9-Day Cairo, Luxor & Aswan Dahabiya Cruise Tour
The short answer
9-Day Cairo, Luxor & Aswan Dahabiya Cruise Tour is a 9-day, 8-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 3 nights in Cairo, 1 in Luxor and 4 on a dahabiya. Starts on Wednesdays, Fridays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $2,816 per person, two sharing (Comfort, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This 9-day tour pairs the Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum with a full day in Luxor and a four-night dahabiya cruise from Esna to Aswan. A dahabiya is a traditional Nile sailing boat with only a handful of cabins, so the river feels quiet and unhurried. Domestic flights, transfers, Egyptologist-guided sightseeing and the entrance fees listed in the itinerary are included.
What lingers
- 01Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum with an Egyptologist
- 02A full day in Luxor: Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Karnak and Luxor Temple
- 03Four nights on a traditional dahabiya sailing boat from Esna to Aswan, full board
- 04Temples of Esna, Edfu and Kom Ombo along the river
- 05Philae Temple, the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk
- 06Domestic flights Cairo–Luxor and Aswan–Cairo included
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 $2,8164★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Luxor · 1 nightIberotel Luxor by JAZ Dahabiya · 4 nightsBens Dahabiya · Amoura Dahabiya | $2,816May–Sep: from $2,749 | |
| Classicfrom $3,3045★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Dahabiya · 4 nightsIris Luxury Dahabiya · Royal Cleopatra Dahabiya | $3,304May–Sep: from $2,749 | |
| Prestigefrom $4,3525★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Luxor · 1 nightSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Dahabiya · 4 nightsAzhar Dahabiya | $4,352May–Sep: from $3,686 | |
| Luxuryfrom $6,9795★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Luxor · 1 nightHilton Luxor Resort & Spa Dahabiya · 4 nightsMinya Dahabiya | $6,979May–Sep: from $5,168 |
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.
- New
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
9 days / 8 nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Karnak Temple
- 1
Our representative meets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo International Airport, helps with your luggage and takes you to your private transfer. The drive to your hotel takes about an hour, depending on traffic. The rest of the day is free. Overnight in Cairo.
- 2
Spend the day with your Egyptologist at the Giza Plateau, where the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure stand beside the Great Sphinx. Continue to the Grand Egyptian Museum and its Tutankhamun galleries. Overnight in Cairo.
- 3
Transfer to Cairo airport for a morning flight to Luxor. Your Egyptologist meets you for the West Bank: the Valley of the Kings, where your ticket covers three royal tombs, the terraced Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Later, cross to the East Bank for the great temple complex of Karnak and Luxor Temple. Overnight in Luxor.
- 4
After breakfast, drive south to Esna, about an hour from Luxor, and board your dahabiya around midday. After lunch on board, visit the Temple of Esna, dedicated to the ram-headed god Khnum, with its painted ceiling. Dinner and overnight on board.
- 5
Spend the day sailing south at the pace of the wind, with time to watch village life on the banks from the deck. Dahabiyas moor at quiet spots that large ships cannot reach. Meals and overnight on board.
- 6
Visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt, with its towering pylon and dark inner sanctuary. Return to the boat and continue sailing south. Meals and overnight on board.
- 7
Sail on to Kom Ombo, where the riverside double temple is shared by Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris. The dahabiya then continues toward Aswan. Your last dinner and night on board.
- 8
Disembark in Aswan after breakfast. With your Egyptologist, take a short boat ride to Philae Temple, then visit the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries. Transfer to Aswan airport for your flight to Cairo, where our driver takes you to your hotel. Overnight in Cairo.
- 9
After breakfast, transfer to Cairo International Airport for your flight home.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
- Airport transfer
- Private transfer
- All entry tickets
- Breakfast
- Full board
- Group Egyptologist
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- 4 hotel nights with breakfast: 3 in Cairo and 1 in Luxor
- 4 nights in a dahabiya cabin from Esna to Aswan, full board
- Domestic flights from Cairo to Luxor and from Aswan to Cairo
- All airport and itinerary transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle, including Luxor to Esna
- Egyptologist-guided tours of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, Luxor West Bank, Luxor East Bank and Aswan
- Entrance fees for the sites listed in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Meet and assist on arrival at Cairo International Airport
Not included
- International flights and Egypt visa
- Gratuities for guides, drivers and the dahabiya crew
- Pyramid interiors and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I
- Drinks, and meals not listed in the itinerary
- Optional extras such as Abu Simbel or a hot-air balloon flight
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Pack a book and sun hat for the sailing day; a dahabiya moves at the river's pace and the deck is the main attraction.
- 02
At Esna, look up at the hall ceiling for the zodiac and astronomical scenes, among the temple's finest details.
- 03
At Kom Ombo, look for the double doorways and twin sanctuaries that show the temple is dedicated to two gods.
- 04
Walk the terraces of Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari slowly; the ramp views back across the valley make the best photos.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travelers who want the main sites of Cairo, Luxor and Aswan but prefer a small, quiet boat to a large cruise ship, including couples and small family groups.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who want a large ship with a pool and evening entertainment, or who cannot start on a Friday.
Compare
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On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Karnak Temple · Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Philae Temple
- Includes
- 4 hotel nights with breakfast · 4-night dahabiya cruise, full board · Domestic flights · All transfers · Egyptologist-guided sightseeing · Listed entrance fees
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
01What is a dahabiya?
A dahabiya is a traditional Nile sailing boat with two large sails and usually between 6 and 12 cabins. It is much smaller and quieter than a standard Nile cruise ship, and it moors at places the large ships pass by.02Which days does this tour start?
Dahabiyas embark at Esna on Mondays, so this 9-day tour starts in Cairo on a Friday. Tell us your dates and we will confirm the departure.03What is included in this 9-day tour?
4 hotel nights with breakfast (3 in Cairo, 1 in Luxor), 4 nights on the dahabiya with full board, domestic flights Cairo–Luxor and Aswan–Cairo, all transfers, Egyptologist-guided tours in Giza, Luxor and Aswan, and the entrance fees listed in the itinerary.04Are international flights included?
No. The price covers everything from your arrival at Cairo International Airport to your departure from it, including the two domestic flights.05Is the dahabiya cruise suitable for children?
Families are welcome. Cabins are limited and some boats set a minimum age, so tell us the ages of your children when you enquire and we will choose a suitable boat.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-523968
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days · 8 nights
- Starts
- Wed, Fri or Sun
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Esna → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Cairo
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 1 Luxor · 4 dahabiya
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers