11 Amazing Things to Do on a Nile River Cruise in Egypt

Egyptians have been sailing the Nile for thousands of years on traditional barge-style boats called Dahabiyas. In the 19th century, Egyptian tourism exploded when Thomas Cook brought steam-powered cruise ships to the Nile in 1870. This launched the golden age of Egypt tourism that lasted well into the 20th century, inspiring artists like Agatha Christie to write Death On The Nile – The Nile River Cruise has been the crown jewel of Egypt Tourism ever since! 

Today, taking an All-inclusive Nile River Cruise from Aswan to Luxor is one of the easiest and stress-free ways to see the country. I traveled throughout Egypt for an entire month, and in that time taking a Nile River Cruise that sailed to Aswan and Luxor was one of the best things I did on my trip.

FYI: Some links on my site are affiliate links that help support my site at no additional cost to you. Read more on my privacy policy page.

Interesting Facts About The Temple Of Hatshepsut 

• Hatshepsut’s temple is special because she was the only confirmed female pharaoh of Egypt 
  
• Hatshepsut had herself carved as a man with a beard and presented herself as a “king”, but always inscribed the statues with terms calling herself “her majesty” or “Daughter of the sun god”.  

• At the temple, you will see some of the faces of Hatshepsut have been chiseled away. This is because her stepson followed her on the throne and set about destroying Hatshepsut’s legacy after her death – no one knows why! 
  
• Hatshepsut is considered one of Egypt’s greatest pharaohs. 

Tips For Visiting The Valley Of The Kings 

• If you have a camera, keep it in your bag when entering the tombs. Bags aren’t checked, but if the attendants see it out of your bag at the entrance (whether you plan to use it or not) they will insist you pay a 300 EGP ($15) camera fee – Photography with a phone is allowed for free.

• 💡 Tip: All of the tombs in the Valley Of The Kings are underground and it is HOT, like an oven in the desert! Make sure to wear loose clothes and bring adequate water.

• King Tut’s tomb is the most famous and expensive (300 EGP) in the Valley of the Kings. Since the contents of King Tut’s Tomb are all in museums, our guide advises we skip it. Instead of King Tut’s tomb for 300 EGP, I recommend visiting the tomb of Ramses the V for 100 EGP. It’s 1/3 of the price and has more things inside to see. 

• There are no bathrooms at the Valley of the Kings excavation site, only at the entrance. 

5. Sunrise Hot Air Balloon 

Waking up at 4 AM for a sunrise to ride a hot-air balloon over ancient Egyptian temples is the most amazing thing you can do in Egypt! If your Nile River Cruise doesn’t include this, and instead only has the Hot Air Balloon as an add-on option, make sure you book it! The hot air balloon rides over Luxor are awe-inspiring. 

6. Edfu Temple 

Edfu is a Ptolemaic temple, which was the last ancient Egyptian dynasty, so it’s more recently built than most temples in Egypt. The Temple of Edfu is also called the Temple of Horus. Horus was the ancient Egyptian god of the sky and is frequently shown with the head of a bird.

7. Kom Ombo Temple 

Kom Ombo Temple is another stop about halfway between Aswan and Luxor. Perched on the banks of the Nile, Kom Ombo is a gorgeous temple to take in from your Nile River Cruise. We visited Kom Ombo around sunset, and the golden colors lighting up the temple with the Nile River in the background was an amazing sight. 

8. Crocodile Museum 

The Crocodile Museum is right next to Kom Ombo Temple and even though it’s just one room, I thought it was the most interesting museum we visited in Egypt. Kom Ombo Temple is partially dedicated to the ancient Egyptian god Sobek, who was represented as a crocodile. When the Kom Ombo Temple was in use, they would keep a crocodile believed to be the earthly incarnation of Sobek himself. Every time a divine crocodile would die, the priests at Kom Ombo would mummify it and then select a newly chosen crocodile to represent Sobek. 

💡 Tip: For some reason, you can’t have a camera at the crocodile museum, but they do allow photography with a phone. 

9. Temple Of Philae 

The temple of Philae is also known as the “Temple of Isis”, and more informally as the “Cat Temple” due to there being a small cat sanctuary on the island on which it’s located. Guides on the island have capitalized on their cat population and offer cat food to tourists, in exchange for some Baksheesh (tips), of course! 

Facts About Abu Simbel 

• Abu Simbel was built by Ramses the II, who is more commonly known as Ramses the Great. 

• The Abu Simbel complex houses two temples, the larger one is called the Grand Temple and is dedicated to Ramses the II, while the smaller temple is dedicated to his favorite wife, Queen Nefertari.

• Abu Simbel isn’t the original name of the temple, but rather of the little Egyptian boy who rediscovered it in the early 19th century. The whole temple complex was buried underneath the sand, and a little boy named Abu Simbel led explorers to the site. 

Where Do Nile Cruises Depart From? 

Nile River Cruises in Egypt typically only depart from Aswan and Luxor. Nile River Cruises used to sail directly from Cairo, but now it’s very rare to find one due to the long distance between Cairo, the fly-in city for most tourists in Egypt, and Luxor, the gateway to the Nile River Valley where most of the temples and attractions are. 

My Top Tips For Taking a Nile Cruise From Aswan to Luxor 

✅ My Number #1 Top Tip Is To Consider An All-Inclusive Tour With Cairo Included

As I mentioned earlier in this article, standard Nile River Cruises don’t depart directly from Cairo, but many include the overnight train or bus to get from Cairo > Luxor where the ships set sail. I recommend booking a Nile River Cruise that includes your tour of the Great Pyramids in Cairo, as well as transportation to Luxor. It’s way less stress, plus you’ll have your guide organized the whole way.

✅ Make Sure Your Cruise Includes A Hot Air Balloon Experience!

Taking a sunrise hot-air balloon ride over the temples outside of Luxor at 5 AM is one of the best things I have done in my entire life. NO JOKE! Not all the cruises include a Hot Air Balloon Ride, make sure yours does OR that you have the option to add it to your itinerary! 

How Much Does A Nile River Cruise Cost? 

Due to the extreme range of options and trip length, you could spend anywhere from $400 for a short 3-day Nile River Cruise (if you’re sharing a room or going on off-season!) to $20,000 for a luxurious private charter. For a standard Nile River Cruise like the one we took in Egypt, it came to around $550 per person including all entrance fees and drinks for our 5-day/4-night Nile River Cruise -Take into consideration in that price that we were 3 girls sharing one room, if you’re a solo traveler or a couple it will be more expensive!