9-Day Family Nile Cruise & Cairo Holiday
Nine days and eight nights: the Pyramids, a camel ride and a felucca in Cairo, then four nights on a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan. Flights, hotels, the ship and an Egyptologist are included.
The short answer
9-Day Family Nile Cruise & Cairo Holiday is a 9-day, 8-night trip to Cairo, Luxor and Aswan: 4 nights in Cairo and 4 on a Nile cruise. Starts on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays or Fridays. It includes an Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transfers. Prices start at £1,961 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
Children cope well with Egypt when each day gives them something to do as well as something to look at. This family Nile cruise holiday is built that way. Alongside the great sights there is a camel ride at Giza, a felucca at sunset on the Nile in Cairo, the Mummification Museum in Luxor and a visit to a Nubian village near Aswan.
You stay three nights in Cairo, fly to Luxor and spend four nights on your cruise ship, heading upriver to Aswan. A second flight returns you to Cairo for one more night before you go home. We organise both internal flights, all transfers, your hotels and your cabin. You pick the standard of hotel and ship when you book; the sightseeing is the same whichever you choose.
What lingers
- 01The Giza Pyramids, the Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum in one long, guided day
- 02A camel ride at Giza and a sunset felucca on the Nile in Cairo
- 03A Nile dinner cruise with a live show on your first evening
- 04Four nights aboard a Nile cruise ship from Luxor to Aswan on full board
- 05Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae with an Egyptologist
- 06The Mummification Museum in Luxor and a Nubian village near Aswan
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 £1,9613★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNephtis · Magic I | £1,961May–Sep: from £1,789 | |
| Comfortfrom £2,0814★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsJewel Sport City Nile Cruise · 4 nightsLady Mary · Tower Prestige | £2,081May–Sep: from £1,943 | |
| Classicfrom £2,3085★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsJaz Crown Jubilee · Stephanie | £2,308May–Sep: from £1,943 | |
| Prestigefrom £2,6545★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 4 nightsNile Excellence · Nile Serenity | £2,654May–Sep: from £2,500 | |
| Luxuryfrom £4,3035★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Cairo · 4 nightsSt. Regis Cairo Nile Cruise · 4 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda | £4,303May–Sep: from £3,302 | |
| Signature Collectionfrom £5,695Iconic heritage vessels · landmark hotels | Cairo · 4 nightsFour Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza Nile Cruise · 4 nightsHistoria | £5,695May–Sep: from £4,518 |
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 · Giza Plateau · Khan el-Khalili · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Banana Island
- 1
Your driver is waiting in the arrivals hall at Cairo Airport and drives you to your hotel. Take some time to rest after the flight. This evening you are collected for a Nile dinner cruise, around two hours on the water with a buffet dinner, a live show and the lights of the city on both banks. You are driven back to your hotel afterwards.
- 2
This is the longest day of the holiday, about 8 hours, so aim to be well rested. Your Egyptologist meets you at the hotel and goes with you to the Giza Plateau for the pyramids and the Great Sphinx. After lunch you visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, where the Tutankhamun collection and the huge statues tend to win over older children. You return to the hotel by private vehicle.
Entrance fees, bottled water and transport are included.
- 3
A gentler day, with a later pickup. Your Egyptologist walks you around the Citadel of Saladin and the Muhammad Ali Mosque and then through Islamic Cairo to the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. The day also includes a camel ride of about 20 minutes on the Giza Plateau, with one camel per person and a handler alongside, and a felucca on the Nile at sunset. Entrance fees and transport are included.
- 4
After breakfast you are driven to Cairo Airport for the internal flight to Luxor, which we have booked. In Luxor your driver and Egyptologist take you to the Mummification Museum, and you then go to your Nile cruise ship, find your cabin and have dinner on board. The day is arranged around the airline schedule.
- 5
Today your Egyptologist shows you Karnak, Egypt's largest temple complex, with the Sacred Lake and a forest of enormous columns. Luxor Temple is nearer the river. The sightseeing package covers the guide, entrance fees and transport. Later in the afternoon a private motorboat takes the family out on the Nile at sunset, a gentle hour for children after the temples.
All meals are on the ship, where you sleep tonight.
- 6
The day belongs to the West Bank: the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Kings, with three tombs included, and Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari. There is little shade, so hats and water matter. Your Egyptologist, the entrance fees and the transport are all included, and you return to the ship for the night.
- 7
You visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu and the twin temple at Kom Ombo, with your Egyptologist, entrance fees and transport included. At Aswan there is also a visit to a Nubian village, to see how people live beside the river. You then go back aboard for dinner and your final night on the ship.
- 8
After breakfast you leave the ship and your Egyptologist takes you to Philae Temple, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, with entrance fees and transport included. A private transfer then runs you to Aswan Airport for the flight to Cairo, which is booked for you. The sightseeing is fitted around the airline schedule. You are driven to your Cairo hotel for the night.
- 9
Enjoy breakfast, check out and take it easy. A private transfer takes you to Cairo Airport for the flight home. Ending with a night in Cairo is deliberate: it gives you a safety margin if an internal flight is delayed, so your international flight is not at risk.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Four nights in a Cairo hotel with breakfast, and four nights on a Nile cruise ship on full board
- Internal flights Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo
- All airport, hotel and port transfers by private vehicle
- Nile dinner cruise with a live show in Cairo
- Private motorboat ride on the Nile at sunset in Luxor
- Camel ride at Giza and a sunset felucca ride in Cairo
- English-speaking Egyptologist guide, entrance fees and transport on sightseeing days
- Lunch on the Giza day
- Meet-and-assist at the airport
Not included
- International flights to and from Egypt
- Egypt entry visa
- Tips for guides, drivers and ship staff
- Drinks on board and meals other than those stated
- Abu Simbel and other optional extras
- Travel insurance and personal spending
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Schedule the Giza camel ride as a break from walking; children tend to remember it more than the monuments.
- 02
Let the children choose a small souvenir in Khan el-Khalili, as it gives the souk walk a purpose.
- 03
See the Mummification Museum before Karnak; the displays prepare younger visitors for what the temples depict.
- 04
Bring sandals and sun hats for the Banana Island and Nubian village visits, where little legs soon flag in the soft sand.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Choose your hotel and ship standard when you book. Ask us about adding Abu Simbel or extra nights in Cairo or Luxor.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Families who want the Pyramids and a Nile cruise in nine days, with activities to keep children interested. Best for parents of school-age children and teenagers who can manage several hours of sightseeing a day.
Maybe not, if
- Anyone needing step-free access to every site, or families with very young children who struggle with long days in a vehicle. Day 2 is about 8 hours.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- Family extras built in: a camel ride, a felucca, the Mummification Museum and a Nubian village
- Both internal flights and all transfers taken care of
- Four nights on one ship, with no repacking between Luxor and Aswan
- A last night in Cairo protects your flight home
Things to Consider
- Day 2 at Giza is about 8 hours
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
- Abu Simbel is not included
Where it fits
A good first holiday in Egypt for a family. Abu Simbel is not included, so tell us if it is on your list.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Plenty of family itineraries in Egypt are a run of temples. This one adds a camel ride, a felucca, the Mummification Museum and a Nubian village, and books both flights and every transfer for you. The hotel and ship standard is your choice; the sightseeing stays the same.
Compare
Similar tours to compare
On the ground
Your route
Snapshot
Good to know
- Travel style
- Guided family holiday with a Nile cruise
- Accommodation
- Cairo hotels and a Nile cruise ship, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Cairo · Giza Plateau · Khan el-Khalili · Luxor · Karnak Temple · Banana Island · Valley of the Kings · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan · Nubian Village
- Includes
- 4 nights in Cairo hotels with breakfast · 4 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · Flights Cairo to Luxor and Aswan to Cairo · Entrance fees to every listed site · English-speaking Egyptologist on sightseeing days · Camel ride and sunset felucca in Cairo
- Best for
- Families with children · Parents who want a guide to explain the sites · First-time visitors wanting Cairo and a Nile cruise
The morning of
Meeting point & timing
- Where
- Cairo International Airport (CAI), Arrivals HallMap
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Passports and any required travel documents for the whole family
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hats and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottles
- Snacks and something to occupy children on longer drives
- Any personal medication
- A small day bag
- A light layer for the ship and for flights
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothes for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples, uneven ground and the camel ride
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- Hats and sunglasses
- A light jacket for winter evenings on the river
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. Day 2 is about 8 hours, so think about how your children cope with a long day. Pushchairs are hard to use on stone and steps; a carrier suits toddlers better.
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. Karnak and the Valley of the Kings have long, open stretches with little shade. Boarding the ship, the felucca and the boat at Philae means steps or a gangway, and getting on a camel needs a step up. 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, a Nile cruise ship, private road transfers and a felucca under sail, and vehicles vary, so we make no claim of a carbon saving. Guiding is by local Egyptologists and the days are arranged through local suppliers in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. The camel handlers are local. 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
01Is this a good family Nile cruise holiday?
It is, as long as your children can cope with a few long days. Temples are mixed with things to do: a camel at Giza, a felucca in Cairo, the Mummification Museum and a Nubian village. The ship gives the family a place to rest.02How long is the day at Giza?
About 8 hours, which makes it the longest day of the holiday. It takes in the pyramids, the Sphinx, lunch and the Grand Egyptian Museum. Pack snacks and water, and ask your guide for a break when the children need one.03Are the internal flights included?
Yes. The flights from Cairo to Luxor on day 4 and from Aswan to Cairo on day 8 are booked for you and included. International flights are not. Times follow the airline schedule.04How many nights are spent on the Nile?
Four nights on board, from Luxor to Aswan, on full board with breakfast, lunch and dinner. The other four nights are in Cairo hotels with breakfast.05Which ship and hotels will we stay in?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we tell you the ship and hotels for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are the same at every standard.06Will I make my international flight home?
Internal and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late internal flight could cost you your connection. That is why this holiday finishes with a night in Cairo. If you alter the plan to fly into Cairo and connect on the same day, choose a late-evening or overnight flight. Please take travel insurance that covers missed connections.07Is Abu Simbel part of the holiday?
No. The itinerary does not include Abu Simbel. Ask us and we will talk you through the ways of adding it.08Is the holiday private?
Your Egyptologist and driver are private for the sightseeing in Cairo, Luxor and Aswan. On the ship you are with the other guests aboard.09What is not included?
International flights, the Egypt visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks other than those stated, and personal spending.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-CAI-623478
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days · 8 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu or Fri
- Route
- Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Cairo
- Nights
- 4 Cairo · 4 Nile cruise
- Includes
- Egyptologist guide, entrance fees, transfers