MS Amwaj Living Stone Nile Cruise
5-Day Nile River Cruise from Luxor to Aswan
This 5-day Nile River cruise from Luxor to Aswan lets you see ancient Egypt without changing hotels each night. Aboard MS Amwaj Living Stone, you follow the Nile at an easy pace, with guided visits to royal tombs, temple complexes and major monuments on both banks.
Your Luxor sightseeing starts on the west bank, where the Valley of the Kings holds richly decorated tombs cut into the desert hills. You also visit Hatshepsut Temple, built in terraces beneath the cliffs, and the Colossi of Memnon, two large stone figures that once stood at the entrance to a much larger temple complex. The sites are close enough to visit together comfortably, while your guide explains their place in ancient Egyptian beliefs and royal life.
On the east bank, the Karnak Temples reveal the scale and complexity of ancient Thebes. Successive pharaohs added columns, courts and processional avenues, so the site is better seen at a steady pace than rushed through. Luxor Temple has a different feel, with its broad entrance, statues and long connection to the city. With a guide, you can see how the two sites were linked by ancient religious processions along the Nile.
After the ship leaves Luxor, the scenery changes little by little. Green fields, palm trees and small riverside settlements pass by, with the desert still visible beyond the cultivated strip. Sailing gives you a quiet pause between excursions: rest on board, take photographs or watch daily life along the water. The cruise also includes a felucca sail in Aswan, bringing you close to the traditional boat style used on the Nile.
Edfu Temple is one of the best-preserved temples on the river. Its monumental gateway and enclosed courts make the layout easy to follow, while the carved walls preserve scenes linked to the falcon-headed god Horus. The excursion fits around the ship’s sailing programme, so your team arranges the transfer and return to the vessel before the journey continues.
In Aswan, the High Dam shows the modern side of the Nile and the changes made to control its water and generate electricity. The Unfinished Obelisk offers a close look at ancient stoneworking: the monument remains partly attached to the quarry, showing how workers shaped the granite before moving it. You also visit Philae Temple, set on an island and reached by boat. Its reliefs, courtyards and columns make it one of the cruise’s most atmospheric stops.
This organised Nile voyage suits travellers who want a structured introduction to Egypt’s major river monuments, with sightseeing and sailing arranged as one connected trip. It suits couples, families with older children and travellers who would rather unpack once than arrange separate transfers between Luxor and Aswan. Visits involve walking across temple courtyards, uneven ground and some exposed areas, so anyone with limited mobility should discuss the route with our team before booking. The excursion order can change with the ship’s navigation schedule, local access and sailing conditions, but our team keeps the day practical and explains the arrangements clearly.
Your cruise includes accommodation on the named vessel, sightseeing support and transfers connected with the planned visits. Meals follow the cruise programme, while personal drinks, optional gratuities and other extras remain your responsibility. Bring a hat, water, comfortable walking shoes and sun protection; temple areas can be bright even when the ship’s deck feels cooler.
Guided sightseeing in Luxor, Edfu and Aswan
Transfers connected with the cruise excursions
Felucca sailing in Aswan
Meals according to the cruise programme
4 nights accommodation aboard MS Amwaj Living Stone
Visits to the listed temples and monuments
Travel insurance
Any services not listed under inclusions
Entry fees unless specifically stated in the booking details
Optional gratuities
Personal expenses and drinks
Light, breathable clothing and a light layer for the evening
Hat, sunglasses and high-factor sun protection
Any required medication
Camera or phone with spare battery
Reusable water bottle
Comfortable walking shoes
Cash for personal expenses and gratuities
Passport or accepted travel identification
The 5-day Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan includes four nights aboard MS Amwaj Living Stone, sightseeing at the main ancient sites named in the itinerary, and time sailing the Nile, including a felucca ride where arranged for the tour.
Exact inclusions such as meals, entrance fees, guide services and transfers can vary by booking option, so check the inclusions shown with your selected departure before booking.
This Nile cruise lasts four nights and five days, with visits beginning in Luxor at the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon, followed by Karnak Temples and Luxor Temple before sailing south towards Edfu and Aswan.
In Aswan, the sightseeing usually includes the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and Philae Temple. The pace combines guided shore visits with time on the ship, although walking and early starts are part of several sightseeing days.
Pickup and transfer arrangements for the Luxor to Aswan Nile cruise depend on your hotel, arrival point and booking option, so our team confirms the meeting place and drop-off details after we receive your travel information.
Tell us where you will be staying in Luxor and where you need to go after the cruise. A transfer may need to be added or arranged separately when it is not listed in your selected package.
The cruise can suit families with children, but travellers should be comfortable with walking across uneven ground, climbing steps at ancient sites and using ship gangways, with limited-mobility suitability depending on the individual’s needs.
Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temples, Edfu Temple and the other sites are historic locations rather than fully accessible venues. Contact us before booking so we can discuss mobility support, cabin access and the felucca ride.
Bring light, breathable clothing, comfortable walking shoes, sun protection, a hat, sunglasses, personal medication and modest clothing that covers shoulders and knees when visiting temples and other religious or historic sites.
You can request the 5-day Nile cruise by selecting your preferred travel dates and sharing the traveller and pickup details needed for confirmation; cancellation terms depend on the booking conditions shown for your selected departure.
Read the cancellation policy before payment, especially if your plans may change. Our team can clarify the applicable deadline, any non-refundable arrangements and the process for changing or cancelling a reservation.
Your unforgettable Egypt journey starts with a booking you can trust.
* Available on selected tours. Flights, cruises and special bookings may have different cancellation policies.
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity starts
If you choose to pay online, a secure payment link can be provided after booking. For assistance or alternative payment options, please contact us via WhatsApp.
All our tour operators are licensed and verified by Egyptian tourism authorities.
Learn more about our licensed partners →Free cancellation up to 24 hours before activity starts
If you choose to pay online, a secure payment link can be provided after booking. For assistance or alternative payment options, please contact us via WhatsApp.
All our tour operators are licensed and verified by Egyptian tourism authorities.
Learn more about our licensed partners →
Your Itinerary
Arrive in Luxor and transfer to the MS Amwaj Living Stone Nile cruise ship for check-in. After settling into your cabin, our team explains the cruise arrangements, meal times and the plan for the next five days. Lunch is usually served on board, giving you time to rest before the sightseeing begins.
Your first visit is to the Karnak Temples, the largest temple complex in ancient Thebes. Walk through the great entrance and the Hypostyle Hall, where towering columns fill the main court. You then continue to Luxor Temple, which is especially atmospheric as the light softens later in the day. The avenue linking the two temple areas once formed part of a ceremonial route along the east bank.
Return to the ship after the visits for dinner and your first night on the Nile. The order of the sightseeing may change slightly to suit local operating conditions, but both east-bank sites are visited before the ship continues south.
After breakfast, cross to the west bank for a morning devoted to royal tombs and monuments. At the Valley of the Kings, your guide explains how the burial chambers were cut into the desert hills and how their painted scenes relate to ancient Egyptian beliefs about the afterlife. Entry to individual tombs is managed locally, and the available chambers can vary.
Continue to Hatshepsut Temple, built into the cliffs at Deir el-Bahari. Its broad terraces and long approach make the setting easy to understand on foot, while the reliefs show the queen’s rule and her trading expedition to Punt. On the way back towards the river, stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two seated stone figures that once guarded the entrance to a much larger temple.
Return to the ship for lunch and begin sailing south. The afternoon is spent watching villages, fields and desert edges pass from the deck. This is a slower part of the voyage, with time to relax before dinner and the second night on board.
Spend the morning on board as the ship continues along the Nile. Breakfast is followed by free time on deck or in the common areas, where you can observe irrigation channels, palm groves and small riverside communities. The crew’s schedule includes meals and the ship’s regular navigation arrangements, so the day has a calm, unhurried pace.
After reaching Edfu, leave the ship for a guided visit to Edfu Temple. The short transfer to the temple is arranged locally, and your guide leads you through the massive gateway, open courtyard and columned halls. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god, the temple preserves detailed inscriptions and reliefs that help explain ancient religious ceremonies and the building’s long history.
Return to the ship after the visit and continue sailing towards Aswan. Depending on the sailing schedule, part of the evening may be spent moving through the river landscape or resting on board. Dinner and overnight accommodation are on the cruise ship.
Arrive in Aswan and begin the final full day of sightseeing after breakfast. The first stop is The High Dam, a major modern engineering project that changed water management, agriculture and settlement along the Nile. From the viewpoints, you can see the reservoir and learn how the dam affected the river’s annual flooding.
Continue to The Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries. The guide points out the cracks that caused the monument to be abandoned and explains how workers cut and shaped large stone blocks. You then travel to the island setting of Philae Temple, reached by a short boat ride. The temple complex was relocated to higher ground after the building of the dam, and its courtyards, reliefs and waterside views make this a particularly rewarding visit.
Later, take a traditional felucca ride when river and local operating conditions allow. Sail around the islands at a gentle pace before returning to the ship for dinner and the fourth night on board.
Enjoy your final breakfast on board, then complete check-out and disembark in Aswan. Keep your essential belongings with you until the transfer, as cabins must be cleared according to the ship’s departure arrangements. Our team assists with the next stage of your journey and confirms the meeting point for your onward transfer.
The cruise ends in Aswan after four nights on the river. You may continue to your hotel, railway station, airport or another arranged destination, depending on your wider Egypt travel plans. Allow extra time for the transfer if you are connecting to a flight or long-distance train, since road conditions and local departure procedures can affect the journey.
If your onward plans include another Aswan visit, our guide can help you use any available free time sensibly. Otherwise, the transfer marks the end of the Nile voyage, with your luggage collected and your departure arrangements completed on the ground.