16 Day Cairo with Lake Nasser and Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor

Abu Simbel is only the beginning on this 16-day Egypt journey. You’ll move from Cairo’s pyramids to Lake Nasser, sail the Nile from Aswan toward Luxor, then return to Cairo and Alexandria for an unusually broad look at Egypt’s ancient and Islamic past. I like the mix of major sights and less-visited Nubian temples, especially Amada, Wadi El-Sebua, Dakka, and Kalabsha. I also like that flights, airport transfers, hotels, cruises, guides, and many meals are arranged in one package.

The main drawback is the pace. You change hotels and boats several times, and some days pack in long transfers and several major sites. The $7,499.98 price is substantial, so this works best if you value having the moving parts handled for you rather than building a cheaper trip from separate bookings.

Key points to know before booking

• Abu Simbel and Lake Nasser lead the trip: You see the great temples, then sail past Nubian ruins that many shorter Egypt trips skip.
• Two cruises give you different experiences: Lake Nasser is quieter and more remote, while the Aswan to Luxor cruise links Egypt’s best-known river temples.
• Cairo gets serious time: Saqqara, Giza, the Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo, Coptic Cairo, and Khan El-Khalili are all included.
• Alexandria takes two days: You visit the catacombs, Roman amphitheater, Qaitbay Citadel, Pompey’s Pillar, and the modern library.
• The package is private: Only your group takes part, with deluxe transport and English-speaking Egyptology guides.
• Optional costs need attention: The Abu Simbel sound and light show, Great Pyramid entry, Nubian village visit, and Dendera excursion are not included in the main price.

Why the Lake Nasser section is worth your time

Many Egypt trips rush from Aswan to Luxor and treat Abu Simbel as a quick flight or road excursion. This program gives you three nights on the Movenpick Prince Abbas, with time for Abu Simbel and several temples moved from old Nubia before the waters of Lake Nasser covered their original locations.

Your second day begins with a flight from Cairo to Aswan, a transfer to the boat, lunch, and a visit to Abu Simbel. The two rock-cut temples of Ramses II are the clear headline. Their huge seated figures and interior reliefs make a strong first impression, but the site also carries a modern story: the temples were relocated during the creation of Lake Nasser.

You can add the Abu Simbel sound and light show in the evening for an extra charge. I would treat it as optional rather than essential. After a flight, transfer, lunch, and a seven-hour site visit, you may prefer the quiet of the boat.

The next day brings views of Qasr Ibrim from the sundeck, followed by Amada, Wadi El-Sebua, and the Tomb of Pennut. Qasr Ibrim is viewed from the boat rather than entered, so expectations matter. Amada is one of the oldest temples in Nubia and was begun under Thutmose III. Wadi El-Sebua includes a temple built by Ramses II, along with the Valley of Lions and the Temple of Dakka.

The Tomb of Pennut is a smaller stop, but it adds a human scale to the grand temples. Its wall scenes show offerings, funerary rites, and the final judgment. Some inscriptions were removed long ago, which leaves the site less polished than the headline monuments but no less interesting.

You return toward Aswan on day four, with another visit to Wadi El-Sebua and Dakka, plus an Egyptian show on board. The exact order of these visits can depend on the boat’s sailing schedule, so ask for the final daily plan before departure.

From Kalabsha to Philae, Aswan delivers the ancient highlights

After leaving the Lake Nasser cruise, you visit Kalabsha Temple before boarding the three-night Nile cruise. Kalabsha was dedicated to the Nubian sun god Mandulis and was also moved to higher ground when the dam was built. Its open setting gives you a useful sense of how modern water projects reshaped ancient sites.

An optional three-hour Nubian village visit follows in the afternoon. This is one of the better chances to see life beyond temples and tombs. The visit can include colorful homes, palm-filled gardens, handicrafts, farming, and henna art, but it is not included in the tour price.

Day six covers the Aswan High Dam, Philae Temple, and the Unfinished Obelisk before sailing to Kom Ombo. Philae is reached by boat because the temple complex sits on an island in the reservoir. Its setting is part of the appeal, and the move to the island saved it from the rising water.

The Unfinished Obelisk shows how ancient stoneworkers began shaping one of these giant monuments. A crack in the granite stopped the work, leaving the massive object in the quarry. At Kom Ombo, you see an unusual double temple dedicated to two sets of gods. The site’s layout makes more sense once your guide explains how separate worship areas shared one structure.

The cruise continues to Edfu, where you spend the night. An Egyptian party is planned on board, along with dinner. The repeated shipboard entertainment may appeal to you, though those seeking quiet evenings should feel free to skip it.

Edfu and Luxor pack the strongest temple days

The Temple of Horus at Edfu is among Egypt’s best-preserved ancient temples. Its towering entrance and clear reliefs help you picture how a Ptolemaic temple once worked. Your guide explains the Horus myths and the reason the temple took shape long after Egypt’s earliest pyramids.

From Edfu, the boat continues to Luxor. You visit Karnak and Luxor temples on the East Bank, usually making this one of the fullest sightseeing days of the trip. Karnak is a huge complex of pylons, chapels, columns, and courts. It rewards a guide who can explain the site in sections instead of letting you wander through a blur of stones.

Luxor Temple feels more compact and urban. It was built around 1400 BCE and was known in ancient Egyptian as the southern sanctuary. Seeing it after Karnak helps you understand the ceremonial connection between the two sites.

Day eight crosses to the West Bank for the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, and the Colossi of Memnon. The Valley includes decorated royal tombs connected with pharaohs such as Tutankhamun, Ramses III, and Seti I. Tomb entry rules can change, and the package covers the stated entrance fees, but ask your guide which tombs are open that day.

Hatshepsut’s temple is built in broad terraces against the cliffs. It is a very different kind of monument from the Valley tombs, with open levels and long lines that make the setting part of the experience. The Colossi of Memnon are a short stop, useful for photographs and a look at what remains of Amenhotep III’s enormous mortuary temple.

You have a more relaxed Luxor day on day nine, with Dendera offered as an option for an extra charge. The Temple of Hathor is one of Egypt’s best-preserved temple complexes, known for its carved ceilings, the Dendera Zodiac, and a relief of Cleopatra VII. Since the excursion is not included, ask about transport, entrance fees, and the timing before committing.

Cairo returns with Saqqara before the Great Pyramids

After a flight from Luxor to Cairo, the program shifts back to the capital’s monuments. I like the decision to visit Saqqara before Giza. The Step Pyramid of Djoser is older than the famous pyramids and shows the leap from smaller burial structures to monumental stone building.

Saqqara also includes the Pyramid of Unas and mastaba tombs belonging to officials and nobles. Their carvings and painted scenes offer glimpses of work, food, ritual, and daily life, not just royal power. You have lunch before returning to your Cairo hotel.

Giza follows on day twelve. You see the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure, the Great Sphinx, and a panoramic viewpoint for photographs. Entry inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu is optional and costs extra. The interior is narrow and physically demanding, so you should decide based on your interest rather than pressure to collect every add-on.

The Egyptian Museum completes the day, with more than 120,000 artifacts listed in the program. Its collection includes Tutankhamun’s gold mask, mummies, jewelry, and statues. The museum visit is only two hours, so your guide’s choices matter. You will not see everything. A focused route is better than trying to cover every room.

The Cairo portion is not only about pharaohs. Day thirteen visits the Citadel and the Mohamed Ali Mosque, also called the Alabaster Mosque. The hilltop position gives you broad views across Cairo, while the mosque’s Ottoman design provides a sharp contrast with the ancient temples.

You then visit the Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrasa, Al-Rifa’i Mosque, and Khan El-Khalili. Sultan Hassan is known for its scale and Mamluk design. Al-Rifa’i, directly opposite, serves as a royal mausoleum. At Khan El-Khalili, give yourself time for a coffee or tea and browsing. You can enjoy the market without treating every shop as a required stop.

The day ends in Coptic Cairo at the Hanging Church, the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue. The first two connect with Egypt’s Christian past, while Ben Ezra adds the story of Cairo’s Jewish community. Having all three in one visit gives you a broader view of the city’s religious history.

Alexandria adds Greek, Roman, and modern Egypt

The final major section takes you north to Alexandria. Day fourteen visits the Kom El Shoqafa Catacombs and the Roman Amphitheater. The catacombs date to the second century AD and combine Egyptian, Greek, and Roman styles. You descend a spiral staircase to tomb chambers, a banquet room, and carved figures.

The Roman Amphitheater has 13 tiers of marble seats and a small museum with finds from the excavation. It is a compact site, so the two-day Alexandria plan avoids trying to cram every stop into a single outing.

Day fifteen includes Qaitbay Citadel, built in the 15th century on the site associated with Alexandria’s ancient lighthouse. The fort faces the Mediterranean and offers harbor views. Pompey’s Pillar, a huge granite column erected in the third century, is paired with the remains of the Serapeum.

The modern Alexandria Library closes the sightseeing. It opened in 2002 as a tribute to the ancient library and includes reading halls, museums, galleries, a planetarium, and manuscript and antiquities collections. You return to Cairo afterward for the final night before your airport transfer.

What the $7,499.98 price covers

For one person, this is an expensive package. The value comes from how much ground it covers and how many costly pieces are bundled together: six Cairo hotel nights, two Luxor hotel nights, one Alexandria hotel night, three nights on Lake Nasser, three nights on the Nile cruise, domestic flights, deluxe transport, site admissions, guides, breakfasts, 11 lunches, and five dinners.

The hotel and cruise standard is listed as five-star, with full board on both boats. That removes much of the daily decision-making, though not every meal is included on land. Tipping and extras are excluded, as are optional visits such as the Nubian village, Dendera, the Abu Simbel evening show, and entry into Khufu’s pyramid.

You should compare the price with the value of private handling rather than with a basic group tour. Only your own group participates, and the program includes airport assistance and transfers. Past arrangements by the company have involved Hass in planning and guides such as Abdul on sightseeing days. Mohamed Fathi is also named in a separate company experience, so confirm who will guide your particular group.

Pace, comfort, and practical concerns

The private format is useful in Egypt because airport transfers, domestic flights, cruise boarding, and site visits require coordination. The company has also arranged trips during Ramadan, which shows that the season can be managed, but you should still ask how meal and sightseeing times will work for your dates.

This is not a slow holiday. You have early starts, boat schedules, flights, long road transfers, stairs, uneven ground, heat, and repeated temple visits. Most travelers can participate according to the supplied information, but anyone with mobility concerns should discuss the specific sites and boat access before booking.

The cancellation terms are simple: cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside 24 hours, the payment is not refunded, and changes are not accepted.

Should you book this Egypt journey?

Book it if you want Egypt’s major sights plus the quieter Lake Nasser temples, and you prefer one company to coordinate flights, boats, guides, hotels, and transfers. The private setup is especially useful for couples, families, or a small group that wants more control than a large coach tour.

Think twice if you prefer independent travel, long free periods, or a lower price. The program covers a great deal, but it does so at a brisk pace, and the optional charges can add up. Before paying, ask for the exact hotel names, cruise dates, guide assignments, flight times, and final list of included entrance fees.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts approximately 16 days, beginning with airport pickup in Cairo and ending with a transfer to Cairo International Airport.

Is the tour private?

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

Which domestic flights are included?

The package includes a domestic flight from Cairo to Aswan and a flight from Luxor to Cairo.

What cruises are included?

You receive three nights aboard the five-star Movenpick Prince Abbas on Lake Nasser and three nights aboard a five-star Nile cruise.

Which meals are included?

The package includes breakfast on 15 days, 11 lunches, and five dinners. Lake Nasser and Nile cruise stays are listed as full board.

Is the Nubian village visit included?

No. The Nubian village visit is optional and has an additional charge.

Is the Dendera Temple excursion included?

No. The Dendera visit is optional, and admission is not included in the main package.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the experience starts for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not accepted and are not refunded.