5-Day Aswan & Luxor Trip from Marsa Alam
Staying in Marsa Alam? Spend five days on the Nile. You travel by private road, with two nights in Aswan and two in Luxor, and entrance fees are included.
The short answer
5-Day Aswan & Luxor Trip from Marsa Alam is a 5-day, 4-night trip to Luxor, Aswan, Abu Simbel and Marsa Alam: 2 nights in Aswan and 2 in Luxor. It includes an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £859 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
If your Egypt holiday is based in Marsa Alam, the great temples of the Nile can feel out of reach. They are not. This five-day trip leaves from your hotel, goes by road to Aswan and returns the same way, with no flights to book.
On day 1 you see the Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam. Day 2 is entirely Abu Simbel. On day 3 you travel to Luxor, calling at Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna, and day 4 goes to the West Bank. Karnak comes on the final morning, before the long drive back. You stay two nights each in Aswan and Luxor, in hotels of the standard you choose. Several of the days involve long hours on the road.
What lingers
- 01The Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam on your first afternoon
- 02A whole day devoted to Abu Simbel, by road from Aswan
- 03Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna on the journey to Luxor, with lunch
- 04Three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon
- 05Karnak with your own Egyptologist
- 06No flights: private road journeys from and back to Marsa Alam
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essentialfrom £8593★ hotels | Aswan · 2 nightsHapi Hotel Aswan Luxor · 2 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor | £859May–Sep: from £832 | |
| Comfortfrom £9794★ hotels | Luxor · 2 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | £979May–Sep: from £922 | |
| Classicfrom £1,0165★ hotels | £1,016May–Sep: from £952 | ||
| Prestigefrom £1,1235★ deluxe hotels | Aswan · 2 nightsTolip Aswan Luxor · 2 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor | £1,123May–Sep: from £1,037 | |
| Luxuryfrom £1,2825★ luxury hotels | Aswan · 2 nightsThe Zen Wellness Resort Aswan Luxor · 2 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa | £1,282May–Sep: from £1,262 |
Hotels on bed & breakfast. 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
5 Days / 4 Nights · Marsa Alam · Aswan · High Dam · Abu Simbel · Kom Ombo · Edfu
- 1
A driver picks you up from your Marsa Alam hotel and takes you by private car or minibus to Aswan. This is a long journey by road, and the afternoon's visits are fitted around your arrival. Once in Aswan you go to the northern granite quarries to see the Unfinished Obelisk, a giant block abandoned after it cracked, and then to the High Dam.
The half-day visit lasts about 4 hours and entrance fees for both sites are paid. If you would like an Egyptologist with you, ask when you book. Tonight you stay in Aswan.
- 2
The whole of today is given to Abu Simbel, the great rock temples of Ramesses II in the south of Egypt, reached by road from Aswan. Expect an early departure and many hours in the vehicle, which suits travellers who are comfortable with a long day out. The entrance fees for the Abu Simbel temples are included. Lunch is not included today, so pack something to eat or buy it on the way.
You come back to the same Aswan hotel.
- 3
You leave Aswan and travel north to Luxor, stopping at three temples along the way. With your own English-speaking Egyptologist you visit Kom Ombo, which sits right on the Nile, the Temple of Horus at Edfu and the temple at Esna. Entrance tickets, lunch in a local restaurant and bottled water are all included. Allow about 10 hours for the day. You finish at your Luxor hotel.
- 4
Today is spent on the west side of the Nile with your private Egyptologist and driver. You descend into three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, then see Queen Hatshepsut's terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari, the Colossi of Memnon and Ramesses III's temple at Medinet Habu. All entrance tickets for these sites are included.
There is little shade, so an early start, a hat and water make the day easier.
- 5
Check out of your hotel and spend the morning at Karnak with your Egyptologist, taking in the great columned hall and the Sacred Lake. Entrance tickets are included. You then begin the long private drive back to Marsa Alam and the hotel where you began. It is a lengthy journey, so please plan nothing for the evening. The holiday ends when you are dropped off.
Not bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Two nights in a hotel in Aswan and two in Luxor, with breakfast
- Private road journeys from Marsa Alam to Aswan, Aswan to Luxor and Luxor back to Marsa Alam
- Half-day visit to the Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam in Aswan, entrance fees included
- A day trip to Abu Simbel by road, entrance fees included
- Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna with a private Egyptologist, entrance tickets, lunch and bottled water
- Luxor's West Bank and Karnak with a private Egyptologist and entrance tickets, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- A transfer representative to meet and assist
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights and any internal flights
- Your Marsa Alam hotel
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Meals and drinks other than those stated
- A guide on day 1 unless requested at booking
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
The Abu Simbel departure comes well before dawn, so bring water, a snack and a light layer for the drive.
