Egypt Holidays · Style
10-Night Nile Cruises
Ten nights is the slow version of the river. It is almost always a private dahabiya charter, and the point is not to cover more distance but to take the same Luxor–Aswan corridor without any pressure on the clock. You see the headline temples in full, add every minor site the short cruises skip, and build in days that exist only for sailing, swimming off the deck and mooring where you choose. Most 10-night sailings run as a round-trip out of Luxor, with two nights moored at Aswan in the middle. Every charter here includes a private Egyptologist guide, all admissions, full board and transfers.
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The shape
What is a 10-night Nile cruise?
A 10-night Nile cruise is an eleven-day sailing on the Luxor–Aswan stretch, long enough to make the river itself the holiday rather than a segment of one. It is usually a private dahabiya charter run as a round-trip from Luxor: the full temple sequence, the secondary sites at El Kab, Esna and Gebel el-Silsila, and several unscheduled days for sailing and quiet moorings. The route stays on the river between Luxor and Aswan; the extra nights buy pace and privacy, not extra geography.
Round-trip from Luxor
How a slow charter runs
- Days 1–2LuxorBoard and take both banks at full depth: Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon.
- Day 3Esna & El KabThrough the lock to the rock-cut tombs of El Kab, with time to actually read the walls.
- Day 4EdfuThe Temple of Horus at opening, then a long afternoon under sail.
- Day 5Gebel el-Silsila & Kom OmboThe quarries that built the south, then the double temple at dusk.
- Days 6–7AswanPhilae, the Unfinished Obelisk, Kitchener's Island botanical garden and the Nubian villages. Two nights moored.
- Day 8Begin the return northCast off upstream under sail. The same river runs differently in the other direction.
- Days 9–10Quiet mooringsSandbank stops, swimming, revisits to a favourite temple in different light. The schedule lets go.
- Day 11Disembark LuxorFinal approach to Luxor and breakfast aboard before your onward leg.
Prefer to add Lake Nasser and Abu Simbel by boat? That is a separate three- to four-night sailing we book back-to-back at Aswan.
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Browse all Nile cruisesPractical questions
What clients ask about this style of holiday.
01Is a 10-night Nile cruise too long?
Not if the river is the reason you came. Ten nights is a slow private dahabiya charter, and it suits returning travellers and anyone who wants the Nile to be the holiday rather than one leg of it. For a first Egypt trip with Cairo and the Pyramids on the list, a 4-night cruise inside a wider itinerary is usually the better fit.
02What does a 10-night Nile cruise cover?
A 10-night sailing covers the full Luxor–Aswan corridor, usually as a round-trip from Luxor: Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Philae, plus the secondary temples at El Kab, Esna and Gebel el-Silsila. The remaining days are sailing and mooring time with no fixed schedule. It stays on the river; Lake Nasser and Abu Simbel are a separate add-on.
03How much does a 10-night Nile cruise cost?
A 10-night cabin on a shared dahabiya starts around £2,800 per person, all-inclusive. A whole-boat charter for ten nights runs higher and makes sense for a family or group taking every cabin. Suite-class ships occasionally offer extended sailings at the top of the range. Prices are per person sharing; single supplements are typically 50 to 75 percent.
04Can I add Abu Simbel to a 10-night cruise?
Yes, two ways. The quick option is the dawn flight from Aswan, slotted in on a moored day. The slower option is a separate Lake Nasser cruise of three to four nights that reaches Abu Simbel by boat; we book it back-to-back at Aswan so the changeover is handled for you.
From the Cairo desk
Found the shape. Now make it yours.
Every Nile cruise we book is tailor-made – your dates, your cabin, your sailing direction. Send a short brief or talk to the Cairo desk direct. Replies inside one working day.
– Suhaila & the Cairo team · 38 years · 6 offices · IATA #90255546