6-Day Luxor to Aswan Dahabiya Cruise with Cairo Night
Four nights on a traditional Nile sailing boat with a guide throughout, the West Bank in Luxor and the temples down to Aswan, then a flight to Cairo for a last night.
The short answer
6-Day Luxor to Aswan Dahabiya Cruise with Cairo Night is a 6-day, 5-night trip to Luxor and Aswan. Starts on Mondays, Wednesdays or Saturdays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $1,979 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
A dahabiya is a traditional sailing boat of the Nile, smaller and quieter than a cruise ship. This six-day tour starts at Luxor Airport with a day on the West Bank: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon. A private transfer then takes you to Esna, where you board the dahabiya in the evening for four nights.
The river carries you south. You stop at Edfu and Kom Ombo, then spend day 4 in Aswan at the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae. An English-speaking Egyptologist guides the sailing throughout. On day 5 you leave the boat for a flight to Cairo and a night in a hotel, a deliberate buffer before your flight home on day 6.
What lingers
- 01Four nights on a dahabiya, a traditional Nile sailing boat, with an Egyptologist guiding throughout
- 02The Valley of the Kings (three tombs), Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon on day 1
- 03A private transfer to Esna and an evening boarding of your dahabiya
- 04Edfu and Kom Ombo temples along the river
- 05An eight-hour day in Aswan: the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple
- 06A flight from Aswan to Cairo, and a last night in a Cairo hotel before you fly home
Choose your comfort level
Prices are per person in USD, from 2 people sharing a double room, including accommodation at the properties listed or similar.
| Comfort level | Where you stay or similar | Per personfrom, Oct–Apr | Choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfortfrom $1,9794★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsBens Dahabiya · Amoura Dahabiya Cairo · 1 nightJewel Sport City | $1,979May–Sep: from $1,839 | |
| Classicfrom $2,4465★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsIris Luxury Dahabiya · Royal Cleopatra Dahabiya | $2,446May–Sep: from $1,839 | |
| Prestigefrom $3,4165★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsAzhar Dahabiya | $3,416May–Sep: from $2,711 | |
| Luxuryfrom $5,5385★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsMinya Dahabiya Cairo · 1 nightSt. Regis Cairo | $5,538May–Sep: from $3,739 |
Hotels on bed & breakfast · Nile cruise on full board. You'll stay in these properties, or a similar choice of the same quality. Choose your date in the booking panel for the exact price.
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
6 Days / 5 Nights · Luxor · Esna · Edfu · Gebel El Silsila · Kom Ombo · Aswan
- 1
Your private driver meets you at Luxor Airport and takes you to downtown Luxor. Today is the West Bank with your English-speaking Egyptologist, about six hours. You see the Valley of the Kings, with three tombs included, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon. The airline's arrival time sets the pace, so we arrange the sightseeing around your flight.
Entrance fees and transport are included. A private transfer then takes you to Esna, where you board your dahabiya in the evening. Dinner is served on board.
- 2
The Temple of Edfu, the Temple of Horus, is today's visit and one of the best preserved in Egypt. Your Egyptologist guides you, and your entrance ticket is included. The rest of the day is spent on the river, with breakfast, lunch and dinner on board.
- 3
At Kom Ombo you visit a double temple on the riverbank, dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god and Horus the falcon god, with your Egyptologist. The entrance ticket is included. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are on the dahabiya, which carries on toward Aswan.
- 4
You spend a full day in Aswan, about eight hours, with a local Egyptologist guide. The High Dam comes first, then the Northern Quarries and the Unfinished Obelisk. A motorboat takes you across to Agilkia Island and the Temple of Isis at Philae, with a pause for refreshments and photos before the boat and transfer back. Entrance fees and transport are included, and all meals are on board.
- 5
Breakfast is the last meal on board. You leave the dahabiya and your private driver takes you to Aswan Airport, about an hour away, for the flight to Cairo, with 23 kg of luggage allowed. The airline sets the flight time. In Cairo you are met and taken to your hotel. There is no sightseeing planned.
This night in Cairo is deliberate: it is a safety window in case the domestic flight is delayed, so you reach your flight home calmly.
- 6
After breakfast you check out and a private driver takes you to Cairo Airport for your flight home, with help with your luggage. Allow about 90 minutes for the transfer, and send us your flight time so we can set the pickup.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Four nights on a dahabiya on full board, and one night in a Cairo hotel with breakfast
- The Luxor arrival transfer and the private transfer from Luxor to Esna
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide throughout the sailing
- Valley of the Kings with three tombs, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon, with an English-speaking Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport
- Temple of Edfu and Temple of Kom Ombo entrance tickets
- Eight-hour Aswan day: High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple, with the boat to Agilkia Island, entrance fees and transport
- Aswan hotel or boat to Aswan Airport transfer, the domestic flight Aswan to Cairo with 23 kg of luggage and a Cairo hotel arrival transfer
- Cairo hotel to Cairo Airport departure transfer
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and boat staff
- Drinks on board and meals other than those stated
- Premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I
- Hotel nights before or after the tour
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Visit Karnak late afternoon for softer light on the first court and fewer bus arrivals.
