Luxury Egypt9 Day Egypt Tour with Flights, Nile Cruise and Hurghada
This 9 day Egypt tour from Nice Tours runs a private loop from Cairo through Alexandria, Aswan, a Nile cruise to Luxor and three Red Sea nights in Hurghada. It costs $2,300 per person and carries a 4.4 rating from 82 verified GetYourGuide bookings. Domestic flights, entry fees, an Egyptologist guide and a Luxor balloon ride are inside the price. Drinks, even water, and gratuities are not. The Cairo hotel is 4-star and the from-price buys the standard cruise ship, so read the fine print before you book. This page breaks down every day, every extra and who should look at a different one of the many luxury Egypt tours on the market. Compare it with the other luxury Egypt tour.
About This Tour
Nice Tours sells this as a private 9-day Egypt tour that starts and ends at your Cairo or Giza hotel. Two days cover Cairo and Alexandria, then you fly to Aswan for Philae and the Nubian side, board a 5-star Nile cruise ship for three nights, make the early road trip to Abu Simbel, and sail north through Kom Ombo and Edfu to Luxor. Day 6 adds a hot air balloon over Luxor, the Valley of the Kings and Karnak. The final stretch is Orange Island and a Hurghada resort before a flight back to Cairo.
The from-price of $2,300 per person covers the standard 5-star cruise ship, a 4-star Cairo hotel and all listed entry fees. A deluxe or luxury ship is a paid add-on, and drinks including water are not included at all.
$2,300 per person, private group, free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure, reserve now pay later.
9 days and 8 nights, with 3 of those nights on the Nile cruise ship.
Hotel pickup in Cairo or Giza on day 1, early morning, the exact time shows when you check availability. Drop-off at your Cairo or Giza hotel on day 9.
Private group with a private air-conditioned vehicle and an expert English-speaking Egyptologist guide. The day 4 Abu Simbel road trip is a small-group trip, not private.
2 nights in a 4-star Cairo hotel, 3 nights in a standard cabin on a 5-star Nile cruise ship, 3 nights in Hurghada. Single rooms mean each person books separately.
Domestic flights Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo are included. Abu Simbel by road is included. The Luxor hot air balloon on day 6 is included, minimum age 6.
Meals are listed day by day. Most cruise days include breakfast, lunch and dinner. Days in Hurghada and the last Cairo days are breakfast only.
Drinks including water, gratuities, a Spanish, German, Italian or French-speaking guide as an add-on, and a deluxe or luxury cruise ship as an add-on.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund.
Check Dates and Availability
The listing shows exact starting times only when you check availability. Holiday dates can price differently.
Quick answer 9 day Egypt tour at a glance
This 9 day Egypt tour costs $2,300 per person, runs privately over 9 days and 8 nights, and includes both domestic flights, Abu Simbel, a Luxor balloon ride, entry fees and 3 nights on a standard 5-star cruise ship.
Key takeaways
- The from-price is a standard ship cabin, see what is included in the price breakdown.
- Early starts are real, the Abu Simbel day is a small-group road trip, see the day-by-day reality.
- Want a 5-star deluxe hotel instead, compare the 8-day Cairo Aswan Luxor private tour.
- See how it stacks against every other luxury Egypt tour.
What the Price Actually Covers
The $2,300 from-price is honest about flights, fees and the balloon but the hotel tier and the ship class are the two things to check. Here is the line-by-line, drawn from the listing itself.
Inside the Price
The listing includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a private air-conditioned vehicle, an expert English-speaking Egyptologist guide, 2 nights in a 4-star Cairo hotel, the flight tickets, 3 nights on a 5-star standard Nile cruise ship, 3 nights in Hurghada, the hot air balloon ride over Luxor, and entry fees. That is a long included list for a $2,300 tour.
