5 Days Nile Cruise to Luxor and Aswan from Cairo

Optional Excursion: Hot Air Balloon Ride Over the Valley of the Kings.

Get ready to roll with a hot air ballooning adventure that is simply unlike any other experience over the historic city of Luxor. The early morning sun rays light up in an evenly yet golden glow over the city and the giant mountains surrounding it.

In fact, breakfast will take place on the Nile cruise. After breakfast, you will visit the west bank of the Nile, which includes:

Valley of the Kings:

The said site hosts the tombs of Egypt's pharaohs from the 18th to the 20th dynasty, including those of the famous Ramses II and the young Tutankhamun. As part of the best of Luxor attractions, the extensive riches were well equipped with the luxurious objects required by a ruler in the afterlife, with the internal decoration relatively well preserved.

Hatshepsut Temple:

One of the most beautiful and best-preserved temples of Ancient Egypt, Hatshepsut Temple boasts three levels, linked by two broad ramps positioned centrally.

Colossi of Memnon:

These two enormous statues represent King Amenhotep III and are the remains of a grand mortuary temple. Made from quartzite sandstone blocks ranging from Cairo 700 kilometers away to Luxor, the statues were transported there.

Valley of the Queens Optional Visit:

Along the Valley of the Queens lie more than 75 royal tombs, including those of queens, princes, and princesses, and one among them has been elaborately constructed - the tomb of Nefertari (No. 66), the richest in Egypt.

At 1300, you will start sailing to Esna Lock, while lunch is served in the boat.

At 18:00 hours, you will stop at the Esna Lock, and continue on sailing to Edfu, with dinner served on board.

You will spend the night on board the cruise in Edfu.

Breakfast on the Cruise

Visit the Temple of Edfu at 07:00

Edfu Temple:

This is one of the very popular places of Upper Egypt where the temple of hawk-god Horus closely stands in construction to one's sight. The Ptolemaic temple of Horus was constructed on the grounds of an earlier temple, which was from the times of Ptolemy III (246 B.C.). A visit to this site is a highlight of any luxury Egypt Nile cruise.

09:30 Depart to Kom Ombo
12:30 Have lunch on the Nile cruise while sailing
15:30 Arrive at Kom Ombo and visit the Temple of Kom Ombo

Temple of Kom Ombo:

This temple and the town were seated about 40 kilometers north of Aswan and were consecrated to the gods Sobek and Horus. Most of the site is dated back to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods (332 B.C.-395 A.D).

17:30 Continue sailing toward Aswan with dinner while traveling.

21:00 Arrive at Aswan for the entire night on board the cruise.

Breakfast aboard the cruise

08:00 Commence with the excursion in Aswan that takes in the visit to the Temple of Philae and a scenic tour by Felucca around Elephantine Island, the High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk. The Unfinished Obelisk itself was disinterred in the early twenty-first century after more than a million years under sand. These are among the top things to do in Aswan, offering a glimpse into the rich history of the region.

Temple of Philae:

Constructed to honor the goddess Isis, this temple is the last example of classical Egyptian architecture. Its construction commenced around 690 BC, marking it as one of the latest sites dedicated to the worship of the goddess.

The High Dam:

The Aswan High Dam is a rock-fill dam located at the northern border between Egypt and Sudan. It takes water from the River Nile and forms the reservoir of Lake Nasser.

The Unfinished Obelisk:

This critically important artifact was discovered lying underneath the caliche in the early 1900s after having been buried for thousands of years.

Aswan thus became the source of antiquity's best granite types used in making statues and embellishing temples, pyramids, and obelisks. The enormous unfinished obelisk found in the Northern Quarries has offered great insights into how these monument structures were executed, although the entire process and techniques used are still somewhat obscure.

12:00 Enjoy lunch on board the cruise.

At 16:00, take a sailing trip by Felucca around Elephantine Island and visit Lord Kitchener Island.

Optional excursion to Nubian village:

The Nubian village is a great place to visit in Aswan, where one can spend at least two hours of a visit. This place is all about originality and its live art. A visit to the Nubian Village in Aswan should be mandatory if people want to see an ancient and really special rich life.

Dinner on board the cruise, then overnight.

On board, breakfast will be served.

Optional excursion to Abu Simbel temples:

These are the two temples carved from the mountainside on the west bank of the Nile between 1274 and 1244 B.C. The first, known as the Great Temple, honors Ramses II, along with the deities Ra-Harakhty, Amun Ra, and Ptah, featuring four colossal statues. The second is dedicated to Queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor. Remarkably, both temples were disassembled stone by stone and relocated to higher ground, marking one of UNESCO's most significant achievements in preservation.

If you prefer, we can have you visit Abu Simbel on Day 4 instead of Day 5.

Transfer to Aswan Airport for your flight to Cairo and then embark on your hotel transfer in Cairo.