The classic, most booked1 / 4
3 nights · ship
4-day ship cruise with guide
★ 4.3 (660 reviews)
The cheapest 3-night cruise. Add Abu Simbel when you book.
Abu Simbeloptional
Balloon flightnot included
GuideEgyptologist, private
from $450
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Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor 3 nights – the 4-day cruises compared
Three nights is the standard way down the river: Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu and a full day in Luxor. Six cruises sail it on GetYourGuide, from $450 per person, and four of them can add Abu Simbel and a balloon flight.
Updated Nov 2026 · Prices checked Nov 2026 · per person, two sharing
Our pick for 3 nights
Ship cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon
★ 4.5 (596 reviews) · 3 nights
Abu Simbelincluded
Balloonincluded
Entry feesnot included
from $580Check dates
How many nights?
3nights
4 days
4 days
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
The full route at an easy pace, with room for Abu Simbel on day two. Six cruises, and the cheapest way in.
6 cruises · from $450
See these cruisesQuick answer
A 3-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor lasts four days and costs from $450 per person on GetYourGuide. Two-night cruises start at $590 and a one-night cruise at $550. Four nights are only sold from Luxor.
- 6
cruises with 3 nights - $450–686
from-price range, 3 nights - 4 of 6
include or offer the balloon - ~4:30 AM
start on the Abu Simbel day
The six 3-night cruises
3 night Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor
All six follow the same route on a large ship. What separates them is whether Abu Simbel and the balloon flight are in the price, whether the guide is private, and how guests rate them.
The classic, most booked1 / 4
All-in1 / 4
3 nights · ship
Ship cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon
★ 4.5 (596 reviews)
Both big extras in the price; $25 back if the balloon is cancelled.
Abu Simbelincluded
Balloon flightincluded
GuideEgyptologist
from $580
Best value all-in1 / 4
3 nights · ship
3-night ship cruise with balloon
★ 4.6 (189 reviews)
Abu Simbel and the balloon included at the second-lowest price.
Abu Simbelincluded
Balloon flightincluded
GuideEgyptologist
from $550
Best rated ship1 / 4
3 nights · ship
Small-group cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon
★ 4.6 (76 reviews)
Abu Simbel in a small group and a carriage ride at Edfu.
Abu Simbelincluded
Balloon flightincluded
GuideEgyptologist, small group
from $686
Private guide1 / 4
3 nights · ship
Private-guide cruise with balloon
★ 4.2 (261 reviews)
Your own guide and car on shore; the ship is shared.
Abu Simbeloptional
Balloon flightincluded
GuidePrivate guide and car
from $643
Simple and flat-priced1 / 4
3 nights · ship
4-day ship cruise with guided tours
★ 4.2 (43 reviews)
No extras, and the price barely changes with the season.
Abu Simbelnot included
Balloon flightnot included
GuideEgyptologist
from $630
Source: GetYourGuide · Nov 2026 · summer “from” prices; some ships cost far more in winter, see Nile cruise prices
What the four days look like
4 day Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor, day by day
Day one is Aswan, days two and three are the riverside temples and the sailing, and day four is Luxor. If your cruise includes Abu Simbel, it takes the morning of day two and starts around 4:30 AM.
Day 1Aswan
MorningPickup and boarding
DayPhilae, the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk
NightMoored in Aswan
Day 2Abu Simbel or Kom Ombo
~4:30 AMAbu Simbel trip, if included
AfternoonSail to Kom Ombo
EveningKom Ombo temple
Day 3Edfu and sailing
MorningEdfu by horse-drawn carriage
DaySailing, the Esna lock
NightArrive in Luxor
Day 4Luxor
SunriseBalloon flight, if included
MorningValley of the Kings, Hatshepsut
AfternoonKarnak, Luxor Temple, drop-off
The schedule moves with the river. Ships often sail at night and in the early afternoon, and operators reorder stops when water levels or the Esna lock queue change, so read your day plan as the order of visits rather than fixed times. The cruise ends after the Luxor tour on day four, and the night in Luxor after it is not included on the most booked cruise.
Check dates for the classic cruise · live dates and prices for the 4-day ship cruise with guide
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Shorter
Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor 2 nights
Two nights keep Kom Ombo and Edfu but squeeze one end of the route. The cruise with Abu Simbel spends day one on the road to the temples from about 4 AM; the others start with the Aswan sights and shorten the Luxor day.
Two nights rarely saves money. The cheapest 2-night cruise costs $590, more than the cheapest 3-night one, so choose two nights only when your dates are fixed.
3-day private cruise with balloon
★ 4.3 (658) · Abu Simbel from ~4 AM on day 1, balloon in Luxor
from $1,000Book
Check dates for 2 nights · live dates and prices for the 3-day ship cruise with guided tours
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Side by side
3 nights vs 2 nights on the Nile
Three nights gives every stop its time and usually costs less. Two nights suits a fixed schedule and still covers the two river temples.
6 cruises
3 nights
3 cruises
2 nights
Days
4
3
Stops
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Kom Ombo · Edfu · one end shortened
Abu Simbel
on 5 of 6, in the price or as an option
on 1 of 3, from ~4 AM on day 1
Balloon
on 4 of 6
on 2 of 3
From, per person
$450
$590
Best for
most travellers
fixed dates, one less night
The shortest option
One night on the Nile, Aswan to Luxor
Overnight Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor with meals
The overnight cruise boards in Aswan, visits Kom Ombo, sleeps on board and reaches Edfu by horse-drawn carriage the next morning before you are driven on to Luxor. Meals on board are included; temple tickets and tips are not.
It suits travellers who have already seen Aswan or plan their own Luxor days. Philae, the Valley of the Kings and Karnak are not part of it.
Overnight cruise with meals
★ 4.2 (179) · 1 night · choose standard, deluxe or luxury ship
from $550Book
Looking for longer?
Nile cruise Aswan to Luxor 4 nights
No cruise on GetYourGuide spends four nights sailing from Aswan to Luxor. The four-night cruises start in Luxor and sail upstream to Aswan, which takes longer against the current. If you want more time on the river, that is the direction to book.
Nile cruises from Luxor to AswanLonger packages that start in Aswan
Two 6 and 7-night packages add days in Aswan and Abu Simbel around the sailing. They are new or have very few reviews.
7nights
8 days
★ 4.5 · 2 reviews8 days
8-day Nile river cruise with guide
Abu SimbelBalloonEgyptologist guide
Aswan sights, Abu Simbel in a small group, Kom Ombo, Edfu by carriage and Luxor with a balloon flight. Rated 4.5, but from only 2 reviews.
from $1,258
6nights
7 days
New7 days
7-day Nile cruise with balloon
BalloonFull boardEgyptologist guide
Six nights on a 5-star ship with full board, an Egyptologist guide and the Luxor balloon flight. A new listing with no reviews yet.
from $1,800
Who shows you the temples
Shared or private guide on a 4-day cruise
On every cruise here the ship itself is shared. What changes is the guide: on most cruises you join the ship's group for each visit, while private-guide cruises give you your own Egyptologist and car for the tours on shore.
Guests rate the guides on these cruises between 4.2 and 4.7 out of 5. The top guide scores, 4.7, go to the all-in cruise and the small-group cruise, both with shared guides, so a private guide is a matter of pace and group size rather than a guarantee of a better one.
Guide rating from guests
Ship cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon4.7
Egyptologist
Small-group cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon4.7
Egyptologist, small group
3-day private cruise with balloon4.5
Private tour
Private-guide cruise with balloon4.4
Private guide and car
4-day ship cruise with guide4.2
Egyptologist, private
Source: GetYourGuide review sub-scores · Nov 2026
Between the temples
Life on board a 3-night Nile cruise
Most of the time between visits is spent on deck as the ship sails between Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu. Cabins have their own bathroom and a window or balcony on the river, and meals are buffets on board on full-board cruises.
Drinks are extra on most ships and tips for the crew and guide are expected at the end. Single travellers pay a supplement for their own cabin, and groups of three can ask for a triple room on the all-in cruise.
Full board on mostDrinks extraTips expectedSingle supplement
Reviews
What guests say about 3-night cruises from Aswan
Guides and the organisation get the most praise. The early Abu Simbel start and a crowded Luxor day are the usual complaints.
★★★★★
“The 4-day, 3-night tour in Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Luxor was amazing. The drivers and guides were all perfect, and everything was very well organized.”
4-day ship cruise with guide →
★★★★★
“A wonderful French speaking guide in Aswan. The itinerary was perfectly organized, full of discoveries and memorable moments.”
Private-guide cruise with balloon →
★★★★★
“Nice Tours kept our tour intimate with just the people we were traveling with only being included in the tour which helped us soak up more info.”
Small-group cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon →
Dates and live prices
Check dates for the 3-night cruise with Abu Simbel and balloon
Pick a date to see the live price for your group. Reserve now, pay later, and cancel free up to 24 hours before.
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Good to know
3-night Nile cruise from Aswan, questions travellers ask
Is a guided 4-day Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor worth it?
For most first-time visitors, yes. It covers Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Luxor with transport, meals and a guide arranged, from $450 per person. Temple tickets, drinks and tips come on top.
Is a Nile cruise of 4 days long enough?
It is enough for the main temples between Aswan and Luxor. It is not enough for a slow Luxor visit; many travellers add a night in Luxor after the cruise.
What time does the cruise leave Aswan?
Pickup is usually in the morning of day one, and the ship stays moored in Aswan on the first night. Your voucher gives the exact pickup time.
How early is the Abu Simbel start?
Around 4 to 4:30 AM. The drive from Aswan takes about four hours each way, so you are back for lunch and the afternoon sailing.
Is the last night in Luxor included?
No. The cruise ends after the Luxor tour on day four, and the most booked cruise states that the final night in Luxor is not included.
Are drinks included?
Water at meals is usually included; other drinks are extra on most ships. Check the inclusions of the cruise you choose.
Can I get a single cabin?
Yes, as a single booking at a higher price. The prices on this page are per person for two sharing.
Which 3-night cruise has the best reviews?
The small-group cruise with Abu Simbel and the balloon is rated 4.6 from 76 reviews, and the 3-night cruise with balloon 4.6 from 189. The all-in cruise has 4.5 from 596 reviews.
Still deciding how long to sail?
Compare by what matters to you.