Slip quietly between Aswan and Luxor aboard the Sonesta Moon Goddess, a floating haven where wide picture windows keep the Nile in constant view and the day unfolds at the river’s own gentle tempo. Mornings lead ashore with a local expert to celebrated temples, richly painted tombs and palm-fringed hamlets; afternoons melt into unhurried sailing, a cool drink on the sundeck and endless ribbons of green sliding past. Back on board, generously sized cabins, warm service and leisurely meals turn the ship into a genuine retreat between excursions. When the sun drops low, the water burns amber and the temples glow. Come drift through this ageless corner of Egypt with Daily Pyramids Tours.
Refined, easygoing and unmistakably 5-star, the Sonesta Moon Goddess brings polished comfort and sweeping river panoramas together on the stretch of Nile between Luxor and Aswan. Every cabin opens onto a private balcony, communal spaces are generously scaled, and the dining is a real highlight — so exploring Egypt’s ancient heartland feels as restful as it is enriching. Days begin to the soft rhythm of the river, unfold through expertly led temple visits, and end in the quiet elegance of a ship built for slow travel.
Day 1: Arrival in Aswan – Aswan City Tour
Your representative greets you at Aswan Airport or at your hotel and stays with you throughout the day’s touring. Settling into a private air-conditioned car, you head first to the High Dam — a titan of modern engineering that tamed the Nile’s floods and, in doing so, saved a wealth of Nubian monuments from being lost forever.
From there it is a short drive to the Unfinished Obelisk, still resting exactly where the ancient masons abandoned it once a hidden flaw split the granite — a rare window onto how the pharaohs’ great monoliths were actually shaped.
A motorised felucca then ferries you over to Philae Temple, the island sanctuary of the goddess Isis, painstakingly reassembled block by block on Agilkia Island. Time permitting, an optional loop around Elephantine Island and the First Cataract reveals the wilder, rock-strewn face of Aswan’s river.
Lunch is taken at a local restaurant before you board your cruise vessel and settle in. Dinner is served onboard, followed by your first night on the Nile in Aswan.
Meals: Lunch – Dinner
Day 2: Kom Ombo & Sailing to Edfu
After breakfast onboard, a private vehicle carries you north for roughly 45 km to the town of Kom Ombo. Perched dramatically above the river, the Temple of Kom Ombo is unique in Egypt — a perfectly mirrored double sanctuary honouring the crocodile god Sobek on one side and Haroeris, a form of Horus, on the other.
You walk through both halves in turn, taking in the twin sanctuaries, columned halls and ritual chambers. A short visit to the neighbouring Crocodile Museum brings you face to face with the mummified reptiles unearthed on site.
Lunch is enjoyed at a local restaurant, after which you rejoin the ship as it eases north toward Edfu. The afternoon belongs to slow sailing past sugarcane fields, riverbank villages and the honey-coloured sandstone cliffs of Upper Egypt.
A short onboard briefing sets the scene 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 you through Edfu’s streets to the Temple of Horus — the most completely preserved ancient temple anywhere in Egypt.
Inside, colossal pylons, cavernous halls and finely carved inscriptions bring the age-old rivalry of Horus and Seth to life alongside the ritual world of the Ptolemies. So intact is the building that even the upper terraces and roof levels can still be walked.
Back onboard, the ship continues north toward Luxor, with lunch served as the scenery drifts by.
Once moored, you head ashore to Luxor Temple on the East Bank, a monument shaped and reshaped over centuries by rulers such as Amenhotep III and Ramesses II.
Its stately colonnades, open courts and long sphinx-lined approach conjure the ceremonial pulse of ancient Thebes. The ship stays docked overnight in Luxor.
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. First on the itinerary is the Valley of the Kings, where three royal tombs open their painted chambers, their walls filled with sacred texts to guide the pharaohs safely into the afterlife.
From there you press on to the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, an audacious series of terraces carved straight into the cliff face and dedicated to one of Egypt’s most formidable female rulers.
A last stop is made at the Colossi of Memnon, the two towering statues that once flanked the entrance to a now-vanished mortuary temple. After lunch, you are transferred to Luxor Airport or to your hotel for the onward journey.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 1: Arrival in Luxor – East Bank Exploration
A representative meets you at Luxor Airport or the train station and drives you, in a private air-conditioned vehicle, straight to your Nile cruise vessel.
Once checked in, touring begins with a guided walk through the Karnak Temple Complex — the largest religious structure ever raised, added to over two millennia by generation after generation of pharaohs.
From there, you continue on to Luxor Temple, a New Kingdom jewel once tied to Karnak by the ceremonial Avenue of Sphinxes.
Lunch is taken at a local restaurant during the day before you return to the ship for your first evening in Luxor.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2: West Bank of Luxor – Sailing Toward Edfu
After breakfast you cross over to the West Bank of Luxor for a guided exploration of the Valley of the Kings, where more than 60 royal tombs guard walls alive with brightly painted scenes from the ancient Egyptian afterlife.
The route continues to the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, a striking triple-terraced sanctuary set into the cliffs and dedicated to Egypt’s most powerful female pharaoh.
A brief pause is made at the Colossi of Memnon, twin monolithic figures marking what little remains of Amenhotep III’s mortuary temple.
Following lunch at a local restaurant, you return to the vessel as it begins its southward passage toward Edfu. The night is spent gliding along the Nile.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 3: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples
The ship docks at Edfu and a horse-drawn carriage takes you into town for a guided visit to the Temple of Horus.
This exceptionally well-preserved Ptolemaic sanctuary, raised in honour of the falcon-headed Horus, remains one of the most complete ancient temples still standing in Egypt.
Back onboard, the cruise resumes its journey to Kom Ombo, where you tour a rare double temple dedicated jointly to Sobek the crocodile god and Haroeris, a form of Horus.
Its perfectly mirrored plan and riverside setting make it one of the most striking monuments along the Nile. Lunch is served onboard as the ship sails, and the vessel continues its passage toward Aswan.
Overnight onboard 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 creation of Lake Nasser reshaped Egypt’s farmland and water supply for good.
Next comes the Unfinished Obelisk, an immense granite giant abandoned in its quarry — a rare, hands-on glimpse of how ancient stonemasons went about their craft.
A motorboat then ferries you across to Philae Island for a guided visit to the Temple of Isis, a Ptolemaic sanctuary lifted stone by stone to safety after the Aswan Dam was built.
Lunch is served at a local restaurant, followed by a peaceful sail on a traditional felucca around Elephantine Island — a calm, wind-powered way to take in Aswan’s granite outcrops and slow-moving river life.
You return to the vessel for your final night onboard.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: Departure from Aswan
After a final breakfast on board, you check out of the cruise vessel. A private air-conditioned vehicle then 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.
Nile cruise pricing hinges on a handful of factors — how many nights you sail, the standard of the ship and what’s bundled into the fare. For a 3-4 night voyage aboard a mid-range to luxury vessel, expect somewhere in the region of $600 to $900 per person. Longer itineraries or ultra-premium ships with more elaborate amenities will naturally sit above that band.
The sweet spot for sailing the Nile falls between October and April, when milder temperatures make walking through open-air temples genuinely pleasant. The peak summer stretch from May to September is best avoided — the heat in Upper Egypt can be punishing at midday.
Absolutely. A Nile cruise remains one of the most rewarding ways to see Egypt — pairing effortless river travel with expert-led visits to the country’s most iconic temples and tombs. You unpack once, wake up somewhere new most days, and enjoy real comfort in between the culture.
Swimming in the Nile itself is generally discouraged, chiefly on health and safety grounds — the water carries pollution and the currents can be surprisingly strong. Cruises don’t permit river swimming, though most ships offer a pool onboard instead.
By day, dress is relaxed and practical — think loose, breathable fabrics that keep you cool at the temples. Evenings onboard call for smart casual attire, particularly for dinners or themed events. When visiting religious or historic sites, modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees is the respectful choice.
