Esmeralda

Your trip at a glance

Duration

4 Days / 5 Days / 8 Days

Route

Luxor → Aswan

Price

From $850 per person

Travel style

Private: just your group, guide and driver

The **Esmeralda Nile Cruise* offers 3-night Aswan-to-Luxor (Fridays) , 4-night Luxor-to-Aswan (Mondays) and 7-night Luxor-to-Aswan (Mondays) for a round cruise. Covering Luxor’s iconic temples, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan’s Philae Temple and High Dam, alongside a traditional felucca ride.

• Philae and High Dam
• Kom Ombo temple
• Edfu temple
• Karnak, Luxor temple
• Colossi of Memnon
• Valley of the Kings
• the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
• Unfinished Obelisk

Day-by-day programme

1. Day 1 Karnak and Luxor temples

   Location:

   Luxor

   Meals:

   Lunch, Dinner

   Upon arrival in Luxor, meet your Egyptologist tour guide and begin your tour of the East Bank. Visit the magnificent Karnak Temple Complex, one of the largest religious complexes ever built, followed by Luxor Temple, famous for its impressive columns and ancient statues. After the tour, transfer to your 5-star Nile cruise ship for embarkation, lunch, and dinner on board. Overnight in Luxor.

2. Day 2 Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut temple, Colossi of Memnon

   Location:

   Luxor

   Meals:

   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   After breakfast on board, explore Luxor’s West Bank, starting with the Valley of the Kings, where the tombs of ancient Egyptian pharaohs are located. Continue to the magnificent Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, then stop at the Colossi of Memnon. Return to the cruise ship for lunch and begin sailing toward Edfu via the Esna Lock. Enjoy the scenic Nile views, afternoon tea, and dinner on board. Overnight on the cruise ship.

3. Day 3Temple of Horus in Edfu & Kom Ombo Temple

   Location:

   Edfu & Kom Ombo

   Meals:

   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   Enjoy breakfast on board before visiting the Temple of Horus in Edfu, one of the best-preserved ancient Egyptian temples. Return to the ship and sail toward Kom Ombo while enjoying lunch and the scenery along the Nile. In the afternoon, visit Kom Ombo Temple, uniquely dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. Return to the cruise ship for dinner and continue sailing toward Aswan. Overnight on board.

4. Day 4 Aswan High Dam and Philae

   Location:

   Aswan

   Meals:

   Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

   After breakfast, begin your sightseeing tour of Aswan with a visit to the Aswan High Dam, an impressive engineering landmark on the Nile. Continue to the Unfinished Obelisk in the ancient granite quarries, offering insight into the stone-working techniques of the pharaohs. Then visit the beautiful Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis and situated on Agilkia Island. Enjoy a relaxing felucca ride on the Nile around Aswan’s islands, subject to weather and sailing conditions. Return to the cruise ship for lunch and dinner. Overnight in Aswan.

5. Day 5 Disembark in Aswan

   Location:

   Aswan

   Meals:

   Breakfast, Lunch

   Early in the morning, depart for Abu Simbel with a packed breakfast or breakfast arranged according to the cruise schedule. Explore the magnificent Abu Simbel Temples, built by Pharaoh Ramses II and dedicated to the gods Amun-Ra, Ra-Horakhty, and Ptah, as well as the smaller temple dedicated to Queen Nefertari. Admire the colossal statues and learn about the remarkable relocation of the temples to save them from the rising waters of Lake Nasser.