9-Day Luxor Round-Trip Nile Cruise with Abu Simbel
Seven nights on one ship from Luxor to Aswan and back, with the temples ashore and a full day at Abu Simbel. A flight to Cairo and a last night there are included, with guides and entrance fees.
The short answer
9-Day Luxor Round-Trip Nile Cruise with Abu Simbel is a 9-day, 8-night trip to Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 7 nights on a Nile cruise and 1 in Cairo. Starts on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at $2,125 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This trip puts the Nile first. You fly into Luxor and join your Nile cruise ship, then stay on it for seven nights, so you unpack once and the sights come to you. The ship goes south to Aswan and returns to Luxor.
Ashore you visit the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. On day 5 you make the full-day road trip to Abu Simbel from the ship in Aswan. Two days on the river have no visits, so there is time to rest. The cruise ends in Luxor with Karnak and Luxor Temple, then you fly to Cairo for a last night and your flight home. You choose the ship standard when you book. The sightseeing stays the same.
What lingers
- 01Seven nights on one Nile cruise ship, full board, so you unpack once
- 02The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon with an Egyptologist
- 03Edfu and Kom Ombo temples seen on the way to Aswan
- 04Philae, the Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam in Aswan
- 05A full day by road to the temples of Abu Simbel, with entrance fees included
- 06Karnak and Luxor Temple on the last day of the cruise
- 07A flight to Cairo and a last night there 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentialfrom $2,1253★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsNephtis · Magic I | $2,125May–Sep: from $1,833 | |
| Comfortfrom $2,4584★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsRoyal Princess Amira · Tower Prestige Cairo · 1 nightJewel Sport City | $2,458May–Sep: from $2,041 | |
| Classicfrom $2,8015★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsGrand Sun · Stephanie | $2,801May–Sep: from $2,041 | |
| Prestigefrom $3,4455★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess · Nile Serenity | $3,445May–Sep: from $2,775 | |
| Luxuryfrom $5,6475★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda Cairo · 1 nightSt. Regis Cairo | $5,647May–Sep: from $3,436 | |
| Signature Collectionfrom $7,834Iconic heritage vessels · landmark hotels | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsHistoria Cairo · 1 nightFour Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza | $7,834May–Sep: from $5,408 |
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
9 Days / 8 Nights · Aswan · Kom Ombo · Luxor · Edfu · Abu Simbel
- 1
A driver meets you at Luxor Airport and takes you to your Nile cruise ship, where you settle into your cabin. Lunch and dinner are served on board. This is the first of seven nights on the ship, on full board. No sightseeing is listed today, so the rest of the day is for settling in. The airline sets your arrival time.
- 2
With your English-speaking Egyptologist guide you cross to the West Bank. You see the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, with three tombs included, and the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. The guide, entrance fees and transport are included. The rest of the day is on board the ship, with all meals included.
- 3
Today the ship keeps heading upriver toward Aswan, with two temple stops along the way. At Edfu your Egyptologist walks you through the great sanctuary of Horus, still roofed and remarkably complete. Later the boat ties up beside Kom Ombo, a temple shared by two gods, right at the water's edge. Admission and transport are covered, and the hours in between are yours to spend on the sun deck.
- 4
The ship reaches Aswan. With your Egyptologist guide you visit Philae Temple on its island, the Unfinished Obelisk in the old granite quarries and the High Dam. Entrance fees and transport are included. The rest of the day is on board, and tomorrow starts early.
- 5
You leave the ship, moored at Aswan, early in the morning for a full-day road trip to the temples of Abu Simbel. The entrance fees, the transport and your guide are included. You return to the ship in the afternoon. It is a long day with an early start.
- 6
The ship begins the journey back towards Luxor. No visits are listed for today, so it is a day to rest on deck and watch the river go by, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served on board.
- 7
The ship is back in Luxor. With your Egyptologist guide you visit Karnak, including the Sacred Lake, and Luxor Temple. Entrance fees and transport are included. This is your last night on board.
- 8
After breakfast you leave the ship and a transfer takes you to Luxor Airport for the one-hour flight to Cairo. The airline sets the flight time. A driver meets you in Cairo and takes you to your hotel. This last night in Cairo is deliberate: it gives you a safety window before your flight home.
