6 Days Cruise Aswan to Luxor, Abu Simbel&Sleeper Train Round-trip

The big draw here is the way this six-day trip links Abu Simbel and the major Nile temples without making you arrange each transfer yourself. You start in Cairo, head south by train, cruise from Aswan to Luxor, then return by train after visiting the Valley of the Kings and Karnak.

I like the three nights on a full-board ship, which gives you time to watch village life and river scenery from the deck instead of changing hotels every night. I also like the careful attention promised by Heba Haggag, the named travel contact praised for quick replies and close follow-up. The main catch is cost clarity: entrance fees, drinks, the Philae motorboat, and tips are extra, and the train description needs confirmation because one section says sleeper train while another lists first-class sitting tickets.

Key points to know before booking

• Abu Simbel requires an early start: You leave around 4:30 a.m. and spend about six hours on the road for the temple visit.
• The cruise runs Aswan to Luxor: Three nights aboard a five-star ship include meals from lunch on check-in day through breakfast on departure day.
• The route covers Egypt’s essential Nile sights: Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Luxor Temple, Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, and Hatshepsut’s temple are all included in the schedule.
• The train arrangement needs checking: The overview describes overnight Watania sleeper trains, while the inclusions list first-class sitting train tickets with a sleeper upgrade available for an extra charge.
• You pay many entrance fees separately: Most site admissions must be paid by card, while the High Dam and Philae motorboat require cash.
• Evening entertainment is built in: Expect a folkloric show, belly dancing, and possible galabiya, Nubian, or disco programs on the ship.

From Cairo to Aswan by overnight train

Your first evening begins with a hotel pickup in Cairo or Giza. A driver takes you to the station, where you board the southbound train to Aswan. The journey takes about 12 to 14 hours and includes dinner and breakfast according to the tour description.

Here is the detail I would settle before paying: the main description calls this a Watania sleeping train, but the inclusions say the price covers a first-class sitting train, with a sleeping upgrade available for an added fee. Those are very different ways to spend a night. Ask for the exact train class, cabin arrangement, and upgrade price in writing.

This long ride is not just a transfer. It gives you a look at the scale of Egypt, moving from the capital toward the narrow Nile Valley. Still, a 12 to 14 hour train journey can be tiring, especially before an afternoon of sightseeing, so pack water, simple snacks, and anything that helps you sleep.

On arrival at Aswan, a guide meets you at the station. If the train arrives early, the sightseeing may begin before the ship’s regular noon check-in. That is useful because it prevents you from sitting in a lobby for hours, but it also means your first day can feel full before you have settled into your cabin.

Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple

The first stops are the High Dam and Philae Temple. The dam was completed in 1960 to control flooding and generate electricity. It is a modern engineering project, not an ancient monument, and it helps explain how the Nile is managed today.

Philae requires a small motorboat because the temple sits on an island. The boat ride is not included, so bring cash for that expense. The temple itself is dedicated to Isis and contains Egyptian, Greek, and Roman elements, giving your guide plenty to explain about the long life of the site.

I like the contrast here. The High Dam shows modern Egypt reshaping the river, while Philae shows how ancient religious buildings were protected and relocated after changes to the water level. The sightseeing time is fairly short, about 45 minutes at the dam and 90 minutes at Philae, so your guide will need to keep the visit moving.

You return to the ship for dinner and an evening folkloric show. The ship is your base for the next three nights, with full-board meals included. Drinks, WiFi, and other personal purchases are not included, so check onboard prices early if you want a running account of expenses.

Abu Simbel, the longest day of the trip

Abu Simbel is the high point for many people, but it comes with the hardest schedule. Around 4:30 a.m., you leave Aswan with a shared small group and drive for about three hours each way through the desert. The complete outing takes around eight hours.

The reward is the pair of rock-cut temples built for Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari. The huge seated figures at the main temple are among Egypt’s most memorable sights, while the smaller temple gives attention to Nefertari. Your English-speaking guide accompanies the visit.

This is the day to judge honestly. If you want to see Abu Simbel, the early wake-up and long road journey are difficult to avoid on a short Nile trip. I think the visit is worth the effort, but you should not expect a relaxed morning. You return to the ship around midday, eat lunch, and then have some time to rest before sailing.

The Abu Simbel excursion is described as a shared bus or minibus trip. That keeps the price lower than a private departure, but the pace is not fully yours. If bad weather cancels the trip, the stated refund is $30 per person.

Kom Ombo at sunset and Edfu by horse carriage

Later on day three, the ship reaches Kom Ombo. The temple is unusual because it has a double design, with one side dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, and the other to Horus, the falcon god. The site visit takes about an hour before the ship continues toward Edfu.

Kom Ombo is especially effective because you see it as part of the river journey rather than as an isolated bus stop. You step ashore, explore the temple with your guide, then return to the ship for dinner and the overnight sailing to Edfu.

The next morning, you take a horse carriage to the Temple of Horus. The carriage ride is included in the planned sightseeing, and the guide joins you. Edfu is considered one of the best-preserved Egyptian temples, so its walls and layout give you a strong sense of how a large temple complex once worked.

The schedule allows about two hours at Edfu. Afterward, the best part of the day is often simply being back on deck. You sail toward Luxor, cross the Esna Lock, eat lunch, and have afternoon tea on the sundeck. I like this slower stretch because the cruise is not only a string of temple visits. It gives you time to watch the Nile Valley pass by.

Luxor Temple after dark

The ship reaches Luxor late in the afternoon, and you head to the East Bank for Luxor Temple. The monument includes ancient Egyptian remains as well as later Christian and Islamic traces. A late-day visit can give the place a different mood from the bright morning tours, although the exact timing may change with river conditions.

The cruise schedule includes dinner and a belly dancing show that night. Other entertainment may include a galabiya party, Nubian show, or disco. These programs are part of the standard cruise atmosphere, but you should treat them as optional fun rather than the reason to book the trip.

The route is planned around sailing conditions, and the order or timing can change. That matters on the final day, when you need to reach the railway station after sightseeing. The operator says the listed sites will still be covered, but the sequence may be different.

The West Bank, Hatshepsut, and Karnak

After breakfast on day five, you check out and visit Luxor’s West Bank. The Valley of the Kings contains tombs cut into the hills for New Kingdom pharaohs. The standard ticket arrangement is not fully detailed here, and entrance fees are excluded, so confirm which tombs or ticket categories are available when you arrive.

Your guide then explains the story of Hatshepsut at her mortuary temple at Deir El Bahari. She ruled as a female pharaoh, and the site’s broad terraces make it one of the most recognizable monuments near Luxor. The visit lasts about 90 minutes.

The final West Bank stop is a photo stop at the Colossi of Memnon. You do not need long here, but the massive statues provide a useful sense of scale. Lunch at a local restaurant is optional, so budget separately if you want a sit-down meal before continuing.

Back on the East Bank, Karnak is the final major site. The complex grew over roughly 2,000 years and covers about 63 acres. One and a half hours is enough for a guided introduction, but not enough to inspect every corner. This is where a focused guide matters. The tour uses a professional English-speaking Egyptology guide, and you should ask questions rather than trying to absorb every dynasty and ruler at once.

After Karnak, a driver takes you to Luxor railway station for the return journey to Cairo. This is a packed final day: check out, tour the West Bank, eat if you choose, visit Karnak, transfer to the station, and board the train. Keep your luggage light and confirm the drop-off plan for your Cairo or Giza hotel.

What the $950 price really covers

At $950 per person, the trip is not cheap, but it bundles several costly pieces: hotel pickup and drop-off, rail connections, three nights aboard a five-star cruise, full-board meals, an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned road transport, and Abu Simbel.

The value is strongest if you want one organized route through southern Egypt. You avoid arranging separate transfers between the train station, ship, temples, and railway station. The cruise also gives you a fixed room and regular meals while you move between Aswan and Luxor.

The price is less attractive if you want to control every detail or already have transport arranged. Entrance fees are excluded for all listed attractions, and you also pay for drinks, WiFi, laundry, optional tours, tips, the Philae motorboat, and possibly a sleeper upgrade. The included meal count is listed as five dinners, four breakfasts, and three lunches, though the cruise is described as full board from lunch through breakfast. Ask the operator to reconcile those numbers.

The price applies per person, and a solo room requires booking as a single person. Three people can share a triple room. Child pricing applies only when a child shares with two paying adults, while a child aged six to 11 traveling with one adult is charged as an adult.

Service, group size, and practical details

The maximum group size is 20 people, though the Abu Simbel excursion uses a shared vehicle. That is small enough for a guide to answer questions, but it is not a private tour. The tour is listed as suitable for most people and is near public transportation.

Heba Haggag is the named travel contact associated with the arrangements. The available feedback gives particular credit to her fast replies, including on holidays, and her close attention from booking through the end of the trip. That kind of communication matters here because train class, meeting points, sailing times, and optional charges need clear answers.

Bring a card for most entrance fees, plus cash for the High Dam and Philae motorboat. Drinks are not included, and one dining note specifically points out that the absence of included drinks can reduce the ease of mealtimes. You should also keep some money aside for tips to the guide, drivers, and cruise crew.

Pickup and drop-off are included for hotels in Cairo or Giza. Airport transfers cost an extra $10 per person, and transfers from the New Administrative Capital cost an extra $15 per person. Give the company your hotel name and address before the return journey.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations inside that period are not accepted for a refund.

Who should book this Nile cruise?

I would choose this trip if you have limited time in Egypt and want the major Aswan and Luxor sights handled in one package. It suits people who value a guide, regular meals, door-to-door transfers, and the ease of sleeping on a ship while moving down the Nile.

It also suits first-time visitors who want Abu Simbel but do not want to arrange the desert transfer alone. The tradeoff is a demanding schedule, especially the early Abu Simbel departure and the final day before the return train.

I would hesitate if you need a quiet, slow holiday, dislike long train rides, or want all costs included upfront. Confirm the train type, entrance fee budget, meal count, and cruise name before booking. If those details are clear, the trip offers a practical way to connect Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Luxor in six tightly planned days.

FAQ

How long does the train journey from Cairo to Aswan take?

The train journey takes about 12 to 14 hours. Dinner and breakfast are included according to the tour information.

Is the train a sleeper or a sitting train?

The tour description gives two different details. It describes an overnight Watania sleeping train, while the included services list first-class sitting tickets with a sleeper upgrade available for an extra charge. Confirm the exact arrangement before booking.

How many nights are spent on the Nile cruise?

You spend three nights aboard a five-star Nile cruise ship, sailing from Aswan to Luxor.

Is Abu Simbel included?

The Abu Simbel trip and English-speaking guide are included, but the entrance fee is not included. The excursion uses a shared bus or minibus and begins around 4:30 a.m.

Are meals included?

The cruise is described as full board, beginning with lunch on check-in day and ending with breakfast on departure day. The listed meal count is five dinners, four breakfasts, and three lunches. Drinks are not included.

Are entrance fees included?

No. Entrance fees for the listed sightseeing stops are paid separately. Most must be paid by card, while the High Dam and the motorboat to Philae require cash.

Is the Philae boat ride included?

No. The small motorboat to Philae is an extra charge and must be paid in cash.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel up to 24 hours before the experience starts for a full refund. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.