- 02
For the Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna day, wear a sunhat and use sun cream, as the temples offer little shade.
- 03
Let your guide explain the tool marks at the Unfinished Obelisk, which show how granite was quarried.
- 04
On the West Bank day, reach the tombs early and treat the Colossi of Memnon as a brief photo stop.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about adding an Egyptologist for the Aswan half day on day 1 or for Abu Simbel on day 2.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Holidaymakers based in Marsa Alam who want the great Nile temples without flying. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who can cope with many hours in a vehicle.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who dislike long drives. Four of the five days involve a long journey by road.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Abu Simbel, Aswan and Luxor from a Marsa Alam base in five days
- No flights to book
- Private vehicle and driver throughout, with entrance fees included
Things to Consider
- Very long days on the road, especially days 1, 2, 3 and 5
- Early starts and little time to rest
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the sites
Where it fits
A good extension to a beach stay in Marsa Alam. Be ready for long drives.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Most Nile holidays begin in Cairo and use internal flights. This one begins at your Marsa Alam hotel and goes by road, which suits anyone already on the Red Sea coast. The price you pay is many hours in the vehicle.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided road trip from a Red Sea resort
- Accommodation
- Aswan and Luxor hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Marsa Alam · Aswan · High Dam · Abu Simbel · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Esna · Luxor · Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Karnak Temple
- Includes
- 2 nights in an Aswan hotel and 2 in a Luxor hotel, with breakfast · Private road journeys from and back to Marsa Alam · Entrance fees to every listed site · Egyptologist on days 3, 4 and 5 · Lunch on day 3 · No flights
- Best for
- Holidaymakers already based in Marsa Alam · Travellers who want Abu Simbel, Aswan and Luxor without flying · History lovers who accept long days on the road
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Your hotel in Marsa AlamMap
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
- Snacks for the Abu Simbel day
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light layer for early starts and air-conditioned vehicles
Children & families
Children are welcome, though the long road days can be hard going for young ones. Each child needs a seat in the private vehicle. Entrance rates for children vary with age and site, and hotel prices vary with the room used, so we give you an exact figure once you tell us each child's age at booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
Expect long drives and plenty of walking around big archaeological sites, on uneven stone and sand, with steps and narrow tomb passages. There is little shade on Luxor's West Bank or at Karnak. Vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot promise wheelchair access everywhere, and the long road days can be wearing if mobility is limited. Tell us what you need when you book and we will be honest about which parts suit you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
All transfers are private road journeys, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. No flights are used. Sightseeing is arranged through local suppliers in Aswan and Luxor, so a good share of your spending stays in the towns you visit. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and to keep their hands off painted tomb walls.
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
01Are any flights included?
No flights are involved. You travel by private road from Marsa Alam to Aswan on day 1, from Aswan to Luxor on day 3 and from Luxor back to Marsa Alam on day 5. International flights are not included.02How much time will we spend driving?
A great deal. Day 1 is the journey from Marsa Alam to Aswan, day 2 is a full day on the road to Abu Simbel and back, day 3 takes about 10 hours with three temples, and day 5 finishes with the drive home. Exact times depend on traffic and checkpoints, so we do not quote them.03Which day is Abu Simbel?
Day 2, when the whole day goes to Abu Simbel by road from Aswan. Entrance fees are included. It begins early and involves many hours in the vehicle.04What hotels do we stay in?
You pick a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the hotels in Aswan and Luxor for your dates. That is two nights in each city, and the sightseeing is the same whichever standard you choose.05Is there a guide every day?
A private licensed Egyptologist comes with you on day 3 (Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna), day 4 (the West Bank) and day 5 (Karnak). On day 1 you can have one if you ask at booking. Day 2 covers entrance fees only, so ask us about a guide at Abu Simbel.06Which meals are included?
Breakfast on days 2 to 5, plus lunch on day 3. Nothing is included on day 1. Lunch is not included on the Abu Simbel day, so bring something to eat.07Will I make my flight home?
There are no flights on this trip, so no internal delay can upset it. The risk is the final day: the drive back to Marsa Alam is long and we cannot promise a time of arrival. Do not book a flight that same evening. Pick one for the next day or later, and make sure your travel insurance covers missed connections.08What is not covered?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides and drivers, meals and drinks beyond those stated, optional extras and travel insurance. Your Marsa Alam hotel is separate from this trip.09When should we travel?
October to April is cooler and best for walking around the temples. Summers are very hot in Aswan and Luxor, so days begin early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-MRS-573728
At a glance
- Length
- 5 days · 4 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Aswan → Abu Simbel → Luxor → Marsa Alam
- Nights
- 2 Aswan · 2 Luxor
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers