8-Day Christmas Nile Cruise & Cairo Holiday
Fixed dates, 21 to 28 December 2026. Cairo's pyramids, four nights aboard a Nile cruise ship and Christmas Day on the river. Flights, transfers, entry fees and an Egyptologist are all included.
The short answer
8-Day Christmas Nile Cruise & Cairo Holiday is an 8-day, 7-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 3 nights in Cairo and 4 on a Nile cruise. Starts on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays or Saturdays. It includes an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,751 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
December is one of the nicest months to see Egypt. It is warm by day, cool by night, and the sites are far more comfortable than in summer. This holiday is dated 21 to 28 December 2026, so Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, falls on day 5.
The first two nights are in Cairo. You begin with a food walk after dark, then spend a full day at the Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum. On day 3 you fly to Luxor and board your Nile cruise ship for four nights, heading for Aswan. Along the way come Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae, plus an evening horse carriage ride, a boat trip to Banana Island and a felucca at sunset. A flight returns you to Cairo for your last night.
Christmas week is popular and busy, so it is wise to book early. If you want to know about festive meals, ask us when you book. The Christmas Eve gala dinner is not included in the price. You pay for it at the hotel or on the ship, on the night.
What lingers
- 01Christmas Day, Friday 25 December 2026, spent aboard a Nile cruise ship
- 02The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Egyptian Museum with a private Egyptologist
- 03Four nights on a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan, on full board
- 04Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae
- 05An evening horse carriage ride in Luxor, a motorboat to Banana Island and a felucca at sunset in Aswan
- 06A food walk through Cairo after dark on your first evening
- 07Two internal flights, entry fees and all transfers included
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 £1,7513★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNephtis · Magic I | £1,751May–Sep: from £1,594 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,8994★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 3 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 4 nightsTower Prestige · Royal La Terrasse | £1,899May–Sep: from £1,709 | |
| Classicfrom £2,0315★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSun Times · Stephanie | £2,031May–Sep: from £1,709 | |
| Prestigefrom £2,4735★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess · Nile Excellence | £2,473May–Sep: from £2,096 | |
| Luxuryfrom £3,8435★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 3 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda | £3,843May–Sep: from £2,862 | |
| Signature Collectionfrom £5,099Iconic heritage vessels · landmark hotels | Cairo · 3 nightsFour Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza Nile Cruise · 4 nightsHistoria | £5,099May–Sep: from £3,967 |
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
8 Days / 7 Nights · Cairo · Giza Plateau · Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings
- 1
Your private representative is waiting in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport, and a driver takes you to your hotel. It is Monday 21 December. Settle in and rest. As evening comes, your guide sets off with you on a private tasting walk from the hotel door, trying local street food and seeing the city at night. There is no early start to worry about afterwards.
- 2
You spend the day with your English-speaking Egyptologist. Allow 4 to 6 hours at Giza for the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx. From there you travel to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and its enormous collection of pharaonic treasures. Entrance fees and your private vehicle are included. You will be on your feet for much of it, so take a hat and water.
- 3
Breakfast, then a drive to Cairo Airport for your internal flight to Luxor. The airline fixes the time, and we plan the rest of the day around it. At Luxor a transfer brings you to your Nile cruise ship, where you join the ship and are shown to your cabin. Lunch and dinner are served on board. Four nights on the river begin here, on full board, with the ship as your base until day 7.
- 4
This is Thursday 24 December. Your Egyptologist guide leads you around Karnak, Egypt's largest temple complex, with a visit to the Sacred Lake, followed by Luxor Temple. Entrance fees and transport are included. Once the sun goes down you climb into a private horse carriage for a ride past Luxor's market to the floodlit Luxor Temple.
A Christmas Eve gala dinner, if your ship or hotel holds one, is not in the price. You pay for it there and then.
- 5
Christmas Day, Friday 25 December, begins on the West Bank of the Nile. With your Egyptologist you see the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, where the ticket covers three tombs, and the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Entrance fees and transport are included.
At sunset you board a private motorboat for roughly three hours around Banana Island, with fruit, mint tea and water. A packed day, so ask us about festive meals at booking.
- 6
Heading south, you step ashore with your Egyptologist at Edfu to see the Temple of Horus, among the best-preserved temples in Egypt, and at Kom Ombo, a double temple that sits right on the riverbank. Entrance fees and transport are included. On reaching Aswan you board a felucca, a traditional sailing boat, for a ride on the Nile at sunset. The night is spent on the ship.
- 7
After breakfast you check out of the ship. Your Egyptologist guide takes you to Philae, the island temple of Isis, then on to the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. Entrance fees and transport are included. A private transfer brings you to Aswan Airport for the internal flight to Cairo, and a driver meets you for the run to your hotel.
The airline sets the flight time and the sightseeing is arranged to fit it, so it is a full day.
- 8
Breakfast at the hotel, then a private transfer to Cairo Airport for your flight home. Ending the holiday with a night in Cairo is a deliberate choice. It leaves a margin in case the flight from Aswan is delayed, so you reach the airport rested and in good time for your international flight.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Three nights in a Cairo hotel with breakfast, plus four nights on a Nile cruise ship on full board
- Internal flights Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo
- Every airport, hotel and port transfer by air-conditioned vehicle
- Food walk through Cairo after dark on day 1
- Entrance fees to each site on the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide and transport on every sightseeing day, cruise days included
- Evening horse carriage ride in Luxor, motorboat trip to Banana Island and a sunset felucca in Aswan
- Meet and assist at the airport
- All service charges and taxes
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- The Christmas Eve gala dinner, paid locally on the night
- 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 spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Use the first-night Cairo food walk to adjust to the time difference, ordering little and tasting widely.
- 02
Pack a fleece for evening rides, the Luxor horse carriage and Aswan felucca included, as December nights by the Nile cool quickly.
- 03
Aim for the Valley of the Kings early; at Christmas the queues for the tombs build up as the morning goes on.
- 04
Keep small notes handy for the boatmen and drivers on the Banana Island and felucca excursions.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Pick your hotel and ship standard when you book. Ask about extra nights in Cairo or Luxor, or about festive meals. The Christmas Eve gala dinner is paid for locally, on the night.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- First-time visitors who would like to spend Christmas in Egypt, with two days in Cairo and a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan. Suits couples, friends, families and solo travellers who are happy with two flights and several hours of walking on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, who like a slow pace, or who cannot travel on the fixed dates of 21 to 28 December 2026.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Christmas Day on the Nile, with the pyramids and the big Luxor and Aswan temples in eight days
- Both internal flights and every transfer arranged for you
- A last night in Cairo that gives your flight home some breathing room
Things to Consider
- Dates are fixed: 21 to 28 December 2026
- Christmas week is busy, and the gala dinner is settled locally
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
Where it fits
A good way to spend Christmas week, as a first visit to Egypt or as a family break. Abu Simbel is not included.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Christmas trips to Egypt are often a cruise and nothing else. This one starts in Cairo with the pyramids, books both internal flights and finishes with a night in Cairo before you head home. You choose the hotel and ship standard; the sightseeing stays the same.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided Christmas holiday with a Nile cruise
- Accommodation
- Cairo hotels and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Egyptian Museum · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Banana Island · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Philae Temple
- Includes
- 3 nights in Cairo hotels with breakfast · 4 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights from Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · Egyptologist guide on sightseeing days · All transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- First-time visitors · Travellers who want Christmas somewhere warm · Couples, friends and families
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 required travel documents
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any personal medication
- Small day bag
- A warm layer for the river after dark and a light jacket for flights
- Smart-casual clothes in case you join a dinner on the ship or at the hotel
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for the midday sun
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A jumper or jacket for December mornings and evenings, especially on the water
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. As Christmas week is busy, let us know early if children are coming.
Accessibility
Who can join this
There is a good deal of walking on large archaeological sites, over uneven stone and sand, with steps and some narrow tomb passages. Karnak and the Valley of the Kings have long open stretches with little shade. Getting aboard the ship, the felucca and the motorboat to Banana Island means steps or a gangway, and the boat to Philae has steps as well. Our 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 plainly which parts will work for you.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
This holiday uses two internal flights, a Nile cruise ship and private road transfers, and the vehicle type can vary, so we make no claim of a carbon saving. Local Egyptologists guide the sightseeing and local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan run it, which keeps most of what you spend in the places you visit. The felucca runs on the wind. Please bring a refillable water bottle and do not 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 soon you let us know and on the kind of holiday. See our current cancellation and refund terms
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01Are the internal flights included?
Yes. Cairo to Luxor on day 3 and Aswan to Cairo on day 7 are booked and paid for as part of the holiday. The airline sets the times. International flights are not included.02How long is the Nile cruise?
Four nights, sailing from Luxor to Aswan, on full board: breakfast, lunch and dinner each day. The other three nights are in Cairo hotels, with breakfast.03Do we spend Christmas Day on the river?
Yes. Friday 25 December is day 5: the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut by day, then a motorboat trip around Banana Island at sunset. Christmas week is busy and popular, so book early, and ask us about festive meals.04Is the gala dinner part of the price?
No. If your ship or hotel holds a Christmas Eve gala dinner, you pay for it locally on the night. It is not part of the holiday price.05Are the guide, entry fees and transport covered?
They are. An English-speaking Egyptologist guide, entrance fees for every site on the itinerary and all sightseeing transport are included each day, the Nile days among them.06Which ship and hotels will we stay in?
You pick a standard when you book, from budget through to luxury, and we name the ship and hotels for your dates. The route and the sightseeing do not change between standards.07Does the holiday visit Abu Simbel?
No, Abu Simbel is not on this itinerary. Ask us if you would like it on a different holiday.08Will I make my international flight home?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late domestic flight can cost you the connection. This is why the holiday ends with a night in Cairo. If you decide to fly to Cairo and connect on the same day, pick a late-evening or overnight international flight. Make sure your travel insurance covers missed connections.09What does the price leave out?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks on board and meals beyond those stated, the Christmas Eve gala dinner, premium tombs such as Tutankhamun's, and travel insurance.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-311084
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days · 7 nights
- Starts
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri or Sat
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Cairo
- Nights
- 3 Cairo · 4 Nile cruise
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers