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Nile river cruise: which one to choose

  • 3cruises compared
  • €43.20lowest price
  • 3 htime on the water
  • 3boarding points

The cruise to check first

4-night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan

120 h · from €528 · 7.8/10 (1,831)

Check dates and price

Updated 29 October 2026

Which one, depending on what you want

Cruises in Nile side by side

For most visitors the best Nile river cruise is the 4-night sailing from Luxor to Aswan, sold as a 5-day cruise. It costs from €528 per person in a double cabin, scores 7.8 from 1,831 reviews and includes full board, entry tickets and an English-speaking guide. The catch is the commitment: five days on a ship with a fixed temple programme, and it is not wheelchair accessible.

The other two options are the 3-night cruise in the opposite direction, from Aswan to Luxor (from €477.95, 7.4 from 1,679 reviews), and a 2-hour evening dinner cruise with a show in Cairo (from €43.20, 8.4 from 375 reviews). Which one fits depends on how many days you can give the river and where you start.

Boat trips in Nile compared by type, duration, boat, food, price and rating
CruiseDurationOpen or coveredFoodPriceRating
4-night Nile cruise from Luxor to AswanSightseeingOur pick 120 h Not stated Dinner from €528 7.8/10 (1,831)
3-night Nile cruise from Aswan to LuxorSightseeing 96 h Not stated Dinner from €477.95 7.4/10 (1,679)
Nile dinner cruise with show in CairoDinner cruise 3 h Not stated Dinner from €43.20 8.4/10 (375)

Boat sheets

One sheet per cruise, same fields in the same order. Open a sheet for the pier, the commentary and what is included.

Sightseeing · DayOur pick

4-night Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan

A five-day, full-board ship cruise from Luxor to Aswan with an English-speaking guide, stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo and entry tickets included.

from €528

7.8/10 from 1,831 reviews on Civitatis

  • 120 h
  • Not stated
  • Dinner
  • Luxor: airport, train station or east-bank hotel
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before

Who it suitsTravellers with five days who want the best-scored Nile cruise in the catalogue: 7.8 from 1,831 reviews. Luxor comes first, with Luxor Temple, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings on day 2, and the trip ends in Aswan with Philae and a felucca ride.

Pick something else ifSkip it if you use a wheelchair, as the listing says it is not accessible, or if you only have four days: the 3-night cruise in the other direction is shorter. A score of 7.8 is also below the 8.4 of the Cairo dinner cruise, which is a much smaller commitment.

Check dates and price
Boarding, commentary, what is included
Boarding point
Luxor: airport, train station or east-bank hotel. Pickup is included from Luxor airport, the Luxor train station or hotels on the east bank of the Nile, usually at about 12 noon. The local team contacts you 24 hours before to confirm the time. If your hotel is on the west bank, they arrange a meeting point on the east bank. Check-in on the ship is from 12 noon.
Open or covered
A Nile ship, called a motonave locally. The listing does not name the ship or give its category. It does mention a pool, which is cleaned from 8 am to 12 noon, so it will not be open if you arrive at 10 am. Check-out is around 8 am.
Commentary
An English-speaking guide leads the visits. The listing does not describe an audio guide.
Included
  • Pickup from Luxor airport, train station or east-bank hotels
  • 4 nights full board (except lunch on day 5)
  • Entry tickets to all monuments visited
  • English-speaking guide
  • Transfer to Aswan airport
  • Port taxes and tips
Not included
  • Drinks
  • Entry to the Tomb of Tutankhamun (€12)
  • Lunch on day 5 (about €20 per person)
  • Photo permit for the Valley of the Kings (about €15, bought at the entrance)
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the start. After that, or if you do not show up, there is no refund. Around Christmas (20 December to 2 January) and Easter, cancellations are not refunded either.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Sightseeing · Day

3-night Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor

A four-day, full-board ship cruise from Aswan to Luxor with an English-speaking guide, Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu and the Luxor monuments.

from €477.95

7.4/10 from 1,679 reviews on Civitatis

  • 96 h
  • Not stated
  • Dinner
  • Aswan: airport, train station or hotel
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before

Who it suitsAnyone with four days who starts in Aswan. It fits Philae, Kom Ombo at sunset, Edfu, the Esna lock, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings into three nights, and it is the cheaper of the two multi-day cruises, from €477.95.

Pick something else ifSkip it if you use a wheelchair, as it is not accessible, or if you dislike early starts: the last morning begins with check-out around 6 am to visit the Luxor necropolises. Its score of 7.4 is also lower than the 7.8 of the 4-night cruise.

Check dates and price
Boarding, commentary, what is included
Boarding point
Aswan: airport, train station or hotel. Pickup is included from Aswan airport, the train station or your hotel in the city, followed by a transfer to the ship. If your hotel is on Western Aswan Island, Elephantine Island or Suhil Island, you meet at a set point instead: the West Bank Ferry Terminal for the western island and Suhil, and the KFC on the Nile corniche or the Telecom Egypt office on El Sadat Road for Elephantine. Check-in is at 12 noon.
Open or covered
The ship is assigned a week before departure, from three categories: 5-star standard, 5-star superior and luxury (Mövenpick and Sonesta ships). Check-out is at 8 am, and the pool is cleaned from 8 am to 12 noon.
Commentary
An English-speaking official guide leads the visits. The listing does not describe an audio guide.
Included
  • Pickup and drop-off from airport, hotel or train station
  • 3 nights full board
  • Tours and visits in the itinerary
  • Entry tickets (except the Tomb of Tutankhamun)
  • English-speaking guide
  • Port taxes and tips
Not included
  • Drinks
  • Entry to the Tomb of Tutankhamun (€12 per person)
  • Photo permit for the Valley of the Kings (about €15)
  • Abu Simbel, unless you choose a rate that includes it
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the start. After that, or if you do not show up, there is no refund. From 20 December to 2 January and during Holy Week, cancellations are not refunded at all.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Dinner cruise · Night

Nile dinner cruise with show in Cairo

A 2-hour evening cruise past lit-up Cairo with a buffet dinner and a show, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.

from €43.20

8.4/10 from 375 reviews on Civitatis

  • 3 h
  • Not stated
  • Dinner
  • Your hotel in Cairo, then a dock on the Nile
  • Free cancellation up to 48 h before
  • Wheelchair accessible

Who it suitsAnyone who wants one evening on the river without sleeping on a ship. It has the best score of the three, 8.4 from 375 reviews, and it is wheelchair accessible if you say so when you book.

Pick something else ifSkip it if you came for temples or a guide. This is a Cairo evening, not a trip to Luxor or Aswan, and drinks cost extra.

Check dates and price
Boarding, commentary, what is included
Boarding point
Your hotel in Cairo, then a dock on the Nile. You do not go to the dock yourself: the meeting point is your hotel and a bus takes you to a dock on the Nile. The shows are at 8 pm (pickup about 6:30 pm) and 10 pm (pickup about 8:30 pm). The exact pickup time depends on your hotel and is confirmed the day before.
Open or covered
A 5-star boat, either the Nile Maxim or the Nile Pharaohs according to the listing. The voucher mentions a dining room; the listing does not say whether there is also an open deck.
Commentary
No sightseeing commentary is described. An English-speaking assistant travels with the group, and the entertainment is belly dancing, whirling dervishes, folk dancing and live music.
Included
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Air-conditioned bus transfer
  • 2-hour cruise
  • Dinner: salad buffet, a main dish (Egyptian or international) and dessert
  • Show with belly dancing, whirling dervishes, folk dancing and live music
  • English-speaking assistant
Not included
  • Drinks (sold on board)
  • Tips
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before the start. After that, or if you do not show up, there is no refund.

Sources: Civitatis catalogue. Checked on 29 October 2026.

Three questions, one cruise

Tell us how much time you have, whether you want to eat on board and when you can go.

Sunset in Nile today Plan a sunset cruise
/ How much time do you have?
Next: food on board and time of day

Still deciding?

One page per decision, with the cruises it compares.

Is a Nile dinner cruise in Cairo worth it?

Yes, if you want one evening on the water in Cairo with dinner and a show.

Aswan to Luxor Nile cruise: 3 nights or 5 days?

Take the 5-day cruise (4 nights, from €528) if you can spare the time: it has the better score, 7.8 from 1,831 reviews against 7.4 from 1,679, and an extra night in Aswan.

Nile cruise from Aswan or Luxor: where to board

The cruise decides the city.

Is a Nile cruise worth it?

Probably, if you want the temples between Aswan and Luxor with transport, meals and tickets in one price.

Questions about boat trips in Nile

Which Nile river cruise is best for a first visit?

The 4-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan, from €528, if you have five days: it has the best score, 7.8 from 1,831 reviews. With four days, take the 3-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor, from €477.95.

How many nights do I need for a Nile cruise?

The two multi-day cruises last three and four nights. Both cover Philae, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Luxor Temple, Karnak and the Valley of the Kings.

Is the Cairo dinner cruise a real Nile cruise?

It is a 2-hour evening cruise on the Nile in Cairo with dinner and a show, from €43.20. It is not a multi-day trip to Luxor or Aswan.

Is food included on the Nile cruises?

Yes on the multi-day cruises, which are full board, and the dinner cruise includes dinner. Drinks are not included on any of them.

Are the Nile cruises wheelchair accessible?

The two multi-day cruises are not. The Cairo dinner cruise is, but this must be indicated when you book.

Can I cancel a Nile cruise?

All three can be cancelled free of charge up to 48 hours before the start. After that there is no refund, and the multi-day cruises are not refundable around Christmas and Easter.

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