Luxury’s Nile Cruise Aswan to Luxor: Abu Simbel & Hot Air Balloon

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1Aswan: Choice of Abu Simbel or Philae, then Embarkation⌄

   Early departure (~4:00am) by road to Abu Simbel, 280km south of Aswan, to visit the Great Temple of Ramses II and the Temple of Hathor/Nefertari. Return to Aswan by late morning. Option B — Aswan Sightseeing: A more relaxed morning visiting the Aswan High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and Philae Temple by boat on Lake Nasser. Check in to your Deluxe cabin in the early afternoon. The ship departs Aswan and sails north overnight. Meals: Breakfast (boxed if on the Abu Simbel option), Lunch, Dinner

   Option B — Aswan Sightseeing: A more relaxed morning visiting the Aswan High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and Philae Temple by boat on Lake Nasser. Check in to your Deluxe cabin in the early afternoon. The ship departs Aswan and sails north overnight. Meals: Breakfast (boxed if on the Abu Simbel option), Lunch, Dinner

   Stand in the world’s only perfectly symmetrical double temple. Built for two rival gods—Sobek the crocodile deity and Haroeris the falcon god—the Temple of Kom Ombo splits everything right down the middle, from its towering halls to its twin sanctuaries. Walk the sacred grounds to see ancient reliefs of surgical tools, test your nerves at the Crocodile Museum filled with real mummified reptiles, and stand beside the ancient Nilometer used to predict the river's floods. It is Egypt's most architectural anomaly, sitting right on the scenic banks of the Nile.

   Meals: Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight on 5 stars deluxe Nile crusie

2. 2Edfu & Sail to Luxor⌄

   The Temple of Edfu (also known as the Temple of Horus) is located on the west bank of the Nile in Edfu, Upper Egypt. Built during the Ptolemaic Kingdom between 237 and 57 BC, it is celebrated as one of the best-preserved ancient shrines in all of Egypt. Because it lay buried under desert sand and Nile silt for centuries, its massive structure, roofs, and intricate wall carvings remained completely intact. Early morning arrival in Edfu; visit the Temple of Horus by horse-drawn carriage from the dock. The ship continues sailing to Luxor, arriving in the afternoon, when you'll visit Luxor Temple. Overnight in Luxor. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   sailing to Luxor, arriving in the afternoon, when you'll visit Luxor Temple. Overnight in Luxor. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner

   Overnight: Overnight on 5 Stars Nile Cruise

3. 3Luxor: Hot Air Balloon, West Bank valley of the kings Hatshepsut temple colossi of memnon & Karnak temple Disembarkation⌄

   Very early wake-up for your included sunrise hot air balloon flight over Luxor's West Bank. Return to the ship for breakfast, then visit the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank and Karnak Temple on the East Bank. Disembark in the afternoon and transfer to your

   Witness the wonders of Upper Egypt from the sky for 45 minutes and the ground. Start your day floating peacefully above the world's largest open-air museum with a breathtaking sunrise hot air balloon ride over the valleys, temples, and winding Nile River. Once your feet are back on the ground, journey through time to explore the remarkably preserved Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the falcon god Horus. Finish your adventure at the unique, symmetrical double Temple of Kom Ombo, where you will walk the halls of the crocodile god Sobek and visit the fascinating Crocodile Museum. It is the ultimate combination of high-flying adventure and ancient history.

   The Valley of the Kings is a world-renowned royal burial ground located on the west bank of the Nile, directly opposite Luxor (ancient Thebes). Serving as the final resting place for Egypt's New Kingdom pharaohs between 1550–1069 BC, this desolate desert valley was chosen specifically for its hidden geography and the naturally pyramid-shaped mountain peak, al-Qurn, that towers directly above it.

   The Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (also known as Djeser-Djeseru, "Holy of Holies") is an architectural masterpiece located at the base of the towering cliffs of Deir el-Bahari on the west bank of the Nile, near Luxor. Built for the female pharaoh Hatshepsut during her reign (1478–1458 BC), this stunning complex stands out because its modern, linear design is radically different from traditional ancient Egyptian architecture.

   The Colossi of Memnon are two massive stone statues of the Pharaoh Amenhotep III, located on the west bank of the Nile in Luxor. Standing at an imposing 60 feet tall, these towering quartzite monoliths were built in 1350 BC to guard the entrance of Amenhotep's mortuary temple—which was once the largest and most opulent temple complex in ancient Egypt, even surpassing Karnak in size.

   The Karnak Temple Complex is the largest religious building ever constructed, spanning over 200 acres on the east bank of the Nile in Luxor. Developed over a period of more than 1,500 years (from the Middle Kingdom to the Ptolemaic period), roughly 30 different pharaohs contributed to its construction, each trying to outdo their predecessors by adding their own massive temples, shrines, and obelisks.

   The Luxor Temple is a strikingly elegant ancient complex located right in the heart of modern Luxor city, positioned on the east bank of the Nile River. Unlike most other major temples in Egypt, it was not built to honor a specific god or a deceased pharaoh. Instead, it was constructed in 1400 BC (primarily by Amenhotep III and Ramesses II) as a sacred monument dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship and the coronation of pharaohs.

   Meals: Breakfast