Nile cruises in Egypt, picked by the team that sails them.
Twelve 5★ ships and dahabiyas between Luxor and Aswan — private or share group, Egyptologist on every sailing.
- 22 ships & dahabiyas
- 5.0★ 56 reviews
- 1,200+ Nile trips since 2012
All 22 Nile cruises our guests keep booking.
Every ship below is 5★ rated, sailing-date verified and priced per person for shared cabin, full board. Exact Monday–Saturday departures from Luxor or Aswan, private or share group, with a licensed Egyptologist on every excursion.
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Iberotel Crown Emperor Nile Cruise
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
MS Blue Shadow Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Sonesta Nile Goddess Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Sabena Al Jamila Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Al Kahila Nile Cruise
5.0 5 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Steigenberger Royale Nile Cruise
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Al Hambra Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Salima Nile Cruise
5.0 3 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Steigenberger Regency Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
MS Esmeralda Nile Cruise
5.0 5 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Alyssa Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
MS Salacia Nile Cruise
5.0 3 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Steigenberger Legacy
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Jaz Crown Prince Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Acamar Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Mövenpick Royal Lotus
5.0 3 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
MS Mayfair Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Oberoi Zahra Nile Cruise
5.0 4 reviews
- Aswan ⇄ Luxor in 3, 4 or 7 nights
- Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu & Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
Historia Nile Cruise
- Philae, Kom Ombo & Edfu temples
- Valley of the Kings + Karnak
- Full board + guided excursions
Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan
Nour El Nil Dahabiya
- 5 nights under sail, Esna → Aswan
- El Kab, Edfu, Gebel Silsileh, Kom Ombo
- Full board + Egyptologist guide
Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan
Assouan Dahabiya Nile Cruise
5.0 5 reviews
- 5 nights under sail, Esna → Aswan
- El Kab, Edfu, Gebel Silsileh, Kom Ombo
- Full board + Egyptologist guide
Aswan · Kom Ombo · Edfu · Luxor
MS Amoura Dahabiya
5.0 4 reviews
- Sailing dahabiya, 3 or 4 nights
- Kom Ombo, Edfu & Esna temples
- Full board + Egyptologist guide
What you're actually choosing when you pick a Nile cruise.
Almost every Nile cruise in Egypt sails the same 3-night Aswan → Luxor or 4-night Luxor → Aswan itinerary — Kom Ombo, Edfu, the Valley of the Kings, Philae, the High Dam. The real choice is the ship: how modern it is, what the cabins look like, how the food is run, and — most of all — who guides you off the boat at each temple. We hand-pick twelve Nile cruises we actually sail regularly, then match each guest to the right one based on budget, date, and travel style.
If you want the short version: choose a luxury Nile cruise ($922+) for bigger cabins and finer dining; a deluxe cruise ($660–$765) for the same route at smart value; or a dahabiya boat if you want the quiet, boutique sailboat experience with stops the big ships skip.
Luxury, Deluxe, or a traditional Dahabiya?
Three styles of Nile sailing — same ancient route, very different onboard experience. Here is how each one works.
Best Luxury Nile Cruises
5-star ships with spa, sun-deck pool, gourmet dining and private Egyptologist guiding — the full Nile experience in comfort.
Deluxe Nile Cruises
The sweet spot — refurbished 5★ ships, full board, daily excursions with an Egyptologist, at a smarter price point.
Dahabiya Nile Cruise Boats
Traditional wooden sailing boats with 6–12 cabins — quiet, intimate, stops the big ships skip. A slower way down the river.
What you'll actually see on a Nile cruise.
Every 3- and 4-night Nile cruise visits the same core set of UNESCO temples and pharaonic sites between Luxor and Aswan — led by a licensed Egyptologist. Here's what's on the shore excursion roster.
Karnak Temple Complex
The largest religious complex ever built — 5,000 years of pharaonic history across obelisks, pylons, and the Great Hypostyle Hall of 134 columns.
Luxor Temple
Connected to Karnak by the 3km Avenue of Sphinxes. Stunning at night when the columns are lit — ask us to time your visit after sunset.
Valley of the Kings
Royal burial ground of 62 tombs — Tutankhamun, Ramses III, Seti I. Your ticket covers three tombs; we pick the best-preserved on the day.
Hatshepsut Temple
Three-terrace mortuary temple of Egypt's most powerful female pharaoh, cut straight into the cliff at Deir el-Bahari — architecturally dramatic.
Edfu Temple of Horus
The best-preserved temple in all of Egypt. Dedicated to the falcon god Horus, built by the Ptolemies. We arrive by horse-drawn carriage from the dock.
Kom Ombo Temple
Unique twin temple — Sobek (crocodile god) and Haroeris (falcon) share a perfectly symmetrical plan. Adjoining crocodile mummy museum.
Philae Temple
Temple of Isis, relocated island by island after the High Dam. We reach it by motor launch — sunset visits are spectacular.
Aswan High Dam
Brief but worth it — understand what saved Philae, created Lake Nasser, and reshaped all of Upper Egypt. Great panoramic photos.
Unfinished Obelisk
1,168 tons of granite abandoned in the quarry when a crack appeared — the most vivid insight you'll get into how ancient Egyptians actually built.
Abu Simbel Temples
The Great Temple of Ramses II. Optional day excursion from Aswan by road (3 hrs) or short flight (40 min). ~$140 add-on — highly recommended.
Colossi of Memnon
Two 18-metre stone guardians of Amenhotep III's lost funerary temple — a quick but photogenic stop en route to the Valley of the Kings.
Not sure which ship is right for you?
Tell me your dates, travel style and budget and I'll come back — usually within 5 mintues — with two or three cabin options that actually fit. No pressure, no sales pitch, no bot. Just me.
WhatsApp Maro →How we pick the ships on this page.
We are not a marketplace — we don't list every ship on the Nile. We only feature cruises we have personally inspected, sailed multiple times, and had our own guests rate 4★+ in the last 12 months. If a ship drops quality, it comes off this page.
We've sailed every ship
Our team has personally inspected every cruise on this page — cabins, kitchens, sun decks, life jackets — within the last 18 months.
Licensed Egyptologists
Every shore excursion — Karnak, Valley of the Kings, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Philae — is led by a government-licensed Egyptologist, not a shared ship guide.
Real guest reviews
Star ratings come from 47+ independently posted Egypt Planners Nile cruise reviews — TripAdvisor, Google, and direct post-trip surveys.
Direct, no middleman
You book with us, the operator — not an OTA reselling the cabin. That means a better cabin category for the same price, and Maro on WhatsApp from day one.
Eight things we tell every Nile cruise guest before they sail.
Practical, specific, honestly said — the small things that make a big difference on board.
Best time to sail
October to April. Daytime 22–28°C, comfortable for temples. May–September is hot (38°C+) — only go if you're heat-tolerant and book an earlier wake-up for Karnak.
3 nights or 4 nights?
3 nights (Aswan → Luxor) is the shorter, busier direction. 4 nights (Luxor → Aswan) is more relaxed and gives you Abu Simbel time. First-timers: pick 4 nights.
What to pack
Light layers, one modest outfit (Philae, Kom Ombo, temple hall), sun hat, closed-toe walking shoes, reef-safe SPF, a refillable bottle — ships have filtered water stations.
Tipping on board
Plan on $25–$40 total per person for ship crew tips (split between room steward, waiter, maître d'), plus separate tips for your Egyptologist guide ($10/day) and driver.
Visa & documents
Most nationalities get an e-Visa for $25 at visa2egypt.gov.eg. Carry two colour passport copies — ships collect one at boarding.
Water & food
Drink only sealed or filtered bottled water — on board is safe. Stick to cooked food for the first 48 hours. Bring electrolyte sachets; temple days are long and dry.
Photography rules
Tripods require a permit inside most sites. Flash is banned in royal tombs (Valley of the Kings, Nefertari). A 24–70 mm lens covers 95% of what you'll want to shoot.
Boarding day
Cruises board around 12:00–14:00. If your flight lands earlier, we'll hold your bags at our Luxor/Aswan office and run a Karnak or Philae half-day while you wait.
What people say after sailing with us.
Verified Nile cruise guests, across the last 12 months. Full reviews on TripAdvisor and our Google Business Profile.
"Esmeralda was spotless, the food was excellent, and our Egyptologist Ahmed turned the temples into stories we still talk about. Maro was on WhatsApp the entire trip."
"We were nervous booking direct from outside an OTA. Shouldn't have been — Maro answered everything within Minutes, and the Sonesta Nile Goddess cabin was bigger than he promised."
"Al Kahila wasn't the fanciest ship on the river but the crew treated us like family and the guide was genuinely passionate. Exactly what a Nile cruise should feel like."
Common questions, answered by Maro.
What are the best months to cruise the Nile?
How much does a Nile cruise in Egypt cost?
Is a Nile cruise in Egypt worth it?
What is the best Nile cruise ship in Egypt?
Where do Nile cruises depart from?
Can I add Cairo, Abu Simbel or a Red Sea stay to my Nile cruise?
Private or share group — what's the difference?
How far ahead should I book a Nile cruise?
Is the Nile safe for cruising in 2026?
What's included on board, and what isn't?
Why this page only has twelve ships.
There are over 300 cruise ships on the Nile. We list twelve. The reason is simple — these are the only ones I would put my own guests on this season. Every other ship either didn't clear our inspection, dropped quality since we last sailed it, or runs itineraries that don't actually fit what international travellers want.
If you want the truth on any ship that isn't on this page — including Oberoi Philae, Viking Ra, Movenpick Royale, Sanctuary Sun Boat, or anything your travel agent has quoted — send it to me on WhatsApp. I'll tell you what I'd tell my own family.