Let the Nile do the travelling for you. The Nile Excellence Nile Cruise carries you gently between Luxor and Aswan on the world’s most storied river, turning long days of sightseeing into an easy, floating rhythm. From your cabin window you’ll watch feluccas drift past mud-brick villages, buffalo wade among the reeds, and endless date palms lean over the banks. On shore, expert guides lead you through the soaring hall of Karnak, into the painted tombs of the Valley of the Kings, and on to the riverside temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo before you reach the island sanctuary of Philae. Between visits, retreat to the sun deck for a cool drink, sit down to freshly prepared Egyptian and international dishes, and watch the sunsets set the water alight. Reserve your Nile Excellence voyage with Daily Pyramids Tours.
Step aboard the Nile Excellence Nile Cruise and discover an Egypt that reveals itself slowly, temple by temple and sunset by sunset. Choose between a 3-night or 4-night sailing between Luxor and Aswan, and you’ll find monumental history, dreamlike river scenery, and attentive onboard hospitality woven into a single seamless holiday. It is, quite simply, the most relaxed way to see Upper Egypt’s greatest sights.
Day 1: Arrival in Aswan – Aswan City Tour
Your journey begins the moment you land at Aswan Airport or step out of your hotel, where a representative greets you and stays with you throughout the day’s local touring. Settled into a private air-conditioned vehicle, you set off to meet Aswan’s headline sights, starting at the High Dam — a colossal modern feat that tamed the Nile and rescued dozens of Nubian monuments from the rising lake.
From there you continue to the Unfinished Obelisk, still resting where it was chiselled from the living granite before a hidden crack forced the ancient masons to abandon it. It is a rare, unguarded window onto how pharaonic monuments were actually made.
A motorised felucca then ferries you across sparkling water to Philae Temple, the island shrine of Isis that was lifted stone by stone and rebuilt on Agilkia Island. If time allows, an optional sail loops you around Elephantine Island and the granite boulders of the First Cataract for a taste of the river’s wilder side.
Lunch is taken at a local restaurant before you head to the quay to check in to your Nile cruise vessel. Dinner is served on board, followed by your first overnight moored in Aswan.
Meals: Lunch – Dinner
Day 2: Kom Ombo & Sailing to Edfu
After breakfast on board, a private vehicle drives you north to Kom Ombo, some 45 km from Aswan. Waiting on the riverbank is the Temple of Kom Ombo, an architectural curiosity built on a perfectly mirrored plan for two gods — Sobek, the crocodile deity, and Haroeris, a form of Horus.
Your guide walks you through the twin sanctuaries, the shaded hypostyle halls and the ritual chambers before you step into the Crocodile Museum, where mummified crocodiles unearthed nearby are displayed in atmospheric detail.
Lunch at a local restaurant follows, then you rejoin the cruise as it slips its moorings and sails toward Edfu. The afternoon unfolds slowly, with sugarcane fields, riverside hamlets and honey-coloured sandstone cliffs sliding past the rail.
An evening briefing sets you up for tomorrow’s temple visit. The vessel spends the night moored at Edfu.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 3: Edfu Temple & Arrival in Luxor
After breakfast, a horse-drawn carriage clatters you through the streets of Edfu town to reach the Temple of Horus — the most completely preserved ancient temple anywhere in Egypt.
Beyond its immense pylon lie soaring halls and finely carved reliefs recounting the mythic duel of Horus and Seth alongside the ceremonies of the Ptolemaic priesthood. Almost every level of the original structure is still accessible here, right up to the roof terraces.
Back on board, the cruise pushes north again toward Luxor, with lunch served as the scenery drifts by.
Once docked, you head ashore to Luxor Temple on the East Bank, a monument shaped over centuries by rulers including Amenhotep III and Ramesses II.
Its long colonnades, sunlit courtyards and sphinx-lined approach still speak to the ceremonial heart of ancient Thebes. The cruise stays overnight in Luxor.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 4: Luxor West Bank & Departure
After breakfast and disembarkation, you cross to Luxor’s West Bank, the fabled necropolis of ancient Thebes. The morning opens in the Valley of the Kings, where three royal tombs unveil brilliantly painted walls and sacred texts written to guide the pharaohs safely through the afterlife.
From there it is on to the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, a stacked masterpiece of terraces carved into the cliffs and dedicated to one of Egypt’s most formidable female rulers.
A final pause is made beside the Colossi of Memnon, the pair of monumental sentinels that once framed the entrance to a now-lost mortuary temple. After lunch, you are transferred to Luxor Airport or your hotel for departure.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 1: Arrival in Luxor – East Bank Exploration
Your representative meets you the moment you arrive at Luxor Airport or the train station, then whisks you by private air-conditioned vehicle to the waiting Nile cruise vessel.
Check-in complete, you head straight out to the Karnak Temple Complex — the largest religious building ever raised, layered together over more than two thousand years by a long line of pharaohs.
The tour then flows on to Luxor Temple, a New Kingdom jewel once joined to Karnak by the ceremonial Avenue of Sphinxes.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant during the day before you return to the ship for your first overnight moored 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 still safeguard vividly painted scenes of the ancient Egyptian afterlife.
Next comes the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, a soaring three-terraced monument built straight into the cliff face and dedicated to Egypt’s most powerful female pharaoh.
A quick stop follows at the Colossi of Memnon, the pair of stone giants that mark what remains of Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple.
Lunch is enjoyed at a local restaurant, after which you return to the cruise as it casts off and begins sailing south toward Edfu. The night is spent on board as the river carries you onward.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples
Once the ship reaches Edfu, a horse-drawn carriage takes you through the town to visit the Temple of Horus.
This exceptionally preserved Ptolemaic temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus, remains one of the most complete ancient temples anywhere in Egypt.
Back on board, sailing resumes toward Kom Ombo, where you step ashore to explore the extraordinary double temple honouring both Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, a form of Horus.
Its mirrored twin plan and dramatic riverside setting make it one of the most distinctive temples on the Nile. Lunch is served on board as the ship continues toward Aswan.
Overnight 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 defining feat of modern engineering that transformed Egypt’s farmland and water supply by giving rise to vast Lake Nasser.
Next comes the Unfinished Obelisk, a giant granite monolith left mid-carve in its quarry — a rare, hands-on glimpse of ancient stone-cutting technique.
A motorboat then whisks you across to Philae Island for a guided tour of the Temple of Isis, a Ptolemaic sanctuary painstakingly relocated after the building of the Aswan Dam.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant before a traditional felucca sails you gently around Elephantine Island, offering a slower, softer perspective on Aswan’s granite outcrops and everyday river life.
Return to the cruise vessel for your final overnight on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Departure from Aswan
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast on board before checking out of the cruise vessel. A private air-conditioned vehicle then transfers you to Aswan Airport or the train station in good time 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.
Nile cruise pricing shifts with the length of the voyage, the standard of the vessel and what is included in the package. As a broad guide, you can expect to pay between $600 and $900 per person for a 3-4 night sailing on a mid-range to luxury ship. Longer itineraries and top-tier vessels loaded with extra amenities naturally sit at the higher end of the scale.
The sweet spot for a Nile cruise runs from October to April, when milder temperatures make walking through temples and tombs genuinely pleasant. It is worth avoiding the height of summer between May and September, when the heat in Upper Egypt can climb to punishing levels.
Absolutely. A Nile cruise is one of the most rewarding ways to experience Egypt, blending gentle river scenery with expert-led visits to the country’s greatest temples and tombs. You get comfort, easy logistics and an immersive cultural journey all rolled into a single holiday.
Swimming in the Nile itself is not advised, chiefly because of water quality, unpredictable currents and the wildlife that shares the river. As a rule, cruise ships do not permit guests to swim in the river, though many vessels offer a pool on the sun deck instead.
Life on board is delightfully relaxed — light, breathable clothing in casual cuts works best for daytime sightseeing and lounging. In the evenings, smart-casual attire suits dinner and onboard events. When visiting temples and other religious sites, plan to cover shoulders and knees as a mark of respect.
