Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor: 3 days or 4 days?
4 min read
Choose four days if you want to see Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Luxor without rushing; choose three days only if you are short on time, because that format packs Abu Simbel, two temples, a balloon flight and all of Luxor into three days. The 4-day Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor with a guide is the baseline: three nights on a 5-star ship with full board, listed from €401.11 per person.
| Cruise | Length | From | Rating | Listed highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-day cruise with guide | 4 days | €401.11 | 4.3 · 659 | Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Luxor; Abu Simbel optional |
| 3-day cruise with balloon | 3 days | €891.36 | 4.3 · 658 | Abu Simbel on day 1, Kom Ombo, Edfu, balloon, Luxor |
| 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon | 4 days | €516.99 | 4.5 · 581 | High Dam, Philae, Abu Simbel, balloon |
| 4-day private cruise with balloon | 4 days | €573.14 | 4.2 · 261 | Private Egyptologist, High Dam, obelisk, Philae, Abu Simbel, balloon |
The three-day version
The 3-day cruise with hot air balloon starts with Abu Simbel on day 1, boards the ship afterwards and sails to Kom Ombo. Day 2 is Edfu by horse-drawn carriage. Day 3 begins with a balloon flight of 45 to 80 minutes, then the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s temple, the Colossi of Memnon, a felucca ride, Karnak and Luxor Temple. That is a lot for one day, and it is the main drawback of the short format. The page lists a minimum age of 6 for the balloon ride, and entrance fees appear among the items not included.
The four-day versions
The plain 4-day cruise begins at Philae, spends day 2 at Kom Ombo (with an optional Abu Simbel morning), day 3 at Edfu and day 4 in Luxor. Two details to check before you book. First, temple and site entrance fees are not included in the base price; according to the page, your guide helps you buy the tickets at each site, so budget for them. Second, your last night in Luxor is not included, so arrange a hotel separately.
The 4-day cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon flight puts Abu Simbel on day 2 with a departure around 4:30 am, and a balloon flight of about 30 to 45 minutes on day 4. Its page says entrance tickets are paid locally and vary by site. The private cruise adds a private Egyptologist and driver and describes the Abu Simbel drive as four hours. Its entry fees are listed as not included, and children under 6 cannot join the balloon flight.
Things the pages warn about
- Itineraries can change with sailing conditions or Nile water levels.
- Drinks on board are listed as not included on the plain 4-day cruise.
- One three-day cruise listing notes that on Monday departures the boat sails late on the first night or on Tuesday afternoon.
Which to book
Pick the plain four-day cruise if you want temples, not early alarms. Add Abu Simbel if you have not booked it separately, and read our guide to getting to Abu Simbel from Aswan first. Pick the three-day cruise only if you are short on time. If you want the balloon without the rush, both four-day cruises with a balloon flight schedule it on the last morning. The full range is on the Nile cruises from Aswan page.
