5 Days Nile Cruise From Luxor To Aswan Including Hot Air Balloon & Abu Simbel

Egypt looks different from the Nile. This five-day cruise combines four nights of full-board accommodation with major temples, an early hot air balloon ride, and a long visit to Abu Simbel. I like the way the trip gathers the classic Luxor to Aswan sights into one organized route, and I also like having an Egyptologist guide explain what you are seeing instead of leaving you to decode miles of hieroglyphs alone.

The hot air balloon flight is a real highlight, especially with the West Bank ruins below you. The main drawback is the schedule: the balloon starts early, Abu Simbel means a 4:30 AM checkout on the final day, and entrance fees, drinks, and tips are extra. At $695 per person, the package offers good value if you want transport, meals, guides, and the cruise arranged together.

The cruise also receives strong marks for clean cabins, good food, friendly service, and careful organization. Guides named Jimmy and Muhammad receive special praise, though your guide and ship may differ. The group size is capped at 15 people, while Abu Simbel is handled as a shared small-group excursion.

Key details before you book

• A hot air balloon flight over Luxor: Expect roughly 40 to 55 minutes in the air, weather permitting, with a breakfast box supplied afterward.
• Four nights on a five-star Nile cruise: Your stay includes breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but drinks, bottled water during meals, and WiFi are not included.
• The classic river route: You visit Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, the High Dam, and Philae.
• Abu Simbel on the last morning: The shared excursion takes about nine hours and begins with checkout around 4:30 AM.
• Small-group guiding: The tour allows up to 15 people, with an English-speaking Egyptologist for the Abu Simbel visit.
• Good cancellation flexibility: You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start for a full refund.

What the $695 price really covers

The price is easier to judge when you look at what is bundled. You receive four nights aboard the cruise, full-board meals, transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle, an Egyptologist guide for the excursions, bottled water during outings away from the ship, the hot air balloon flight, and the Abu Simbel transfer with an English-speaking guide.

That is a useful package for a first visit to Egypt. You are not arranging separate rides between Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan, and you do not need to find a new guide at every temple. The cruise also gives you a fixed base while the Nile scenery moves past your window.

The value drops a little once you add admission fees to the temples, drinks, WiFi, optional activities, and tips. You should budget for those extras before deciding that the advertised price is your full trip cost. Still, the combination of accommodation, meals, transport, and the balloon ride makes the price reasonable for someone who wants convenience.

The included meals are another practical plus. You will not need to leave the ship to find food between visits, though water and other drinks during meals cost extra. A vegetarian meal is available if you request it when booking.

Day 1: Karnak and Luxor Temple after lunch

Your representative picks you up from a Luxor hotel, airport, or railway station and transfers you to the ship before lunch. Cruise check-in is scheduled for noon. If your arrival is early, the operator may begin sightseeing right away rather than having you wait at the ship.

That early start can be useful in Luxor, where the first day otherwise risks becoming a half-day spent sitting in a lobby. It also helps you visit the East Bank before the heat becomes too strong. The tradeoff is simple: you may feel tired if you arrive after a long journey.

Karnak is not one single temple. It is a huge religious complex of sanctuaries, columns, pylons, obelisks, and smaller structures linked to the Theban gods Amun, Mut, and Khonsu. Give your guide time to explain the layout, because the scale can be confusing without context.

The tour then moves to Luxor Temple. Built mainly under Amenhotep III and later completed and altered by rulers including Tutankhamun and Ramses II, it has a more compact feel than Karnak. Ramses II’s military scenes and the temple’s position in modern Luxor make this a memorable first look at the city.

Dinner is served on board, followed by a folkloric show. You spend the night in Luxor, so there is no frantic departure after the evening visit.

Day 2: Balloon views and the tombs of the West Bank

The hot air balloon flight begins early, with pickup from the ship or your accommodation. The flight lasts about 40 to 55 minutes, and you receive a breakfast box. Since the flight depends on weather, the operator states that a cancellation for bad conditions brings a refund of $25 per person.

From the basket, you look across Luxor and toward the West Bank temples and mountains. This is not a substitute for seeing the monuments on foot. It is a different way to understand their setting, and it gives you a broad view before the day’s detailed visits begin.

Children under six cannot take part in the balloon ride. You should also treat the early pickup as a serious part of the plan, not a minor detail. The ride is one of the trip’s most unusual additions, but it is best suited to people comfortable with an early morning and a weather-dependent schedule.

After landing, the route pauses at the Colossi of Memnon. These two large statues depict Amenhotep III and once marked the entrance to his mortuary temple. The stop lasts about 15 minutes, so think of it as a photo stop rather than a full visit.

The Temple of Hatshepsut follows. Its terraces rise against the limestone cliffs, creating one of the most striking settings on the West Bank. Your guide can explain Hatshepsut’s unusual path to power and her relationship with her nephew, details that make the monument more meaningful than a quick walk past its walls.

The Valley of the Kings takes about two hours. Here, you see the desert burial ground used by pharaohs such as Ramses III, Ramses VI, and Merneptah. The listed visit does not specify which tombs are open on your date, and entrance fees are not included, so ask your guide what your ticket covers.

After the West Bank, you return to the ship for lunch and begin sailing toward Edfu through the Esna Lock. This is when the cruise itself earns its place in the trip. Instead of spending the whole afternoon in a vehicle, you can sit on the sundeck, watch the riverbanks pass, and have afternoon tea.

The ship spends the night in Edfu. Dinner is included.

Day 3: Horus at Edfu and the double temple at Kom Ombo

Edfu Temple is one of Egypt’s best-preserved ancient temples. Dedicated to the falcon god Horus, it was built during the Ptolemaic period on the site of an earlier sanctuary. The walls include the myth of Horus and Seth, which your guide can connect to the temple’s religious purpose.

The visit lasts about 90 minutes. That is enough time for a focused explanation and photographs, though people who want to inspect every inscription will likely wish for longer. Admission is not included, so keep extra cash or another accepted payment method ready as required by the operator.

Back on board, the ship sails for around five hours toward Kom Ombo. This long river stretch is not wasted time. You can rest, use the sundeck, and watch rural Egypt pass by without another road transfer. The pace here is gentler than the sightseeing schedule on land.

Kom Ombo Temple is unusual because it was dedicated to two gods, Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus the Elder. Its position beside the Nile makes it especially photogenic, particularly when cruise ships arrive near sunset or in the softer afternoon light.

The temple was built during the Ptolemaic period and later connected with Roman rule. Its divided design reflects the two religious traditions honored there. The visit takes about an hour, followed by sailing toward Aswan.

That evening includes dinner and a Galabeya party. It is a light, social finish to a day that otherwise centers on temples and sailing.

Day 4: Aswan’s dam and Philae Island

The fourth day begins after breakfast with a visit to the Aswan High Dam. Completed in 1960, the dam helped control flooding and generate electricity. It also created Lake Nasser, described in the tour material as the world’s largest man-made lake.

This stop is more modern and engineering-focused than the temples. It helps explain why Philae had to be moved and why so much work went into protecting ancient monuments in southern Egypt. The visit takes about 30 minutes, so it is a short stop rather than a full technical tour.

Next comes Philae Temple, reached by a small motorboat. The temple is dedicated to Isis and sits on Aglika Island, south of the old Aswan Dam. Its island setting makes the approach part of the experience, not merely a transfer.

The complex was moved when the High Dam threatened to submerge it. The temple remained an important center of the Isis cult into the early Christian period, and the site is especially useful for understanding the late stages of ancient Egyptian religion.

Allow about 90 minutes here. The boat ride is included in the planned visit, but entrance fees are not included in the overall package. After Philae, the rest of the day is less crowded with scheduled sightseeing, giving you time to enjoy the ship or choose an optional activity at your own expense.

Day 5: The long road to Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel requires the hardest start of the trip. You check out around 4:30 AM, then travel by vehicle as part of a shared small-group visit. The complete excursion takes about nine hours, so you should not plan a relaxed final morning.

The reward is one of Egypt’s most powerful monuments. Ramses II built the rock-cut temples for himself and Queen Nefertari, and the scale of the facades gives the site a sense of royal power that smaller temples cannot match.

The temples were moved through cooperation between the Egyptian government and UNESCO when Lake Nasser threatened to cover them. That rescue story adds another layer to the visit: you are seeing both an ancient achievement and a major modern preservation effort.

The Abu Simbel portion uses an English-speaking guide, but the group is separate from the main cruise group and shared with other visitors. Admission fees are not included, so confirm the required ticket cost before departure.

This final excursion suits you if Abu Simbel is high on your Egypt wish list and you accept the early hour and long day. If you need an easy end to your holiday, it may feel demanding.

Life aboard the ship

The cruise provides four nights of full-board accommodation. Past feedback gives the ship strong marks for clean, comfortable cabins, good food, and friendly service. One detailed account specifically praised the room and ship, while another described the meals and cabin as excellent.

That positive pattern matters because you spend a large part of the trip on board. The ship is not simply a place to sleep. It is your dining room, rest stop, viewing platform, and home between ancient sites.

You can expect lunch and dinner on the first day, all three meals on the middle cruise days, and breakfast on the final day before the Abu Simbel departure. The package lists four breakfasts, four lunches, and four dinners. Drinks during meals, extra water, laundry, WiFi, and personal expenses are not included.

Pay attention to the cabin rule for groups of three. Three people are placed in one cabin unless you book separately as a single person for your own room. That arrangement can affect comfort, especially with luggage, so settle it before paying.

The operator says the maximum group size is 15 people. That is small enough for a guide to manage without the feel of a large coach party, though Abu Simbel is specifically a shared small-group excursion.

Guides, organization, and a few cautions

The strongest praise centers on organization and guiding. The supplied feedback gives special credit to Jimmy, also referred to as Gimbel in one account, and to Muhammad. Their good qualities include clear explanations, friendly help, and attention to safety.

The agency also receives high marks for punctual transfers and for handling changes when an earlier booking was cancelled. That is useful in Egypt, where a well-timed connection can make the difference between a full sightseeing day and a long wait.

You should still keep valuables secure and check your cabin before leaving. One serious complaint described missing toiletries and spray from a cabin, while the operator disputed the account after checking its camera system. That does not prove a general problem, but it is sensible to keep passports, cash, medicine, and small valuables with you.

The overall rating is 4.9 from 39 ratings, with 97 percent recommending the experience. Those numbers point to consistently good service, but they do not erase the practical limits: extra entrance fees, an early balloon pickup, the Abu Simbel departure, and possible cabin sharing.

Who will get the most from this Nile cruise?

I would choose this trip for a first visit to Egypt if you want the main ancient sites without planning each transfer yourself. It suits couples, families with older children, and anyone who likes a mix of guided sightseeing and quiet river time.

It is also a good match for you if you want several signature experiences in one booking: the balloon ride, the Nile cruise, Philae by boat, and Abu Simbel. The five-day length keeps the route focused.

You may prefer a different plan if you want long, independent visits at each monument, a slow start every morning, or a private Abu Simbel transfer. The schedule is organized, but it is not entirely restful.

The tour is not suitable for children under six on the balloon flight. Vegetarian meals are available with advance notice. Free cancellation applies if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time, while later cancellations and changes are not accepted.

Should you book it?

Book this Nile cruise if you value good organization, a strong first-time route, and bundled transport more than complete freedom. The cruise covers the essential Luxor to Aswan sights, adds two memorable extras, and gives you a guide for the complicated parts.

Before booking, ask which cruise ship is assigned, confirm the entrance-fee budget, and decide if three people sharing one cabin is acceptable. If those details work for you, $695 is a fair price for the amount of transport, food, accommodation, and guiding included.

FAQ

How long is the Nile cruise?

The experience lasts approximately five days and includes four nights aboard a five-star Nile cruise.

What meals are included?

The package includes four breakfasts, four lunches, and four dinners. It is offered on a full-board basis.

Is the hot air balloon ride included?

Yes. The hot air balloon ride over Luxor’s West Bank is included and lasts about 40 to 55 minutes, depending on the flight conditions.

What happens if the balloon flight is cancelled because of weather?

If bad weather cancels the balloon ride, the stated refund is $25 per person.

Can children join the hot air balloon ride?

Children under six years old cannot participate in the hot air balloon ride in Luxor.

Are entrance fees included?

No. Entrance fees for the listed sights are not included in the tour price.

Is Abu Simbel a private excursion?

No. The Abu Simbel visit is conducted as a shared small-group tour with an English-speaking guide.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours in advance are not accepted for a refund.