5 Days Nile Cruise From Luxor To Aswan Including Hot Air Balloon & Abu Simbel

Wake before dawn, then sail through history. This five-day Nile cruise packs Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, and Abu Simbel into one tidy trip. I like the blend of a comfortable ship, full-board meals, and guided visits, especially the hot air balloon over Luxor and the boat ride to Philae Temple. The main catch is that entrance fees, drinks, Wi-Fi, and tips are extra, so the advertised $695 price is not the final bill.

I also like the small-group limit of 15 people and the practical pickup from a Luxor hotel, airport, or railway station. The schedule is active, but much of the sightseeing happens early, leaving afternoons for the sundeck and Nile views. Abu Simbel requires a 4:30 AM checkout and a nine-hour outing, so this is not a soft, sleep-in holiday.

Five useful facts before you book

• The balloon flight lasts 40 to 55 minutes: You get an early aerial view of Luxor’s west bank, temples, mountains, and city.
• Four nights are on a five-star Nile ship: Accommodation includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but drinks and Wi-Fi cost extra.
• The route links the major temple stops: Karnak, Luxor Temple, Hatshepsut, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, and Abu Simbel all fit into five days.
• Abu Simbel is a long final-day trip: You leave around 4:30 AM, travel in a shared small group, and spend about nine hours on the excursion.
• Three people share one cabin: A booking for three places everyone in one room unless one person books separately as a single.
• The balloon has a clear weather safeguard: If poor weather cancels the flight, the stated refund is $25 per person.

What $695 covers, and what it does not

At $695 per person, this trip offers solid value if you want the Nile route handled in one package. You receive four nights aboard a five-star cruise, full-board meals, transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle, an Egyptologist guide, bottled water during outings, the Luxor balloon ride, and transport for the Abu Simbel visit.

The price also includes meet-and-greet help on arrival and departure, cruise excursions listed in the schedule, service charges, and taxes. That matters in Egypt, where arranging each transfer and temple visit separately can take time and patience.

Still, you need to budget beyond the headline price. Entrance tickets to the sightseeing sites are not included. You also pay for drinks during meals, Wi-Fi on the ship, laundry, personal purchases, optional activities, and tips for your guide, drivers, and cruise crew.

The terms say vegetarian food is available if you request it when booking. Bottled water is supplied during excursions, but do not assume that water or soft drinks at meals are included. Ask for the current entrance-fee total before departure so you can carry enough Egyptian currency or confirm the accepted payment method.

Day one: Karnak and Luxor Temple after lunch

Pickup begins in Luxor, at the airport, railway station, or your hotel. The plan is to board the ship before lunch, with check-in listed around noon. If you arrive early, the operator may start sightseeing before formal cabin check-in. That is useful in the heat and saves you from sitting in a lobby with your luggage.

After lunch, you visit Karnak Temple. This is not one small monument but a large religious complex of sanctuaries, pylons, obelisks, and ceremonial spaces linked with Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Give your guide room to explain how the complex grew under different pharaohs, because its scale makes more sense when you understand that it was built over centuries.

The Karnak visit is scheduled for about 90 minutes. That is enough for a strong first look, though not enough to inspect every corner. Entrance is extra, and the heat can be fierce, so use the supplied water and wear a hat.

Next comes Luxor Temple, built largely under Amenhotep III and later expanded by Tutankhamun and Ramesses II. The first pylon carries scenes connected with Ramesses II’s military campaign at Kadesh. It is a more compact visit than Karnak, and the transition from one temple to the other makes the two sites work well together.

Back on the ship, dinner is followed by a folkloric show. You spend the night in Luxor, although cruise schedules can make the first evening feel more like a busy hotel check-in than a long sail.

Day two: a balloon over Luxor, then the royal tombs

Your alarm will ring early for the hot air balloon. Pickup takes you to the west bank, where the flight lasts roughly 40 to 55 minutes. From above, you can look across Luxor’s temples, desert edge, mountains, and built-up areas in one wide view.

This is the trip’s most unusual extra, and it gives you useful perspective. On the ground, temples appear as separate monuments. From the air, you see their place beside the Nile and the dry hills of the west bank. A breakfast box is provided, which is handy because the morning begins before a normal ship breakfast.

The flight depends on weather. If it is canceled for bad conditions, the stated refund is $25 per person. Children under six cannot participate. If the balloon is a major reason for booking, ask how the operator handles timing and cancellation on your specific date.

After landing, there is a short photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon. These two huge seated statues once guarded the entrance to Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple. The stop lasts about 15 minutes, so treat it as a quick introduction rather than a full visit.

The Temple of Hatshepsut is next. Its terraces rise against the limestone cliffs, creating one of the most striking settings on the west bank. Your guide can help explain Hatshepsut’s unusual position as a female pharaoh and the political story involving her nephew.

The scheduled visit lasts an hour. Some walking is exposed to the sun, and the broad terraces offer little shade. Good shoes matter more here than dressy cruise clothes.

The Valley of the Kings takes about two hours. This was the burial ground for pharaohs including Ramesses III, Ramesses VI, and Merneptah. The ticket arrangement allows you to see the valley, but individual tomb access can be subject to the entrance system and extra charges. Check which tombs are included when you receive your tickets.

After the west bank, you return to the ship and begin sailing toward Edfu through the Esna Lock. This is when the cruise earns its keep. Lunch, afternoon tea, and time on the sundeck replace another road transfer, while the Nile scenery moves slowly past.

You spend the night near Edfu. The day has started very early, but the afternoon sailing gives you a chance to rest.

Day three: Horus at Edfu and two gods at Kom Ombo

Edfu Temple is one of the best-preserved ancient temples in Egypt. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon god, it was built during the Ptolemaic period, with construction beginning under Ptolemy III in 237 BC.

The walls describe the conflict between Horus and Seth, a myth that may have been presented as a religious drama. This is a good place to let your guide do the heavy lifting. The carvings, halls, and inscriptions can blur together without context, but the building’s preserved condition makes the explanation easy to follow.

The visit lasts about 90 minutes. Afterward, you return to the ship for lunch and a long sailing period toward Kom Ombo. The schedule allows nearly five hours on the water before the next temple, so bring a book, sit on the sundeck, and watch the riverbank rather than treating the sailing time as dead time.

Kom Ombo is dedicated to two gods, Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus the Elder. Its position beside the river gives the visit a fine setting, especially in the softer late-day light. The temple was built around 180 BC under the Ptolemaic dynasty and later saw Roman influence.

The visit takes about an hour. Afterward, the ship sails toward Aswan for dinner and a galabeya party. You spend the night in Aswan. The combination of a short temple visit and a long sail makes this day less tiring than day two, though the evening entertainment may not appeal if you prefer an early night.

Day four: the High Dam and Philae Island

The fourth morning begins with Aswan High Dam. Built in the 1960s, the dam controls flooding and produces electricity. The figures given for it are impressive: about 3,600 meters long, 980 meters thick at its base, and 111 meters high at its tallest point.

This is an important modern chapter in Egypt’s story. The dam created Lake Nasser and changed how water and power were managed across the country. It also led to the relocation of ancient monuments, including Philae Temple.

You then take a small motorboat to Philae on Aglika Island. The temple complex is dedicated to Isis and dates mainly to the Greco-Roman period. It remained a center of the Isis cult long after many older Egyptian religious sites had closed, with the ancient religion ending there in 551 AD.

Philae is one of the most atmospheric stops on the cruise because you approach by water and walk through a site saved from submersion. The boat ride is part of the visit, not simply a transfer. Allow extra patience for the group movement between vehicle, boat, and temple.

The day is shorter than the west-bank itinerary, which is welcome. You have time to enjoy the ship and prepare for the demanding Abu Simbel departure.

Day five: Abu Simbel before breakfast

Checkout begins around 4:30 AM. You travel to Abu Simbel in a shared small group with an English-speaking guide, and the whole outing is listed at about nine hours.

The temples were cut into the rock for Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari. The scale of the façades and the setting near Lake Nasser make this a powerful final stop, but the early start and long return should shape your expectations. This is not a quick add-on.

The rescue of Abu Simbel is also part of what makes the site significant. Egypt worked with UNESCO to move the temples when the High Dam threatened to flood them. Inside, Ramesses II’s temple honors Ptah, Re-Horakhty, Amun-Re, and Ramesses II himself.

Entrance fees are not included, so confirm the extra cost before you go. Pack water, though bottled water is supplied during outings, and keep the day simple. After several temple visits, the best approach is to focus on the façades, major halls, and the story of the relocation rather than trying to memorize every inscription.

Life aboard the ship

The four-night cruise provides a steady base between sightseeing days. The accommodation is described as five-star, with full board and cabins that past passengers praised for cleanliness and comfort. Food and onboard service also received strong marks, and cruise staff were described as friendly.

That said, five-star labels can vary between ships. The exact vessel and cabin category are not specified here, so ask for the ship name, cabin photos, and deck location before paying if those details matter to you.

The sundeck is an important part of the experience. Sailing between visits gives you a chance to watch fields, villages, desert edges, and passing river traffic without another road journey. Afternoon tea is included in the sailing schedule, but drinks and Wi-Fi are not included in the package.

A booking for three puts everyone in one cabin. If you want two rooms for three people, the terms require booking one person as a single booking. Clarify this early, because a crowded cabin can change the feel of an otherwise comfortable trip.

Guides, group size, and organization

The maximum group size is 15 people, which is small enough for a guide to answer questions without turning every temple stop into a slow-moving crowd. The tour includes an Egyptologist guide for the excursions, and guide names associated with this service include Jimmy, also called Gimbel, and Muhammad.

Organization is one of the package’s strongest points. Pickup, transfers, boat boarding, meals, and major sightseeing are arranged together. Past feedback especially praised punctuality, guide assistance, clean rooms, food, and the friendly cruise crew.

There is one caution. Your trip combines several moving parts, and Abu Simbel is handled as a shared small-group outing. Confirm pickup times, the exact ship, entrance fees, and the final Abu Simbel arrangements before departure.

Who should book this Nile cruise?

I would choose this trip if you want the main Luxor to Aswan route without managing separate hotels, drivers, temple guides, and boat bookings. It suits first-time visitors who value structure and want both classic sites and two memorable additions, the balloon ride and Abu Simbel.

It also works well for people who enjoy a busy morning followed by a quieter afternoon. The cruise days give you breathing room, especially during the long sail from Edfu to Kom Ombo.

I would hesitate if you dislike early starts, shared transport, or extra charges at nearly every major monument. The balloon morning is early, the Valley of the Kings involves sun and walking, and Abu Simbel takes most of the final day.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the experience begins. Changes or cancellations made inside that window are not accepted for a refund, based on the stated terms.

Should you book it?

Book this Nile cruise if you want strong coverage in five days and prefer having the practical pieces arranged for you. The $695 price is attractive for four full-board cruise nights, guided sightseeing, transfers, a balloon ride, and Abu Simbel, but you must add entrance fees, tips, drinks, Wi-Fi, and personal costs.

Before booking, confirm the ship name, cabin setup, entrance-fee budget, and Abu Simbel pickup details. If those points suit you, this is a well-packed introduction to Egypt, with enough time on the river to keep the schedule from feeling like five straight days in a minibus.

FAQ

How long is the Nile cruise?

The experience lasts approximately five days and includes four nights aboard a five-star Nile cruise.

Where does the cruise begin?

Pickup is available from a hotel in Luxor, Luxor Airport, or Luxor Railway Station. The cruise travels from Luxor to Aswan.

What meals are included?

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included for the four cruise nights. The package includes four breakfasts, four lunches, and four dinners.

Is the hot air balloon ride included?

Yes. The hot air balloon ride over Luxor’s west bank is included and lasts about 40 to 55 minutes.

What happens if bad weather cancels the balloon flight?

If poor weather cancels the balloon ride, the stated refund is $25 per person.

Can children join the balloon ride?

Children under six years old cannot participate in the Luxor hot air balloon ride.

Is Abu Simbel included?

The Abu Simbel excursion is included, with shared small-group transport and an English-speaking guide. Entrance fees are not included.

How early does the Abu Simbel day begin?

Checkout and pickup are scheduled for around 4:30 AM. The excursion lasts about nine hours.

Are entrance fees included?

No. Entrance fees for the listed sightseeing stops are not included in the price.

Are drinks and Wi-Fi included on the ship?

No. Water or drinks during meals and Wi-Fi on the Nile cruise are not included. Bottled water is provided during outings outside the ship.