Luxury EgyptAswan to Luxor Dahabiya: The 4-Day Cruise
This aswan to luxor dahabiya listing from Oceanus Tours sells on GetYourGuide for $1,100 per person for 4 days and 3 nights, with a 4.8 rating from 58 verified reviews. It sails downstream from Aswan past Kom Ombo, Gebel el-Silsila, Edfu and Esna, then finishes with a drive to Luxor for the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Karnak. All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 4, water, hot drinks, air-conditioned transfers, entrance fees and an expert guide are in the price. It is the cheapest dahabiya trip on luxury Egypt tours. This page sets out what that money buys, what it leaves out and who should look elsewhere.
About This Tour
Oceanus Tours runs this 4-day dahabiya cruise from Aswan to Luxor. You sleep three nights on a traditional sailing boat. The word dahabiya comes from the Arabic for the golden one. Days ashore cover Philae, Kom Ombo, Gebel el-Silsila, Edfu and, on the last day, the Luxor west bank sites by road after you disembark near Esna.
The listing is not marked private and the group size is not stated, so ask before you book if that matters. English and French guiding are offered, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure.
$1,100 per person, the lowest dahabiya price on the site. Reserve now, pay later is available.
4 days, 3 nights, all 3 nights on the dahabiya.
Aswan airport or your hotel in Aswan, air-conditioned and door to door. The time shows when you check availability.
Group size not stated and not marked private. An expert tour guide is included, Egyptologist status is not stated. English and French.
3 nights in a dahabiya cabin. No hotel nights, star rating not stated.
All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 4, plus water and hot drinks onboard. Other drinks are extra.
No flights included. Abu Simbel not stated and not in the itinerary.
Included for all sites in the itinerary: Philae, Kom Ombo, Gebel el-Silsila, Edfu, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Karnak.
Anything not in the itinerary: drinks other than water and hot drinks, tips, and any site or extra the listing does not name.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
Departure times are not published, they appear when you check a date. Reserve now and pay later is supported.
Quick answer The short answer
The 4-day Aswan to Luxor dahabiya cruise costs $1,100 per person for 3 nights on a traditional sailing boat with all meals from lunch on day 1, entrance fees, transfers and an expert guide. It carries 4.8 from 58 reviews on GetYourGuide. Free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure.
Key takeaways
- See exactly what the $1,100 covers and what costs extra in what the price actually covers.
- Walk the route stop by stop in what the day is really like.
- Want the reverse direction with four nights? Compare the 5-day dahabiya cruise from Luxor to Aswan.
- New to this boat type? Start with what a dahabiya Nile cruise is.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $1,100 covers the boat, the meals, the guide, the transfers and the entrance fees for the seven named sites. Everything the itinerary does not name is on you.
Included and Not Included
The inclusion line covers three nights on the dahabiya, all meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 4, water and hot drinks onboard, air-conditioned door-to-door transfers in Aswan and Luxor, an expert tour guide, taxes and charges, and entrance fees for the mentioned sites. Drinks beyond water and hot drinks are not listed as included, and tipping is not mentioned, so budget for both.
Not included, stated or implied: domestic flights, the Egypt visa, Abu Simbel, the Luxor balloon, drinks other than water and hot drinks, tips, single-room arrangements and anything not in the itinerary. The other dahabiya listing costs more, so compare the 5-day dahabiya Nile cruise at $1,750 and the big-ship 4-day Nile cruise with Abu Simbel at $690 before deciding.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3 nights on the dahabiya | Yes | Cabin class not stated |
| All meals, lunch day 1 to breakfast day 4 | Yes | Full board on board |
| Water and hot drinks | Yes | Soft and alcoholic drinks extra |
| Air-conditioned transfers | Yes | Door to door, Aswan and Luxor |
| Expert guide | Yes | Egyptologist status not stated |
| Entrance fees, 7 named sites | Yes | Philae, Kom Ombo, Gebel el-Silsila, Edfu, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak |
| Domestic flights | No | Fly to Aswan and home from Luxor yourself |
| Abu Simbel | No | Not in the itinerary |
| Great Pyramid interior, Tutankhamun and Seti I tombs | No | Not in the itinerary |
| Balloon over Luxor | No | Not in the itinerary |
| Egypt visa | No | On arrival or e-visa, at your cost |
| Tips | No | Not mentioned as included |
| Taxes and charges | Yes | Stated in the inclusion line |
What You May Pay on the Day
The visa for Egypt costs US$30 on arrival per the FCDO, with a US$45 figure reported since December, so check the current rate before you fly. Sources disagree on Nile cruise crew tips, from US$5 to 10 up to US$10 to 15 per person per night. One tipping guide suggests EGP 250 to 500 a day for a private guide, though this group is not marked private.
Bring cash in Egyptian pounds, no more than EGP 5,000 may be taken in or out of the country, and declare foreign currency above US$10,000 on arrival.
Sources: UK FCDO travel advice: Egypt, Wikipedia: Egypt
Cut sandstone walls in the ancient quarries at Gebel el-Silsila. Photo: Lars Plougmann from United States, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
The listing gives the shape of each day but few clock times. Here is the flow from pickup in Aswan to drop-off in Luxor.
Day 1, Aswan and Philae
Pickup is at Aswan airport or your hotel in Aswan, air-conditioned and door to door, with the exact time shown when you check availability. You board the dahabiya and have lunch on board, then visit Philae Temple. The listing does not state a departure time.
Day 2, Sailing to Kom Ombo and a Swim Stop
Day 2 is a sailing day north to Kom Ombo. The listing offers swimming in the Nile on this day, a swim stop between the banks is part of the deal. Bring beachwear, your passport or a copy, a sun hat and sunscreen.
The second night passes on board.
Day 3, Gebel El-Silsila, a Village and Edfu
Day 3 passes Gebel el-Silsila, between Kom Ombo and Edfu, and calls at a local village before reaching Edfu Temple. Auguste Mariette began clearing Edfu in 1860. You enter the temple with the guide and entrance fees are covered.
The third and last night on the dahabiya follows.
Day 4, Esna to Luxor and the West Bank
Day 4 disembarks near Esna, about 55 km south of Luxor, and transfers by air-conditioned vehicle to Luxor. The listing gives no drive time for that stretch. The day covers the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Karnak, whose Great Hypostyle Hall holds 134 columns in 16 rows over 5,000 m2.
The tour ends at your destination in Luxor after the day 4 sightseeing. No return time is stated.
On Board a Dahabiya on the Nile
A dahabiya cruise on the Nile compared with a standard cruise ship. Third-party video by Going Awesome Places. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
The listing states few limits, but the ones it does state, and the gaps, matter for some travellers.
Stated Limits
The listing says the tour is not suitable for people over 95 years. No minimum age is stated and no wheelchair access is stated, so wheelchair users should confirm directly before booking. Pets, drones, smoking indoors, bikes, scooters and fireworks are not allowed.
The gaps are as important as the rules. The group is not marked private and the group size is not stated, so you may share the boat and the guide with strangers. Travellers who want guaranteed privacy should look at the private 5-day dahabiya Nile cruise instead. Cairo is absent from this itinerary, so travellers who want the pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum should read the Egypt itinerary or add a city stay.
Practical Demands
This is not a tour for Abu Simbel, which is not on offer here. Summer heat is real, Luxor and Aswan both average summer highs above 40 C, so sail between October and February if heat is a problem. Free cancellation ends 24 hours before departure, so a late change of plan costs you the full price.
If a big ship with Abu Simbel included suits you better, the 4-day Nile cruise with Abu Simbel at $690 runs the same corridor in reverse.
The pylon of the Temple of Horus at Edfu. Photo: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Getting There and What to Add
The cruise starts in Aswan and ends in Luxor, so you need to reach one and leave from the other under your own steam.
Reaching Aswan
Aswan International Airport serves the start city, and pickup from the airport is part of the package. From Cairo, Rome2Rio shows a flight to Aswan at 3h48m door to door with about 1h25m in the air, and a train at 14h15m. The sleeper train departs Giza at 20:00 and 20:30, which one source puts at about 12 hours to Aswan.
Cairo to Aswan is 848.4 km by road. If you would rather start in Luxor and sail south, the 5-day dahabiya Nile cruise does that in reverse. Luxor Airport, LXR, lies about 6 km east of downtown.
What to Add Before or After
The tour skips Cairo entirely. The Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza charges foreign adults EGP 1,450 per its 2026 visitor guide, with an earlier EGP 1,000 trial figure also recorded, and Cairo to Luxor is 637.2 km by road or about 3h13m by air door to door. Add Saqqara, about 30 to 40 km south of Cairo, with an area ticket of EGP 600 on the ministry price list, or Alexandria, 220 km from Cairo with trains in around 3h50m.
At the Luxor end, the tour covers the Valley of the Kings, whose ticket is EGP 750 for foreign adults on the ministry price list. A Luxor hot air balloon over the west bank is an add-on not included here. Abu Simbel, about 230 to 290 km from Aswan depending on the source, would need an extra day.
Day by Day on the Water
The listing publishes few clock times, so the steps below use phases where the hour is not stated.
-
Start
Pickup in Aswan
Air-conditioned pickup from Aswan airport or your hotel. The time appears when you check availability.
-
Day 1
Board and lunch
Lunch is served on the dahabiya, the first of the included meals.
-
Day 1, later
Philae Temple
Visit Philae Temple. Entrance fees are included. First night on board.
-
Day 2
Sail to Kom Ombo with a swim stop
The dahabiya sails north. Swimming in the Nile is offered on this day. Visit Kom Ombo Temple. Second night on board.
-
Day 3
Gebel el-Silsila, a village and Edfu
Pass Gebel el-Silsila, stop at a local village, then enter Edfu Temple with the guide. Third night on board.
-
Day 4
Disembark near Esna
Leave the boat near Esna and drive by air-conditioned vehicle to Luxor.
-
Day 4, sightseeing
Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut and Karnak
Visit the three Luxor sites, then the tour ends at your destination in Luxor after the day 4 tour. Breakfast is the last included meal.
Pros and Cons
An honest read of the listing against the other dahabiya and cruise options on the site.
What we genuinely like
- At $1,100 per person it is the cheapest dahabiya trip on the site, against $1,750 for the 5-day Luxor to Aswan dahabiya.
- All meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 4, plus water and hot drinks, are included.
- Entrance fees for all seven named sites are in the price.
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, and reserve now pay later.
- A swim stop in the Nile and stops at Gebel el-Silsila and a village.
- Rated 4.8 from 58 verified GetYourGuide bookings, in English and French.
The honest downsides
- The group is not marked private and the group size is not stated, so ask the operator before booking if privacy matters.
- The guide is described only as an expert tour guide, Egyptologist status is not stated.
- No domestic flights, no Abu Simbel, no balloon and no Cairo content, so the trip is Nile only.
- Drinks beyond water and hot drinks, tips and the visa all cost extra.
- The dahabiya star rating and cabin standard are not stated.
- Only 58 reviews back the 4.8 rating, fewer than the 132 reviews behind the $690 big-ship cruise.
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers who need a guaranteed private group, a named Egyptologist, Abu Simbel, flights or any Cairo time.
Questions About This Cruise
How much does the Aswan to Luxor dahabiya cruise cost?
It costs $1,100 per person for 4 days and 3 nights, the lowest dahabiya price on the site. Compare it with the 5-day dahabiya at $1,750 on the 5-day dahabiya Nile cruise page.
Is the dahabiya private?
The listing does not say. The group size is not stated and the tour is not marked private, so confirm with the operator, or book a listing that guarantees privacy such as the 5-day dahabiya Nile cruise.
Are meals and entrance fees included?
Yes, all meals from lunch on day 1 to breakfast on day 4, water and hot drinks onboard, and entrance fees for the seven named sites are included. Drinks beyond water and hot drinks are not. For a second opinion on inclusions see the dahabiya Nile cruise explainer.
Does the cruise include Abu Simbel?
No, Abu Simbel is not in the itinerary and nothing about it is stated. The nearest option with it included is the 4-day Nile cruise with Abu Simbel at $690, which runs Luxor to Aswan on a 5-star ship.
How do I get to Aswan to start?
Fly to Aswan International Airport, where pickup is included, or take the sleeper train from Giza at 20:00 or 20:30, about 12 hours to Aswan on one source and 14h15m on Rome2Rio. Cairo to Aswan flights run about 3h48m door to door. The best time to visit Egypt guide helps you pick the month.
Can I cancel?
Yes, free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and reserve now pay later is offered. That is more flexible than the no-refund terms on some longer private trips such as the 12-Day Luxury Egypt Nile Tour.
Where does the tour end?
It ends at your destination in Luxor after the day 4 visits to the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Karnak. Luxor Airport lies about 6 km east of downtown, and the Valley of the Kings guide covers the site in depth.
What Travelers Said
We had a great time on the dahabiya! I was so glad we booked this instead of some cruise. It was a beautiful boat, lively and experienced crew, and not too crowded. I highly recommend the guide Shrief, who was extremely knowledgeable, helpful, and kind.
Difficult to improve. Hazem a wonderful guide and hussein and team made us very welcome. Great room and lovely tours with just the right amount of down time. Thank you to all Robert and Clemie - just book it now!
Better than expected We really loved it, a unique and relaxing way to experience Egypt's ancient history The staff was very attentive The chef prepared lovely Egyptian dishes The guide was knowledgeable and helpful
Prices, availability and terms are set by the operator and confirmed at checkout.
We may earn a commission if you book through one of our links, at no extra cost to you. Full affiliate disclosure