9-Day Luxor Round-Trip Nile Cruise Holiday & Abu Simbel
Seven nights on one ship, Luxor to Aswan and back, with the temples ashore and a whole day at Abu Simbel. A flight to Cairo and a final night there are included, along with guides and entry tickets.
The short answer
9-Day Luxor Round-Trip Nile Cruise Holiday & Abu Simbel is a 9-day, 8-night trip to Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel: 7 nights on a Nile cruise and 1 in Cairo. Starts on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays or Sundays. It includes domestic flights, an Egyptologist guide and transfers. Prices start at £1,571 per person, two sharing (Essential, October–April).
02Overview
A first look
This holiday is all about the Nile. You fly into Luxor, join your cruise ship and stay aboard for seven nights, so you pack once and the sights come to you. The ship heads south to Aswan and comes back to Luxor.
On shore you see the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk. On day 5 you make the full-day road journey to Abu Simbel from the moored ship in Aswan. Two days on the river carry no visits, leaving you time to rest. The cruise finishes in Luxor with Karnak and Luxor Temple, and a flight then takes you to Cairo for a last night before you fly home. You choose the standard of ship when you book; the sightseeing is the same.
What lingers
- 01Seven nights on one Nile cruise ship, full board, with no repacking
- 02The Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon with an Egyptologist
- 03Edfu and Kom Ombo temples on the way to Aswan
- 04Philae, the Unfinished Obelisk and the High Dam in Aswan
- 05A whole day by road at the temples of Abu Simbel, with entry tickets included
- 06Karnak and Luxor Temple on the final day of the cruise
- 07A flight to Cairo and a last night there before you fly home
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 £1,5713★ hotels · well-priced Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsNephtis · Magic I | £1,571May–Sep: from £1,355 | |
| Comfortfrom £1,8174★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsRoyal Princess Amira · Tower Prestige Cairo · 1 nightJewel Sport City | £1,817May–Sep: from £1,509 | |
| Classicfrom £2,0705★ hotels · 5★ Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsGrand Sun · Stephanie | £2,070May–Sep: from £1,509 | |
| Prestigefrom £2,5465★ deluxe hotels · 5★ deluxe Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsSonesta Moon Goddess · Nile Serenity | £2,546May–Sep: from £2,051 | |
| Luxuryfrom £4,1745★ luxury hotels · 5★ luxury Nile cruises | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsSonesta St. George I · Esmeralda Cairo · 1 nightSt. Regis Cairo | £4,174May–Sep: from £2,540 | |
| Signature Collectionfrom £5,790Iconic heritage vessels · landmark hotels | Nile Cruise · 7 nightsHistoria Cairo · 1 nightFour Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza | £5,790May–Sep: from £3,997 |
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.
Day by day
Detailed itinerary
9 Days / 8 Nights · Aswan · Kom Ombo · Luxor · Edfu · Abu Simbel
- 1
A driver meets you at Luxor Airport and takes you to your Nile cruise ship, where you settle into your cabin. Lunch and dinner are served aboard. It is the first of seven nights on the ship, on full board. The itinerary lists no sightseeing today, so you can unpack and relax. The airline fixes your arrival time.
- 2
Your English-speaking Egyptologist takes you across the river 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. Guide, entry tickets and transport are all covered. You spend the rest of the day on the ship, with every meal included.
- 3
The ship carries on upriver towards Aswan, stopping twice. At Edfu your Egyptologist shows you the temple of Horus, still roofed and among the most complete in the country. Later you moor alongside Kom Ombo, a riverside temple shared by two gods. Tickets and transport are included, and the stretches in between are for the sun deck and the passing riverbank.
- 4
The ship arrives at Aswan. Your Egyptologist takes you to Philae on its island, the Unfinished Obelisk in the old granite quarries and the High Dam, with entry tickets and transport included. You spend the rest of the day on board, ready for an early start tomorrow.
- 5
You leave the ship, moored at Aswan, early in the morning for the full-day road journey to the temples of Abu Simbel. Entry tickets, transport and your guide are all included. You are back on the ship in the afternoon. It is a long day with an early start.
- 6
The ship starts the journey back to Luxor. The itinerary lists no visits today, so you can rest on deck and watch the banks go by, with breakfast, lunch and dinner served on board.
- 7
The ship is back at Luxor. Your Egyptologist takes you to Karnak, with its Sacred Lake, and to Luxor Temple, with entry tickets and transport included. You spend a last night on board.
- 8
After breakfast you leave the ship and are driven to Luxor Airport for the one-hour flight to Cairo, where a driver takes you on to your hotel. The airline fixes the flight time. This final night in Cairo is deliberate: it gives you a safety margin before your flight home.
- 9
After breakfast and check-out, your private driver loads the cases and takes you to Cairo Airport for the flight home. Keep about two hours free for the transfer, and send us your flight time before you travel so the pick-up can be arranged.
Bundled in
- Domestic flights
- Full board
- Group Egyptologist
- All entry tickets
- Abu Simbel extension
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Seven nights on a Nile cruise ship on full board, beginning and ending in Luxor, and one night in a Cairo hotel with breakfast
- Internal flight from Luxor to Cairo
- Airport, ship and hotel transfers by air-conditioned vehicle
- Nile cruise sightseeing with an English-speaking Egyptologist, entry tickets and transport: the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, Karnak and Luxor Temple
- A road trip to Abu Simbel from Aswan, with entry tickets
- Meeting and assistance at Luxor Airport and at Cairo 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
- Premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Book Abu Simbel for the coolest hours, because the road departure from Aswan is very early.