- 02
At Philae, the short boat ride is quickest when arranged immediately after the road transfer.
- 03
Edfu is easier to photograph from the side with the pylon, not straight on, because the forecourt is wider.
- 04
Bring small notes for tipping boat crew and drivers, since card payment is rarely used on site.
- 05
Expect early starts in Luxor, especially in warmer months when tomb areas heat up fast.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your dahabiya standard when you book. Ask us about hotel nights in Luxor or Aswan, extra time in Cairo, or adding Abu Simbel.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Visitors who want the Nile from a small sailing boat rather than a large ship. Suited to couples, friends and solo travelers who are comfortable with a long first day.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access to every site, who want a rest on arrival, or who want the Giza Pyramids or Abu Simbel on this trip.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- A small, quiet boat instead of a large cruise ship
- Luxor's West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan and Philae in one route
- A deliberate night in Cairo before the flight home
Things to Consider
- Day 1 is long: the West Bank, then a transfer to Esna to board in the evening
- Space on a dahabiya is limited and boarding involves steps
- Abu Simbel and the Giza Pyramids are not included
Where it fits
A good choice if you want a smaller boat and the main temples in six days, ending with a night in Cairo. Abu Simbel and the Giza Pyramids are not included.
Worth knowing
How this compares
A dahabiya is smaller and quieter than a standard Nile cruise ship. This tour adds a West Bank day in Luxor before you board, a full day in Aswan, and a night in Cairo before you fly home. The standard of boat is your choice; the sightseeing does not change.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided Nile Dahabiya Cruise with a Cairo Night
- Accommodation
- A dahabiya for four nights and a Cairo hotel for one, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Luxor · Esna · Edfu · Gebel El Silsila · Kom Ombo · Aswan
- Includes
- 4 nights on a dahabiya, full board · 1 night in a Cairo hotel with breakfast · Flight Aswan to Cairo · Egyptologist guiding throughout the sailing · Entrance fees and transport at every site · Private transfers, including Luxor to Esna
- Best for
- Travelers who prefer a small boat · First-time visitors to the Nile · Couples and small groups
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Luxor International Airport (LXR), Arrivals HallMap
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Passport and any required travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
- Light layer for the ship
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for evenings on the river in winter
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every child takes a seat in the vehicle, so transport, guiding and meals are charged at the adult rate at any age. Entrance tickets are free for children under 6 and full price from 6. Cabin prices depend on the child's age and the cabin used, so we give you the exact figure when you tell us the age at booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This tour involves walking around large archaeological sites, on uneven stone and sand, with steps and some narrow tomb passages. The Valley of the Kings and the West Bank sites have long outdoor stretches with little shade, and day 1 is a long one. A dahabiya is a small traditional boat: boarding involves a gangway and steps, and space on board is limited compared with a large cruise ship. Vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site. Tell us your needs when you book and we will say honestly which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The tour uses a dahabiya, private road transfers and a motor boat at Philae, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is arranged through local suppliers in Luxor and Aswan, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and not to touch the painted walls in tombs.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
If you cancel, your refund depends on how early you tell us and on the type of trip. Read our current cancellation and refund policy
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01How many nights are on the dahabiya?
Four nights, from Esna to Aswan, on full board. You join the boat on the evening of day 1 with dinner on board, days 2 to 4 include breakfast, lunch and dinner, and breakfast on day 5 is the last meal on board. The fifth night is in a Cairo hotel with breakfast.02Is there a guide, and are entrance fees and transport included?
Yes. The dahabiya sailing is guided throughout by an English-speaking Egyptologist, with entrance fees and transport included: the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple, the Colossi of Memnon, the Esna transfers, Edfu, Kom Ombo and the Aswan day.03What is a dahabiya?
A traditional Nile sailing boat with a small number of cabins, smaller and quieter than a cruise ship. You choose a standard when you book, and we name the vessel for your dates.04Is day 1 too much?
It is a full day: an arrival at Luxor Airport, the West Bank with your Egyptologist, and a private transfer to Esna, where you board in the evening. The sightseeing is arranged around your arrival flight, which the airline schedules. Tell us your flight and we will say if it works; an early arrival is best.05Where do we board the dahabiya?
At Esna, in the evening of day 1, after the West Bank sightseeing. A private transfer from Luxor to Esna is included.06Is the Aswan to Cairo flight included?
Yes. On day 5 a private transfer takes you from the dahabiya to Aswan Airport, about an hour, and the flight to Cairo is booked for you with a transfer to your hotel. The airline sets the flight time. International flights are not included.07Will I make my international flight?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed Aswan to Cairo flight can cost you the connection. That is why this tour ends with a last night in Cairo, which we prefer. If you shorten it and connect through Cairo the same day, choose a late-evening or night international flight. Take travel insurance that covers missed connections.08Is Abu Simbel included?
No. This itinerary does not include Abu Simbel. Ask us about a longer tour that does.09What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides, drivers and the crew, drinks other than those stated, dinner on day 5 and meals on day 6 beyond breakfast, travel insurance and personal expenses.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-LUX-642658
At a glance
- Length
- 6 days · 5 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Wed or Sat
- Route
- Luxor → Esna → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Cairo
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers