The 10-day Nile cruise and Lake Nasser cruise holiday is the most complete river journey in Egypt: two cruises, two very different waterways, and the full sweep of ancient history from the Pyramids to Abu Simbel. You begin in Cairo, sail the classic Nile from Luxor through Edfu and Kom Ombo to Aswan, then continue south on Lake Nasser to the colossal temples of Ramesses II.
Most visitors pick one cruise. This Egypt cruise holiday lets you experience both, with private Egyptologist guiding, private transfers and hand-picked cabins arranged around your dates. Every detail, from hotel category to the order of visits, can be adjusted before booking.
Tour Overview
This Egypt tour with a Nile cruise and a Lake Nasser cruise follows one long line down the country: Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Lake Nasser → Abu Simbel. North of the High Dam you sail the historic river past Pharaonic and Ptolemaic temples. South of it, the lake opens into a quiet world of Nubian monuments that were rescued from the rising water and rebuilt on higher ground.
| Duration | 10 days / 9 nights (3 nights Cairo, 3 nights Nile cruise, 3 nights Lake Nasser cruise) |
| Start and end | Arrival in Cairo, departure from Aswan |
| Route | Cairo → Luxor → Edfu → Kom Ombo → Aswan → Lake Nasser → Abu Simbel |
| Cruises | Nile cruise ship (Luxor to Aswan) and Lake Nasser cruise ship (Aswan to Abu Simbel and back), full board on board |
| Tour type | Private guide and vehicle, tailor-made planning |
| Main sites | Giza, Saqqara, Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae, Wadi El Seboua, Amada, Abu Simbel |
| Price | Price on Request, confirmed in a written quotation |
Tour Highlights
Day-by-Day Itinerary: 10-Day Nile Cruise and Lake Nasser Cruise Holiday
This is the recommended plan. Cruise schedules depend on each ship's sailing programme and on conditions on the river and lake, so your guide confirms the exact timings on board.
Day 1: Arrival in Cairo
Your representative greets you at Cairo International Airport and drives you to your hotel. Rest, then meet your guide for a short briefing on the ten days ahead.
- Private airport meet and assist
- Hotel check-in and trip briefing
- Optional evening on the Nile (own expense)
Day 2: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx and Grand Egyptian Museum
Spend the morning on the Giza Plateau with the three great pyramids and the Great Sphinx. After lunch, visit the Grand Egyptian Museum and the complete Tutankhamun collection.
- Great Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre and Sphinx
- Panoramic viewpoint over the three pyramids
- Grand Egyptian Museum and the Grand Staircase
Day 3: Saqqara, Memphis and Khan el-Khalili
Travel back in time to Saqqara, home of the first stone pyramid, and to Memphis, Egypt's first capital. In the afternoon, wander the lanes of Khan el-Khalili bazaar in Islamic Cairo.
- Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara
- Open-air museum at Memphis with the colossus of Ramesses II
- Khan el-Khalili bazaar and a traditional coffee stop
Day 4: Fly to Luxor, Karnak and Embarkation
Take the domestic flight to Luxor and board your Nile cruise ship. After lunch, visit Karnak Temple, then Luxor Temple as it glows in the evening light.
- Domestic flight Cairo to Luxor
- Embarkation and welcome briefing on board
- Karnak Temple and its Great Hypostyle Hall
- Luxor Temple at sunset
Day 5: Luxor West Bank and Sailing to Edfu
Cross to the West Bank for the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. In the afternoon the ship sails south through the Esna lock toward Edfu.
- Valley of the Kings (three tombs with the standard ticket)
- Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari
- Colossi of Memnon photo stop
- Esna lock passage and sun deck time
Day 6: Edfu, Kom Ombo and Sailing to Aswan
Visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu in the morning, then sail on to Kom Ombo to explore its double temple at sunset. The ship continues overnight to Aswan.
- Temple of Horus at Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt
- Temple of Kom Ombo and the Crocodile Museum
- Dinner on board as the ship sails south
Day 7: Aswan Sightseeing and Lake Nasser Embarkation
Disembark your Nile cruise and visit Philae Temple by motorboat and the Aswan High Dam. In the afternoon, transfer to the High Dam port, board your Lake Nasser cruise ship and visit Kalabsha before the first evening on the lake.
- Philae Temple on Agilkia Island
- Aswan High Dam and view over Lake Nasser
- Kalabsha Temple, Beit el-Wali and the Kertassi Kiosk
- Welcome briefing on the lake ship
Day 8: Wadi El Seboua, Amada and Derr
Visit Wadi El Seboua, the Valley of the Lions, and the neighbouring temples of Dakka and Maharraqa. In the afternoon, explore Amada and Derr before the ship sails on toward Abu Simbel.
- Ramesses II temple and sphinx avenue at Wadi El Seboua
- Dakka and Maharraqa temples
- Amada Temple with its painted reliefs
- Derr Temple of Ramesses II
Day 9: Abu Simbel and Return Sailing
Wake at Abu Simbel and visit the Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Nefertari, then begin the return voyage across the lake.
- Great Temple of Ramesses II
- Temple of Hathor and Nefertari
- Return cruise with sunset on the lake
Day 10: Aswan and Departure
The ship docks near the High Dam in the morning. After breakfast, disembark and transfer privately to Aswan airport for your onward flight.
- Disembarkation and farewell with your guide
- Private transfer to the airport
- Optional extension to Luxor, Cairo or the Red Sea
Places You Will Visit and Their History
Knowing the story behind each monument turns this Nile and Lake Nasser cruise into a journey through time. These are the main stops and what makes them special.
Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx
Raised during the 4th Dynasty, around 2600 to 2500 BCE, the Giza pyramids were royal tombs for Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. The Great Pyramid, once about 146 metres tall, was the highest building on earth for roughly four millennia, and the Sphinx beside the causeway of Khafre is carved from the living rock.
Grand Egyptian Museum
Standing at the edge of the plateau, this vast museum shows Egyptian history from prehistory to the Roman era. Its signature display is the entire Tutankhamun collection, exhibited together for the first time since Howard Carter opened the tomb in 1922.
Saqqara and Memphis
Saqqara was the burial ground of Memphis. Its Step Pyramid, designed by the architect Imhotep for King Djoser around 2650 BCE, is the earliest large stone building in the world. Memphis was Egypt's first capital and now holds a small open-air museum with a giant fallen statue of Ramesses II.
Karnak Temple
The temple of Amun-Ra at Karnak was enlarged by pharaohs for around two thousand years. Its Great Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 papyrus-shaped columns finished by Seti I and Ramesses II, is one of the most impressive interiors in ancient architecture.
Luxor Temple
Built chiefly under Amenhotep III and Ramesses II, Luxor Temple was the setting for the annual Opet Festival, when the god Amun sailed from Karnak. An avenue of sphinxes about 2.7 km long once joined the two temples.
Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut
From about 1539 to 1075 BCE, New Kingdom rulers were buried in hidden rock-cut tombs at the Valley of the Kings. Nearby, Hatshepsut built her terraced temple at Deir el-Bahari, attributed to her steward Senenmut and decorated with scenes of her expedition to Punt. The two Colossi of Memnon, about 18 metres tall, once guarded Amenhotep III's mortuary temple.
Esna Lock and Temple of Edfu
Ships pass the historic Esna lock on the way south. At Edfu, the Temple of Horus was built between 237 and 57 BCE under the Ptolemies and is among the best-preserved temples in Egypt, because sand once covered it. Its reliefs retell the myth of Horus and Seth.
Kom Ombo
The temple of Kom Ombo is unusual because it has two parallel halves, one for the crocodile god Sobek and one for Haroeris, a form of Horus. Its walls carry carvings of medical tools, and a small museum displays mummified crocodiles found nearby.
Philae and the Aswan High Dam
The Temple of Isis at Philae was a pilgrimage centre for centuries and was rebuilt on Agilkia Island between 1972 and 1980. The Aswan High Dam, completed in 1970, ended the annual flood and created Lake Nasser, which made the Nubian rescue campaign necessary.
Kalabsha, Beit el-Wali and Kertassi
A short boat ride from the High Dam, the Temple of Kalabsha was dedicated to the Nubian god Mandulis and relocated in the early 1960s. Beit el-Wali is a small temple of Ramesses II with scenes of his Nubian campaigns, and the Kertassi Kiosk is a graceful Hathor-column pavilion.
Wadi El Seboua, Dakka and Maharraqa
Wadi El Seboua, the Valley of the Lions, is named for the sphinxes lining the approach to a Ramesses II temple. Close by stand the Ptolemaic-Roman temple of Dakka, honouring Thoth, and the small temple of Maharraqa, dedicated to Serapis.
Amada and Derr
Amada is the oldest surviving temple on Lake Nasser, dating to about 1450 BCE, with vivid painted reliefs. It was moved intact on rails in 1965. Derr is a rock-cut temple of Ramesses II dedicated to Ra-Horakhty.
Abu Simbel
Cut into the cliff around 1264 BCE, the Great Temple of Ramesses II is fronted by four seated colossi about 20 metres high. A second temple honours Queen Nefertari and Hathor. Both were sawn into blocks and raised about 65 metres between 1964 and 1968 to escape the lake.
Lake Nasser
Lake Nasser, more than 500 km long, formed behind the High Dam in the 1960s and flooded much of ancient Nubia. Today it offers calm water, empty desert shores and some of the clearest night skies in Egypt.
Nile Cruise vs Lake Nasser Cruise: Why Do Both?
A Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan passes through the green farmland of the valley, with temples such as Edfu and Kom Ombo built right on the river bank. A Lake Nasser cruise begins beyond the High Dam and travels through open desert water to Nubian monuments that cannot be reached comfortably by road.
The two voyages complement each other. The Nile shows you Egypt's heartland and its great Pharaonic and Ptolemaic temples, while the lake shows the story of Nubia, the High Dam and the international effort to save Abu Simbel. Together they give a far fuller picture than either one alone.
Activities on This Holiday
Accommodation and Meals
You stay three nights in Cairo, three nights on a Nile cruise ship and three nights on a Lake Nasser cruise ship. Hotel category, cabin type and the ships are confirmed in your written proposal according to your budget and dates. Breakfast is included at the Cairo hotel, and meals on both ships are served on a full-board basis.
Transport
All airport transfers and sightseeing drives use private air-conditioned vehicles. The Cairo to Luxor leg is by domestic flight, the Luxor to Aswan leg is by Nile cruise ship, and the Aswan to Abu Simbel leg is by Lake Nasser cruise ship. Your quotation states exactly which flights are included.
What Is Included and Not Included
Final inclusions are always confirmed in writing before payment.
Prices
The price depends on your dates, ship and cabin categories, hotel level, number of travellers and flights. Send us your plan and we will reply with a clear written quotation.
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Booking and Cancellation
Share your dates, number of adults and children and preferred comfort level. We send a personalised itinerary, you approve the details, and you pay by Cash, PayPal, Binance, Visa or Mastercard. Two cruises need confirmed cabins, so we recommend booking early. Cancellation and amendment terms depend on the ships and hotels selected and are stated in your written quotation. Call or message us on +20 100 925 5585.
Best Time to Go and What to Pack
The best time for a Nile and Lake Nasser cruise is October to April, when days are warm and nights are cool. Summer is very hot, and some lake ships do not sail then, so confirm availability. Pack light cotton clothing with covered shoulders and knees for temples, comfortable walking shoes, a sun hat, sunscreen, a light jacket for the deck and your passport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this holiday worth it compared with a single cruise?
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Related Tours and Guides
Browse all Nile cruise and beach packages, or read about Luxor and Aswan and Abu Simbel.
Ten days, two cruises and one private Egyptologist from Cairo to the temples of Nubia. Share your dates and travel style, and we will prepare your personal proposal.
| Call +20 100 925 5585 |
