Step aboard the Iberotel Crown Empress and let the Nile carry you gently between Luxor and Aswan, with the greatest monuments of pharaonic Egypt waiting on either bank. Each morning brings a new chapter: the colossal hypostyle hall at Karnak, the painted burial chambers of the Valley of the Kings, the elegant double sanctuary of Kom Ombo shared by Sobek and Haroeris, and the exceptionally intact Ptolemaic temple at Edfu. Back on board, stretch out on the sun deck as feluccas skim past and sugarcane fields glide by, savour freshly prepared Egyptian and international cuisine, and retreat to a cool, air-conditioned cabin. Sunrises mirrored on the water and starry nights on deck round out an unhurried river journey. Book your Iberotel Crown Empress Nile cruise with Daily Pyramids Tours today.
Warm, unfussy and genuinely good value, the Iberotel Crown Empress Nile Cruise is built for travellers who want the classic Luxor-to-Aswan sail without the fuss. Every essential is on board — attentive service, restful cabins, thoughtful public spaces and easy access to the shore excursions — leaving you free to focus on the temples, tombs and river landscapes that make this stretch of the Nile so extraordinary.
Day 1: Arrival in Aswan – Aswan City Tour
Your Nile adventure begins the moment you land in Aswan. A Daily Pyramids representative meets you at the airport or hotel and, together with your private guide, you set off in a comfortable air-conditioned car to discover the city’s essentials. First stop is the High Dam, the mid-twentieth-century feat of engineering that tamed the Nile flood and saved dozens of Nubian temples from being swallowed by Lake Nasser.
From there you drive to the Unfinished Obelisk, still lying half-carved in its granite bed after a hairline crack forced the ancient masons to abandon it — a rare, unfiltered look at how such colossal monuments were quarried.
A motorised felucca then ferries you across to Philae Temple, the graceful sanctuary of Isis that was painstakingly moved stone by stone to Agilkia Island. If you wish, you can extend the sail around Elephantine Island and the First Cataract to appreciate Aswan’s unusual river geology.
Lunch follows at a local restaurant before you check in on board your Nile cruiser, dine on the water and settle in for your first night in Aswan.
Meals: Lunch – Dinner
Day 2: Kom Ombo & Sailing to Edfu
After breakfast on board, a private vehicle takes you the roughly 45 km north to Kom Ombo, home to one of the Nile’s most singular monuments: a perfectly mirrored double temple honouring the crocodile god Sobek on one side and Haroeris, a hawk-headed form of Horus, on the other.
You’ll wander its twin sanctuaries, hypostyle halls and ritual chambers, then step into the adjacent Crocodile Museum to see the mummified crocodiles unearthed in the temple grounds.
Lunch is taken at a local restaurant, after which you rejoin the ship as it eases north towards Edfu. The afternoon is pure river time — sugarcane fields, sandstone bluffs and riverside hamlets sliding past the rail.
An evening briefing sets you up for tomorrow’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 through the streets of Edfu to the Temple of Horus, the most completely preserved of all Egypt’s ancient temples.
Beyond its towering pylons lie vast halls, intricate reliefs and inscriptions that unfold the myth of Horus and Seth alongside the ceremonial life of the Ptolemaic era. Preservation here is so exceptional that nearly every architectural level — even the roof terraces — remains accessible.
Back on board, the ship continues its northward passage to Luxor, with lunch served under way.
On arrival you visit Luxor Temple on the East Bank, a monument shaped over centuries by builders including Amenhotep III and Ramesses II.
Its stately colonnades, sunlit courtyards and sphinx-lined processional avenue evoke the ceremonial heart of ancient Thebes. The cruise moors overnight in Luxor.
Meals: Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner
Day 4: Luxor West Bank & Departure
After breakfast and disembarkation, you cross to the West Bank — the sprawling necropolis of ancient Thebes. In the Valley of the Kings you step inside three royal tombs whose painted walls and Book of the Dead inscriptions were designed to guide the pharaohs safely through the afterlife.
Next is the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, its terraces rising in perfect harmony with the cliffs that shelter them — a tribute to one of Egypt’s most formidable female rulers.
A final pause is made at the Colossi of Memnon, the two seated giants that once flanked the entrance to a now-vanished mortuary temple. After lunch you are transferred to Luxor Airport or your hotel for onward travel.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 1: Arrival in Luxor – East Bank Exploration
Your journey begins the moment you reach Luxor. A Daily Pyramids representative meets you at the airport or train station and transfers you by private air-conditioned vehicle straight to your Nile cruise ship for check-in.
Sightseeing starts with a guided tour of the Karnak Temple Complex, the largest religious site ever raised by human hands, extended and embellished by successive pharaohs across more than two millennia.
From there you move on to Luxor Temple, a jewel of the New Kingdom 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 dinner and your first overnight 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 shelter some of the most vividly painted afterlife scenes to survive from antiquity.
The tour moves on to the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, its terraced silhouette rising theatrically into the cliffs behind — a fitting tribute to Egypt’s most powerful female pharaoh.
A brief stop follows at the Colossi of Memnon, two colossal seated statues that mark the vanished mortuary temple of Amenhotep III.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant, and you rejoin the ship as she casts off south for Edfu. Overnight is spent gently sailing along the Nile.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples
The ship reaches Edfu, where a horse-drawn carriage carries you into town for a guided visit to the Temple of Horus.
This Ptolemaic sanctuary of the falcon god is astonishingly well preserved and counts among the most complete ancient temples anywhere in Egypt.
Back on board, sailing resumes toward Kom Ombo and its rare double temple, dedicated jointly to Sobek, the crocodile god, and Haroeris, a form of Horus.
Its perfectly symmetrical design and riverside setting make it one of the most distinctive stops along the Nile. Lunch is served on board as sailing continues toward Aswan.
Overnight on board in Aswan.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: Aswan Highlights and Nile Sailing
The morning opens at the High Aswan Dam, the modern engineering landmark that reshaped Egypt’s agriculture and water supply through the creation of Lake Nasser.
Next comes the Unfinished Obelisk, a huge granite shaft still lying in its ancient quarry — a candid window onto the stone-carving techniques of the pharaonic era.
A motorboat then whisks you to Philae Island for a guided visit to the Temple of Isis, a Ptolemaic sanctuary rescued and rebuilt after the dam’s construction.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant, and the afternoon unfolds aboard a traditional felucca as she sails gently around Elephantine Island, offering a peaceful angle on Aswan’s granite outcrops and everyday river life.
You return to the cruise vessel for your final night on board.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Departure from Aswan
After a leisurely breakfast on board you check out from the ship. 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.
Fares for a Nile cruise depend on how long you sail, the standard of the vessel and what’s included on board. As a guide, expect $600 to $900 per person for a 3-4 night sailing on a mid-range to luxury ship. Longer itineraries and top-tier vessels with expanded facilities sit above that band.
The sweet spot for a Nile cruise runs from October to April, when daytime temperatures are pleasant and sightseeing is genuinely comfortable. It is worth avoiding the height of summer between May and September, when the heat can be punishing.
Absolutely. A Nile cruise is one of the most rewarding ways to see Egypt — you tick off the great temples and tombs with an expert guide, glide between them in air-conditioned comfort, and enjoy uninterrupted river scenery in between. Convenience, comfort and culture in a single package.
Swimming directly in the Nile is generally discouraged because of water quality and unpredictable currents. Cruise operators typically do not permit guests to swim in the river itself; the ship’s own pool is the safe alternative.
Daytime dress on a Nile cruise is relaxed and practical — light, breathable fabrics that cope with the heat work best. Evenings on board lean smart casual, particularly at dinner. When visiting temples, mosques or churches, modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees is expected.
