9-Day Alexandria Sleeper Train & Nile Cruise Holiday
The pyramids of Saqqara and Dahshur, a day in Alexandria, a night on the sleeper train and four nights cruising from Luxor to Aswan, with an Egyptologist throughout.
The short answer
9-Day Alexandria Sleeper Train & Nile Cruise Holiday is a 9-day, 8-night trip to Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan: 2 nights in Cairo, 1 in Alexandria, 1 on sleeper trains and 4 on a Nile cruise. Starts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, sleeper trains, an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,849 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This holiday sees Egypt from north to south, and it does it slowly. The first two days are in Cairo: an evening food walk, then a day among the oldest pyramids at Saqqara, Memphis and Dahshur. After that you travel by road to Alexandria for a night by the Mediterranean and a full day exploring the city.
Then comes the part guests remember. In the evening you board the sleeper train from Alexandria to Luxor and wake up in the south. A transfer takes you from the station to your Nile cruise ship, and you spend four nights sailing to Aswan, calling at Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae. A flight to Cairo on the last day connects you with your journey home. You pick the standard of hotel and ship when you book, and the sightseeing is the same whichever you choose.
What lingers
- 01An evening food walk through Cairo with a private guide
- 02Saqqara's Step Pyramid, Memphis and the Bent and Red Pyramids at Dahshur, in a single guided day
- 03A full day in Alexandria taking in the catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, the Qaitbay Citadel and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina
- 04A night aboard the sleeper train from Alexandria to Luxor
- 05Four nights on a Nile cruise ship, Luxor to Aswan, on full board
- 06Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae, guided by an Egyptologist
- 07A felucca at sunset in Aswan and a Nubian village visit
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 £1,8493★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Alexandria · 1 nightSan Giovanni Stanley Hotel and Restaurant Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSemiramis III · Magic I | £1,849May–Sep: from £1,740 | |
| Prestigefrom £2,5885★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Alexandria · 1 nightHelnan Mamoura Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess · Nile Serenity | £2,588May–Sep: from £2,311 | |
| Luxuryfrom £3,7945★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 2 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Alexandria · 1 nightSteigenberger Cecil Hotel Alexandria Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta St. George I · Cleopatra | £3,794May–Sep: from £2,936 |
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
9 Days / 8 Nights · Cairo · Saqqara · Dahshur · Alexandria · Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa · Luxor
- 1
A driver is waiting in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel, around an hour away. Take some time to settle in. Later a guide leads you on a private tasting walk from the hotel, a night-time food tour of Cairo. You sample local street food on the way and see the city once the heat has gone and the streets fill up.
- 2
Today you head south of the city with your Egyptologist and your own vehicle. Saqqara has the Step Pyramid, the earliest of the great pyramids. At Memphis you reach the site of Egypt's first capital, and at Dahshur you walk up to the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, where the builders worked out how to make a smooth-sided one. Entrance fees are included.
You return to your hotel for a second night in Cairo.
- 3
After breakfast your private driver takes you by road from Cairo to Alexandria. When you arrive, a guide takes you on a tasting walk around the city, with street food, fresh seafood and a coffee in one of the old cafés. The pace is gentle, which is ideal for getting to know the Mediterranean coast before a busy day of sights tomorrow.
- 4
Today is a full day of sightseeing with a private guide. You go down into the catacombs, see Pompey's Pillar, climb around the Qaitbay Citadel on the harbour and visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the modern library that stands near the site of the ancient one. It suits good walkers.
That evening you are taken to the station and board the sleeper train from Alexandria to Luxor, and the night is spent in your berth. The train runs only on set days, so we arrange your dates around its timetable.
- 5
The train brings you to Luxor and a transfer takes you from the station to your Nile cruise ship, which you join for the next four nights. Your Egyptologist then takes you to Karnak, Egypt's largest temple complex, with its great hall of columns and the Sacred Lake, and on to Luxor Temple. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included.
If you wish, finish the day with a private horse-drawn carriage through the local market and past Luxor Temple floodlit at night.
- 6
You cross the Nile to the West Bank with your Egyptologist. First are the Colossi of Memnon, a pair of giant seated statues standing alone on the plain. Next, in the Valley of the Kings, you go into three royal tombs, and at Deir el-Bahari you see the terraces of the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut. Guide, entrance fees and transport are all included, and the ship is your base again tonight.
- 7
As the ship heads upriver you visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, among the best-preserved temples in the country, and then Kom Ombo, a temple with two sanctuaries set on the water's edge. Your guide goes with you at both. By late afternoon you reach Aswan, and the day closes with a felucca, the Nile's traditional sailing boat, as the sun sets.
- 8
In Aswan a boat takes you across to Philae, the island temple of Isis. After that you see the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, which still lies in its quarry where the workers left it. Later an excursion by boat takes you to a Nubian village with an English-speaking guide, and water is provided. Guide, entrance fees and transport are included. Tonight is your last on the ship.
- 9
You have breakfast and leave the ship. A private transfer takes you to Aswan Airport for the internal flight to Cairo, which is included in the holiday. In Cairo you are driven to the international airport for your flight home. The holiday has no hotel night in Cairo at the end, so we advise booking a late-evening or night departure. The airline sets the flight time.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
- Sleeper train
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Three hotel nights with breakfast, one night on the sleeper train and four nights on a Nile cruise ship on full board
- Overnight sleeper train from Alexandria to Luxor
- Internal flight from Aswan to Cairo
- Every airport, hotel, station and port transfer in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Private road transfer from Cairo to Alexandria
- Food walks in Cairo at night and in Alexandria
- Entrance fees for every site on the itinerary, including three tombs in the Valley of the Kings
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide on sightseeing days
- Felucca ride at sunset in Aswan and a Nubian village visit
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egyptian entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks on board and any meals not listed
- Premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Only enter the Dahshur pyramids if you can manage a long, low and steep passage; the outside views are rewarding too.
