Settle into unhurried travel aboard the Chateau Lafayette, a graceful river ship that carries you between Luxor and Aswan while the living Nile slides past your cabin window. Mornings ashore lead you through the colossal hypostyle hall of Karnak, the jewel-bright burial chambers of the Valley of the Kings, the falcon-guarded courts of Edfu and the water-set sanctuary of Philae on its island of Isis. Afternoons return you to a shaded sun deck, a plate of freshly prepared Egyptian and international dishes, and a crew whose care is quietly attentive. Pharaonic wonders under a bright sun by day, softly lit sailing under the stars by night. Reserve your Chateau Lafayette voyage with Daily Pyramids Tours and let Egypt’s great river do the guiding.
Sailing between Luxor and Aswan, the Chateau Lafayette Nile Cruise pairs the wonders of Upper Egypt with the ease of a well-run river ship. Elegant cabins, generous public spaces, thoughtful leisure facilities and warm Egyptian hospitality set the tone, while a carefully paced programme of temples, tombs and riverside scenes fills every day. It is a holiday designed for those who want to see the classics of the Nile without losing the rhythm of the river itself.
Day 1: Arrival in Aswan – Aswan City Tour
Your representative meets you at Aswan Airport or your hotel and stays with you for the day’s touring in a private air-conditioned vehicle. First on the itinerary is the High Dam, the vast twentieth-century project that tamed the Nile’s flood and preserved a string of Nubian monuments from the rising waters.
You then head to the Unfinished Obelisk, still resting in the granite quarry where a hidden crack forced its abandonment, a striking window onto how the ancient stonemasons quarried and shaped their monoliths.
A motorised felucca ferries you across the river to Philae Temple, the island shrine of Isis that was famously dismantled and rebuilt on higher Agilkia Island. If time allows, an optional sail circles Elephantine Island and the First Cataract for a closer look at the granite islets that give Aswan its character.
Lunch is taken at a local restaurant before you transfer to your Nile cruise vessel and settle in. Dinner is served on board, with the first night spent moored in Aswan.
Meals: Lunch – Dinner
Day 2: Kom Ombo & Sailing to Edfu
After breakfast on board you drive roughly 45 km north from Aswan by private vehicle to reach Kom Ombo. Here you tour the Temple of Kom Ombo, a rare double sanctuary laid out in perfect mirror symmetry to honour Sobek, the crocodile god, alongside Haroeris, a form of Horus.
You explore the paired inner shrines, hypostyle halls and ritual chambers, then step into the small Crocodile Museum, whose mummified reptiles were recovered close to the temple grounds.
Lunch follows at a local restaurant before you rejoin the ship, which slips its moorings and begins the leisurely sail toward Edfu. The afternoon unfolds slowly past sugarcane fields, mud-brick villages and honey-coloured sandstone cliffs typical of Upper Egypt.
A short onboard briefing sets you up for the following day, and the vessel ties up for the night at Edfu.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 3: Edfu Temple & Arrival in Luxor
After breakfast, a horse-drawn carriage clip-clops you through the streets of Edfu to the Temple of Horus, widely regarded as the most complete ancient temple to survive in Egypt.
Inside, soaring pylons, cavernous halls and finely cut inscriptions retrace the myth of Horus and Seth and the ritual calendar of the Ptolemaic priesthood. Preservation is so remarkable that visitors can still climb through nearly every original level, right up to the roof terraces.
Back on board, the ship continues north toward Luxor, and lunch is served as the river drifts by.
On arrival, you visit Luxor Temple on the East Bank, a monument shaped across the centuries by rulers such as Amenhotep III and Ramesses II.
Its stately colonnades, open courts and sphinx-lined processional way mark the ceremonial heart of ancient Thebes. The cruise remains docked in Luxor for the night.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 4: Luxor West Bank & Departure
After breakfast and disembarkation, you cross to Luxor’s West Bank, the great necropolis of ancient Thebes. Your morning starts in the Valley of the Kings, where three royal tombs open their painted walls and funerary texts to reveal the pharaohs’ journey through the afterlife.
You continue to the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, an audacious terraced sanctuary set into the cliffs and dedicated to one of Egypt’s most formidable female rulers.
A final pause is made at the Colossi of Memnon, two seated giants who once guarded a long-lost mortuary temple. Following lunch, you are driven to Luxor Airport or your hotel for onward travel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 1: Arrival in Luxor – East Bank Exploration
A representative greets you at Luxor Airport or the train station and drives you by private air-conditioned vehicle to your Nile cruise vessel for check-in.
Sightseeing opens at the Karnak Temple Complex, the largest religious enclosure ever built, expanded across more than two thousand years by generations of pharaohs.
You then move on to Luxor Temple, a New Kingdom masterpiece once joined to Karnak by the ceremonial Avenue of Sphinxes.
Lunch is taken at a local restaurant during the day, and you return to the ship for your first overnight in Luxor.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: West Bank of Luxor – Sailing Toward Edfu
After breakfast you cross to Luxor’s West Bank for a guided walk through the Valley of the Kings, where more than 60 royal tombs hold richly painted scenes of the ancient Egyptian afterlife.
From there you visit the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, a terraced wonder set against sheer cliffs and dedicated to Egypt’s most powerful female pharaoh.
A brief stop follows at the Colossi of Memnon, two colossal statues that mark what remains of the mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant, and you rejoin the vessel as she casts off and begins the southbound sail toward Edfu. The night is spent on board as the ship glides along the Nile.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples
Arriving in Edfu, you climb aboard a horse-drawn carriage that takes you through the town to the Temple of Horus for a guided visit.
This astonishingly complete Ptolemaic temple honours the falcon-headed Horus and stands among the best-preserved ancient sanctuaries anywhere in Egypt.
Back on board, the ship continues toward Kom Ombo, where you tour a singular double temple shared between Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, a form of Horus.
Its mirror-image plan and dramatic riverside setting make it one of the most photogenic temples on the Nile. Lunch is served on board during sailing, and the journey continues toward Aswan.
The night is spent on board in Aswan.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Aswan Highlights and Nile Sailing
The morning opens at the High Aswan Dam, a landmark of modern engineering whose vast reservoir, Lake Nasser, reshaped Egyptian agriculture and water supply.
Next comes the Unfinished Obelisk, an immense granite shaft left unfinished in its quarry and offering a rare, hands-on lesson in ancient stone-carving.
A motorboat then ferries you to Philae Island for a guided visit to the Temple of Isis, a Ptolemaic sanctuary painstakingly relocated after the Aswan Dam raised the waters.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant, followed by a traditional felucca sail around Elephantine Island for a slow, reflective look at Aswan’s granite outcrops and everyday river life.
You return to the vessel for your final night on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Departure from Aswan
After breakfast on board, you check out from the ship and a private air-conditioned vehicle transfers you to Aswan Airport or the train station for your onward journey.
Meals: Breakfast
At Daily Pyramids Tours, all prices are quoted in US Dollars (USD) unless otherwise specified. However, we gladly accept payments in other major currencies such as Euros (EUR), British Pounds (GBP), and more, based on the official daily exchange rate on the payment date.
Our prices reflect current market conditions, seasonal fluctuations, and service availability, so they may change without prior notice. Once a deposit or full payment is received, your booking price is locked in and guaranteed.
What’s Included in Our Packages:
Please check your specific booking confirmation and itinerary for exact inclusions and exclusions.
Holiday Supplement:
A 25% surcharge applies to all Nile Cruises and tour packages booked during Christmas, New Year, and Easter holidays due to peak demand.
To ensure a smooth booking process with Daily Pyramids Tours, our payment terms vary depending on the service type:
After payment, you will receive written confirmation, a tailored itinerary, and travel documents via email. Receipts for all payments will be provided.
We understand plans can change. Our cancellation terms are:
Refunds, when applicable, are processed within 14 business days of receiving your written cancellation notice. Some cruises or hotels may have stricter cancellation policies, which will be clearly communicated in your itinerary.
At Daily Pyramids Tours, we welcome families and offer the following children’s pricing:
Discounts apply only when children share accommodation with two full-paying adults. Note that certain Nile Cruises and luxury hotels may have different policies or restrictions for young children, which will be detailed in your itinerary if relevant.
Some special experiences are optional and not included in standard packages. You may book these in advance or arrange on-site (subject to availability). Examples include:
Optional tours are payable in USD or local currency (EGP). We recommend booking in advance, especially during peak seasons.
While our packages are comprehensive, travelers should budget for:
We advise carrying small amounts of local currency (EGP) for convenience, especially for tipping and shopping at local markets.
Tipping (“baksheesh”) is a customary way to show appreciation for good service in Egypt. Though not mandatory, it is widely appreciated:
Tipping is generally not included in your package price. We recommend carrying small USD or EGP bills for tipping convenience.
The price of a Nile cruise depends on how long you sail, the standard of the ship and what is included in the package. As a general guide, a 3-4 night cruise on a mid-range to luxury vessel usually falls between $600 and $900 per person, with premium ships and longer itineraries costing more.
The Nile is at its most inviting from October to April, when cooler, drier weather makes temple visits and deck-side lounging genuinely comfortable. The peak summer months of May to September are best avoided, as temperatures across Upper Egypt can climb to punishing levels.
Yes, a Nile cruise remains one of the most rewarding ways to experience Egypt. It weaves scenic river days together with expert-led visits to the greatest temples and tombs, all delivered from the comfort of a floating hotel that quietly repositions overnight.
Swimming directly in the Nile is not advised, largely because of water quality, unpredictable currents and passing river traffic. Cruise operators keep guests out of the river itself, though the ship’s own swimming pool is there for cooling off.
Daytime dress on board tends to be relaxed and casual, with light, breathable fabrics best suited to the climate. Evenings shift to smart-casual for dinner and social events, while visits to temples, tombs and other religious or historical sites call for modest clothing that covers the shoulders and knees.
