Cairo : 6 Days Nile Cruise Aswan, Luxor, Abu Simbel &Train Ticket

Egypt by night train works surprisingly well. This $599 package links Cairo, Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor without the cost of domestic flights. I especially like the full-board Nile cruise and the chance to see Philae, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings in one well-organized trip. The main catch is that entrance fees are not included, and the seated night trains may feel tiring after a long day of sightseeing.

You get a private cruise cabin, three nights of meals, guided visits, and transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle. Guide Khaled has been singled out for making the trip friendly and enjoyable. Still, you need to budget extra for the temples, tombs, drinks, onboard Wi-Fi, and staff tips.

Key points at a glance

• The trip uses overnight seated trains between Cairo and Aswan, then Luxor and Cairo, keeping the price lower than a flight-based package.
• Three nights are spent on a five-star Nile boat with full board, a pool, a gym, and a private room.
• Aswan includes the High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk, and Philae Temple, with a motorboat ride to the island temple.
• Kom Ombo and Edfu are visited while cruising north, so you see major temples without changing hotels each night.
• Luxor gets a full sightseeing day, covering the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s temple, Karnak, Luxor Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon.
• Abu Simbel is offered as an optional early-morning trip, while the advertised group size is limited to 15 people.

What the $599 price really covers

At $599 per person, this is a strong-value way to connect Cairo with Upper Egypt. You are paying for the cruise, private cruise accommodation, meals onboard, guided touring, road transfers, train tickets, and arrival assistance. That is a lot of transport and sightseeing packed into one price.

The savings come partly from the train arrangement. You use first-class seated overnight trains rather than flights or sleeper cabins. A sleeper upgrade costs an additional $160 per person for the round trip in a twin arrangement. If you value a proper bed, that upgrade may be worth considering, especially because the journey to Aswan lasts about 12 hours.

The price does not include entrance tickets to the listed sights. That means the advertised fare is not your final spending total. You should also plan for water, drinks, cruise Wi-Fi, boat staff tips, and any personal purchases.

I like this honest trade-off. You get the big-ticket structure of a Nile cruise without paying for an all-inclusive package. But you should not book it assuming that every temple entrance is already covered.

The overnight train from Cairo to Aswan

Your first evening begins with pickup from a Cairo or Giza hotel. A guide or representative transfers you to Cairo train station for the overnight journey south. The train ride takes about 12 hours, and the ticket is for a first-class seated carriage.

This is efficient, but it is not luxury travel. A seated overnight train can be a good use of time, since you avoid losing a full sightseeing day. It can also be a rough start if you sleep poorly. Pack a small bag with essentials rather than relying on access to your main luggage during the ride.

Breakfast is provided on the sleeper train, according to the trip details. The wording around the train service is slightly confusing because the standard package uses seated trains, while the sleeper option costs extra. Confirm the exact train arrangement before departure if sleeping comfort matters to you.

On arrival at Aswan, you are met at the station and taken to the cruise boat. You have time to refresh and rest before beginning the local sightseeing.

Aswan’s three signature stops

The Aswan portion begins with the High Dam, a major piece of modern Egyptian infrastructure. The visit is brief, around 30 minutes, so expect an overview rather than a long technical tour. It helps explain how the Nile is managed today and why Aswan became such an important point in Egypt’s modern development.

Next comes the Unfinished Obelisk. This large piece of granite remains attached to the bedrock, giving you a clear look at how ancient stoneworkers shaped monumental blocks. The visit lasts about 45 minutes. It is a useful stop because you see the working process, not just the finished monuments.

Philae Temple is the highlight for many people. Reached by motorboat, the temple sits on an island and has a more isolated feel than the roadside monuments. Plan on about an hour and a half here, including the boat ride and temple visit. The entrance fee is extra, as it is for the other major sites.

The boat ride is included, which is useful because Philae is not a simple walk-up attraction. You will want comfortable shoes and some protection from the sun, since the itinerary includes time outdoors and on the water.

Life aboard the five-star Nile cruise

The cruise provides three nights in a private room on a five-star boat. Full board includes three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners. The boat also has a pool and gym, giving you somewhere to rest between temple visits.

That rhythm is one of the best reasons to choose this package. You unpack once, then the river carries you north while the sightseeing happens at scheduled stops. You also get time to watch the Nile from the boat instead of spending every hour in a road vehicle.

The trade-off is that onboard extras are not included. Wi-Fi costs extra, and drinks and water are not supplied as part of the package. Ask about these costs early, then budget accordingly. Boat staff tipping is also separate.

The cruise days are not packed from morning to night. You have free time while the boat sails, which makes the schedule less exhausting than a continuous series of road transfers. Still, the organized port visits mean you need to follow the timing closely.

Kom Ombo and the evening cruise north

Kom Ombo is visited as the boat sails toward Edfu. The temple is unusual because it is dedicated to two gods, with a layout that reflects this dual purpose. Your guided visit takes about two hours.

A cart ride to the temple is included, which saves some walking and makes the port visit easier to manage within the cruise schedule. Entrance remains extra.

Kom Ombo is best appreciated with a guide because the layout and decorations can otherwise seem hard to read quickly. Stay aware of the departure time. The boat continues toward Edfu after the visit, and the schedule is built around sailing, not lingering at the site.

An optional Abu Simbel trip is offered in the early morning. This is one of Egypt’s most famous excursions, but it adds a very early start to an already active itinerary. The package information also refers to a shared small-group Abu Simbel visit with an English-speaking guide, so ask exactly how the optional arrangement and cost apply to your booking.

Edfu and the Temple of Horus

The next major stop is Edfu, home to the Temple of Horus. The visit lasts about two hours and follows free time during the cruise.

Edfu is a good match for this itinerary because the temple is reached as part of the river journey rather than through another long drive. The site is associated with Horus and gives you another large temple complex before Luxor.

A guide helps you distinguish Edfu from Kom Ombo instead of treating every temple as the same. You will see repeated Egyptian symbols and religious themes, but each site has its own design and story. As always, the entrance fee is not included.

After Edfu, the boat continues toward Luxor and arrives in the afternoon. You spend the night onboard before the final major sightseeing day.

Luxor’s west bank: tombs, cliffs, and royal monuments

After breakfast, you check out and cross to Luxor’s West Bank. The first major stop is the Valley of the Kings, where the pharaohs were buried in rock-cut tombs. The visit lasts about two hours.

Your included tour covers the valley, but entrance fees are separate. The exact tomb access can vary, so do not assume that every tomb is included in the ticket price. The Valley of the Kings is one of the places where extra ticket planning matters most.

The Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari follows, with about 90 minutes allotted. Its broad terraces sit against the cliffs and give the stop a different feel from the enclosed tombs. You are seeing a royal memorial temple, not a burial chamber.

The Colossi of Memnon is a short 30-minute stop. These huge seated statues are free to visit within the package. This is a quick photo and orientation stop rather than a long guided visit, so it helps break up the day without adding another ticket.

Luxor’s east bank: Karnak and Luxor Temple

The afternoon continues on the East Bank at Karnak Temple. Two hours gives you time to see the main areas with a guide, although the complex is large enough that you should not expect every corner.

Karnak is one of the trip’s biggest highlights. Its scale helps you understand how religious power was displayed in ancient Thebes. Wide courts, columns, and monumental gateways make it a place where a guide can save you from simply walking past details.

Luxor Temple comes next, with about 90 minutes for the visit. It has a different setting and mood from Karnak, especially as the day moves toward evening. Seeing both temples on the same day lets you compare them rather than treating Luxor as one oversized archaeological stop.

This is a full day. You visit two banks of the Nile and five major sites, with the Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s temple earlier in the day. Wear practical shoes, carry water, and expect heat. Water and drinks are not included on the cruise or in the package.

The return train from Luxor to Cairo

After Luxor Temple, you transfer to Luxor train station for the overnight trip back to Cairo. The train ride is listed at about 10 hours, again using overnight seated accommodation in the standard package.

The return train is the hardest part of the schedule for some people. By this point, you have completed several temple visits and spent three nights cruising, so a seated overnight journey may feel less appealing than it did at the start.

The benefit is clear: you avoid the cost of a separate flight and arrive near Cairo the next morning. You are then transferred from Giza train station to your Cairo or Giza hotel. A direct transfer to Cairo Airport can also be arranged, which is useful if your onward flight fits the timing.

Group size, guides, and the pace

The maximum group size is 15 people. That is small enough for a guide to keep the group together without creating the feel of a large coach tour. It also makes the included guided visits more practical at busy sites.

The package uses an English-speaking Egyptology guide for Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor. Guide Khaled is specifically praised for being friendly and helpful, so if he is assigned to your group, you can expect a warm and personable style based on the available feedback.

The pace suits someone who wants the main sights handled efficiently. You will not have unlimited time at every monument, and the train journeys reduce the amount of restorative sleep. The cruise’s free sailing periods help, but this is still an active six-day program.

Most people can participate, according to the stated tour information. Pickup is available, mobile tickets are supported, and group discounts may be offered. Confirm the details for your own booking before you rely on them.

Who should book this Nile cruise?

I would choose this trip if you want to see the major Upper Egypt sights in one organized package and you are comfortable with basic overnight train travel. It is especially useful for a first visit, since transport, guides, cruise accommodation, and station transfers are arranged together.

You will likely appreciate:

• A private cruise room rather than a series of different hotels
• Full-board meals for the three cruise nights
• A small group capped at 15 people
• Guided visits at the main temples and tombs
• A lower headline price than a flight-based package
• An optional Abu Simbel add-on

I would think twice if you need uninterrupted sleep, dislike seated night trains, or want every entrance fee included in advance. The package is also less suitable if you prefer slow, independent visits with lots of unscheduled time.

Free cancellation is available when you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations inside that window are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book it?

Book this Nile cruise if value, coverage, and convenience matter more to you than luxury train travel. For $599, you get a strong route through Aswan and Luxor, three nights on a full-board boat, and guided access to Egypt’s essential southern sights.

Before paying, ask for the current entrance-fee total, confirm the train class, check the Abu Simbel price and timing, and learn the expected tipping amount. If those extras fit your budget, this is a practical way to see the Nile without spending more on domestic flights.

FAQ

How long does the experience last?

The experience lasts approximately six days, including the overnight train journeys between Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor.

Where does the tour begin?

Pickup is offered from hotels in Cairo or Giza, followed by a transfer to Cairo train station.

Where does the tour end?

You arrive at Giza train station and receive a transfer to your Cairo or Giza hotel. A direct transfer to Cairo Airport can also be arranged.

How many nights are spent on the Nile cruise?

The package includes three nights aboard a five-star Nile cruise boat in a private room.

Are meals included?

Three breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners are included during the cruise portion of the trip.

Are entrance fees included?

No. Entrance fees for the listed sightseeing stops are paid separately.

Is Abu Simbel included?

Abu Simbel is offered as an optional early-morning tour. The package information also specifies a shared small-group visit with an English-speaking guide.

What kind of train ticket is included?

The standard package includes overnight first-class seated train tickets for the Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo journeys. A sleeper upgrade is available for an additional $160 per person in a twin arrangement for the round trip.

Is the cruise Wi-Fi included?

No. Wi-Fi on the cruise costs extra. Water and other drinks are also not included.

How large is the group?

The maximum group size is 15 people.