Hatshepsut's mortuary temple under limestone cliffs
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Nile cruise Luxor to Aswan – the longer way up the river

Sailing from Luxor to Aswan goes against the current, and this is the direction with four nights and more. Eight cruises on GetYourGuide sail it, from $500 for one night to $1,860 for four nights on a named ship.

LuxorEdfuKom OmboAswan

Updated Nov 2026 · Prices checked Nov 2026 · per person, two sharing

Most reviewed from Luxor
5-day Nile cruise to Aswan with balloon
★ 4.2 (187 reviews) · 4 nights
Abu Simbelday 5
Balloonincluded
Feluccaincluded
from $1,343Check dates
How many nights from Luxor?
4nights

The longest common cruise: two days in Luxor, two sailing, Aswan and Abu Simbel.

4 cruises · from $975
See these cruises
Quick answer

Nile cruises from Luxor to Aswan run from one to six nights and cost from $500 per person on GetYourGuide. This is the direction to choose for four nights or more; the 5-day cruise with the balloon and Abu Simbel costs from $1,343.

  • 8
    cruises from Luxor
  • 1–6
    nights aboard
  • 4
    with four nights
  • Same
    price in winter and summer

Check dates and live prices →

The cruises from Luxor

Luxor to Aswan Nile cruise, the best options

Six cruises in six roles, from a one-night transfer cruise to four nights on a dahabiya. Two of them name their ship, with an “or similar” warning.

Hatshepsut's temple from above with a colourful balloon in the cornerMost reviewed
4 nights · ship

5-day Nile cruise to Aswan with balloon

★ 4.2 (187 reviews)

Balloon, felucca ride and Abu Simbel on the last day.

Abu Simbelday 5
Balloon flightincluded
GuideEgyptologist
from $1,343
Abu Simbel small temple (Nefertari) facade with statues, close viewNamed ship
4 nights · ship

Princess Sarah 5-day cruise

★ 4.8 (2 reviews)

Entry fees included; a named ship that may be swapped.

Abu Simbelnot stated
Balloon flightnot stated
GuideTour guide
from $975
Ship's lower deck with white railings, green turf and flowers, river on the leftNamed ship, new
4 nights · ship

Radamis II 5-day cruise

New, no reviews yet

Entry fees and a private guide included; “or similar” ship.

Abu Simbelnot stated
Balloon flightnot stated
GuidePrivate Egyptologist
from $1,860
Yellow dahabiya with a white sail and open deck on the Nile, desert bank behindDahabiya
4 nights · dahabiya

6-day dahabiya from Luxor

★ 4.1 (13 reviews)

Four nights sailing plus a hotel night in Luxor; Silsila and a village.

Abu Simbelnot included
Balloon flightnot included
GuideExpert guide, rated 5.0
from $1,400
Aerial view of the Valley of the Kings area with a balloon over the cliffsPrivate guide
2 nights · ship

3-day Nile cruise to Aswan with private guide

★ 4.3 (170 reviews)

Valley of the Kings on day one, Aswan and Abu Simbel at the end.

Abu Simbelday 3
Balloon flightnot included
GuidePrivate guide
from $1,000
Coffee and pastries on a deck table by the riverTransfer only
1 night · ship

One-night Nile cruise to Aswan

★ 4.5 (37 reviews)

Meals, Edfu and a transfer to your hotel in Aswan.

Abu Simbelnot included
Balloon flightnot included
GuideNo guide
from $500

Longer from Luxor

6nights
7-day Nile cruise from Luxor with balloon
★ 4.8 from 12 reviews · round trip, ends back in Luxor
from $1,772Book →
5nights
6-day Nile cruise to Aswan with balloon
★ 4.1 from 19 reviews · guide rated 3.4
from $1,500Book →
Which direction

Luxor to Aswan or Aswan to Luxor?

The temples are the same either way. Sailing from Luxor takes longer against the current, so it is where the four-night cruises are, and it ends near Abu Simbel. Starting in Aswan is shorter and cheaper.

This page · 8 cruises

Luxor → Aswan

18 cruises

Aswan → Luxor

Nights aboard
1 to 6
1 to 3
Four-night cruises
available
not available
Abu Simbel
at the end, from Aswan
on day 1 or 2
Price from, per person
$500
$450
Season effect
same price in our samples
up to 2.5× in winter
Best for
four nights or longer
a short, lower-cost cruise
The classic from Luxor

5 days 4 nights Nile cruise Luxor to Aswan, day by day

The most reviewed 4-night cruise spends two days in Luxor, two days sailing past Edfu and Kom Ombo, and ends in Aswan with the Abu Simbel trip. The balloon flight and a felucca ride are in the price.

Looking up at giant carved columns of the Karnak hypostyle hallDay 1
Luxor east bank

Karnak and Luxor Temple.

Many glowing balloons being inflated at sunriseDay 2
Balloon and west bank

Sunrise flight, Valley of the Kings, board the ship.

Cruise ship passing a felucca sail on the Nile, palms and desert hills behindDay 3
Edfu

Sailing, the Temple of Horus.

Kom Ombo temple columns with capitals against a blue skyDay 4
Kom Ombo

Sailing on to Aswan.

Four colossal seated statues at the Abu Simbel main temple facadeDay 5
Aswan and Abu Simbel

The Abu Simbel day, then your hotel.

5 days Nile cruise from Luxor with Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel comes on the last day, after you reach Aswan, so you leave the ship with the most famous temples still ahead of you. Guests rate this cruise 4.2 from 187 reviews; one notes there was not much entertainment on the boat.

5-day Nile cruise to Aswan with balloon
standard, deluxe or luxury ship
from $1,343Book
Yellow dahabiya with white sails on the Nile, desert bank behind
Sailing upstream

Dahabiya Nile cruise Luxor to Aswan

The 6-day dahabiya from Luxor spends four nights on the boat and one in a 4-star hotel in Luxor before boarding. It adds Gebel el-Silsila and a village to the usual temples and ends with Philae in Aswan.

It costs $1,400 per person with meals, water and hot drinks, the guide and the transfers. Guests rate the guide 5.0, though the overall rating is 4.1 from 13 reviews.

Check dates for the dahabiya from Luxor · live dates and prices for the 6-day dahabiya from Luxor
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Just the transfer

One night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan

The one-night cruise is a comfortable way to get from Luxor to Aswan rather than a tour: pickup around 11 AM, lunch and dinner on board, a visit to Edfu the next morning and a transfer to your hotel in Aswan. There is no guide, and other land excursions are not included.

It costs from $500 per person on a deluxe ship and is rated 4.5 from 37 reviews.

Cruise ship passing a felucca sail on the Nile, palms and desert hills behind
Check dates for one night · live dates and prices for the one-night Nile cruise to Aswan
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If you want a ship by name

Radamis II Nile cruise and Princess Sarah

Two cruises from Luxor name their ship, the only ones on this route that do. Both still allow a swap: the Radamis II listing says “or similar”, and a recent guest on the Princess Sarah cruise was moved to another ship on arrival.

Both include temple tickets, unlike most cruises, which makes their prices look higher than they are.

Princess Sarah 5-day, 4-night cruisemay be swapped
★ 4.8 from 2 reviews · all meals
Entry fees includedGuideBottled water
from $975Book
Radamis II 5 days and 4 nightsor similar
New, no reviews yet · full board
Entry fees includedPrivate EgyptologistAswan airport drop-off
from $1,860Book
Reviews

What guests say about cruising from Luxor

Guests praise the crews and the comfort on board; the longer cruises leave more time to rest between temples.

Covered deck lounge with sofas and dining tables, curtains and river view
★★★★★
“The highlight of our three-week trip! Our dahabiya was beautiful, and the staff was amazing, attentive, thoughtful, and accommodating throughout the trip.”
Adonay, United States · November 2026
6-day dahabiya from Luxor →
Ship deck railing with a lifebuoy and a laid table at sunset over the river
★★★★★
“Everything on this cruise exceeded my expectations. The trip was seamlessly coordinated from pickup to drop off. The ship was very comfortable, food was excellent.”
Peggy, United States · October 2025
One-night Nile cruise to Aswan →
Smiling woman in a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses at a sandstone site, tourists behind
★★★★★
“We have got well rested and have seen wonderful places. The crew was wonderful, very nice and helpful. Every day I got the plan for the next day.”
Anna, Poland · October 2026
7-day Nile cruise from Luxor with balloon →
Dates and live prices

Check dates for the 5-day cruise from Luxor

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

Nile cruise from Luxor, questions travellers ask

How long is a Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan?

From one to six nights on GetYourGuide. Four nights (five days) is the most common longer cruise in this direction.

Why are the cruises from Luxor longer?

The boat sails south against the current, which takes more time, and most cruises add two days in Luxor before sailing.

Is there a 4-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor?

No. Four-night cruises only sail from Luxor to Aswan on GetYourGuide.

Can I book the Radamis II Nile cruise?

Yes, as a 5-day cruise from Luxor from $1,860 per person. The listing says “Radamis II or similar”, so the operator may use another ship.

Does a Nile cruise from Luxor include Abu Simbel?

Several do, at the end of the cruise from Aswan. Check the itinerary: the one-night cruise and the dahabiya do not include it.

Is a one-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan worth it?

As a comfortable transfer with meals and Edfu, yes. It has no guide, so it is not a substitute for a guided cruise.

Do prices from Luxor change with the season?

In our two sample departures, winter and summer, the prices of the cruises from Luxor were the same.

Check dates and live prices →

Starting in Aswan instead?

The shorter, cheaper direction has 18 cruises.

Check dates
5-day Nile cruise to Aswan with balloonfrom $1,343 · 4 nights
Check dates