- 9
Breakfast, check-out, and the drive to Cairo Airport with a private driver who handles your bags. Hold roughly two hours for the transfer, and let us know your flight time ahead of the trip so we can book the right pickup.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
- Full board
- Group Egyptologist
- All entry tickets
- Abu Simbel extension
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Seven nights on a Nile cruise ship on full board, starting and ending in Luxor, and one night in a Cairo hotel with breakfast
- Domestic flight Luxor to Cairo
- Airport, ship and hotel transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Nile cruise sightseeing package with an English-speaking Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport: the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, Karnak and Luxor Temple
- Abu Simbel day trip by road from Aswan, with entrance fees
- Meet-and-assist at Luxor Airport and at Cairo Airport
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks on board and meals other than those stated
- Premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Book Abu Simbel for the coolest hours, the road departure is very early from Aswan.
- 02
At Karnak, the Great Hypostyle Hall gets crowded after 10 am, so go first.
- 03
The West Bank tombs have uneven stone steps, so wear shoes with grip.
- 04
Philae photos work best in late afternoon when the light softens across the Nile.
- 05
Carry small cash for toilets and snacks at site entrances, especially on long sightseeing days.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your ship standard when you book. Ask us about adding nights in Cairo or Luxor.
All requests handled by your dedicated specialist before booking.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travelers who want the Nile temples and Abu Simbel without changing hotels. Suited to couples, friends and solo travelers who like a slower rhythm on the water and can manage steps, gangways and walking on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travelers who need step-free access to every site, or who dislike very early starts. Day 5 is the longest day.
Honest assessment
Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.
Highlights
- One ship for seven nights, so you unpack once
- Abu Simbel, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae in nine days
- A last night in Cairo that protects your flight home
Things to Consider
- Abu Simbel is a very early start and a long day by road
- Two days on the river have no visits
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
Where it fits
A good fit for a first trip focused on the Nile, or for a second visit after Cairo. Days 1 and 6 have no visits, so the cruise suits a relaxed rhythm.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Most Nile cruises run three or four nights one way. This one sails Luxor to Aswan and back over seven nights, with Abu Simbel included and a night in Cairo before your flight home. Ship standard 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 Multi-Day Tour on a Nile Cruise Ship
- Accommodation
- Nile cruise ship for seven nights and a Cairo hotel for one, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Aswan · Kom Ombo · Luxor · Edfu · Abu Simbel
- Includes
- 7 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · 1 night in a Cairo hotel with breakfast · Flight Luxor to Cairo · Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport on sightseeing days · Abu Simbel by road · All transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Travelers who want a week on the Nile · Travelers who want Abu Simbel and the main temples · Travelers who prefer one ship to many hotels
- Guide languages
- English
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, Karnak and Abu Simbel have long outdoor stretches with little shade. Boarding the ship and the boat to Philae involve steps and a gangway. The Abu Simbel day is a long road journey. 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 keeps you on one Nile cruise ship for seven nights, which means no repeated hotel check-ins. It also includes a long road day to Abu Simbel and a domestic flight, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is arranged through local suppliers in Luxor, Aswan and Cairo, 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
01Is the domestic flight included?
Yes. The flight from Luxor to Cairo on day 8 is booked for you and included. International flights are not, and neither is the flight into Luxor if you are flying in from abroad. Flight times are set by the airline schedule.02Are the guide and entrance fees included?
Yes. An English-speaking Egyptologist guide, the entrance fees and the transport are included on the Nile cruise sightseeing days and on the Abu Simbel day.03How many nights are on the Nile cruise?
Seven nights on board, starting and ending in Luxor, on full board: breakfast, lunch and dinner each day, with lunch and dinner on arrival day 1. The eighth night is in a Cairo hotel with breakfast.04Which cruise ship will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the ship and the Cairo hotel for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are the same at every standard.05How does Abu Simbel fit in?
On day 5 you leave the ship in Aswan early in the morning for a full-day road trip to Abu Simbel, with entrance fees included, and return to the ship in the afternoon. It is a long day. Philae, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk are on day 4.06Are there days with nothing planned?
Day 1 after you join the ship and day 6 on the river list no visits, so they are for resting on board. Ask us if you would like something added.07Will I make my international flight?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a delayed domestic flight can cost you the connection. That is why the tour ends with a night in Cairo: after the Luxor to Cairo flight on day 8 you have a deliberate safety window before your international flight on day 9. Take travel insurance that covers missed connections.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks and meals other than those stated, premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I, travel insurance and personal expenses.09When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for temples. Summers are very hot, especially in Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel, so sightseeing starts early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-ASW-190816
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days · 8 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat or Sun
- Route
- Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Cairo
- Nights
- 7 Nile cruise · 1 Cairo
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers