10-Day Nile Cruises
4.6 stars on(9,265 reviews)- Choose from 36 Nile tours
- 100+ verified reviews from TourRadar travelers
- 24/7 customer support
Insider tips: Recommended 10-day Nile itineraries
Compiled by
MelissaNile travel expert at TourRadar
8 Days in Egypt Nile Cruise, incl. Luxor and Aswan
The Nile reveals its secrets over 8 days visiting 5 cities from Luxor to Aswan, with 7 nights on a 5-star cruise. Six major temples including Karnak, Luxor, and Philae, plus Valley of the Kings await. Abu Simbel excursion and hot air balloon ride available.
- Days 1-2
Luxor
Begin in Luxor, the religious capital of ancient Egypt. Visit the vast Karnak Temple complex on your first afternoon. Plan to arrive before 4pm to avoid crowds and the strongest sun. "The temples were all impressive. Our guide was very knowledgeable and helped bring the ancient history to life." Day 2 offers an optional hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings. It needs a 4am wake-up but delivers stunning sunrise views. Visit the Valley to explore three royal tombs where original paint colors still shine after thousands of years. Add stops at Queen Hatshepsut's temple and the Colossi of Memnon before sailing to Edfu.
- Days 3-4
Edfu to Aswan
Start with a morning visit to the Temple of Horus in Edfu. Next, sail to Kom Ombo to see its unique double temple built for two gods. In Aswan, you'll tour the High Dam and take a felucca boat ride around Elephantine Island. Visit the Philae Temple complex at sunset for the best experience. This temple was carefully moved to save it from flooding when the dam was built.
- Day 5
Abu Simbel (Optional)
Consider the day trip to Abu Simbel. While it means a 3am start and 6-hour drive each way, previous visitors say it's worth it: "DO NOT miss the add-on trip to the temples at Abu Simbel!! If you book this cruise, this is absolutely worth the extra cost and journey."
- Days 6-7
Return Journey to Luxor
Take two peaceful days sailing back to Luxor. Watch the Nile scenery glow in the late afternoon light. One traveler suggests: "Cruising on the river is one of the most relaxing experiences - don't overpack your schedule these days."
- Day 8
Departure
Head to Luxor airport. Book afternoon flights if possible to avoid morning traffic.
10 Days in Egypt, incl. Cairo and Luxor
A 10-day Nile adventure from Luxor to Aswan includes 5 nights aboard a Dahabiya sailboat. Major temples including Karnak, Luxor, and Edfu, plus hidden gems like El Kab tomb complex showcase authentic river life.
- Days 1-2
Cairo & Giza
Start in Cairo with a full day at the Giza pyramid complex. Get to the pyramids before 8 AM to avoid crowds and heat. You'll need about 3 hours to explore the Great Pyramid of Khufu and Sphinx properly. In the afternoon when it's cooler visit Sakkara. The Step Pyramid here gets fewer visitors than Giza but tells an important story about how pyramids evolved.
- Days 3-4
Luxor's East & West Banks
Fly to Luxor early morning (1-hour flight). Visit the East Bank temples first. Karnak looks best in morning light while Luxor Temple really shines at sunset. For the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank get there by 6:30 AM before it gets too hot. Take lots of water and sun protection since the tombs offer little shade.
- Days 5-7
Nile Cruise Experience
Choose a traditional dahabiya sailboat instead of a big cruise ship for a more personal experience. These smaller boats can visit ports and islands that bigger ships can't reach. You'll see places like El Kab's cliff tombs and the Temple of Edfu. A recent visitor shared: "Watching local life unfold along the Nile banks from our dahabiya was magical - so different from the bigger cruise ships. We could dock at small islands and actually interact with villagers."
- Day 8
Abu Simbel
Take an early flight from Aswan to Abu Simbel (40 minutes). The temples look most impressive at sunrise and you'll beat the crowds. Pack light since you'll go back to Cairo the same day. Bring plenty of water as it gets very hot by midday.
- Days 9-10
Cairo's Cultural Heart
Visit the Egyptian Museum early to see Tutankhamun's treasures before tour groups arrive. Try a food tour through Islamic Cairo in the afternoon exploring old alleyways and markets. Use your last day to see anything you missed or shop at Khan el-Khalili bazaar before leaving.
8 Days in Egypt, incl. Cairo and Luxor
The mighty river connects 8 cities over 8 days, with 4 nights cruising from Luxor to Aswan. Karnak Temple, Valley of Kings, and UNESCO-listed Abu Simbel astound visitors. Accommodations include 5-star Crowne Plaza Cairo and luxury cruise with full board.
- Days 1-2
Cairo
Start in Cairo by visiting the pyramids early. A recent visitor shared: "Get to the Giza complex before 9am to avoid both crowds and intense heat - afternoon temperatures regularly hit 42°C (107°F)." Visit the iconic Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx during your first morning. Start with the Great Pyramid right away since they limit daily visitors and the interior gets very hot by midday.
- Day 3
Cairo to Luxor
Catch an early flight to Luxor. Your first stop should be the Valley of the Kings before the heat intensifies. The tombs offer no shade, so pack plenty of water. You'll need good walking shoes for the Temple of Hatshepsut's uphill climb. Visit Luxor Temple in the evening when it's lit up and less busy.
- Days 4-5
Nile Cruise
Your cruise to Aswan begins here. Visit Karnak Temple at 6am opening time to see the massive hypostyle hall in peace. The cruise stops at Edfu and Kom Ombo temples along the way. Pack motion sickness medication if needed since some parts of the river can be rough.
- Day 6
Aswan
You can take an optional trip to Abu Simbel early morning. It's a long journey (3 hours each way, starting around 4am) and costs $110-140, but most visitors find it worthwhile. Back in Aswan, visit Philae Temple late afternoon for the best photos. The High Dam visit takes about an hour.
- Day 7
Return to Cairo
Fly back to Cairo in the morning. Plan several hours for the Egyptian Museum. A past visitor suggests: "The museum can be overwhelming. Focus on the royal mummies and Tutankhamun collections if time is limited - those are the real highlights." Start with Tutankhamun's exhibits before crowds grow.
- Day 8
Final Day in Cairo
Spend your last morning in Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar. One traveler advises: "Never buy anything without your guide present. You will get significantly overcharged otherwise."
Nile 10 Day Tour Packages You'll Love
Luxury Nile cruise Luxor & Aswan for 7 nights includes tours
Geluxe: Egypt: Pyramids, Temples & the Nile
Egyptian Highlights Tour
Egypt 8-Nights Cairo, Nile Cruise, Abu Simbel&Balloon From Cairo
Experience 9-day aboard Luxury Dahabiya Cruise
Stunning Egypt Tour Package 10 Days and 9 Nights From Cairo
Cairo, Nile Valley & Red Sea Resort - 10 days (10 destinations)
BEST OF EGYPT AND THE RED SEA
Egypt Highlights—9-Day Journey
Taste of Egypt 2026
What people love about 10-day Nile river cruises
- Luxury Nile cruise Luxor & Aswan for 7 nights includes tours
This 7 days Nile River Cruise is a great tour going from Luxor to Aswan with an option to visit Abu Simbel (3 hours there and 3 hours back) and then return back to Luxor. The first 4-5 days will be busy with tours on the itinerary and you'll see all the temples and everything. Don't over do it. The tours can be very tired as it was very hot in September month. I enjoyed the last few days going back to Luxor without not doing much and just enjoyed the beautiful Nile River. It's one of the most relaxing thing cruising on the river. Food was fantastic, every meal was delicious.
- Egyptian Highlights Tour
I understood from the outset that "5 Stars" in Egypt would not be up to the standard of 5 Stars I would expect in Australia. However, I took issue with a few things. 1. I booked with 'Fez Travel' but my tour operator was Encounters Travel. I realised when booking all tours with different companies looked exactly the same, but this was not explained to me and I could very well have missed my Guide at the airport as he was holding an Encounters Travel sign. 2. On the first day, one of the sights (Memphis) was missed off our itinerary (even though it was right where we were at Saqqara). We went back to see it on our last day but this meant a 90 minute round trip for a 30 minute visit in 42 degree heat, and obviously ate into our time spent at the Museum because it was Ramadan and everything was closing early in the afternoon. 3. The hotel in Cairo was lovely, the breakfast buffet was very impressive, but compared with the 'breakfast box' provided for the early morning starts, the packed meal was very disappointing. Really just bread and cheese (no butter), with a piece of dry fruit bread/cake and a piece of fruit. Juice and water, but these had to be consumed prior to the flight because there are liquid restrictions even on domestic flights in Egypt. 4. Our cruise ship was the H/S Moondance. The staff were lovely and very gracious regarding my feedback, but made sure to point out they are just staff and have no control over the way the ship is managed. There was zero complimentary drinking water on this ship. (The hotel in Cairo provided one 600ml bottle per day). Coffee with breakfast was only Nescafe, not even filter coffee. You could purchase espresso (but not particularly nice espresso). Everything seemed geared towards "English" guests, although no one on our cruise was English. It seems very Egyptian for men to be liberal with compliments towards women on their beauty but honestly the staff need to know this is not always welcome or appropriate. The meals were of good quality, I would have preferred more traditional Egyptian cuisine. The night we had this was the best food on the whole trip. The breakfasts were good when they had the buffet, but on the morning of Abu Simbel, I did not go and so myself and the 5 others left behind were given a pre-prepared plate, without any query as to what we would like to have on this plate (which surely would not have been difficult if there's only 6 of us!!). And again, on the morning we departed at 5am to fly back to Cairo, a breakfast box that would have been just bread and cheese, if it hadn’t been for our guide who went out of his way to ensure we had a boiled egg, extra fruit, some butter (!!) etc. 5. My main feedback about the structure of the tour would be that after the Philae Temple/Aswan Dam (Day 6), it would be IMMENSELY preferable to fly back to Cairo that night, in order to wake at 7am the next day, have a proper breakfast in the Cairo hotel, then go to the Museum. There was nothing to do that night in Aswan and absolutely no need to stay on the cruise ship another night, and have to get up at 4am (AGAIN). 6. All the guides and our tour manager were EXCELLENT. The guides were so knowledgeable and obviously passionate. Factor in that you need to tip your guides around $10USD/day (or more). They deserve it! I feel like I was a very demanding guest and my guides did everything they could to try and make me happy - so thank you! 7. Lastly, do not buy anything - ANYTHING - without your guide present. You will be getting ripped off. Flat out.
- Stunning Egypt Tour Package 10 Days and 9 Nights From Cairo
I did this tour as a female solo traveler and I’m fully satisfied! Being a little bit of a geek regarding learning about new cultures, looking for historical tourism but also some relaxing time, and wanting to feel safe while traveling alone to a place with a different culture and language to mine, I got everything I was looking for! Cannot recommend it enough