7-Day Luxor & Aswan Holiday
Three nights in Luxor and three in Aswan. Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Abu Simbel and Philae, all by road with an Egyptologist.
The short answer
7-Day Luxor & Aswan Holiday is a 7-day, 6-night trip to Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 3 nights in Luxor and 3 in Aswan. It includes an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £848 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Plenty of people want the south of Egypt and little else. This holiday is built for them. You arrive at Luxor, stay for three nights, then go by road to Aswan for another three. There is no internal flight, and Cairo does not come into it.
Luxor brings Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon. Day 4 is the drive to Aswan, with Edfu and Kom Ombo along the way. Abu Simbel has a whole day to itself, and the last full day takes in Philae, the High Dam and a felucca at sunset. You pick the standard of hotel when you book; the sightseeing is the same.
What lingers
- 01Karnak and Luxor Temple with a licensed Egyptologist
- 02The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon on one West Bank day
- 03A full day on the road from Luxor to Aswan, calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo
- 04Abu Simbel by road, on a day of its own
- 05Philae Temple by motor boat, plus the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk
- 06A felucca ride around Aswan's islands at sunset
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 £8483★ hotels | Luxor · 3 nightsEl Mesala Hotel Luxor Aswan · 3 nightsHapi Hotel Aswan | £848May–Sep: from £809 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,0294★ hotels | Luxor · 3 nightsIberotel Luxor by JAZ | £1,029May–Sep: from £942 | |
| Classicfrom £1,0845★ hotels | £1,084May–Sep: from £987 | ||
| Prestigefrom £1,2455★ deluxe hotels | Luxor · 3 nightsSteigenberger Nile Palace Luxor Aswan · 3 nightsTolip Aswan | £1,245May–Sep: from £1,115 | |
| Luxuryfrom £1,4835★ luxury hotels | Luxor · 3 nightsHilton Luxor Resort & Spa Aswan · 3 nightsThe Zen Wellness Resort Aswan | £1,483May–Sep: from £1,453 |
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
7 Days / 6 Nights · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple · Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Edfu
- 1
A driver is waiting for you at Luxor Airport and takes you on to your hotel in the city. Nothing else is planned for today. Sightseeing begins tomorrow, so rest after the journey, stroll along the Corniche or find a table for dinner.
- 2
Your Egyptologist picks you up at the hotel and takes you across the East Bank. First comes Karnak, the biggest temple complex in Egypt, then Luxor Temple in the heart of the city. Entrance fees, air-conditioned transport between the two and bottled water are all included. You return to the same hotel for the night.
- 3
Today is the West Bank, about six hours in all. With your Egyptologist you go down into three tombs in the Valley of the Kings, then see Hatshepsut's temple and stop at the Colossi of Memnon. Transport and the tickets for the three tombs are included. By the evening you are back in Luxor for a third night.
- 4
This is a full day of travel. With your Egyptologist you leave Luxor and head south in an air-conditioned vehicle, calling at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo before Aswan. It is a one-way move, so your luggage comes with you and you check in to your Aswan hotel at the end of the day. Entrance fees to the temples are included.
- 5
Today you go from Aswan to Abu Simbel and back by road, a full day that begins early. The two rock temples of Ramesses II are what you have come for, and the entrance fees are covered. It is a long day in the vehicle with one great sight at the end, and we plan nothing else around it. You spend another night in Aswan.
- 6
Eight hours of sightseeing with your Egyptologist: the Aswan High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk in the northern quarries and, by motor boat, the Temple of Philae on Agilkia Island. Entrance fees, transport and the boat transfer are included. Later you spend around three hours on the river aboard a felucca, sailing past Elephantine Island and Kitchener's Island as the sun sinks over the cataract.
- 7
After breakfast you check out and a private car takes you from Aswan back to Luxor, a long drive north. From there a driver brings you to Luxor Airport for your flight home. There is no sightseeing today. Please book an international flight that leaves in the late afternoon or evening, so that a slow road cannot cost you your seat.
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Three nights in a Luxor hotel and three in an Aswan hotel, with breakfast
- Transfer from Luxor Airport on arrival and back to the airport on departure
- Private road journey from Luxor to Aswan, calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo
- Abu Simbel by road from Aswan
- Entrance fees to every site in the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- Motor boat to Philae and a sunset felucca on the Nile
- Licensed Egyptologist guide on sightseeing days
- Air-conditioned transport and bottled water on the Luxor East Bank day
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Lunches, dinners and drinks
- Tombs beyond the three included in the Valley of the Kings
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Reach Karnak as early as you can and head for the Great Hypostyle Hall; the stone glows in low sunlight and the crowds build later.
- 02
Wear proper trainers or walking shoes on the West Bank, as the tomb passages in the Valley of the Kings are steep and worn smooth.
- 03
Take a fleece for the early start to Abu Simbel; the desert is chilly before sunrise, and the journey is a chance to rest.
- 04
Pack a jumper for the evening felucca in Aswan, since the wind off the Nile feels cooler than you expect after sunset.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Luxor or Aswan, a hot-air balloon flight over Luxor, or adding Cairo or a Nile cruise to the holiday.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers who want the south of Egypt in depth, or who have already seen Cairo. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy with long road days and a lot of walking around temples.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who dislike long road journeys. Days 4, 5 and 7 are mostly spent in a vehicle.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Abu Simbel, Philae and Aswan in a week, without an internal flight
- Abu Simbel gets its own day rather than being squeezed in
- You start and finish at the same airport, with no Cairo connection
Things to Consider
- Days 4, 5 and 7 involve long journeys by road
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the main sites
- There is no Cairo, pyramids or Nile cruise in this itinerary
Where it fits
A good fit for a return trip to Egypt, or a first one centred on temples. There is no Cairo, pyramids or Nile cruise, so add them if they are on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Many Egypt itineraries start in Cairo and give Luxor and Aswan only a short look. This holiday stays in the south all week, with no internal flight and Abu Simbel on a day of its own. The hotel 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 road holiday in Upper Egypt
- Accommodation
- Luxor and Aswan hotels, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Luxor · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple · Valley of the Kings · Hatshepsut Temple · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Abu Simbel · Philae Temple
- Includes
- 3 nights in a Luxor hotel and 3 in an Aswan hotel, with breakfast · Transfers from and back to Luxor Airport · Road journey from Luxor to Aswan, calling at Edfu and Kom Ombo · Abu Simbel by road · Entrance fees to every listed site · Licensed Egyptologist on sightseeing days
- Best for
- Travellers who want Luxor and Aswan in depth · Lovers of temples and ancient history · Anyone who would rather travel by road than fly internally
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 visa or travel documents you need
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any prescription medicines
- A small rucksack for day trips
- Camera, and enough memory for the temples
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Tops and trousers or skirts that cover shoulders and knees at temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for winter evenings, especially on the river
Children & families
Children are welcome. Each child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport and guiding are priced per seat at any age. Entrance tickets are free for children under 6 and full price from 6. Hotel prices depend on the child's age and the room used, so we give you the exact figure when you tell us their age at booking. Think carefully about the road days: the drive from Luxor to Aswan and the Abu Simbel day are long for small children.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday involves a good deal of 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, open stretches with little shade. Philae is reached by a short boat transfer, and getting on the felucca means stepping down onto the deck. 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 will work for you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
There are no internal flights on this holiday. The journeys between Luxor and Aswan, and out to Abu Simbel, are made by road in a private vehicle, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is led by local Egyptologists and arranged through suppliers in Luxor and Aswan, and the river outing is on a traditional sailing boat, so a fair share of your spending stays in the places you visit. Please bring a refillable water bottle and avoid touching painted walls in the 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
01Does this holiday include any flights?
No. You fly in to Luxor and out of Luxor, and you travel between Luxor and Aswan by road. International flights are not included.02Will I make my flight home?
On day 7 you drive from Aswan to Luxor and then go to the airport. Roads and airports can be slow, and your international ticket is a separate booking from this holiday. Pick a flight from Luxor that leaves late in the afternoon or in the evening, or add a night in Luxor for more room. Travel insurance that covers missed connections is a sensible extra.03How long is the journey from Luxor to Aswan?
Day 4 is given over to it. You stop at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo along the way, so the drive doubles as sightseeing. You travel with an Egyptologist in an air-conditioned vehicle and check in to your Aswan hotel at the end.04Do we get to Abu Simbel?
Yes. Abu Simbel has its own day, day 5, by road from Aswan. It is long, with an early start, and the entrance fees are included.05Is it a tiring week?
It can be. Days 4, 5 and 7 are long on the road, and days 2, 3 and 6 involve plenty of walking on uneven stone with little shade. Guests who love temples tend to find it very rewarding. If you would like a slower pace, ask us about adding a free day.06Which hotels do we stay in?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we name the hotels once we know your dates. The itinerary and the sightseeing are identical at every standard.07What does the price leave out?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides and drivers, lunches, dinners and drinks, and any tombs beyond the three in the Valley of the Kings.08Is the holiday private?
Yes. Your Egyptologist and driver are for your party alone on the sightseeing days, and the transfers between Luxor and Aswan are in private cars.09When should we go?
October to April is cooler and far better for temple walking. Summer is very hot in Luxor and Aswan, so the days start early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-LUX-376544
At a glance
- Length
- 7 days · 6 nights
- Starts
- Daily
- Route
- Luxor → Aswan → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Abu Simbel
- Nights
- 3 Luxor · 3 Aswan
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers