6-Day Egypt Package, Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor by Flights

This is Egypt in fast-forward: the Pyramids of Giza, Abu Simbel, and Luxor’s great temples arrive in one tightly packed six-day run. You also get a Nile cruise, domestic flights, private transfers, and a hot air balloon ride over Luxor, so the trip covers a lot without asking you to arrange each piece yourself.

I like the practical design. The cruise turns long-distance travel into part of the sightseeing, and airport support, hotel transfers, and an Egyptologist guide remove much of the usual guesswork. The drawback is the pace: Alexandria is a long day from Cairo, Abu Simbel begins around 5:00 AM, and Luxor’s final day starts before sunrise.

Key points at a glance

• A serious six-day highlight reel: Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, Edfu, and Luxor are all included.
• Three nights on the Nile: Full-board cruising links the southern temples while giving you time to watch the river pass.
• A dawn hot air balloon ride: You see Luxor from above before visiting the Valley of the Kings and the major temples.
• Private transport and a guide: Your group travels in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking Egyptologist.
• Strong value at $1,599.54: Flights, hotels, cruise accommodation, meals, and transfers are bundled, though sightseeing entrance fees require careful confirmation.
• Very little spare time: This suits you if you want maximum coverage, not a slow, flexible holiday.

What $1,599.54 buys you in Egypt

At $1,599.54 per person, this package offers a lot of moving parts for one price. You receive two nights in a four-star Cairo hotel, three nights on a full-board Nile cruise, domestic flights between Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor, private air-conditioned transportation, meals, airport assistance, and an English-speaking Egyptologist guide.

That bundle matters in Egypt. The attractions are spread across a huge distance, and arranging every transfer, flight, hotel, and cruise separately can eat up time quickly. Here, a representative meets you at Cairo International Airport, and the company coordinates the handoffs between the city tours, flights, cruise, and final transfer.

The price is strongest if you plan to see both Abu Simbel and Alexandria. Those additions can be awkward to arrange on your own during a short visit. The cruise also provides three nights of accommodation while carrying you between Aswan and Luxor, rather than making you repeat long road journeys.

There is one important point to check before paying. The package says entrance fees to all mentioned sights are not included, even though the daily schedule marks several visits as included. Ask Roxana Travel for a current list of included tickets, especially for the Pyramids of Giza, Egyptian Museum, catacombs, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and Luxor sites. Also budget for personal expenses and drinks.

Day 1: Cairo begins with pyramids and the Egyptian Museum

Your Cairo arrival starts with airport assistance and a transfer to the hotel. The stated arrival stop allows about an hour, though the actual timing depends on immigration, baggage, and your flight. This support is useful after a long journey, particularly when you still need to manage transfers and hotel check-in.

The first major sight is the Pyramids of Giza. They are the only surviving wonder of the ancient world, and their scale is difficult to grasp from photographs. The schedule gives only two minutes to this stop, which clearly cannot represent the full visit. Treat that time as a placeholder and confirm how long you will actually have for the plateau, viewpoints, and any optional interior access.

Next comes the Egyptian Museum, with about an hour listed. That is enough for a brisk introduction, not a full look at every gallery. Your guide can help you focus on major objects and the broad story of Egyptian civilization instead of wandering through the collection without a plan.

You then return to the Cairo hotel for a two-night stay. The day looks simple on paper, but arrival time is a key variable. If your flight lands late, the pyramids and museum may be scheduled differently, so ask for the confirmed day-one timetable before you travel.

Day 2: Alexandria’s Greek, Roman, and Ottoman layers

Alexandria makes day two a long but worthwhile outing from Cairo. The first stop, Kom El-Deka, was once a residential area during the Greco-Roman period. It gives you a different view of Egypt from the royal tombs and temples farther south, with attention on ordinary urban life and the shape of an old city.

The Catacombs of Kom el Shoqafa follow. This underground complex is one of Alexandria’s most unusual sights, with burial traditions that reflect several cultures meeting in one port city. Stairs and underground passages make comfortable shoes a sensible choice. The entry fee is listed separately from the tour price, so confirm whether it is payable locally.