Entrance fees are included, so the site tickets are not yours to buy. The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is EGP 550 for foreign adults on the ministry list, and the Valley of the Kings is EGP 750 on the same list. Budget travelers paying their own way also face the Giza plateau ticket, listed at EGP 700 on the ministry list with some sources citing EGP 540.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Cairo or Giza
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and Egyptologist guide
- 2 nights 4-star Cairo hotel, 3 nights standard 5-star cruise ship, 3 nights Hurghada
- Domestic flights Cairo to Aswan and Hurghada to Cairo
- Abu Simbel by road and the Luxor hot air balloon
- Entry fees for the listed sites
Outside the Price
Drinks are not included, and the listing says that includes water, so carry cash or buy bottles as you go. Gratuities are extra. A guide in Spanish, German, Italian or French is a paid add-on, and so is a deluxe or luxury cruise ship instead of the standard one. The from-price is the standard cabin. If the ship matters to you, price the upgrade before you book, or look at the 8-day Cairo Aswan Luxor private tour where a deluxe ship is the baseline at $1,800 per person.
The visa is not mentioned in the listing, so budget it yourself. The FCDO lists the on-arrival visa at US$30, cash only, while other reporting puts the fee at US$45 since a recent rise. Your passport needs 6 months of validity and a blank page.
| Line | In the price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cairo hotel | Yes, 2 nights | 4-star, not 5-star |
| Nile cruise | Yes, 3 nights | Standard 5-star ship, deluxe is an add-on |
| Domestic flights | Yes | Cairo to Aswan, Hurghada to Cairo |
| Abu Simbel | Yes | By road, small group, early start |
| Luxor balloon | Yes | Day 6, minimum age 6 |
| Entry fees | Yes | For the listed sites |
| Drinks and water | No | Buy on site |
| Gratuities | No | Not included |
| Visa | No | US$30 on arrival per the FCDO, some sources say US$45 |
| Deluxe ship upgrade | No | Paid add-on, amount not stated |
What You May Still Pay on the Day
Entry fees are covered for the listed sites, so the main on-day costs are drinks, tips and anything you add yourself. If you want to go inside the Great Pyramid, that is a separate ticket, listed at EGP 1,000 on the ministry price list with some guides citing EGP 900, and the listing does not state it is included. Carry small Egyptian pounds.
The Egyptian pound traded above 40 per US dollar, and the FCDO caps Egyptian pounds you may bring in or out at EGP 5,000.
Sources: UK FCDO travel advice: Egypt, Wikipedia: Egypt
Fishing boats in the harbour with the Citadel of Qaitbay behind them. Photo: Osama Awny, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
What the Day Is Really Like
Nine days in sequence, using the listing's own stated stops and the two known early starts.
Day 1, Cairo and Giza
Early morning pickup at your Cairo or Giza hotel, exact time shown at booking. The day covers the Giza Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, which holds over 170,000 items. You sleep in the 4-star Cairo hotel, the first of two nights there.
Day 2, Alexandria by Road
A drive to Alexandria from Cairo, a journey Rough Guides puts at 140 miles, about 225 km. The day takes in the Kom el Shoqafa Catacombs, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and the Qaitbay Citadel. Second night in the Cairo hotel.
Day 3, Flight to Aswan
The included domestic flight runs Cairo to Aswan. Rome2Rio puts that route at 3h48m door to door with about 1h25m in the air. On the ground the day covers Philae Temple and the Nubian Village, and you board the 5-star cruise ship for the first of 3 cruise nights.
Day 4, Abu Simbel, Early Start
This is the day to know about. Abu Simbel sits roughly 230 km from Aswan per Wikipedia, some sources say 280 to 290 km, and the road trip is run as a small-group departure that starts early. Reviewers report 4am starts.
The temple opens at 6:00 on the ministry list, though another guide says 5:00. The four seated colossi on the Great Temple facade are 20 m tall, and the whole complex was moved between 1964 and 1968 to escape Lake Nasser. You rejoin the ship afterward.
Day 5, Kom Ombo and Edfu
The ship sails north with stops at Kom Ombo Temple and Edfu Temple, both entry fees covered. The Luxor to Aswan stretch runs about 214 km by road per Rome2Rio and 220 km per Wikipedia, and the locks close from April to mid-October for water management, which can require transfers between boats. Second cruise night.
Day 6, Luxor and the Balloon
The hot air balloon flies over Luxor on day 6, then the day covers the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple. Balloons are weather-dependent, and one reviewer reports a flight cancelled in strong wind with a partial refund, so treat the balloon as likely rather than guaranteed. Third and final cruise night.
