Egypt Nile River Cruises

• Take your toilet paper. Finding one in Egypt can be a task!
• You can use Uber in Cairo.
• Always ask for prices before buying anything
• You can use metros in Cairo, they are good and quick!
• Wear comfortable shoes in Egypt and don’t forget to take an extra pair.
• You need to stay hydrated.
• Eat the local food, it is delicious!
• Respect and maintain the culture.
• No skin show please!
• Bring a scarf to cover your hair when visiting mosques and other religious sights
• Never film or make videos without the necessary permissions.
• Never neglect your safety when trying any adventure activity.
• Educate yourself about some of the instances of local culture and traditions.
• Learn some of the words from the local cultures and traditions that are prevalent in the region.
• Do not let anyone deceive you. It is always a good idea to gather sufficient information whenever you are traveling to any new destination or location.

A Nile Cruise is a river cruise on the Nile, the most common route between Luxor and Aswan in Upper Egypt. The ship makes several stops at different stations to allow its passengers to visit the ancient Egyptian monuments. It is the best way to take a trip into the past to get close to the pharaonic culture and enjoy the breathtaking nature of the Nile Valley.

As already mentioned, most Nile cruise ships operate between Luxor and Aswan. The trip south from Luxor to Aswan takes 5 days and vice versa from Aswan to Luxor takes 4 days.

During the journey, the most important monuments in Upper Egypt are visited. In Luxor, one visits the Luxor temple and the Karnak temple, one of the biggest temple arrangements of Egypt on the eastern Nile shore Theben east. On the western side in Thebes-West the temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and the Valley of the Kings.

The dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and the Philae Temple on Elephant Island are visited in Aswan. Between both cities, the Horus Temple in Edfu and the double temple of the two gods Sobek and Haroeris in Kom Ombo are visited.

When the ship docks at Aswan, passengers can make an optional excursion to Abu Simbel on Lake Nasser to visit the impressive temple complex of Ramses II.

There are very few ships that sail the route in a different period and then make a few more sights, but here we have introduced you to what most ships do.

Also, there is the big or long Nile cruise that goes from Aswan or Luxor to Cairo or of course vice versa. This takes place however only at certain times because of the Nile level, which is why most visitors to Egypt prefer a short stay in Cairo, after or before the Nile cruise in Upper Egypt, if you want to see the sights of all Egypt.

Is it customary to tip on a Nile cruise?
As is common in the cruise world, it is customary, or rather expected, to tip on board. The staff on the ship will do their best to make the stay of their guests as pleasant as possible, and are therefore happy to receive the tip in appreciation of this.

Is it obligatory to tip on board?
You can never say that tipping is obligatory, but unfortunately, it has come to pass that the staff of the ships see tipping as a fixed part of their remuneration due to the low payments in Egypt. But as already mentioned, this is not mandatory and if you think at the end of the trip, which is very rarely the case, that the staff has not earned the tip, then tell the Reileiter and tell him the reason right away.

Who should I give the money to?
The tour guide will come to you at the end of the trip and ask nicely and politely about the tip, which is collected from the guests and then distributed among the crew. It is therefore collected so that everyone gets something because the guests do not come into contact with all the staff on board. It would be possible to tip the bartender directly during the cruise, but in this case, it would be unfair to cooks or machinists you don’t usually meet.

How much should I tip?
There are of course no exact figures as to how much you should pay, but about 10€ per day per person, for every adult in the family, is reasonable. If you think this amount is too much, imagine there are about 50 people on board to make sure you feel comfortable during the trip.

Egypt Nile Cruise

The duration of a Nile cruise varies according to the route the ship takes. There is either the small Nile cruise, which only goes in Upper Egypt from Luxor to Aswan or vice versa, and the long or large Nile cruise, which goes from Cairo to Luxor or Aswan and vice versa. From Luxor to Aswan, it takes 5 days and from Aswan to Luxor 4 days.

