day Nile River cruise from Aswan to Luxor with 3 nights aboard a 5-star ship, full board meals, and guided tours to Egypt's most significant ancient sites. You visit Abu Simbel Temples, Philae Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, and the Temple of Hatshepsut, with a hot air balloon ride over Luxor's West Bank at sunrise included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Aswan sightseeing

• Meet and transfer to Nile Cruise
• Lunch on board
• Visit Aswan High Dam
• Boat trip to Philae Temple
• Dinner and folkloric show on cruise

Day 2: Abu Simbel and Kom Ombo visit

• Early pickup for Abu Simbel trip
• Visit Abu Simbel Temples
• Return to cruise for lunch
• Sail to Kom Ombo
• Visit Kom Ombo Temple
• Dinner on cruise and sail to Edfu

Day 3: Edfu Temple and Luxor arrival

• Breakfast on board
• Visit Edfu Temple
• Horse carriage ride at Edfu
• Relax and sail to Luxor crossing Esna Lock
• Lunch on board
• Visit Luxor Temple
• Visit Karnak Temple
• Transfer to Luxor hotel or station

Day 4: Luxor West Bank and balloon ride

• Breakfast and check out
• Visit Valley of the Kings
• Visit Temple of Hatshepsut
• Photo stop at Colossi of Memnon
• Optional lunch at local restaurant
• Early morning hot air balloon flight

The experience

The cruise departs Aswan with hotel or airport pickup and a guide meeting you at arrival. After lunch on board, you tour the Aswan High Dam and take a motorboat to Philae Temple, a Greco-Roman sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Isis. That evening, a folkloric show plays while the ship remains docked overnight.

Day two starts before dawn: around 4:30 am, a guide collects you for the journey to Abu Simbel Temples, the rock-cut sanctuaries built for King Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari. You arrive by 8 am to explore the site before returning to the cruise by noon. The ship then sails to Kom Ombo, where you visit the dual temple of Sobek and Horus, and continues overnight toward Edfu. On day three, a horse carriage takes you to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, the most complete temple in Egypt. After returning to the ship and sailing through the Esna Lock, you reach Luxor in the afternoon and visit Karnak Temple, the largest ever built, which took 2,000 years to complete and covers 63 acres.

The final morning begins with a hot air balloon flight departing around 5 am for 30 to 45 minutes aloft over the West Bank, giving an aerial view of the landscape and monuments below. After landing, you visit the Valley of the Kings, where New Kingdom pharaohs carved their tombs into the mountains, then the Temple of Hatshepsut at El Deir El Bahari, and finish with a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon. Transfer to your Luxor hotel, airport or railway station happens around 3 to 4 pm.

What’s included

• Professional Egyptologist guide in English, Spanish, French, German and additional languages.
• 3 nights accommodation aboard a 5-star Nile cruise on a full board basis with all meals.
• air-conditioned vehicle transportation for all excursions.
• pickup from your Aswan hotel, airport or railway station and drop-off in Luxor.
• guided visits to Abu Simbel Temples, Philae Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, Karnak Temple, Valley of the Kings, and Temple of Hatshepsut.
• hot air balloon ride over Luxor's West Bank at sunrise.
• horse carriage ride to Edfu Temple.
• small motorboat to Philae Temple.
• folkloric show on the first evening.
• personnel assistance throughout your stay and excursions.

Options for this experience

2 options

Without Entry TicketsGuide in 6 languages · 08:00, 08:30 and 09:30Includes pickup

Full InclusionsGuide in 6 languages · 07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30Entry tickets included, with pickup

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

Before you book

Lasts 4d, runs Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 5 start times, from US$ 650 per person, with live guides in 6 languages, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday and Wednesday: 07:00, 07:30, 08:00, 08:30 and 09:30Friday: 07:00, 07:30, 08:00 and 08:30

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (7 to 9 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Romanian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by AR Hot Air Balloon

Is this one for you?The early Abu Simbel departure and the tight sailing schedule mean you see nine major temples and monuments across four days without backtracking. This density suits travelers who want the full sweep of Upper Egypt's ancient sites without spending a week on the river. The 5-star accommodation and all meals on board let you rest between excursions without planning restaurants or transfers yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Romanian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (7 to 9 years). Children under 7 can't be included in the booking.

What is Abu Simbel and why does the tour visit it so early in the morning?

Abu Simbel Temples are two rock-cut sanctuaries carved into a mountainside for King Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari, among the most impressive monuments in Egypt. The early departure, around 4:30 am, gets you there by 8 am, allowing time to explore the temples before the midday heat and before the ship's noon departure back to the cruise.

Does the hot air balloon ride happen every day, or is it only on the final morning?

The hot air balloon flight is scheduled for the final morning, departing around 5 am for a 30 to 45 minute flight over the West Bank of Luxor. It is part of the itinerary on day four, after you check out of the cruise.

What is Karnak Temple, and how much time do you spend there?

Karnak Temple is the largest temple ever built in Egypt, constructed over 2,000 years and covering about 63 acres. You visit it on the afternoon of day three as you arrive in Luxor, with time to walk among its massive pillars and obelisks before transfer to your hotel or station.

Are meals included throughout the cruise, and where do you eat?

Yes, full board meals are included for all 3 nights aboard the 5-star cruise. You eat on the ship, with lunch on your arrival day, dinner and a folkloric show on the first night, and meals continuing throughout the voyage. One lunch on day four is at a local restaurant and is optional.

How do you get to the temples once the cruise arrives at each stop?

A professional Egyptologist guide accompanies you on all excursions. For most temples, you travel by air-conditioned vehicle. At Edfu, you ride a horse carriage with your guide to the Temple of Horus. At Philae Temple on day one, a small motorboat takes you from the ship to the site.