Aswan to Luxor — 5 Days, 4 Nights
Aswan to Luxor — 5 Days, 4 Nights
Sail the timeless Nile aboard a traditional Dahabiya — temples, Nubian villages and hidden river bends that large cruise ships can’t reach — bookended by a private half-day tour in Aswan before you sail and a private full-day tour in Luxor once you disembark. A Dahabiya is a traditional wooden sailing boat with private ensuite cabins, originally designed to carry 19th-century travellers along the Nile in comfort. For those who want culture, history and relaxation in equal measure, there’s no better way to experience the Nile Valley.
5
5
3
1–15
| Group size accepted |
Aswan Tour & Boarding the Dahabiya
(usually Friday) Arrive in Aswan in the morning for a private tour: visit Philae Temple, reached by boat for a picturesque approach — its Ptolemaic-era structures include a temple to Isis (one of the last active ancient Egyptian temples before being converted into a church) and the elegant Kiosk of Trajan. Visit the Unfinished Obelisk, which would have been the largest ever built by the ancient Egyptians at an estimated 42 metres and 1,200 tons. Visit the High Dam, with views over the Old Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser. Tour duration: 3–4 hours.
Around midday, check in to the Dahabiya, enjoy lunch as we begin sailing, and have dinner on your first night aboard in Daraw — with the chance to swim or kayak along the way (let us know two days ahead if you’d like kayaks ready).
Note: pickup is from any address in Aswan to the port of the Dahabiya.
Daraw, Kom Ombo & El Selsela
Breakfast on board, then explore Daraw: shop for dinner ingredients like a local at the market, visit a camel barn to learn about the camel trade, and stop at a Nubian Town with roots tracing back to 7,000 BC. Visit the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and to Horus, and the Crocodile Museum’s mummified crocodiles. After lunch on board, sail to El Selsela to see ancient shrines and the sandstone quarry that supplied stone for the temples of Thebes — including the speos of Horemheb with its rock shrines and inscriptions, and a sandy slope where kids (and the young at heart) can play. Dinner and overnight on board near Bisaw.
Bisaw Island & Edfu: Temple of Horus
Breakfast in a local home or on board. Walk through farmland on Bisaw Island, meet villagers, and join local fishermen on the Nile — the catch may feature at dinner. Board for lunch and sail to Edfu, riding to the imposing Temple of Horus with its grand spaces and many hieroglyphic inscriptions; view Tell Edfu to the west, and stroll the local market if time allows. Dinner and overnight on board in El Hegz Village, with the chance for a true cross-cultural exchange — visiting a local family, with your guide translating so you can ask questions about village life.
Esna, Karnak & Luxor Temple
Breakfast on board as we sail to Esna. Check out of the Dahabiya and visit the Temple of Esna, dedicated to the ram-headed god Khnum, plus the restored Wekalet Al-Geddawi caravanserai and the Ottoman-era Al-Qissariya market. Drive about an hour to Luxor for lunch, then visit Karnak Temple — covering more than 100 hectares — and Luxor Temple, linked by the Avenue of Sphinxes. Tour duration: 3–4 hours.
Luxor West Bank: Valley of the Kings & Hatshepsut Temple
Optional: a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the Luxor West Bank (about 50 minutes flying). We meet you at your hotel and drive to the West Bank, stopping at the Colossi of Memnon. Visit the Valley of the Kings, where your guide leads you to three of the more than ten currently open tombs, followed by the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Lunch at a local traditional house — with the option of a brief cooking lesson, or a regular restaurant instead — then visit the Ancient Workmen Village (Deir el-Medina). Tour duration: 7–8 hours. Return to your hotel or transfer to the airport; end of tour.
Optional Add-On Excursions
(notify us in advance — these are not included in the base price)
Aswan: Abu Simbel temples (may need an extra day) · Temples of Kalabsha · the Nubian Museum · the Elephantine Island archaeological site · a Nubian village and the Animalia House Museum · the Aswan souq.
Luxor: Dendera and Abydos can be arranged on the days before the Dahabiya, possibly adding another extra day in Luxor.
Ready to book this journey?
Secure your cabin now — departures fill up months in advance.
Quick facts
Duration: 5 days · 4 nights (3 nights aboard the Dahabiya; the 4th night in Luxor is on your own arrangement)
Route: Aswan → Luxor, with private land tours bookending the cruise
Group size: Pricing available for groups of 1 to 15+ people
Guide: English-speaking, licensed Egyptologist guide (French, Spanish & German available for a supplement, subject to availability)
Meals: As mentioned in the itinerary, full board aboard the Dahabiya
Start day: Friday preferred (other dates available for 2+ cabins)
Pricing
€839
Grand total-Per person group of 15
Christmas & Easter peak season: add €105 per person in a double room.
Single Supplement (Dahabiya)
€510
Per person
Other Language Guide Supplements
(French, Spanish & German — subject to availability)
- Land tours before/after the Dahabiya, per group: €39
- Dahabiya tour, group of 1–5 people: €236
- Dahabiya tour, group of 6–10 people: €253
- Dahabiya tour, group of 11–15 people: €275