Days 7 to 9, Hurghada and Home
After the cruise you transfer to Hurghada for 3 resort nights, with an Orange Island boat trip among the days. Meals here are breakfast only. The final flight Hurghada to Cairo is included, and the tour ends with drop-off at your Cairo or Giza hotel on day 9.
9 Days in Egypt: Cairo, a Nile Cruise and Alexandria
A 9-day route through Cairo, Alexandria and a Nile cruise. Third-party video by Egypt Tours Portal. This site did not shoot it and has no relationship with the creator.
Who This Tour Rules Out
This listing fits travellers who want the widest route for the money. It rules out several types, and each has a better fit elsewhere.
Travellers Who Want 5-star Deluxe Hotels
The Cairo hotel here is 4-star, plainly stated. If a 5-star deluxe bed is the point of a luxury trip, the 8-day Cairo Aswan Luxor private tour from Egypt Unlimited Tours costs $1,800 per person, holds a 4.9 from 285 reviews, and includes 4 nights in a 5-star deluxe hotel with a deluxe cruise. Its Abu Simbel is optional extra and peak dates add $200 per person, so compare totals.
Travellers Who Hate Early Starts
The Abu Simbel day is a small-group road trip with a reviewer-reported 4am start. If early mornings will ruin the trip, ask about the 10-day Ultimate Egypt Nile Cruise, a private archaeology route at $4,700 per person with a 4.8 from 41 reviews and free cancellation 6 days out. Viator adds $25 of extra charges at checkout, and that listing does not say how the Abu Simbel leg is travelled.
Travellers with Only 8 Days
If 9 days is too long, the 8-day Egypt Highlights with Balloon from Special Egypt covers Hurghada, a 3-night 5-star cruise, the Luxor balloon and Abu Simbel for $1,808 per person, with a 4.7 from 12 reviews. Fewer reviews means less evidence, but the shape is nearly the same.
Travellers Who Want More Days and 5-star Stays
At the other end, the 12-day Luxury Egypt Nile Tour from Egypt For Americans runs $6,527 per person with 11 nights in 5-star stays, 30 sightseeing fees included and both domestic flights. All sales are final there, which is the trade-off for the depth.
Physical Demands
The listing states no difficulty level and no wheelchair access, so ask the operator about mobility needs. Luxor averages summer highs above 40 C and the balloon has a minimum age of 6. Wikivoyage calls November to March the most comfortable months.
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
You start and end in Cairo, so everything hangs off the city's two airports and the domestic flights the tour already includes.
Reaching Cairo
The tour includes hotel pickup on day 1 from your Cairo or Giza hotel. If you arrive a day early, the Grand Egyptian Museum stands about 2 km from the Giza pyramid complex and holds over 100,000 artefacts, with over 24,000 in the main galleries. Its foreign adult ticket is EGP 1,450 per the 2026 visitor guide, or EGP 1,000 per the trial-period figure, so check at the gate.
What the Tour Skips
Saqqara and Memphis are not on this route. Saqqara lies about 30 km south of modern Cairo per Wikipedia and 40 km per Rough Guides, and holds the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest complete stone building complex known. The Saqqara Area ticket is EGP 600 on the ministry price list.
Alexandria gets one day here, so if the coast is your priority, add days on your own. The listing names only an Orange Island boat trip for the Hurghada days, so any other sea trips would be your own add-on.
Guides to Read Before You Go
Read the Grand Egyptian Museum guide before you reach Cairo, and the Abu Simbel guide before the early Abu Simbel morning so you know what you are walking into. The best time to visit Egypt page covers the season choice, and the Nile river cruise guide explains what the ship days involve.
Nine Days, Stop by Stop
The listing's stated sequence. It gives no clock times beyond the early starts that reviewers mention.
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Start
Day 1, Giza Pyramids and Egyptian Museum
Early morning pickup at your Cairo or Giza hotel. The Giza Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum fill the day. Overnight in a 4-star Cairo hotel.
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Morning
Day 2, Alexandria day trip
Drive to Alexandria, about 225 km from Cairo per Rough Guides. Visit the Kom el Shoqafa Catacombs, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina and Qaitbay Citadel. Second Cairo hotel night.