- 02
Arrive hungry for the Alexandria food walk, since you sample street food, seafood and old cafe fare.
- 03
Prepare a small overnight bag for the sleeper train and keep essentials, chargers and a layer within reach.
- 04
Take the Luxor carriage ride after dark, when the market lights and floodlit Luxor Temple set the mood.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of hotel and ship when you book. Ask us about extra nights in Cairo or Luxor, or about a different holiday that includes Abu Simbel.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers who want to cross Egypt by road, rail and river and see Alexandria as well as the Nile. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who are happy to sleep one night on a train and to walk for several hours on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who prefer a slow pace. Day 4 is long, and the days after it involve a lot of walking over uneven stone.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- The early pyramids near Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan in nine days
- The night train takes the place of a flight between Alexandria and Luxor
- Four nights on one ship, with no unpacking between Luxor and Aswan
Things to Consider
- Day 4 is a full day in Alexandria before the night train
- Train days are fixed, so your start date must suit the timetable
- No Cairo night at the end, so the flight home needs to be late
Where it fits
A good fit if you have seen the usual Giza and Luxor sights, or want a route with something different in it. Abu Simbel is not included. The sleeper train runs only on set days, so we confirm your dates when you book.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Most Egypt holidays fly between Cairo and Luxor. This one adds Alexandria and uses the sleeper train from Alexandria to Luxor, so the train is a feature of the trip and not just a transfer. 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 a sleeper train and Nile cruise
- Accommodation
- Cairo and Alexandria hotels, a sleeper train berth and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Saqqara · Dahshur · Alexandria · Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Valley of the Kings · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Philae Temple
- Includes
- 3 hotel nights with breakfast in Cairo and Alexandria · 1 night on the sleeper train from Alexandria to Luxor · 4 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Internal flight from Aswan to Cairo · Entrance fees for every listed site · Egyptologist guide on sightseeing days
- Best for
- Travellers who like trains and rivers as much as temples · Travellers interested in history · Return visitors who want to see Alexandria
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, grippy walking shoes
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- A small overnight bag for the sleeper train, with toiletries and a charger
- A day bag for sightseeing
- A light layer for the train, the ship and the flight
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for the heat
- Closed shoes for temples, catacombs and rough ground
- Tops and trousers or skirts that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- Comfortable clothes for sleeping on the train
- A light jacket for winter evenings on the coast and the river
Children & families
Children are welcome. Each child has a seat in the vehicle, so transport and guiding are charged at the adult rate whatever the age. Entrance tickets are free for under-6s and full price from age 6. The price of a train berth, hotel room or ship cabin depends on the child's age and the room, berth or cabin they use, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age when you book. The food walks and the full Alexandria day mean a lot of time on foot, which can wear out small children.
Accessibility
Who can join this
Expect plenty of walking on large archaeological sites over uneven stone, sand and steps, with some narrow tomb passages. The Alexandria catacombs and the Qaitbay Citadel involve stairs, and Karnak and the Valley of the Kings have long open stretches with little shade. Getting on to the sleeper train and the Nile ship means steps and a gangway, and the berth on the train is compact. Our vehicles are private and air-conditioned, but we cannot guarantee wheelchair access at every site or on the train. 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
The holiday combines private road transfers, one internal flight, a night train and a Nile cruise ship, and the vehicles vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Taking the train from Alexandria to Luxor does replace a flight or a very long drive on that stretch. Guiding is by local Egyptologists and the services are arranged through suppliers based in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan, which keeps most of what you spend in the communities you visit. Please bring a refillable water bottle and keep your hands off the painted walls in the 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
01What is the sleeper train like on this holiday?
After your day in Alexandria on day 4 you board an overnight sleeper train to Luxor. You sleep in a berth and arrive the following morning, when a transfer takes you to your Nile cruise ship. The train runs only on set days, so we plan your departure around it and confirm your dates when you book.02How many nights are on the train and the ship?
One of the eight nights is on the sleeper train (night 4) and four are on the Nile cruise ship, on full board. The remaining three are in hotels with breakfast: two in Cairo and one in Alexandria.03Can we choose our hotels and ship?
You choose a standard when you book and we confirm the hotels and the ship for your dates. The holiday is arranged at standard, first-class and luxury levels, with the same route and sightseeing at each.04How hard is the Alexandria day?
Day 4 is a full day on foot and ends with the night train, so it is best for people who enjoy walking. With a private guide you visit the catacombs, Pompey's Pillar, the Qaitbay Citadel and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Comfortable shoes matter.05Is there a risk of missing my flight home?
Internal and international flights are booked separately, so a late flight from Aswan to Cairo could cost you your connection. There is no Cairo night at the end of this holiday, so book a late-evening or night flight home on day 9, and take travel insurance that covers missed connections.06Does the holiday include Abu Simbel?
No, Abu Simbel is not on this itinerary. Get in touch if you want to add it and we will talk through the options.07Are flights to Egypt included?
No. The internal flight from Aswan to Cairo on day 9 is included, but your flights to and from Egypt are not.08Will we be in a private group?
Your driver and guide are private on the sightseeing days in Cairo, Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. You share the sleeper train and the ship with other passengers.09What is the best season for this holiday?
October to April is cooler and the best for walking round temples. Summer is very hot in Luxor and Aswan, so the days start early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-145084
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days · 8 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Tue, Thu or Sun
- Route
- Cairo → Alexandria → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Cairo
- Nights
- 2 Cairo · 1 Alexandria · 1 sleeper train · 4 Nile cruise
- Includes
- Domestic flights, sleeper trains, Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers