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On the NileNile cruises · Aswan to Luxor

Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor — four days, three nights, seven options

The Aswan to Luxor Nile cruise is the shorter direction — three nights downstream, with Philae, Kom Ombo and Edfu on the way. On the platforms it starts at about $450; Abu Simbel and a balloon flight add roughly $100–200.

Standard length
4 days, 3 nights
Platform price
from about $450
Temples on board
Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu
Most-reviewed
657 reviews

Updated October 21, 2026

The Nile at Aswan with granite islands and sailing boats
The Nile at Aswan with granite islands and sailing boats Photo: Marc Ryckaert (MJJR), CC BY 3.0

The short answer

  1. Best overallFrom Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight4.5558 reviewsfrom $580GetYourGuide

    Three nights with Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Abu Simbel, a sunrise balloon and the West Bank, rated 4.5 by more than 550 travelers. The most complete package for the money.

  2. Best valueFrom Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Guide4.3654 reviewsfrom $450GetYourGuide

    The cheapest full 3-night cruise in the feed, with full board and a guide, and the second-highest review count. Add Abu Simbel yourself if you want it.

  3. Best privateAswan: 4-Day Private Nile Cruise to Luxor with Balloon Ride4.2261 reviewsfrom $643GetYourGuide

    A private version with Abu Simbel and a balloon flight for about $60 more than the best shared package.

  4. Short on timeFrom Aswan: Overnight Nile Cruise to Luxor with Meals4.2178 reviewsfrom $550GetYourGuide

    One night on board from Aswan to Luxor with meals — enough to see the river, not enough to see the temples properly.

How the Aswan to Luxor Nile cruise works

A Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor sails downstream, with the current, which is why it is a night shorter than the same trip southbound. The big ships publish it as 4 days and 3 nights: Sonesta's Star Goddess boards in Aswan on Wednesdays and Mövenpick's Royal Lily on Fridays; on Sonesta's schedule the ship spends the whole third day sailing to Luxor and moors there that night. The temples are the same in either direction — Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, then Karnak and the West Bank — only the order and the pace change.

Almost everyone combines Luxor and Aswan this way because the ship is hotel, restaurant and transport at once. You unpack once and wake up next to a different temple.

A typical 4-day / 3-night cruise from Aswan (Sonesta Star Goddess schedule)
  1. Board in Aswan, lunch on deck, felucca sail in the afternoon, Nubian show after dinner
  2. High Dam, granite quarries and Philae Temple; optional pre-dawn Abu Simbel trip on some packages instead
  3. Sail north; Kom Ombo temple at about 17:30, then sail on to Edfu overnight
  4. Temple of Horus at Edfu before breakfast, then a full day sailing through the Esna lock to Luxor
  5. Disembark; West Bank (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut) in the morning, Karnak and Luxor Temple from about 14:30

Times are the operator's and shift with lock queues; the ship notes that the order of visits can change for navigation reasons. Note the last day: on the 3-night version both Luxor banks fall on disembarkation day. Many packages add a sunrise balloon flight that same morning.

The seven Aswan–Luxor cruises compared

Prices, ratings and durations are from the GetYourGuide feed today; inclusions are from each listing's summary — confirm the details on the listing before you book.

Cruise Nights Abu Simbel Balloon Guide From Rating (reviews)
4-day with guide 3 — — Private guide about $450 4.3 (654)
4-day, Abu Simbel + balloon 3 ✓ ✓ Egyptologist about $580 4.5 (558)
4-day, balloon, overland Abu Simbel 3 ✓ ✓ Egyptologist about $550 4.5 (173)
4-day private, Abu Simbel + balloon 3 ✓ ✓ Private about $643 4.2 (261)
3-day with guided tours 2 — — Guided about $590 4.5 (76)
3-day with balloon 2 — ✓ Guided about $1,000 4.3 (657)
Overnight with meals 1 — — — about $550 4.2 (178)

Two things stand out. First, the 3-night cruises with Abu Simbel and a balloon cost only $100–130 more than the plain 3-night cruise. Second, the shorter 2-night and 1-night options are not cheaper than the 3-night ones, so they only make sense if your dates force them.

Aswan to Luxor cruises, most-reviewed first

US-dollar prices come from each platform's own feed and were checked on October 21, 2026. Dates and group size change them — the booking page has the final price.

Luxor to Aswan or Aswan to Luxor: which direction?

Aswan → Luxor Luxor → Aswan
Length 3 nights / 4 days 4 nights / 5 days
Current Downstream, with the current Upstream, against it
Luxor sights Squeezed into the last day Spread over days 1 and 2 on board
Abu Simbel Pre-dawn on day 2, before sailing On the Aswan day, or after disembarking
Balloon flight Last morning Morning of day 2
Best if You fly into Aswan or come from Abu Simbel Luxor is the main event

Southbound programs such as Sonesta's board in Luxor at 11:00, visit Karnak and Luxor Temple the same afternoon and the West Bank the next morning, then sail to Esna. That is the calmer way to see Luxor. Northbound saves a night and usually some money, and the platforms list more options from Aswan. For Luxor-start cruises, see our Nile cruise overview.

The Temple of Horus at Edfu, visited at dawn on day 3 of the downstream cruise
The Temple of Horus at Edfu, visited at dawn on day 3 of the downstream cruise Photo: Marc Ryckaert, CC BY-SA 4.0

What is included — and what costs extra

Full board is standard: three meals a day, mostly buffet. Bottled water is often included; other drinks are billed to your cabin. Crew tips are customary and are usually collected in an envelope on the last night, with guides and drivers tipped separately. Entry tickets vary — some listings include them, others don't, so read that line before comparing. If a balloon flight is in the package, it flies at sunrise on the Luxor morning; our balloon guide explains what happens if winds cancel it.

Who should pick which cruise

  • First Egypt trip, 3–4 days to spare: the 3-night cruise with Abu Simbel and the balloon. It covers the main sites of Upper Egypt in one booking.
  • Already been to Abu Simbel, or not interested: the plain 3-night cruise at about $450, then spend the savings on a West Bank half day with more time in the tombs.
  • Family or small group wanting control: the private version, which keeps the same ship but gives you your own guide and schedule on land.
  • Only one night free: the overnight sailing — but accept that you'll see the river more than the temples.

Questions travellers ask

How many days is a Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor?

The standard program is 4 days and 3 nights. Sonesta's Star Goddess, for example, boards in Aswan at 11:00 on Wednesday and disembarks in Luxor at 08:00 on Saturday. Shorter versions of 2 nights and 1 night exist on the platforms; the reverse direction, Luxor to Aswan, usually takes 4 nights.

Which is better, Aswan to Luxor or Luxor to Aswan?

Aswan to Luxor is a night shorter and cheaper, and suits anyone arriving in Aswan or coming from Abu Simbel. Luxor to Aswan gives Luxor's two banks their own half-days on board instead of cramming them into the last morning. If Luxor is your priority, sail south; if time is short, sail north.

How much is a Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor?

On GetYourGuide, 3-night cruises start at about $450 per person with full board and a guide. Packages adding Abu Simbel and a balloon flight run from about $550 to $650, and private-guide versions sit at the top of that range. Drinks and crew tips are extra on most ships.

Does the Aswan to Luxor cruise include Abu Simbel?

Only if the listing says so. Abu Simbel is about 280 km south of Aswan, so it's a pre-dawn excursion before the ship sails. Three of the seven cruises compared here build it in; on the others it's an optional extra. See our Abu Simbel guide for road and flight options.

Can I do Aswan to Luxor by car instead?

Yes. The direct highway takes a little over 3 hours; with stops at Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna it becomes a 9–10 hour day. A private car with an Egyptologist is the fastest way to see the same temples, though you lose the nights on the river. Our transfers guide covers drivers and prices.

Do I need to book a Nile cruise in advance?

October to April is the busy season, so for those months book a few weeks ahead, especially for packages with a balloon flight, which depend on limited sunrise slots. Check each listing's cancellation terms before paying; they differ between operators. In summer there is more choice, but daytime heat makes the temple visits harder work.

Sources and checks

  1. Sonesta Star Goddess — 3-night Aswan–Luxor and 4-night Luxor–Aswan itineraries — checked 21 Oct 2026
  2. Sonesta Nile Goddess — cruise itineraries — checked 21 Oct 2026
  3. Mövenpick MS Royal Lily — 3 nights from Aswan (Fridays), 4 nights from Luxor (Mondays) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  4. Paliparan — Nile River Cruise Guide (direction, nights, tipping; updated July 2025) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  5. In Your Pocket — The Nile Cruise Guide: Routes, Ships and What to Expect — checked 21 Oct 2026
  6. Earth Trekkers — Driving between Aswan and Luxor (updated Dec 2025) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  7. Seat61 — Cairo to Luxor & Aswan by sleeper train (Luxor–Aswan timings) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  8. Wego — Abu Simbel 2026 visitor's guide (distance from Aswan) — checked 21 Oct 2026
  9. GetYourGuide — Aswan activity feed (prices, ratings, review counts) — checked 21 Oct 2026

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