Hot air balloon over Luxor on a Nile cruise from Aswan: four trips compared
5 min read
You cannot book the balloon from Aswan itself: it flies over Luxor, on the last morning of a cruise, so the choice is really which cruise to take. The four trips below all sail from Aswan to Luxor on a ship the pages call 5-star, and all add the flight on the final day. The 3-day cruise with hot air balloon is listed from €891.36 per person, the 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon flight from €516.99, the 4-day, 3-night cruise with hot air balloon from €490.25 and the 4-day private cruise with balloon ride from €573.14.
| Cruise | Duration | From | Rating | What the page lists |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3-day cruise with balloon | 3 days | €891.36 | 4.3 · 658 | Private tour, Abu Simbel on day 1, balloon flight of 45 to 80 minutes on day 3 |
| 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon | 4 days | €516.99 | 4.5 · 581 | Abu Simbel around 4:30 AM on day 2, balloon of about 30 to 45 minutes on day 4, English guide |
| 4-day, 3-night cruise with balloon | 4 days | €490.25 | 4.5 · 186 | Standard group up to 20 people, Abu Simbel in a small group, balloon of 30 to 45 minutes |
| 4-day private cruise with balloon | 4 days | €573.14 | 4.2 · 261 | Private Egyptologist, “sunrise VIP” balloon, English guide; Spanish, German or French as an add-on |
When the balloon happens
On every page the flight is the first thing on the last morning, followed by the West Bank in Luxor. The 4-day, 3-night cruise gives a pickup around 5:00 AM. The private 4-day cruise says transfer before sunrise, then breakfast on board and a 9:00 AM meeting with the guide for the full-day tour. The balloon length varies between pages: about 30 to 45 minutes on the two 4-day cruises that give a figure, and 45 to 80 minutes on the 3-day trip, at over 1,500 feet. For the private cruise, ask how long the flight lasts.
Days, Abu Simbel and guides
The 3-day trip starts with Abu Simbel straight after the Aswan pickup, then boards the ship. On both 4-day cruises that list it, Abu Simbel is a very early excursion on day 2, with a pickup around 4:30 AM, before Kom Ombo. The 4-day private cruise describes a scenic 4-hour drive to Abu Simbel, so allow for the longer figure; see our Abu Simbel guide for the road trip on its own. Guides: English on all four pages; the 3-day page offers Spanish, German, Italian or French as an add-on, the private cruise Spanish, German or French.
What to check before booking
Entrance fees: none of the four pages includes temple tickets. The 4-day, 3-night cruise lists them as not included, at around US$105 per person for all sites; the 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel says they are paid locally and vary by site; and on the private cruise and the 3-day trip, entrance fees sit in the part of the “Includes” list where the extras are. Budget for them on top. Children: three pages set a minimum age of 6 for the balloon flight, and the private cruise cites a civil aviation rule. For the 4-day, 3-night cruise, ask the operator about the age limit. Weather: the 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel states a refund of US$25 per person if the flight is cancelled because of weather; the other three pages say nothing about a cancelled flight, so ask the operator. West Bank hotels: on the 4-day, 3-night cruise, pickup from West Bank hotels in Aswan and drop-off at West Bank hotels in Luxor cost US$10 per person extra each; the 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel charges the same US$10 for a West Bank pickup in Aswan.
How to choose
Take the 3-day trip if you want the shortest version. Take one of the 4-day trips for a slower sail past Kom Ombo and Edfu, plus a first day in Aswan with the High Dam and Philae; the private one if you want your own guide throughout. All four list free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start. More boats are on the Nile cruises from Aswan page, and our guide to 3 or 4 days on the Nile compares cruise lengths.