After lunch at a local restaurant, you visit the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. The modern library recalls Alexandria’s famous ancient center of learning, but the visit is not the same as seeing the original library, which no longer survives. Allow about an hour, and expect this to be a contemporary cultural stop rather than an ancient ruin.

The final Alexandria stop is Fort Qaitbay, a 15th-century seaside fortress. Its position by the water adds a welcome change after the underground catacombs and museum-style stops. You then drive back to Cairo, making this a full day with substantial time on the road.

I like the range here: Kom El-Deka, the catacombs, the library, and Qaitbay show four very different sides of Alexandria. The tradeoff is that you will not have much freedom to linger. If you prefer a slower city visit, this day may feel compressed.

Day 3: Aswan, Philae, and your first night aboard ship

The package uses a domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan, followed by pickup from the airport, hotel, or train station. Exact flight times are not provided, so confirm the connection and baggage arrangements in advance.

Aswan is associated here with Nubian culture and the Nile’s southern reaches. You travel by motorboat to Philae Temple, an especially memorable approach because the water frames the sanctuary before you reach the shore. The temple visit and the Aswan High Dam are grouped into a five-hour tour.

Philae is the day’s main prize. The setting makes it feel different from a monument beside a road, and the boat ride adds a pleasant sense of arrival. The High Dam gives useful context for modern Egypt and the management of the Nile, though the stop may feel brief beside the temple.

After the tour, you check into the cruise ship, have lunch, and settle into your cabin. Dinner is included, and the cruise staff plan a Nubian party in the evening. This is one of the more social parts of the program, and it gives you a break from formal sightseeing.

The cruise is listed as full board for three nights. One published experience identifies the vessel as Concerto 2, with clean rooms and good food, but ship assignment can change, so confirm the actual boat and cabin category before departure.

Day 4: Abu Simbel, Kom Ombo, and a very early start

Abu Simbel is the reason for the 5:00 AM pickup. The early departure is not a minor detail. You should expect a demanding morning, but the reward is one of southern Egypt’s grandest temple complexes, known for its monumental facade and connection with Ramses II.

The schedule allows about seven hours for the Abu Simbel outing, the return to Aswan, and the cruise’s onward movement. You return around 1:00 PM, then the ship sails toward Kom Ombo. This arrangement lets you see Abu Simbel without giving up the river journey, though you will want to protect your sleep the night before.

At Kom Ombo, you leave the ship to visit the temple. Its unusual character comes from the paired dedication of the site, and its location beside the river makes the stop especially photogenic. Afterward, the ship continues toward Edfu.

This day combines the trip’s biggest road excursion with a temple visit and several hours of sailing. The cruise scenery becomes part of the experience here. You can watch the Nile banks pass, take photographs of Egyptian and Nubian scenes, and recover from the morning’s early alarm.

Day 5: Edfu by horse-drawn carriage

After breakfast aboard ship, you travel by horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus. The carriage ride is a distinctive part of the visit, though it also means you should be prepared for a less polished form of local transport than the tour vehicle.

The Temple of Horus is one of the major stops on the cruise route, and the schedule allows about five hours for the visit and the ship’s onward sailing. Your guide explains the architecture and religious role of the temple, giving you more than a quick photo stop.

You return to the ship for a buffet lunch while continuing toward the next destination. This is an easy day compared with Abu Simbel, but the steady schedule continues. Use the sailing time to rest, photograph the river, and keep some energy for Luxor’s final day.

Day 6: Balloon flight and Luxor’s west and east banks

The final day begins around 5:30 AM with the hot air balloon ride. Weather affects this activity, so the operator may cancel it and offer another date or a full refund if conditions are poor. You should expect an early start and a morning organized around the balloon schedule.

From above, you get a broad view of Luxor and the Nile before visiting the west bank. The itinerary then moves to the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut’s temple, and the Colossi of Memnon.

The Valley of the Kings is best understood as a royal burial area rather than one single monument. Your ticket arrangements matter here, since access to particular tombs can differ. Confirm which entrance fees and tomb tickets are included before you arrive.

Queen Hatshepsut’s temple brings a strong architectural contrast, with broad terraces set against the cliffs. The Colossi of Memnon provide a shorter stop and a chance to see two enormous seated statues before crossing to Luxor’s east bank.

Karnak Temple receives the largest share of the eastern itinerary. It is a vast complex, so seven hours for the full day still requires a brisk pace once the balloon, west bank, transfers, Karnak, and Luxor Temple are all counted. Luxor Temple then provides a fitting final stop, with its monumental avenues, columns, and central position in the modern city.

The day ends with a transfer to your Luxor hotel, train station, or airport. If you are catching a flight or train, confirm the departure time carefully. A delayed balloon, a longer temple visit, or traffic could affect your connection.

Guides, transport, and the level of support

The tour is private, meaning only your own group participates. That gives you more control than a large shared coach, although the exact amount of flexibility is not stated. You travel in a private air-conditioned vehicle, with airport and hotel pickups arranged at the key points.

Mohamed Eldahesh is named as a guide and trip coordinator in several of the supplied comments. He is described as helpful, attentive, and able to explain the temples clearly. One account also notes that Mohamed speaks excellent Spanish. Marina is mentioned as a coordinator who helped manage the details of a complicated trip involving several local providers.

That last point is worth taking seriously. The itinerary involves hotels, domestic aviation, a cruise company, drivers, airport staff, and sightseeing guides. The support can be a real benefit, but final details may arrive close to departure. Ask for the confirmed hotel names, flight times, cruise vessel, pickup instructions, and entrance-fee policy before leaving home.

Who should book this fast-paced Egypt tour?

I would choose this package if you want the major sights in a short window and prefer one company to arrange the difficult connections. It suits first-time visitors who want Cairo, Alexandria, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Luxor without building a complex independent itinerary.

It is also a good fit if you enjoy moving between different settings: city hotel, motorboat, cruise ship, horse-drawn carriage, private vehicle, and hot air balloon. The range is impressive for six days.

I would hesitate if you want long museum visits, relaxed mornings, or free afternoons. The early Abu Simbel departure and dawn balloon ride are fixed features of the schedule, and Alexandria involves a substantial return drive to Cairo. You should also be comfortable with some details being confirmed late, especially because several local providers are involved.

Cancellation is free with at least 24 hours’ notice before the local start time. Last-minute changes are not accepted, and weather or minimum participation can affect the schedule.

Final verdict: excellent coverage, limited breathing room

This is a strong value-focused introduction to Egypt. The best parts are the combination of the Nile cruise, Abu Simbel, and Luxor’s balloon flight, plus the practical help from named coordinators and guides such as Mohamed Eldahesh and Marina.

The price makes sense when you count the flights, six nights of accommodation, meals, transfers, guide services, and private transport. Before booking, settle the entrance-fee confusion in writing and confirm the exact timing of day one, the domestic flights, and the cruise ship.

Book it if your priority is seeing as much of Egypt as possible in six days. Choose a longer or more flexible trip if you want Egypt to unfold slowly rather than arrive in a steady stream of temples, tombs, flights, and early alarms.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts approximately six days.

Is the tour private?

Yes. Only your group participates in this private tour or activity.

What accommodation is included?

The package includes two nights in a four-star Cairo hotel and three nights of full-board accommodation aboard a Nile cruise ship.

Are domestic flights included?

Yes. Domestic flights between Cairo and Aswan, and between Luxor and Cairo, are included.

Is food included?

Breakfast is included for five days, lunch for three days, and dinner for three days. Personal expenses and drinks are not included.

Is an Egyptologist guide provided?

Yes. An English-speaking Egyptologist guide is included during the trip. Mohamed Eldahesh is named as one of the guides connected with the experience.

Does the tour visit Abu Simbel?

Yes. Abu Simbel is visited on day four, with pickup scheduled at around 5:00 AM.

What happens if bad weather cancels the hot air balloon ride?

If poor weather causes the experience to be canceled, you are offered a different date or a full refund.