Drift between Aswan and Luxor aboard the Sonesta Star Goddess, a boutique all-suite ship that turns the Nile into a slow, sunlit passage through pharaonic Egypt. Mornings begin with reed banks and feluccas sliding past your private balcony; afternoons lead ashore to the vast halls of Karnak, the carved pylons of Edfu, the twin sanctuaries of Kom Ombo, the guardian colossi of Thebes, and the island shrine of Philae. Return to the deck for pool-side quiet, chef-crafted menus and skies that turn copper over the water at dusk. Warm crew, restful lounges and generously sized suites keep every hour easy. Book your voyage with Daily Pyramids Tours and let the great river do the travelling for you.
The Sonesta Star Goddess is an intimate 5-star, all-suite Nile ship offering one of the most exclusive ways to sail between Luxor and Aswan. Suites named for the great composers open onto private balconies, dressed in a calm contemporary palette that sets a refined tone for days spent among Egypt’s ancient wonders. Expect unhurried mornings on deck, expertly guided visits to landmark temples, and evenings framed by attentive service and quiet elegance.
Day 1: Arrival in Aswan – Aswan City Tour
A representative meets you at Aswan Airport or your hotel and stays with you throughout the day. Settled into a private, air-conditioned vehicle, you begin at the High Dam, the towering feat of modern engineering that redirected the Nile’s flow and rescued a wealth of Nubian monuments from rising waters.
Next comes the Unfinished Obelisk, still tethered to the granite bedrock where a hidden crack forced its ancient carvers to walk away, leaving a rare window onto pharaonic quarrying and stone-working techniques.
A motorised felucca ferries you across to Philae Temple, the island sanctuary of Isis painstakingly transferred stone by stone to Agilkia Island. If time allows, an optional sail around Elephantine Island and the First Cataract reveals Aswan’s dramatic rock formations and river channels.
Lunch follows at a local restaurant before you check in aboard your Nile cruise ship. Dinner is taken on board with an overnight stay in Aswan.
Meals: Lunch – Dinner
Day 2: Kom Ombo & Sailing to Edfu
Following breakfast on board, a private vehicle takes you north to Kom Ombo, roughly 45 km from Aswan. There you tour the Temple of Kom Ombo, a rare mirrored sanctuary built for two gods at once: Sobek the crocodile deity, and Haroeris, an ancient form of Horus.
You walk through its twin shrines, colonnaded hypostyle halls and ritual chambers before stepping into the Crocodile Museum, home to a striking collection of mummified crocodiles unearthed nearby.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant, then you rejoin the ship as it sails north toward Edfu. The afternoon unfolds slowly past sugarcane fields, mud-brick villages and sandstone cliffs typical of Upper Egypt.
An onboard briefing sets up the next day’s visit, and the vessel moors overnight at Edfu.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 3: Edfu Temple & Arrival in Luxor
After breakfast, a horse-drawn carriage clatters into Edfu town for your guided visit to the Temple of Horus, the most fully preserved ancient temple in Egypt.
Inside, soaring pylons, cavernous halls and finely cut inscriptions retell the mythic battle between Horus and Seth and the temple rituals of the Ptolemaic era. Because so much of the structure survived, you can explore nearly every original level, including the roof terraces.
You return to the ship and continue north toward Luxor, with lunch served as the river slips by.
On arrival you visit Luxor Temple on the East Bank, a monument shaped over centuries by rulers such as Amenhotep III and Ramesses II.
Grand colonnades, open courts and the surviving Avenue of Sphinxes speak to the ceremonial heart of ancient Thebes. The ship remains docked in Luxor overnight.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 4: Luxor West Bank & Departure
After breakfast and disembarkation, you cross to the West Bank of Luxor, the ancient necropolis of Thebes. The morning opens in the Valley of the Kings, where three royal tombs display vivid painted walls and the sacred texts intended to guide pharaohs safely through the afterlife.
You continue on to the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, a terraced masterpiece cut into the cliffs and dedicated to one of Egypt’s most formidable female rulers.
A final pause is made at the Colossi of Memnon, twin seated giants that once framed the entrance to a vast 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
At Luxor Airport or the train station, your representative greets you and arranges a private, air-conditioned transfer to your Nile cruise ship.
Once you are checked in, the day opens with a guided walk through the Karnak Temple Complex, the largest religious site ever raised in the ancient world, added to by successive pharaohs across two thousand years.
You then move on to Luxor Temple, a New Kingdom monument historically joined to Karnak by the ceremonial Avenue of Sphinxes.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant during the day before you head back to the ship for an overnight stay in Luxor.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: West Bank of Luxor – Sailing Toward Edfu
After breakfast, you cross to the West Bank of Luxor and enter the Valley of the Kings, where more than 60 royal tombs preserve some of the most vividly painted afterlife scenes to survive from the ancient world.
The tour continues at the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, its colonnaded terraces cut boldly into the cliff face in tribute to Egypt’s most influential female pharaoh.
A short stop follows at the Colossi of Memnon, the pair of monumental seated statues marking what remains of Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple.
Following lunch at a local restaurant, you return to the ship as it casts off south toward Edfu. The night is spent onboard while sailing along the Nile.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples
Reaching Edfu, you swap the ship for a horse-drawn carriage into town for a guided tour of the Temple of Horus.
Wonderfully intact for its age, this Ptolemaic sanctuary of the falcon god is regarded as the most complete ancient temple in the country.
Back on board, the ship continues toward Kom Ombo, where you disembark to explore its distinctive double temple, shared between Sobek the crocodile god and Haroeris, a form of Horus.
Its mirrored plan and riverside setting make it one of the most striking stops along the Nile. Lunch is served on board as sailing continues toward Aswan.
Overnight onboard in Aswan.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Aswan Highlights and Nile Sailing
The morning begins at the High Aswan Dam, a milestone of modern engineering that transformed Egypt’s farmland and water supply and gave rise to Lake Nasser.
You then visit the Unfinished Obelisk, a colossal granite shaft left where it was cut, offering a rare, honest look at the tools and techniques used by ancient stonemasons.
A motorboat carries you to Philae Island for a guided visit to the Temple of Isis, a Ptolemaic sanctuary rescued and reassembled on higher ground after the Aswan Dam was built.
Lunch is taken at a local restaurant, followed by a traditional felucca sail around Elephantine Island, a quiet way to take in Aswan’s granite outcrops and everyday river life.
You return to the ship for your final night onboard.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Departure from Aswan
Breakfast is served on board before you check out of the ship. A private, air-conditioned vehicle then takes 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.
Nile cruise prices shift with the length of the sailing, the standard of the ship, and what is bundled into the fare. As a rough guide, expect $600 to $900 per person for a 3-4 night voyage on a mid-range to luxury vessel. Longer sailings and top-tier ships with richer inclusions naturally sit above that band.
The prime window for a Nile cruise runs from October to April, when temperatures ease and sightseeing is genuinely comfortable. It is worth avoiding the peak summer stretch from May to September, when the heat in Upper Egypt can become severe.
Yes, a Nile cruise is one of the most rewarding ways to see Egypt. It pairs slow, scenic river days with guided access to landmark temples and tombs, all wrapped inside comfortable onboard living and a strong sense of place.
Swimming directly in the Nile is not advisable, mainly because of water quality and unpredictable currents. Cruise ships do not permit river swimming, though most vessels offer a pool on the sun deck instead.
Daywear on a Nile cruise is relaxed and practical, with light, breathable fabrics best suited to the climate. Evenings, particularly at dinner, call for smart casual attire, and modest clothing is respectful when visiting temples, tombs and religious sites.
