Nile River Cruise: Everything you need to know about this tour option in Egypt

Before I started my research in Egypt, I thought it would be a difficult trip to plan. My mistake! When I realized that my trip would be divided into three stages (Cairo + Nile River cruise + Red Sea), it was very easy to draw up a mental map and understand what the entire itinerary would be like.

The River Nile Cruises are one of the most popular tours in Egypt. But it’s not enough to know that! You need to understand whether this way of getting to know the temples is for you.

I chose to include the Nile River cruise in my 13-day itinerary in Egypt, as I concluded that it would be the most practical and comfortable way to discover the temples and tourist attractions that are mainly located between the cities of Aswan and Luxor. 

Why choose a Nile River cruise?

A trip to Egypt must be thought out and organized in stages:

The first stage is the city of Cairo and the region. In this part of the trip, tourists have the opportunity to visit the capital of Egypt, its museums, mosques, churches, markets, and tourist attractions in general, as well as the Giza complex (where the country’s three most important pyramids are located), Memphis, Saqqara and, if you wish, a day trip to Alexandria.

The second stage roughly comprises everything located between Aswan and Luxor + its surroundings. This part of the trip can be done by air, land, or sea. I chose to take a cruise on the Nile River. 

The third stage is the well-deserved rest part (after so many history classes, trust me: you will love relaxing for a few days on the beach, without thinking about anything). The most popular options are Hurghada or Sharm el-Sheikh.

Of course, an Egypt itinerary can include more things, but in general, this is the “scheme” that most people look for when visiting the country. About the Nile River cruise, what I can tell you is that I also had my doubts about whether or not to opt for it during my trip.

I chose a 3-night cruise, embarking in Aswan and disembarking in Luxor. During the sailing time, I could sleep, rest, or enjoy the ship’s pool. When the ship docked, it would be time to visit the temple in question. I found it practical, as it freed me from the logistics of traveling between the city and the temples, which would have taken up time! After all, it’s much better to wait to get to the location on the ship than in the car (and, often, just the time it takes to leave the city and hit the road is already long).

In addition to the ease in terms of “logistics”, when you choose to take a cruise along the Nile River, you also do not need to worry about food, as all meals are made on the ship, in the “meals included” mode (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) – drinks are paid separately.

Those who want to make the logistics of their trip easier should choose the cruise option along the Nile River to visit the temples in the region between Aswan and Luxor: with one decision you can already sort out the accommodation, all the food, and transport to and from the tour/ Temple.

This stage of the trip is predominantly historical, so the main things to do are visits to the temples in the region. In addition to all the practical issues, it is important to remember that when taking your Nile River cruise, you will have the opportunity to sail along the second-largest river in the world.