From: $4665

A woman in a white and blue dress stands facing the Giza Pyramids in a sunny desert.

A woman strolls through Cairo's lively Khan El Khalili Bazaar, surrounded by vibrant stalls of lamps, textiles, and traditional goods.

A wide shot of the Luxor Colossi of Memnon, showing the two massive, seated stone statues of Amenhotep III surrounded by a large group of tourists in the desert landscape.

Giza-Pyramids-Tour-Package-Tripidays-Egypt-Tours

A camel decorated with colorful blankets resting on sandy landscape, with the majestic Giza Pyramids.

7 Days Cheap Cairo Luxor Aswan Tour Feature Image

Tourists look marveling at the Great Sphinx and Pyramid during their Egypt Tours experience

The Great Sphinx of Giza with the Pyramid of Khafre rising behind.

View through the Valley Temple of Khafre gates to the Pyramid of Khafre at Giza.

Tourists walk through the imposing corridor lined with massive aswan granite pillars within the valley temple of khafre at Giza.

A low-angle interior view showing the massive, square-cut Granite stone pillars within the Valley Temple of Khafre near the Great Sphinx at Giza, with a clear blue sky visible overhead.

Tourist on a camel in front of the ancient, stepped structure of the Saqqara Step Pyramid in Egypt.

A man wearing a cowboy hat sits on the desert ground, gazing up at the massive, stepped structure of The Step Pyramid of Djoser against a cloudy blue sky.

Grand-Egyptian-Museum-New Giza Museum-Tripidays-Egypt-Tours

The modern triangular glass entrance of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza.

The colossal statue of Ramses II stands in the Grand Egyptian Museum, against a towering modern glass and steel structure that forms the museum's interior facade.

Large, lit statues of pharaohs, including a triple statue group, are displayed dramatically in the dimly lit, modern interior of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) Private Visit exhibit space.

Large ancient Egyptian statues displayed inside the Grand Egyptian Museum, near the Giza Plateau.

Rows of ancient stone statues of pharaohs and deities displayed on modern steps in the grand, light-filled atrium Inside Grand Egyptian Museum Giza.

The large, domed structure of the Muhammad Ali Mosque and its tall, slender minarets, situated within the stone walls of the Cairo Citadel against a bright blue, cloudy sky.

A couple of tourists smiling at the camera in front of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha at the Citadel of Cairo.

The interior of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha, with people scattered across a red carpeted floor, illuminated by many hanging spherical glass lamps and large chandeliers.

The large, sunlit Courtyard of Mosque of Muhammad Ali inside the Citadel in Cairo, featuring the elaborate central ablutions fountain and surrounding arched porticos.

An ornate, intricately decorated dome ceiling of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha, featuring geometric patterns, gilded accents, and Arabic calligraphy.

A colorful, arched alleyway of the Khan El Khalili Bazaar Cairo Egypt, with shops overflowing with metallic lamps, glass, and ceramic artisan goods.

Interior of the historic Church of St. Barbara in Coptic Cairo, showing the nave, aisles, and elaborate sanctuary screen.

Interior view of the crypt and altar of the historic Abu Serga Church in Coptic Cairo.

Greek-Orthodox-Church-of-St-George-Coptic-Cairo-Tripidays-Egypt-Tours

Tourists at the entrance courtyard of the historic Hanging Church in Coptic Cairo.

Interior view of the Ben Ezra Synagogue in Coptic Cairo, featuring a marble shrine, decorative columns, and hanging antique brass light fixtures, dimly lit with warm light.

A tourist looking at the Valley of the Kings desert landscape in Luxor, showing tomb entrances.

Tourists walking through a long, illuminated hallway with ancient hieroglyphics carved into the walls, a common sight at the Valley of the Kings.

An Aerial View Balloons Temple Of Hatshepsut scene showing two hot air balloons floating over the terraced temple against the massive cliffs of the West Bank in Luxor, Egypt.

