Nile cruise ships are based in Luxor and Aswan in Upper Egypt, so a multi-day Nile cruise does not start in Cairo. A “Nile cruise from Cairo” is a package that starts in Cairo and takes you south by domestic flight (or overnight sleeper train) to board in Aswan or Luxor. Egypt Top Tours’ 7-day Cairo and Nile cruise package starts from $1,549 per person.
Key Takeaways
- Nile cruise ships are based in Luxor and Aswan, so the cruise itself starts there; the Cairo Nile boat trip we offer is an evening dinner cruise.
- In the 7-day and 8-day Cairo and Nile cruise packages you fly Cairo to Aswan, sail three nights to Luxor, then fly Luxor to Cairo; the domestic flights are included in the price.
- The overnight sleeper train from Giza reaches Luxor in about 9 hours 25 minutes to 10 hours 10 minutes and Aswan in about 12 hours 25 minutes to 13 hours 30 minutes.
- From-prices: $1,549 for 7 days and $1,849 for 8 days (May–September, triple occupancy), with international flights and the visa excluded.
How a Cairo and Nile cruise package works
Both packages spend the first days in Cairo, fly south to board the ship, and return to Cairo by air. The day-by-day plans below come from the package pages.
| Day | 7-day package | 8-day package |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cairo: arrival, hotel check-in | Cairo: arrival, hotel check-in, leisure time |
| 2 | Pyramids of Giza, Great Sphinx, Valley Temple, Egyptian Museum | Giza Pyramids, Great Sphinx, Valley Temple, Grand Egyptian Museum |
| 3 | Flight to Aswan, Temple of Philae, High Dam, board a 5-star Nile cruise | Domestic flight to Aswan, Temple of Philae, Aswan High Dam, board the Nile cruise |
| 4 | Kom Ombo and Edfu temples, sail toward Luxor | Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple by horse-drawn carriage, sailing north |
| 5 | Luxor West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon | Luxor West Bank: Valley of the Kings, Temple of Hatshepsut, Colossi of Memnon |
| 6 | Luxor East Bank: Karnak, Luxor Temple, flight to Cairo | Karnak, Luxor Temple, domestic flight to Cairo |
| 7 | Cairo: departure | Egyptian Museum in Tahrir, Salah El-Din Citadel, Mosque of Muhammad Ali |
| 8 | – | Cairo: departure |
The 7-day package lists three nights in Cairo and three nights on a 5-star Nile cruise on full board; the 8-day package lists four nights in Cairo and the same three cruise nights. Both include a private guide, entrance fees to the sites in the itinerary, transfers, bottled water and domestic flights. International flights, the visa, tipping and optional tours are excluded.
Getting from Cairo to your ship: flight or sleeper train
A sleeper train is an overnight train with sleeping berths. Abela Trains, the operator that runs the Cairo–Luxor and Cairo–Aswan sleeper service, publishes its schedule online (checked August 13, 2026, and subject to change):
| Train (from Giza) | Departs | Arrives Luxor | Arrives Aswan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 84 | 19:50 | 05:15 (9 h 25 min) | 08:15 (12 h 25 min) |
| 1086 | 20:00 | 05:35 (9 h 35 min) | 08:35 (12 h 35 min) |
| 86 | 20:15 | 06:10 (9 h 55 min) | 09:25 (13 h 10 min) |
| 1084 | 21:00 | 06:50 (9 h 50 min) | 09:55 (12 h 55 min) |
| 82 | 21:40 | 07:50 (10 h 10 min) | 11:10 (13 h 30 min) |
The operator does not publish a public fare table; fares appear only inside its booking flow. If you prefer the train, our 12-day Egypt Discovery tour uses overnight sleeper trains between Cairo and Luxor and from Aswan back to Cairo. Flights are simpler for a short trip because the Cairo and Nile packages above already include them.
What about a Nile cruise in Cairo itself?
The Nile boat experience we offer in Cairo is an evening dinner cruise, not a multi-day cruise. Our Dinner Cruise Maxim is an evening dinner cruise on the Nile in Cairo, and it can be added to a Cairo stay.
Choosing a ship and route
- Ship type. Compare the luxury Nile cruises and the smaller dahabiya cruises; our guide to Nile cruise types explains the differences.
- Length. The two packages above each include three nights on the ship; browse the full Nile cruise collection for other lengths.
- Season. The package pages list October–April as the best season (cool and dry) and warn that May–September is hot.
Before you book
Government travel advice for Egypt and the wider region has changed during 2026. Read the current status in our travel advisory guide and check your government’s live advisory before you pay.
Sources: Egypt Top Tours package pages (checked September 28, 2026); Abela Trains schedule (checked August 13, 2026); cruise-ship locations as reported by Egypt Independent (October 2020) and confirmed on our cruise pages.