Egypt Holidays · Style
Lake Nasser Cruises
A Lake Nasser cruise is the other Nile cruise, and the only way to reach the great Nubian rescue temples in the order they were built to be seen. Where the classic Luxor–Aswan voyage sails the dynastic heart of Egypt, the Lake Nasser holidays cross the 480-kilometre lake the High Dam created, calling at temples that UNESCO moved stone by stone in the 1960s to keep them above the rising water – Kalabsha, Wadi El Seboua, Amada, Qasr Ibrim, and Abu Simbel at dawn. Three ships work this water, MS Eugenie, MS Kasr Ibrim and MS Prince Abbas, on a fixed schedule from the High Dam port near Aswan. The sailing runs three or four nights depending on direction, and for a returning visitor it is the most atmospheric cruise in the country. You reach Abu Simbel by boat at first light, not by the 6am charter flight from Aswan.
1 matching cruise
The shape
What is a lake-nasser Nile cruise?
A Lake Nasser cruise is a three- to four-night sailing on the lake the Aswan High Dam created, running between the High Dam port and Abu Simbel. It visits the Nubian rescue temples UNESCO relocated in the 1960s – Kalabsha, Wadi El Seboua, Amada, Qasr Ibrim and Abu Simbel – rather than the dynastic temples of the Luxor–Aswan river run, and it is worked by only three ships. Most returning travellers pair it with a classic river cruise as one booking.
Aswan to Abu Simbel
How a Lake Nasser sailing runs
- Day 1High Dam port · KalabshaBoard at the High Dam port near Aswan. Kalabsha, the Temple of Mandulis, relocated onto its island, with Beit el-Wali alongside.
- Day 2Wadi El Seboua · AmadaThe avenue of sphinxes at Wadi El Seboua, then Amada, the oldest standing temple in Nubia, and the Dakka and Maharraqa temples nearby.
- Day 3Qasr IbrimQasr Ibrim viewed from the water, the only Nubian site never moved, still on its original clifftop. Sail on toward Abu Simbel.
- Day 4Abu SimbelMoored off the great temple for dawn, the facade lit by the first sun off the lake. Disembark after the morning visit.
Direction reverses on some departures. We book the sailing that fits your flights and pair it with the Luxor–Aswan river cruise when you want both.
Practical questions
What clients ask about this style of holiday.
01What is a Lake Nasser cruise?
A Lake Nasser cruise is a three- to four-night voyage on the lake the Aswan High Dam created, sailing between Aswan and Abu Simbel. Unlike the classic Luxor–Aswan river cruise, it visits the Nubian temples UNESCO physically relocated in the 1960s to escape the rising water – Kalabsha, Wadi El Seboua, Amada, Qasr Ibrim and Abu Simbel.
02How is it different from a regular Nile cruise?
Three things change. The water is a 480-kilometre lake rather than the river; the temples are the Nubian rescue sites rather than the dynastic temples between Luxor and Aswan; and only three ships work the lake – MS Eugenie, MS Kasr Ibrim and MS Prince Abbas. The river cruises run dozens of vessels.
03How much does a Lake Nasser cruise cost from the UK?
From around £950 per person for a three-night sailing on the MS Prince Abbas, full board, with an Egyptologist guide and all temple admissions. The MS Eugenie and MS Kasr Ibrim sit in the £1,150–£1,450 bracket. Prices are per person sharing; single supplements are typically 75 per cent. International flights are separate.
04Should I fly or cruise to Abu Simbel?
If you only want the great temple, the morning charter flight from Aswan is the quickest way in, 45 minutes each way. If you want the whole Nubian rescue story, the cruise is unmatched: you reach Kalabsha, Wadi El Seboua and Amada that the flight skips, and you arrive at Abu Simbel by boat at dawn rather than mid-morning with the coaches.
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