Tourists Taking Photos On Stairs Temple Of Hatshebsut, ascending the ramps towards the terraced facade of the magnificent mortuary temple, with sunlit cliffs in the background.

A high Aerial View of Queen Hatshepsut Temple West Bank of Nile Luxor, showing the multi-level, terraced architecture carved into the towering desert cliffs.

A tourist in a sunhat stands facing the terraced architecture of the rock-cut Queen Hatshepsut Temple, Egypt, built into the sheer cliffs on the West Bank of Luxor.

The two colossal, seated statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, known as the Colossi of Memnon.

The massive, carved columns of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak Temple.

Karnak-Temple-Egypt-Dahabiya-Cruise-by-Tripidays

A tourist taking photos of Hapshetsut granite, specifically an engraved, massive block featuring detailed hieroglyphic reliefs and an obelisk in the background at Karnak Temple.

A group of Luxor Temple visitors stand in front of the massive first pylon, the standing statues of Ramesses II, and a tall obelisk under a clear blue sky.

An upward view of the towering, carved, and hieroglyph-covered Massive Columns at Karnak Temple, reaching toward a bright blue sky with scattered clouds.

The Obelisk of Ramesses II standing in front of the grand entrance to the Luxor Temple, a prominent landmark in Egypt.

A nighttime photo of the Sound and Light Show Luxor, showing the illuminated Pylon and the Avenue of Sphinxes at Luxor Temple, glowing warmly against the dark blue sky.

A panoramic view of the Nile River as seen from the top of the Aswan High Dam.

The Aswan High Dam, showing the hydroelectric power station building and the turbulent water flowing from the dam into the Nile River.

An aerial View of The temple of philea in egypt, showing the complex of buildings relocated on Agilkia Island, surrounded by the deep blue waters of the Nile.

Philae Temple in Aswan Egypt from 4 days nile river cruise from Cairo to Aswan

The sunlit main courtyard and facade of the Temple of Philae in Egypt, featuring massive pylons decorated with carved reliefs and a long colonnade with columns on the right.

Tourists walking around the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, a massive stone carving still attached to its quarry.

Tourists stand around the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan, a massive granite monument still attached to the bedrock of the ancient quarry

Sunlit temple passage with steps flanked by ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs Edfu Temple interior

A woman closely examining the detailed hieroglyphic carvings on a wall inside the Kom Ombo Temple.

A beautiful view of the ruins of Kom Ombo Temple Egypt on the Nile, showing its columns and exterior walls silhouetted by the sunset over the riverbank and surrounding palm trees.

A tourist walks towards the grand entrance of the Temple of Edfu, a well-preserved ancient temple with carved stone facades.

A massive, grey granite Statue of Horus Falcon God at Temple of Horus or Edfu Temple, standing guard in the courtyard with the temple's colossal pylon columns and reliefs in the background.

The impressive Hypostyle Hall inside the Edfu Temple, featuring towering columns adorned with intricate carvings and illuminated by soft lighting.

Tour Details

Duration	12 Days / 11 Nights
Tour Location	Cairo / Giza / Luxor / Aswan
Tour Type	Daily Tour
Pickup	Cairo Airport

Authentic Dahabiya Sailing - Cairo, the Nile, and Aswan in 12 Days

This 12-day dahabiya Nile cruise tour covers Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan aboard a traditional wooden sailing vessel that moves at the pace of the wind. A Dahabiya sails differently from a standard Nile cruise ship; it moors at Nile villages and sandbanks unreachable by larger vessels, stops at temples off the main tourist trail, and places the journey itself at the centre of the itinerary rather than treating the boat as mere transport between sightseeing stops. It is the most unhurried and authentic way to travel the Nile on a 12-day itinerary in Egypt. Travellers seeking a more intimate Nile journey will enjoy the elegance of a Luxury Dahabiya Nile Cruise with boutique sailing and a peaceful atmosphere away from large cruise crowds.

Days 1 through 3 are based in Cairo and Giza, covering the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Great Sphinx, the Valley of Khafra, Saqqara's Step Pyramid, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Salah El Din Citadel, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Khan El Khalili Bazaar, and the Coptic quarter's Hanging Church, Church of Abu Serga, Church of St. Barbara, and Ben Ezra Synagogue. Day 4 opens the Dahabiya sailing phase with a flight to Luxor, where Days 4 and 5 cover Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon. The vessel then sails south through Days 6 and 7 to Edfu Temple, Day 8 to Kom Ombo Temple, and arrives in Aswan for Days 9 and 10, which include Philae Temple, the Unfinished Obelisk, and the Aswan High Dam. Day 11 returns to Cairo by domestic flight, with Day 12 reserved for departure.

Why Book This Tour

Sail aboard a boutique Dahabiya for a slower, more exclusive Nile experience
Visit peaceful Nile villages and hidden mooring spots unreachable by large cruise ships
Enjoy open-deck dining while sailing through the scenic Nile landscapes
Private Egyptologist guide throughout the 12-day journey
Includes 4 nights in Cairo and 7 nights aboard the Dahabiya between Luxor and Aswan
Balanced itinerary combining comfort, culture, and Egypt’s top historical sites
Ideal for couples and luxury travellers seeking an alternative to standard Nile cruises
24/7 Tripidays support from arrival to departure

Included

Meet and assist by a Tripidays representative at Cairo Airport
All airport and inter-city transfers in private air-conditioned vehicles
Domestic flight: Cairo → Luxor
Domestic flight: Aswan → Cairo
4 nights' accommodation at hotel in Cairo
3 nights aboard your private Dahabiya in Luxor
4 nights aboard your private Dahabiya sailing from Luxor to Aswan
Private Egyptologist guide on all Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan touring days
Entrance fees to all attractions listed in the itinerary
Daily breakfast throughout the tour
All lunches and dinners during the Dahabiya sailing days
One Bottled water during all touring days
All applicable taxes and service charges

Excluded

International flights to and from Egypt
Egypt entry visa
Travel insurance
Personal expenses: souvenirs, shopping, optional activities
Tips and gratuities for guides, drivers, and Dahabiya crew
Flight to Abu Simbel from Aswan (optional add-on)
Any entry fees for optional sites not listed in the itinerary

Highlights

Giza Attractions

Pyramids of Giza
The Great Sphinx
Valley of the Khafraa
Grand Egyptian Museum

Cairo Attractions

Salah El Din Citadel
Mohamed Ali Mosque
Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Church of St. Barbara
Church of Abu Serga
Ben Ezra Synagogue
Hanging Church

Luxor Attractions

Valley of The Kings
Hatshepsut Temple
Colossi of Memnon
Karnak Temple
Luxor Temple

Aswan Attractions

High Dam
Philae Temple
Unfinished Obelisk
Kom Ombo temples
Edfu temples

Itinerary

Your Tripidays representative meets you at Cairo International Airport and transfers you to your 5-star hotel by private vehicle. The rest of the day is yours to settle in before the itinerary begins in full tomorrow.
Nile Dinner Cruise
As night falls, experience Cairo from a new perspective on a luxury Nile dinner cruise, featuring live entertainment and traditional performances.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Your private Egyptologist guide picks you up after breakfast for a full day on the Giza Plateau, followed by a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum in the afternoon.
The Great Pyramids
Stand at the base, and you'll understand immediately why nothing since has matched them — Khufu's pyramid was the tallest structure on earth for nearly 4,000 years after it was built around 2560 BCE.
The Great Sphinx
The moment you round the corner and see it full-on, the scale hits differently — at 73 metres long, it was carved from a single natural limestone ridge, which is why it can never be moved.
Valley Temple of Khafre
Your guide leads you into this granite-lined valley temple, one of the best-preserved Old Kingdom structures in Egypt, where the precision of the stonework makes it clear this was not rough construction.
Grand Egyptian Museum
From the outside, it looks like a modern building inside, it holds over 100,000 objects, including the complete Tutankhamun collection, the largest gathering of ancient Egyptian artefacts ever assembled under one roof.

Meals
Breakfast and Lunch
Your guide picks you up after breakfast for a second full day in Cairo, moving into the medieval Islamic city and then the Coptic quarter.
Salah El Din Citadel
From the outside, it dominates the Citadel skyline — inside, the alabaster-lined interior is the most complete 19th-century Ottoman space in Cairo, built by the ruler who modernised Egypt from this hilltop.
Mohamed Ali Mosque
Admire the elegant Alabaster Mosque, renowned for its Ottoman architecture and commanding city views.
Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Stroll through Khan El Khalili Bazaar, where centuries-old craftsmanship, spices, and jewelry bring Cairo’s vibrant culture to life.
Church of St. Barbara
Explore one of Cairo’s most important Coptic churches, admired for its historical significance and intricate iconography.
Church of Abu Serga
Visit the sacred Church of Abu Serga, believed to shelter the Holy Family during their journey through Egypt.
Ben Ezra Synagogue
Discover the historic Ben Ezra Synagogue, a site rich in Jewish heritage and Cairo’s multicultural past.
Hanging Church
The moment you step inside the Hanging Church, suspended above the gatehouse of a Roman fortress, the 3rd-century scale of Cairo's Christian history becomes tangible in a way no museum can replicate.

Meals
Breakfast and Lunch
Your private vehicle transfers you to Cairo Airport for the included domestic flight to Luxor. On arrival, your guide meets you dockside, and you board your Dahabiya sailing vessel — your home for the next seven nights on the Nile.
Karnak Temple Visit
Your guide will walk you into the Great Hypostyle Hall, where 134 columns rise so close together the sky almost disappears — it took more than 2,000 years and 30 pharaohs to build what you're standing inside.
Luxor Temple Exploration
You'll arrive in the early evening when the floodlights come on, and the columns reflect on the Nile directly in front of your moored Dahabiya. The 3-kilometre avenue of sphinxes connecting it to Karnak was only fully excavated in 2021.

Meals
Lunch and Dinner
Your guide leads you across to Luxor's West Bank for a full day among the royal burial sites and mortuary temples, returning to the Dahabiya for dinner as the vessel prepares to sail south.
Valley of the Kings Tour
The silence inside the painted burial chambers is disorienting. Your guide selects three tombs with the best-preserved ceilings and explains what each scene from the Book of the Dead was meant to do for the pharaoh buried beneath it.
Colossi of Memnon Tour
Stand between the two 18-metre figures and look back toward the Nile. You're standing at the edge of where the farmland ended, and the necropolis began, a boundary that has not moved in 3,400 years.
Hatshepsut Temple Tour
Your guide walks you up through three collonaded terraces carved directly into the cliff face. No other structure in Egypt was built this way, which is partly why Hatshepsut's successors spent so long trying to erase her name from it.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
No shore excursions today. The Dahabiya weighs anchor after breakfast and sails south, and this day is a deliberate part of what separates a boutique Dahabiya sailing experience from a standard Nile cruise itinerary. There is no engine noise, no group schedule, and no organized activity: the landscape passes at the pace of the sail and the current, with farming communities, palm lines, and river birds along both banks. The private deck is yours for as long as you want it.

Meals
Breakfast, lunch, and Dinner
The Dahabiya docks at Edfu in the morning, where today’s visit introduces one of the most remarkably preserved temples in Egypt and a quieter side of Upper Nile travel far from the larger cruise crowds.
Visit Edfu Temple
You'll pass through the tallest pylon gateway in Egypt before your guide reads the full mythological battle between Horus and Seth from the walls. This is the best-preserved temple in the country, built between 237 and 57 BCE, and the inscriptions are all still there.

Meals
Breakfast, lunch, and Dinner
The Dahabiya sails to Kom Ombo and moors directly across from the temple. You can see the columns from the vessel deck before you disembark. The visit is timed for late afternoon when the sandstone catches the best light.
Visit Kom Ombo Temple
Your guide walks you through both halves of this mirror-image temple, one side for Sobek the crocodile god, one for Horus the Elder, and into the gallery where the original ancient Egyptian medical instruments are still carved into the stone beside the sanctuary.

Meals
Breakfast, lunch, and Dinner
The Dahabiya completes its sail to Aswan and moors among the Nile's granite islands. Your guide leads you directly to Philae by motor launch from the dock.

Meals
Breakfast, lunch, and Dinner
Your final full day afloat. Your guide meets you at the dock after breakfast for a morning covering Aswan's three most significant sites. This stop is a key highlight for travelers exploring different Nile journeys, especially when comparing experiences with Egypt Nile Cruises, which show how Aswan connects to the wider Nile route.
Aswan High Dam Exploration
Your guide takes you to the viewing platform where the full scale of what the dam created, Lake Nasser, stretching 550 kilometres south into Sudan, becomes clear in a way that no photograph prepares you for.
Philae Temple Visit
Continue your journey to the stunning Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis. Appreciate the intricate carvings and serene setting of this ancient sanctuary and explore its historical significance and ethereal beauty.
Unfinished Obelisk Site
Still lying in the quarry floor where it cracked during carving around 1500 BCE, this 42-metre monolith is the most honest explanation of how obelisks were made that exists — everything else is the finished product.

Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
After breakfast, check out from the Dahabiya and bid farewell to the crew as your unforgettable Nile journey comes to an end. A private transfer will take you to Aswan International Airport for your flight back to Cairo. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in and a relaxing final evening in Egypt’s capital after your luxury Nile adventure.

Meals
Breakfast
Enjoy your final breakfast at the hotel before checkout and your private transfer to Cairo International Airport for your departure flight. As your unforgettable journey through Egypt comes to an end, you leave with lasting memories of ancient wonders, timeless Nile landscapes, and the unique experience of luxury Dahabiya sailing between Luxor and Aswan.

Meals
Breakfast

Notes:

* You can let us know if you'd like to customize your tour itinerary to meet your needs. We value your input and aim to accommodate your requirements.

* Nile Cruise itinerary maybe changed without prior notice due to navigational and security restrictions. The itinerary may change in sequence but not in visits.

Frequently Asked Questions

This tour includes 4 nights in a Cairo hotel, 7 nights aboard a Dahabiya sailing vessel on the Luxor-to-Aswan route, both domestic flights (Cairo–Luxor and Aswan–Cairo), a private Egyptologist guide throughout, full board on the Dahabiya sailing leg, daily breakfast in Cairo, all entrance fees across every site in the itinerary, and all transfers by private vehicle. Tips, international flights, travel insurance, and Cairo lunches and dinners are not covered.

A Dahabiya is a traditional Egyptian wooden sailing vessel that has been used on the Nile since the 19th century, when European explorers and royalty first travelled Egypt's river by boat. Unlike a standard cruise ship — which carries up to 150 passengers on a fixed route with a structured group schedule — a Dahabiya carries a small number of guests, sails at the pace of the wind, moors at authentic village stops unreachable by larger vessels, and moves at a calm, unhurried pace that lets the river itself become part of the experience. Families looking for a luxury Egypt experience with a different format may also want to browse luxury family Egypt holidays.

It covers 7 nights sailing from Luxor to Aswan with visits to Karnak, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan highlights, plus full-board meals and private guiding.

The Dahabiya boards in Luxor and sails south over seven nights, stopping at Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon in Luxor; Edfu Temple of Horus and Kom Ombo Temple en route; and Philae Temple of Isis, the Aswan High Dam, and the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan. Day 6 is a dedicated sailing day with no scheduled shore visits, reserved for the open-deck experience that defines the Dahabiya format. Abu Simbel is not included on this route.

Yes, both domestic flights are included: Cairo to Luxor on Day 4 at the start of the Dahabiya sailing leg, and Aswan back to Cairo on Day 11 at the end of the cruise. International flights to and from Egypt are not included and must be arranged separately.