Aswan to Luxor Nile cruises

Day one: boarding in Aswan, Philae, and the High Dam

The Aswan to Luxor cruise starts at the southern end of the route. You board the boat in Aswan at about midday, collect your cabin key, and have lunch on board. At about 2:30 PM you leave for the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis, which you reach by motor boat, and the Aswan High Dam.

The evening is free. The program offers an optional felucca sail around the Nile islands, the classic way to see Aswan from the water at sunset. Dinner is on board and the boat stays moored in Aswan for the night.

Because Philae comes on the very first afternoon, try to reach Aswan in good time. Travelers who arrive the day before often use the extra morning for Abu Simbel or a walk through the town.

Day two: Kom Ombo, Edfu, and the overnight sail

Day two is the day on the river. After breakfast the boat sails to Kom Ombo, where you visit the double temple of Sobek and Haroeris at about 9:00 AM. Lunch is served while the boat sails on to Edfu, and in the afternoon you visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt.

After dinner the boat keeps going. It sails through the night toward Luxor and passes the Esna lock on the way, so you wake up close to Luxor ready for the busiest day of the trip.

Day three: the West and East Banks of Luxor in one day

Luxor is the reason many people come to Egypt, and on this cruise you see it in one well-planned day. Breakfast is early, at about 6:30 AM, and at 7:30 AM you leave for the West Bank: the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon. Starting early means cooler air and fewer people at the tombs.

You return to the boat for lunch and a rest, then at about 3:00 PM you cross to the East Bank for Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple. Dinner is on board and you spend the last night moored in Luxor.

It is a full day. If you want more time in Luxor, add a night in a hotel after the cruise, or choose the Luxor to Aswan cruise, which spreads Luxor over two days.

Which boats sail from Aswan to Luxor

This page lists the cruise ships that have the 3-night Aswan to Luxor program. They are grouped by class, from luxury through deluxe to standard, so you can compare boats that offer a similar level of comfort. Every one of them lists a swimming pool on its own page, along with its cabins, dining and facilities.

Dahabiyas are not on this page because the dahabiyas we offer sail the other way, on the 4-night Luxor to Aswan program. If you are deciding between the two kinds of boat, our cruise ship or dahabiya page sets out the differences.

Who the 3-night cruise suits

The 3-night cruise is a good fit when the Nile is one part of a longer trip. It leaves room for Cairo and the pyramids, a few days on the Red Sea, or a trip to Abu Simbel, and it still covers the main temples between Aswan and Luxor. It also works well for travelers who reach Upper Egypt through Aswan and fly home or back to Cairo from Luxor.

It suits travelers less well if slow days on deck are the point of the trip, or if walking and early starts are hard. In those cases one more night makes a real difference, and the 4-night cruise from Luxor is the better choice.

Practical tips for a 3-night cruise

A short cruise rewards a little planning. Arrive in Aswan early enough to board at midday, because the Philae visit starts on the first afternoon. Pack a hat, high-SPF sunscreen, and comfortable shoes in your day bag, since every day has at least one temple visit and the West Bank day starts at 7:30 AM.

Use the sailing time well. The afternoon between Kom Ombo and Edfu on day two is the main stretch of daytime sailing on this cruise, so it is the moment for the sun deck and the pool. The overnight sail to Luxor is short on views but saves you a day.

Finally, think about the end of the trip. The cruise finishes after breakfast in Luxor on day four, so a flight home that same afternoon is possible, but a night in Luxor gives you time for anything the full day of visits left out.

How to ask for a quote

The price of an Aswan to Luxor cruise depends on the boat, the cabin, and your dates, so most boats show no public price. Request a quote with your dates and the boats you like, or the class you have in mind, and a planner replies within 24 hours with what is free on those dates. We can also plan the days before and after: a night in Aswan for Abu Simbel, hotels in Luxor, and the flight or train that links the cruise to Cairo, as described on our Nile cruise plus Cairo page.