- 02
At Karnak, arrive before 10am to avoid the busiest tour groups in the Great Hypostyle Hall.
- 03
The Luxor West Bank has uneven stone and steps, so shoes with grip help.
- 04
Philae photographs best in late afternoon when the light softens across the Nile.
- 05
Carry small cash for toilets and snacks at site entrances on long sightseeing days.
Tailor it
Make it yours
You choose the standard of ship when you book. Ask us about adding nights in Cairo or Luxor.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- Travellers who want the Nile temples and Abu Simbel without changing hotels. Suits couples, friends and solo travellers who like an unhurried rhythm on the water and can manage steps, gangways and walking on sightseeing days.
Maybe not, if
- Travellers who need step-free access to every site, or who dislike very early starts. Day 5 is the longest day.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- One ship for seven nights, so you pack only once
- Abu Simbel, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae in nine days
- A final night in Cairo that protects your flight home
Things to Consider
- Abu Simbel means a very early start and a long road day
- Two days on the river carry no visits
- Uneven stone, steps and little shade at the major sites
Where it fits
A good fit for a first holiday focused on the Nile, or for a second visit after Cairo. Days 1 and 6 carry no visits, so the cruise suits an unhurried rhythm.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Most Nile cruises run three or four nights one way. This one sails Luxor to Aswan and back over seven nights, with Abu Simbel included and a night in Cairo before your flight home. The standard of 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 on a Nile cruise ship
- Accommodation
- Nile cruise ship for seven nights and a Cairo hotel for one, standard chosen at booking
- Destinations
- Aswan · Kom Ombo · Luxor · Edfu · Abu Simbel
- Includes
- 7 nights on a Nile cruise ship, full board · 1 night in a Cairo hotel with breakfast · Flight from Luxor to Cairo · Egyptologist, entry tickets and transport on sightseeing days · Abu Simbel by road · All transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle
- Best for
- Travellers who want a week on the Nile · Those wanting Abu Simbel and the main temples · Anyone who prefers one ship to many hotels
- Guide languages
- English
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
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun cream, SPF 30 or higher
- Sun hat and sunglasses
- Refillable water bottle
- Any regular medication
- Small day bag
- A light layer for the ship
What to wear
- Light, breathable clothing for sun and heat
- Closed shoes for temples and uneven ground
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees at mosques and temples
- A hat and sunglasses
- A light jacket for evenings on the river in winter
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. Cabin prices depend on the child's age and the cabin used, so we give you the exact figure once you tell us the age at booking.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This holiday involves 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. Boarding the ship and the boat to Philae involve steps and a gangway. The Abu Simbel day is a long road journey. 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 keeps you on one Nile cruise ship for seven nights, so there are no repeated hotel check-ins. It also includes a long road day to Abu Simbel and an internal flight, and vehicle types vary, so we make no claim about carbon savings. Sightseeing is arranged through local suppliers in Luxor, Aswan and Cairo, so much of what you spend stays in the places you visit. We ask guests to bring a refillable water bottle and to keep their hands off 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 the internal flight included?
Yes. The flight from Luxor to Cairo on day 8 is booked for you and included. International flights are not, nor is the flight into Luxor if you are travelling from abroad. The airline sets the flight times.02Are guides and entry tickets included?
Yes. An English-speaking Egyptologist, the entry tickets and the transport are covered on the Nile cruise sightseeing days and on the Abu Simbel day.03How many nights do we spend on the Nile?
Seven nights on board, beginning and ending in Luxor, on full board with breakfast, lunch and dinner, though day 1 starts with lunch. The eighth night is in a Cairo hotel with breakfast.04Which ship will we have?
You choose a standard when you book, from budget to luxury, and we confirm the ship and the Cairo hotel for your dates. The itinerary and sightseeing are identical at every standard.05How does Abu Simbel fit in?
On day 5 you leave the ship in Aswan early in the morning for the full-day road journey to Abu Simbel, with entry tickets included, and are back on board in the afternoon. It is a long day. Philae, the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk come on day 4.06Are there days with nothing planned?
Yes: day 1 once you are on board, and day 6 on the river. Tell us if you would like something added.07Will I make my international flight home?
Domestic and international tickets are separate bookings, so a late internal flight could cost you your connection. That is why the holiday ends with a night in Cairo: after the Luxor to Cairo flight on day 8, you have a deliberate safety margin before your international flight on day 9. Take travel insurance that covers missed connections.08What is not included?
International flights, the Egyptian visa, tips for guides, drivers and ship staff, drinks and meals other than those stated, premium tombs such as Tutankhamun and Seti I, travel insurance and personal spending.09When is the best time to go?
October to April is cooler and best for the temples. Summers are very hot, particularly in Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel, so sightseeing starts early.
Last updated Product ID: TOU-ASW-190816
At a glance
- Length
- 9 days · 8 nights
- Starts
- Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat or Sun
- Route
- Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Abu Simbel → Cairo
- Nights
- 7 Nile cruise · 1 Cairo
- Includes
- Domestic flights, Egyptologist guide, transfers