13-Day Nile & Lake Nasser Cruise Holiday
Cairo's pyramids, four nights on the Nile from Luxor to Aswan and four on Lake Nasser, arriving at Abu Simbel by ship. Internal flights, hotels, entrance fees and an Egyptologist are all included.
The short answer
13-Day Nile & Lake Nasser Cruise Holiday is a 13-day, 12-night trip to Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 4 nights in Cairo and 8 on a Lake Nasser cruise. Starts on Mondays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £2,877 per person, two sharing (Classic, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Two ships and two very different stretches of water make this holiday unusual. It opens in Cairo, with the Giza Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum, the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and the churches of Coptic Cairo. You then fly to Luxor and join a Nile cruise ship for four nights, calling at Karnak, the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae.
In Aswan you step off the Nile ship and onto a Lake Nasser ship the same day. For the next four nights you visit Kalabsha, Wadi el-Seboua and Amada, stop to photograph Kasr Ibrim, and finish at Abu Simbel without a coach journey. An internal flight returns you to Cairo for one more night. You choose your standard of hotel and ship when you book; the sightseeing does not change.
What lingers
- 01The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in a single guided day
- 02The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and Coptic Cairo on your second day in the capital
- 03Four nights on a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan, taking in Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae
- 04Four nights on Lake Nasser, with Kalabsha, Wadi el-Seboua, Amada and a Nubian show
- 05Abu Simbel reached on the Lake Nasser ship, with no road journey
- 06A last night in Cairo after the flight from Aswan, before you fly home
Choose your comfort level
Prices are per person in GBP, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classicfrom £2,8775★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsJaz Crown Jubilee · Stephanie Lake Nasser Cruise · 4 nightsNubian Sea Lake Nasser Cruise | £2,877May–Sep: from £2,224 | |
| Prestigefrom £3,4925★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNile Excellence · Nile Serenity Lake Nasser Cruise · 4 nightsMovenpick Prince Abbas Lake Cruise | £3,492May–Sep: from £2,985 |
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
13 Days / 12 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings
- 1
Our representative greets you in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport, and a driver then takes you on to your hotel. We have planned nothing more for today, which leaves you free to rest or to look for dinner nearby. Sightseeing begins in the morning.
- 2
Expect a full day of around eight hours with your Egyptologist, who picks you up at the hotel. The morning belongs to the Giza Plateau, where you see the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx. After a lunch with a view, you move on to the Grand Egyptian Museum before being driven back to your hotel. Guiding, entrance fees, bottled water and the vehicle are covered.
- 3
Two half-day visits, each of about four hours, make up today with your Egyptologist. The first is the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and its Royal Mummies Hall, with a set lunch or a coffee break close by. The second is Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church, the Babylon Fortress, St George's, the Church of Abu Serga and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, followed by mint tea and pastry.
Entrance fees and the vehicle are included.
- 4
You are driven to Cairo Airport for the flight to Luxor, where a second driver is waiting. After joining your Nile cruise ship and finding your cabin, you set off with your Egyptologist to Karnak, taking in the Sacred Lake, and then to Luxor Temple. The flight dictates when each visit takes place. Dinner is served on board.
- 5
Your Egyptologist leads you across to the West Bank. The Colossi of Memnon come first, followed by the Valley of the Kings, where the ticket allows entry to three tombs. You finish at the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, cut into the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. Entrance fees and transport come with the cruise sightseeing, and you eat lunch and dinner on board.
- 6
While the ship makes its way upriver, you can eat, read or watch the banks go past. Twice you step ashore with your Egyptologist: at the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to Horus, and at the double temple of Kom Ombo, which stands beside the water. The hours between are yours to spend on board. Entrance fees are covered.
- 7
Aswan brings three more sights, each with your Egyptologist. A boat carries you to Philae Temple on its island. At the High Dam you see the barrier that created Lake Nasser, where you cruise next. The granite quarry holds the Unfinished Obelisk. Entrance fees and transport are included, and you spend a fourth night on the Nile ship.
- 8
Today you leave the Nile ship and join the Lake Nasser ship, which embarks in Aswan on the very same day. No sights are scheduled, because the day is for moving your luggage and getting to know your new cabin. Before you travel, we confirm the check-in arrangements for your dates. Meals are taken on board.
- 9
Kalabsha Temple is your first stop on the lake, with your Egyptologist to explain what you are looking at. The ship then heads on to Wadi el-Seboua, where it spends the night. You have lunch and dinner on board, and the entrance fee is part of the cruise sightseeing.
- 10
There are two groups of temples today. Wadi el-Seboua, Dakka and Maharraqa come first, then Amada, Derr and Pennut. Your Egyptologist leads every visit, and entrance fees are covered by the cruise sightseeing. Dinner is followed by a Nubian show on board.
- 11
A photo stop at Kasr Ibrim opens the day. Abu Simbel follows, first as a panorama from the water and then on foot, with a ticket for the two temples built by Ramesses II and for Nefertari. Your Egyptologist guides you around. The ship brings you to Abu Simbel, so there is no road journey to endure. The final night is on board.
- 12
After breakfast you check out of the ship. One transfer takes you from Abu Simbel to Aswan, and a second to Aswan Airport for the flight to Cairo. A driver in Cairo takes you to your hotel. The evening is free, so you can rest before heading home.
- 13
You eat breakfast at the hotel and check out. Your driver then takes you to Cairo Airport for the flight home, and your luggage is handled for you. Because your night in Cairo follows the internal flight, there is a built-in cushion before the international departure.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Four nights in Cairo hotels with breakfast, four nights on a Nile cruise ship and four nights on a Lake Nasser ship, both on full board
- Internal flights from Cairo to Luxor and from Aswan to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and quayside transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle, including Abu Simbel to Aswan
- Entrance fees to every site in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Abu Simbel
- A licensed Egyptologist on every sightseeing day, in Cairo and on both cruises
- Lunch on the Giza day and a set lunch on the museum day in Cairo
- A Nubian show on board during the Lake Nasser cruise
- Bottled water on the Giza day
- Meet and assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks on board and meals other than those stated
- The inside of the Khufu pyramid and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun's and Seti I's
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Keep a sunhat and sun cream to hand on the Lake Nasser deck, as there is little shade between the temple stops.
- 02
Ask your guide to take you to Karnak's Sacred Lake first thing, when it is quiet and far better for photographs than the busy halls.
- 03
Wadi el-Seboua and Amada get very few visitors, so linger over the carved reliefs rather than rushing back to the boat.
- 04
Bring only a slim camera bag to the Valley of the Kings, since rules on photography around the tombs are strictly enforced.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo, Luxor or Aswan.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers who want the famous Nile temples and the Lake Nasser monuments in one holiday and are happy to move between two ships. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who can walk over uneven stone.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who prefer a slow holiday in a single place.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Two quite different waterways: the Nile with its great temples and Lake Nasser with far fewer visitors
- You reach Abu Simbel on the ship, with no road journey
- Both internal flights and all transfers arranged for you
Things to Consider
- Day 8 is a ship-change day with no sightseeing
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- Days 2, 3, 4 and 12 are busy with sights or flights
Where it fits
Ideal if you have nearly two weeks and want more than the usual Nile route. Choose it if arriving at Abu Simbel by ship appeals more than a coach journey.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many cruise holidays end at Aswan and add Abu Simbel as a long day by road. This one adds a second cruise on Lake Nasser, so you arrive at Abu Simbel by ship. The standard of hotel and ship 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 holiday with Nile and Lake Nasser cruises
- Accommodation
- Cairo hotels, a Nile cruise ship and a Lake Nasser ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Grand Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Philae Temple · Lake Nasser · Abu Simbel
- Includes
- 4 nights in Cairo hotels with breakfast · 4 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · 4 nights on a Lake Nasser ship, full board, finishing at Abu Simbel · Flights from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · Licensed Egyptologist on sightseeing days
- Best for
- Travellers who want two cruises in one holiday · Those interested in history · Guests who want Abu Simbel without a coach journey
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Cairo International Airport (CAI), Arrivals HallMap
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Passport and any visa or travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag for shore visits
- A light layer for the ships, the lake and the flights
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques, churches and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for winter evenings on the river and the lake
Children & families
Children are welcome. Every child has 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. Hotel and cabin prices depend on the child's age and the room or cabin used, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age at booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday means a good deal of walking around large archaeological sites, over uneven stone, with steps and some narrow tomb passages. Karnak and the Valley of the Kings have long open stretches with little shade. You board two ships by gangway, and some of the Lake Nasser temples are reached by a short landing. Vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access at every site. Tell us what you need when you book and we will say honestly which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The holiday uses two internal flights, two cruise ships and private road transfers, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and arranged through local suppliers in Cairo, 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 to keep their hands off painted walls in tombs and temples.
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 soon you let us know and on the kind of holiday. See our current cancellation and refund terms
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01How do the two cruises fit together?
First comes a four-night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan, then four nights on a Lake Nasser ship finishing at Abu Simbel. The Lake Nasser ship embarks in Aswan on the same day you leave the Nile ship.02Is Abu Simbel included, and do we travel by road?
It is included in the Lake Nasser cruise. On day 11 the ship brings you to Abu Simbel, so there is no pre-dawn drive from Aswan. A transfer takes you to Aswan on day 12, after the visit and the night on board.03Are the internal flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Luxor on day 4 and from Aswan to Cairo on day 12 are booked for you and are included in the price. International flights are not. Flight times depend on the airline schedule.04Which ships and hotels will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the ships and hotels for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are identical at every standard.05Will I make my flight home?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late domestic flight can cost you the connection. We therefore finish with a night in Cairo after the flight from Aswan, as a safety margin. Should you change the plan to connect on the same day, pick a late-evening or night departure and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.06What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks other than those stated, the inside of the Khufu pyramid and premium tombs such as Tutankhamun's.07What is different about Lake Nasser?
The Nile cruise passes farmland and towns and visits large temples such as Karnak and Edfu. Lake Nasser is open water with far fewer visitors, and its stops are smaller temples that were relocated when the lake formed, with Abu Simbel at the end.08When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and the most comfortable for sightseeing. Summers are very hot, especially in Luxor and Aswan, so days start early. Winter evenings on the water can be chilly.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-668383
At a glance
- Length
- 13 days · 12 nights
- Starts
- Mondays only
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 8 Lake Nasser cruise
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers