15 Days Luxury Nile Cruise Journey | Cairo to Aswan

Arrive in Egypt’s bustling capital and step aboard your Nile cruise vessel—your elegant floating hotel for the next 14 nights. As you check into your comfortable cabin, take a moment to admire the panoramic views from the sundeck, where Cairo’s skyline blends modern architecture with minarets and domes. Tonight’s light dinner offers a gentle introduction to Egyptian cuisine, served as the ship rests quietly at the pier. 

Afterward, unwind in the lounge with soft music drifting from the bar, or stroll outside to watch the city lights reflecting on the river’s surface. The Nile has been Egypt’s lifeline for millennia, and as you begin this voyage from its northern capital, anticipation builds for the ancient wonders and timeless landscapes that lie ahead.

Overnight: Cairo

Meals: Dinner

After an early breakfast, set out for the Giza Plateau, home to the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World—the Great Pyramid of Khufu—flanked by the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure. Your Egyptologist guide reveals the feats of engineering, myths, and royal ambitions that shaped these colossal tombs. 

Stand before the enigmatic Sphinx, its lion body and human face guarding the desert’s edge for over 4,500 years. Return to the ship for an international buffet lunch, then visit the Egyptian Museum, a treasure trove of pharaonic artifacts, from gleaming Tutankhamun treasures to everyday tools that once shaped ancient lives. 

Back on board, the afternoon includes a safety fire drill, followed by tea time on deck. After dinner, enjoy the traditional melodies of a takht ensemble, letting the sounds of oud and qanun carry you deeper into Egypt’s cultural soul.

Overnight: Cairo

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today begins with a journey to Memphis, the first capital of unified Egypt, where statues and ruins tell of its grandeur. Continue to Saqqara, home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser—the earliest large-scale stone structure in history—and explore mastabas adorned with vivid daily life scenes. 

After an international lunch, discover Coptic Cairo, an enclave of early Christian heritage. Walk through the atmospheric Hanging Church, explore the Coptic Museum’s icons and manuscripts, and step inside the Ben Ezra Synagogue, steeped in centuries of Jewish history. 

Evening brings the Manager’s Cocktail Party, where you can mingle with fellow guests, followed by a set-menu dinner highlighting local flavors. Relax with music in the bar, reflecting on the layers of history you’ve uncovered in just three days.

Overnight: Cairo

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, the ship leaves Cairo behind, gliding south along a quieter stretch of the Nile where fields of sugarcane and banana groves frame the horizon. Life along the banks unfolds in timeless rhythms—fishermen casting nets, children waving, farmers tending to water buffalo. 

Enjoy lunch on board and afternoon tea as the scenery shifts from urban edges to rural serenity. Early evening, take part in an Egyptian wine tasting, sampling local varietals rarely found abroad, and learning about Egypt’s winemaking history dating back to pharaonic times. 

Tonight, savor a sizzling BBQ dinner served al fresco under a canopy of stars. End the day with soft music in the bar, the gentle lapping of the Nile your constant companion.

Overnight: Beni Suef

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Dawn finds the ship continuing south, passing tranquil villages and date palm groves. Relax on deck with a book, join in conversation with fellow travelers, or simply watch the ever-changing tableau of river life. 

Breakfast and lunch are served on board, with the midday meal offering a traditional Egyptian Tablya, a communal spread of bread, dips, stews, and salads that invite sharing. Afternoon tea precedes your arrival in Minya, a lively provincial city known as “The Bride of Upper Egypt.” 

This evening is a chance to rest, absorb the peaceful pace of the voyage, and prepare for the archaeological treasures awaiting tomorrow.

Overnight: Minya

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast, travel to Tuna el-Gebel, where vast catacombs and ancient boundary stelae reveal the Greco-Roman and late Pharaonic history of Middle Egypt. Continue to Ashmunein (ancient Hermopolis), once a city dedicated to Thoth, god of wisdom. 

Return to the ship for a light buffet lunch, then drive to the cliffside necropolis of Beni Hassan. Enter tombs hewn high into the limestone, their walls alive with painted scenes of wrestling, hunting, and foreign traders—snapshots of Middle Kingdom life over 3,800 years old. 

Back aboard, tea time is followed by dinner and a vibrant folkloric show of dance, music, and storytelling that connects the past to Egypt’s living traditions.

Overnight: Minya

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s sail brings you to Tel el-Amarna, the short-lived capital of Akhenaten and Nefertiti. Walk among the northern tombs, see the Royal Tomb of Akhenaten, the Northern Palace, and the Small Temples of Aten, where the pharaoh’s bold vision for a sun-worshipping religion once thrived. 

As the ship resumes its course toward Assyut, pause mid-river to view the Monastery of Prince Tawdrous, an enduring symbol of Egypt’s Christian heritage, with your guide providing rich context. Evening unfolds with an Oriental buffet followed by a lively galabeya party—don local dress and dance to the infectious rhythms of the Nile.

Overnight: Assyut

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

A full day of sailing south offers a chance to slow down and immerse yourself in the Nile’s cadence. Watch the changing landscapes from sundeck loungers: green fields give way to golden sandbanks, while birdlife skims the water’s surface. 

Enjoy breakfast and a hearty Egyptian tablya lunch on board. Tea time in the afternoon becomes a ritual—small glasses of strong tea, conversations, and the warm breeze off the river. Evening features an international buffet and music in the bar, perfect for unwinding after a day of pure river life.

Overnight: Sohag

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sail early to El Balyana and journey to Abydos, sacred to Osiris and home to the Temple of Seti I. Admire its exquisite reliefs, considered among the finest in Egypt, and the famed Abydos King List chronicling pharaohs across centuries. 

Return for a Moroccan-inspired lunch as you navigate toward Naga Hammadi, passing through its distinctive bridges. Evening brings a BBQ dinner, rich with grilled flavors, and a fun quiz night that tests your growing Egyptology knowledge in friendly competition.

Overnight: Naga Hammadi

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Arrive in Qena and drive to Dendera Temple, dedicated to Hathor, goddess of joy and love. Its vibrant astronomical ceiling—restored to reveal brilliant blues and golds—offers a breathtaking highlight. Back aboard, enjoy a seafood buffet as you sail to Luxor. 

A hands-on cookery lesson in the afternoon reveals secrets of Egyptian spice blends before an Italian buffet dinner. Tonight’s belly dancer show combines artistry and energy, bringing the ship’s lounge to life.

Overnight: Luxor

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cross to Luxor’s West Bank to step inside the Valley of the Kings, exploring tombs with walls alive in color and mythic narrative. Visit the terraced Temple of Hatshepsut, a statement of power and elegance, and pause at the towering Colossi of Memnon. Return to the ship for lunch and a relaxed evening, letting the magic of Luxor sink in as music drifts from the bar.

Overnight: Luxor

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start with the monumental Karnak Temple, its forest of columns and sacred lake evoking the scale of ancient devotion. Continue to Luxor Temple, elegantly aligned with Karnak via an ancient avenue of sphinxes. 

After lunch, set sail for Edfu, watching the Nile’s character shift as it narrows. Evening brings a generous buffet and the camaraderie of the bar’s gentle nightlife.

Overnight: Edfu

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

In the morning, visit Edfu Temple, the best-preserved Ptolemaic temple in Egypt, where Horus stands guard. Sail to Kom Ombo for its twin temples, one dedicated to Sobek the crocodile god and the other to Horus the Elder, along with a fascinating crocodile mummy museum. 

Tea time accompanies the sail to Aswan. Dinner is served buffet-style with oriental flavors, followed by music in the bar.

Overnight: Aswan

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin with the monumental High Dam, a modern engineering marvel. Continue to Philae Temple, a jewel of Ptolemaic architecture saved from flooding and relocated to Agilkia Island. 

After lunch, explore the Nubian Museum, where artifacts and exhibits illuminate the rich heritage of Egypt’s southernmost culture. Evening brings a set-menu dinner and a Nubian show—color, rhythm, and tradition in joyful harmony.

Overnight: Aswan

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Your final morning on board begins with breakfast and unhurried time to pack or enjoy one last stroll on deck. The Nile has carried you from Cairo’s bustling quays to Aswan’s tranquil islands, past monuments, markets, and miles of timeless scenery. 

Disembarkation marks the end of your journey, but the memories—of sunrise over the river, temple shadows at dusk, and the constant, life-giving flow of the Nile—will travel with you forever.

Overnight: Disembarkation

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch