Is it Worth Taking a Nile Cruise in Egypt?

If you have landed on this article, you are probably wondering if taking a Nile Cruise in Egypt is worth the money. I was asking myself the same question whilst planning my trip to Egypt. A cruise on the Nile is not cheap, but after going on one myself, l can honestly say that it is totally worth it!

I booked my trip to Egypt last minute. I got my ticket Wednesday evening and flew to Cairo Saturday lunchtime. I knew I wasn’t well prepared and hardly had any time to plan my perfect trip. However, getting to Egypt with no expectations meant that I had an absolute amazing time! The Nile Cruise was one of the highlights of my trip and I would do it again in a heartbeat should I go back to Egypt.

In this article I want to tell you about my experience on the cruise, the itinerary, what to expect, and a few tips I learned along the way. I chose to travel on the Nile from Aswan to Luxor as I only had 10 days in Egypt, and I wanted to maximise my time in the country. I went on the night train to Aswan directly from Cairo and saved a day to go to Abu Simbel on my own. You can book an extra excursion to Abu Simbel directly from the cruise company, but it will cost you around 150 dollars rather than just 50 if you book it yourself directly from a local tour operator. 

How Much Does a Nile River Cruise Cost?

There are so many different options when it comes to booking a Nile Cruise. As I didn’t have a lot of spare time to prepare for my trip, I went on Viator and researched which would be the best option for me. I knew that I wanted to start the cruise in Aswan, and that I wanted all the tickets for visiting the temples to be included in the price. I wasn’t interested in the extra excursions as I knew that I could do them on my own at a much lower cost.

After a couple of hours of browsing through the site, I chose to book this 3 nights/4 days Nile Cruise, which had a lot of great reviews. It ticked all my requirements and it also included pick-up from my hotel in Aswan, drop-off at the train station in Luxor and an Egyptologist guide who would accompany the group for the entire time. I went for a shared group, but as I was travelling at the end of February, my group consisted of just me and a young adult from Japan, with whom I got along very well. My cruise also included a sunset felucca ride in Aswan. It wasn’t in the itinerary on the website, but I thought it was a very nice experience.

Keep in mind that cruising from Luxor to Aswan takes one day longer, as the ship goes upstream and is slower. In general, cruises from Luxor to Aswan are more expensive than the ones from Aswan to Luxor.

I paid £376 for my cruise, which included the single room supplement. If you book for two people or more, the price will be lower. You can check more details about this particular cruise by clicking here. 

Is a Nile Cruise in Egypt Worth It?

Yes! Even if you are travelling on a budget, cruising on the Nile will come out much cheaper and relaxing than visiting all the temples on your own. If I divide the price I paid for the cruise to the number of days, I get a cost of £94 a day. This included accommodation in a luxury room, three meals a day, entry tickets to the temples on the itinerary, transport in an air-conditioned car to the temples further away from the port and an Egyptologist guide. Not to mention some extra perks such as a felucca sail at sunset, a carriage ride to Edfu Temple and access to the boat after the check out – my train back to Cairo wasn’t until 7:30pm.

One thing you should know is that ships don’t run every day. When you are planning your Egypt itinerary, make sure you are booking the cruise first, then build the rest upon that. I knew that my cruise was leaving on a Wednesday, so flying to Cairo on Saturday and taking the night train to Aswan the following day made sense, as I would have that extra day I needed to go to Abu Simbel.

Going on a Nile cruise in Egypt is also a great way to have an authentic experience.  For centuries, The Nile has been considered the source of life in Egypt because it cuts through the desert providing water, food, trade, and transportation. Going up or downstream is a peaceful way to enjoy the greenery on the shores, visit the monuments dedicated to the Gods of the Nile, and to also take a breather from the chaos of the Egyptian cities. I swear, Cairo is beautiful, but it can really get to you because of how busy it is.

The Ship

The ship I was on was called the “M/S Blue Shadow”. It was a beautiful luxury ship, with a gorgeous deck featuring a pool. The ship had 57 cabins, so it doesn’t get too crowded. It also featured a spa, a videographer, and a different program each evening.  During my trip I would say that only half the rooms were occupied.  

The Blue Shadow had a large reception area, a lounge on the main deck, a restaurant downstairs and a sun deck with loungers, canopies, a bar and a small pool. 

My room was on the main deck, and I loved it! It was no different to a five star hotel room. There were two queen beds, a desk, a table and two chairs next to the window, and a large wardrobe by the door. I liked that the window opened, and I could enjoy the views from my room when it got too windy on the main deck.

The bathroom had a large sink, a bathtub and a rain shower.

Daily room service was included, with Housekeeping leaving the most sophisticated towel animals on the bed.

The Food on the Ship

I was very impressed with the restaurant on the ship, which served buffet style food. For every meal they had one or two station cooks, making eggs in the morning, fresh pasta for lunch and grilling different foods for dinner.  The food was a mix of western and Egyptian food, with plenty of options even for the pickiest eaters. There were always two types of soup, at least 10 different types of bread and a mountain of desserts, alongside a table filled with fresh fruits.

One evening was dedicated to the Egyptian food, which I thought was a great way to introduce part of the local culture to the guests. Each evening roast meat was on offer: the first night we had beef, whilst the second night there was an entire turkey. The grilling station offered pigeon one evening, which is a local speciality.

The Itinerary

Day 1: Philae Temple, Aswan High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk 

Day 2: Abu Simbel (optional), Kom Ombo

Day 3: Edfu Temple, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple

Day 4: Valley of the Kings, Colossi of Memnon, Hatshepsut Temple

I started the cruise in Aswan. The first day was dedicated to visiting the local sights. The guide picked me up from my hotel at 8am, then we drove to pick up Akira, the other passenger in our small group.

We started our day with a visit to the Philae Temple, which is only reachable by boat. Construction of the Philae Temple started in 690BC by King Ptolemy II to honour the Goddess Isis. Initially the temple was on a different island, which flooded after the Aswan Dam was built. In 1971 Philae temple was relocated to a different island.

We then headed over to the High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, before checking in on the boat. I spent the afternoon relaxing on the deck before our sunset felucca trip. A felucca is a traditional Egyptian wooden boat with a canvas sail. It has no engine. Feluccas have been used by Egyptians since the antiquity times.

During the afternoon you can get off the boat and explore more of Aswan, visit a Nubian village or cross over to the Elephantine Island, but as I had done all this the previous day, I chose to relax and enjoy the facilities on board.

The following day we started our voyage towards Luxor in the afternoon, after everyone returned from Abu Simbel. Our first stop was the Temple of Kom Ombo and the Crocodile Museum. The temple is unusual in Ancient Egypt because it is dedicated to two different Gods: Sobek and Haroeris. It was built by King Ptolemy V from 205BC to 180BC. The middle part of the temple has a secret underground passage which the priest used to go and talk to the worshipers as though he was the God himself.

The Crocodile Museum is small, hosting a collection of mummified crocodiles found on the grounds of the temple.

The third day of the cruise started with an early visit to the Edfu Temple, dedicated to God Horus, son of Goddess Isis and God Osiris who was murdered by his brother, Seth. The temple tells the story of how Horus defeated Seth in battle and became the King God of Upper and Lower Egypt.

In the last antechamber inside the temple of Edfu is a replica of a boat, inside which there used to be the gold statue of Horus, that was taken out of the temple for special occasion and festivals, to be reunited with his wife, Goddess Hathor. The original boat is at the Louvre Museum, in Paris.

We sailed the rest of the day, enjoying an afternoon tea organised by the crew on the top deck. We arrived in Luxor just before sunset, and as we were the first boat to cross through the Esna Lock, we didn’t have to wait. This meant we had time to visit both Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple.

Karnak Temple is the largest ever religious building to be built in Ancient Egypt. It was dedicated to gods Amun-Ra, Mut, and Khonsu. It is huge! Luxor Temple is connected to Karnak Temple through the newly opened Avenue of Sphinxes, after seven decades of restoration. It is thought that the road would have been lined with over 1,350 statues. 

The last day of the cruise is dedicated to the West side of the Nile, where the Valley of the Kings is. There are three stops included: one to the Valley of the Kings where you can visit three tombs, the Colossi of Memnon, and the Temple of Hatshepsut. You can also visit the Tomb of Tutankhamun, but that costs an extra 300 Egyptian Pounds, but in my opinion it’s not really worth it as it is very small with only the mummy of the King Child inside. The rest of the treasures from inside the tomb are at the Egyptian Museum, in Cairo. 

My only disappointment about this cruise was that the last day was very rushed. I would have liked to explore more, especially that both mine and Akira’s train wasn’t until 7:30pm, and we returned to the boat by 1pm.

I will go into more detail about each temple in my 10 days Egypt itinerary.

The Extras

I liked that there were some extra things included in the cruise package which weren’t mentioned on the website. The first one was the sunset felucca sail, in Aswan. Each night, there was something different happening on the boat: an Egyptian themed evening, a gallibaya (traditional Egyptian garment from the Nile Valley) party and a belly dance show. We also enjoyed an afternoon tea on the deck, courtesy of the crew.

There are other things which you can purchase on board, such as traditional clothing, souvenirs, or the film the videographer makes during the 4 days on the ship.

There are also extra excursions that you can buy, but they do come at a higher price than if you book it separately through a website such as Viator or GetYourGuide:

• A trip to Abu Simbel – Click here to check the one I went on
• A visit to a Nubian village in Aswan – Click here to check a highly rated tour
• A sunrise balloon flight in Luxor – Click here to check a highly rated tour operator 

Also, you can book the same cruise I did by clicking here.

The Best Time to Go on a Nile Cruise in Egypt

I went on a Nile cruise at the end of February. The temperature was still quite mild, with 24-25 degrees during the day. Whilst the sun was quite strong on the deck during sailing, it was very windy and quite cold. I did enjoy sun tanning whilst the ship was docked, but during sailing I wrapped myself in a towel and put a hat on. 

The nights and early mornings were very cold, and a winter coat was necessary. I wrote more about what to pack for Egypt in this article here.

Usually, the best time to go on a Nile cruise in Egypt is between October and May. The summer season, between June and September, is very hot, but the price of the cruises is much cheaper. However, keep in mind that when you visit the temples you will be exposed to the scorching sun which may be very uncomfortable. 

Tips on Cruising the Nile in Egypt

I highly recommend booking a cruise that includes all the entrance tickets to the temples you are visiting. As touristic attractions in Egypt have different prices for foreigners than for locals, these costs can add up to quite a big sum. The price range for temples is between 60 – 200 Egyptian Pounds. At the time of my trip, £1 = 21 Egyptian Pounds.

Keep in mind that Egypt has a tipping culture. Coming from a non-tipping country, this was very confusing for me. Everyone I met wanted a tip, even if they didn’t do anything, or if they were just doing their job. Even if you book an all-inclusive cruise, you will still be expected to tip. On the last evening, the guide will hand you an envelope with your room number written on it, to let you know the minimum amount you need to tip the crew. In my case, that was $5 per night. Also, every time the guide says “this is the last time you will see this driver”, it means that you need to tip. I agreed with my travel buddy that we would tip drivers 20 Egyptian Pounds. At the end of the cruise, we tipped the guide $20 each. I highly recommend you to bring dollars in small bills with you for tipping.

Drinks are not included in your cruise package, and they do cost quite a bit. You can bring your own drinks on board, but you can’t consume them in the restaurant. Also, being a Muslim country, be prepared to pay quite a bit for alcohol, and to not find it available in all shops. Just to give you an example, a small coke costs 40 Egyptian Pounds (almost £2) on board the ship. 

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