4-day Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor

Meet and assist at Aswan airport, your hotel in Aswan, or the railway station, then transfer to the Nile cruise ship for embarkation. Proceed to visit the main attractions of Aswan including Philae Temple and a felucca ride around Elephantine Island, the High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk.

Philae Temple:
Built in honor of the goddess Isis. It was the last temple built in the classical Egyptian style. Construction began around 690 BC, and it was one of the last outposts where the goddess was worshipped.

High Dam:
The Aswan High Dam is a rock-fill dam located at the northern border between Egypt and Sudan. The dam is fed by the Nile River, and the reservoir forms Lake Nasser. Construction began in 1960 and was completed in 1968. It was officially inaugurated in 1971.

Unfinished Obelisk:

Aswan was the source of the finest granite of Ancient Egypt, used for making statues and decorating temples, pyramids, and obelisks. The large unfinished obelisk in the northern quarries has provided valuable insight into how these monuments were created, although the full construction process is still not entirely clear. Three sides of the shaft, nearly 42 m long, were completed except for the inscriptions. Weighing 1,168 tons, the finished obelisk would have been the heaviest single piece of stone ever made by the Egyptians.

12:00 Lunch on board the cruise

At 16:00, a felucca ride around Elephantine Island and visit to Lord Kitchener’s Island.

Optional tour: Visit the Nubian Village ($40 per person)

The Nubian Village is one of Aswan’s attractions. It is worth visiting and spending about 2 hours there. It is a very authentic, colorful, and artistic place. The Aswan Nubian Village is a must-visit to experience a traditional and unique way of life. The village is very colorful and will surprise you at every corner! Walking through the village, you will immediately feel its soul! Dinner and overnight on board the cruise.

Breakfast and lunch on board the cruise

Abu Simbel Temples:

The two temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari were carved out of the mountain on the west bank of the Nile between 1274 and 1244 BC. The Great Temple was dedicated to Ramses II, Ra-Horakhty, Amun-Ra, and Ptah, with four colossal statues. The second temple was dedicated to Queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. Both temples were dismantled stone by stone and rebuilt on higher ground. The preservation of the Abu Simbel temples is considered UNESCO’s greatest achievement.

13:00 Sailing to Kom Ombo

Kom Ombo Temple:

The temple and its associated settlement are located 40 km north of Aswan. The temple was dedicated to the deities Sobek and Horus and mainly dates back to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods (332 BC - 395 AD).

Sailing to Edfu – Overnight in Edfu

Dinner and overnight on board the cruise

Breakfast on board the Nile cruise, Visit to Edfu

Edfu Temple:
An Upper Egyptian site dominated by a large, well-preserved temple dedicated to the falcon god Horus. The construction of the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus, built on the site of an earlier temple, dates between the reign of Ptolemy III (246 BC). The wall inscriptions include the myth of the struggle between Horus and Seth (likely performed annually as a religious drama).
Sailing to Luxor via Esna Lock.

Luxor Temple:

Luxor Temple, located on the east bank of the Nile in the city of Luxor, was known in ancient Egyptian as:
Mainly built by the New Kingdom pharaoh Amenhotep III and completed by King Tutankhamun and the great King Ramses II. The first pylon was erected by Ramses II and decorated with scenes of his military battle at Kadesh.

Dinner and overnight on board the cruise ship.

Galabeya party.

Optional tour: Hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings ($100 per person):

Prepare your camera for a stunning hot air balloon flight over the historic city of Luxor. Catch the early morning sunlight illuminating the city and surrounding mountains. View Luxor’s ancient landmarks from a bird’s-eye perspective from the balloon.

Breakfast on board the Nile cruise. Visit the west bank of the Nile including:

Valley of the Kings:

The final resting place of Egypt’s rulers from the 18th to the 20th dynasties, including tombs of the great Pharaoh Ramses II and the boy king Tutankhamun.
The tombs were richly stocked with all the material goods a ruler might need in the afterlife. Most of the interior decorations are still well preserved.

Optional tombs:

Tomb of Tutankhamun:

The tomb of Tutankhamun is the only tomb in the Valley of the Kings that was discovered almost intact in 1922 by Howard Carter. The famous golden mask of Tut is displayed in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, but here you have the chance to see the royal mummy of the young pharaoh.

Tomb of Ramses VI:

One of the largest and most beautifully decorated monuments in the Valley of the Kings, the tomb of Ramses VI was taken over from its original designer, his nephew and predecessor Ramses V.

Hatshepsut Temple:
One of the most beautiful and best-preserved temples of Ancient Egypt. It was built on three levels with two wide ramps in the central section connecting the levels together.

Colossi of Memnon:
Two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III are the only remains of a complete mortuary temple. The statues are made from blocks of quartzite sandstone quarried in Aswan and transported 700 km to Luxor.

Optional tour to the Valley of the Queens:

The Valley of the Queens contains more than 75 royal tombs. Queens, princesses, and princes were buried here, and one of Egypt’s most luxurious tombs—the tomb of Nefertari (No. 66)—is located in this valley. Although many tombs were looted over the years, many still feature vivid wall paintings. You can purchase a ticket to visit the tomb of Queen Nefertari.

Lunch will be served in Luxor. Transfer to the airport for departure to Aswan.