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Morning
Day 3, fly to Aswan, Philae and Nubian Village
Included domestic flight Cairo to Aswan, about 1h25m in the air per Rome2Rio. Philae Temple and the Nubian Village, then board the 5-star cruise ship.
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Early start
Day 4, Abu Simbel by road
Small-group early road trip to Abu Simbel, roughly 230 km from Aswan per Wikipedia (280 to 290 km in some sources). Reviewers report 4am starts. Rejoin the ship at Aswan.
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Morning
Day 5, Kom Ombo and Edfu
The ship sails north with temple stops at Kom Ombo and Edfu. Full board on the cruise. Second cruise night.
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Luxor day
Day 6, balloon over Luxor, Valley of the Kings, Karnak
Hot air balloon ride over Luxor, minimum age 6, then the Valley of the Kings and Karnak Temple. Final cruise night.
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Last 3 days
Days 7 to 9, Hurghada and the flight home
Orange Island boat trip and resort days in Hurghada, breakfast only. Included flight Hurghada to Cairo, then drop-off at your Cairo or Giza hotel on day 9.
Honest Pros and Cons
A balanced read of the $2,300 listing against what else is on sale.
What we genuinely like
- Flights, entry fees, Abu Simbel and the balloon are all in a $2,300 from-price, a wide included list
- Private group with a private vehicle and an Egyptologist guide
- Free cancellation 24 hours out, and reserve now pay later
- Three Red Sea resort nights give the itinerary a beach finish
The honest downsides
- The Cairo hotel is 4-star and the from-price is the standard cruise ship, both lower tiers than the word luxury implies at $2,300
- Drinks including water and all tips cost extra
- The Abu Simbel day is a shared small-group trip with reviewer-reported 4am starts
- One reviewer calls the cruise ship old, and another had a balloon flight cancelled in wind with only a partial refund
- Rating is 4.4 from 82 reviews, below the 4.8 and 4.9 several rivals hold
Who it's NOT for: Not for travellers who want a 5-star deluxe Cairo hotel or a deluxe ship at the base price, who should book the 8-day Cairo Aswan Luxor private tour instead.
Questions About This Tour
What does the $2,300 price include on this 9 day Egypt tour?
It includes hotel pickup, a private vehicle, an Egyptologist guide, 2 nights in a 4-star Cairo hotel, 3 nights on a standard 5-star cruise ship, 3 nights in Hurghada, both domestic flights, Abu Simbel, the Luxor balloon and entry fees. Drinks including water and gratuities are extra, see the full price breakdown.
How early does the Abu Simbel day start?
The listing says the day 4 road trip is a small-group departure that starts early, and reviewers report 4am pickups, since Abu Simbel sits roughly 230 km from Aswan per Wikipedia (280 to 290 km in some sources). Details in what the day is really like.
Is the Luxor balloon guaranteed?
It is included on day 6 with a minimum age of 6, but balloons are weather-dependent and one reviewer reports a cancellation in strong wind with a partial refund. The Luxor hot air balloon guide explains the conditions.
Is the Nile ship on this 9 day Egypt tour any good?
It is a 5-star ship but the from-price buys the standard class, and one reviewer calls it old. A deluxe or luxury ship is a paid add-on, or compare the 5-day ultra deluxe Nile cruise for a higher baseline.
Is the 4-star Cairo hotel a problem?
Only if a 5-star bed matters to you. The listing states it plainly, and if it rules you out, the 8-day Cairo Aswan Luxor private tour includes a 5-star deluxe hotel at $1,800 per person.
Can I cancel this tour?
Yes, free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and you can reserve now and pay later. Compare terms across all luxury Egypt tours before you commit.
What is the weather like on this route?
Luxor averages summer highs above 40 C, so the most comfortable months are November to March per Wikivoyage. The best time to visit Egypt page has the month-by-month detail.
What Travelers Said
Abu Simbel has been one of the best parts of the trip so far. The guide, Ahmed Sony, was incredible. Knowledgable, kind, funny, and really made the experience.
Ahmed Achraf and Mina Gabra were fantastic guides and organizers in Abu Simbel, super nice and very knowledgeable. It was a wonderful day!
Heba was an amazing guide with several experiences and historical information.
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