It is also possible to go from Luxor to Aswan and back to Luxor and in this case the trip takes 8 days. The same is valid of course for the journey Aswan-Aswan. The long Nile cruise takes either 10 days from Luxor to Cairo, 12 days from Cairo to Luxor, 13 days from Aswan to Cairo, or 15 days from Cairo to Aswan. The ships that make the long Nile cruise are considerably less than those that travel between Luxor and Aswan, and besides, this cruise is only possible at certain times of the year due to the level of the Nile.

There are very few fleets of ships, among which the two Oberoi Nile cruise ships Philae and Zahra, which make the route between Luxor and Aswan at a different time of year. They sail from Luxor to Aswan or vice versa in 6 or 7 days. With all the rest of the ships the journey takes the same time as mentioned above, the only difference is the day of the week when the respective ship starts the journey.

On the way between Aswan and Luxor, one visits different beautiful sights for example, in Thebes-East (Karnak and Luxor Temple), then in Thebes-West (Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Memnon Colossus). Afterward one visits the legendary Horus Temple in Edfu and the double temple in Kom Ombo. Do not miss the chance and take part in one of our Nile cruises.

Actually, you are only in the cabin for sleeping and therefore you should not pay too much attention to it, but we still want to give you some useful tips and advice on how to choose the right cabin.

In general, cabins in the middle deck are the most popular because it is the quietest there. On the upper deck, you will be disturbed by the pattering on the sun deck and you can hear it when tables or sunbeds are pushed.

On the Nile deck, you may hear the engines in the cabins in the stern. But it is important to mention that the ship almost always sails during the day and therefore the engines are off at night while the guests are sleeping.

For the same reason it is rather unimportant on which side your cabin is, because the ship sails almost exclusively during the day, you will have a view on the Nile anyway.

During the times when your ship will be onshore and the view from another ship is blocked on one side, you will either be on a sightseeing tour or you will sleep.

As we told you above, the guests are in their cabins almost only at night to sleep, otherwise, you are either on a tour, in the restaurant for breakfast, lunch or dinner, in the bar, or lying by the pool on the sun deck.

The Nile Cruise is a Nile cruise, the most frequent between Luxor and Aswan in Upper Egypt. The ship makes several stops at different stations to allow its passengers to visit the ancient Egyptian monuments. It is the best way to take a trip into the past to get close to the pharaonic culture and enjoy the breathtaking nature of the Nile Valley.

The best time for a Nile cruise in Upper Egypt can not be determined because it depends on the visitor’s interests and his resilience in heat. One could only say that the Nile Valley in summer (May to September) can be too hot for most European visitors. The temperatures in Luxor and Aswan are about 45°. Therefore, it is unsuitable for a Nile cruise, especially for people who cannot stand the heat or have circulation problems.

From October to April, the maximum temperature is 30°; therefore, one could say that this is the optimal time for a Nile cruise. If you plan to stay at the Red Sea after or before the Nile cruise in Upper Egypt, you should consider that it can be too cold for bathing in the winter months (December to February). At this time, the temperatures in Hurghada and Sharm El-Sheik can sink up to 10°.

But it is also worth mentioning that the heat in Upper Egypt is dry, the above-mentioned high temperatures are only under the sun, and it is primarily bearable in the shade. Therefore, despite the heat, some travelers still decide to go on a Nile cruise in the summer months.

The ships are seldom fully occupied, and one can avoid the crowds at the monuments. Most sightseeing tours take place early in the morning, and the tour guide always looks for a place in the shade if he wants to explain something to the group. Also, the prices fall at this time, and one finds a lot of special offers for a Nile cruise in Upper Egypt.

Every place has its matching clothes, even on the sun deck. Because of this, you should consider appropriate clothing if you want to travel. For example, half-naked during temple visits are not typical and customary. On high-quality luxury Nile cruises, you can choose something more festive to wear. Your suitable, carefully selected clothes will distinguish you from the ship’s restaurant crew, and you will follow the dress code correctly.

Every place has suitable clothes, even on the sun deck. Because of this, you should consider appropriate clothing when you travel. For example, half-naked during temple visits are not typical and customary. On high-quality luxury Nile cruises, you can choose something more festive to wear. Your suitable, carefully selected clothes will distinguish you from the ship’s restaurant crew, and you will follow the dress code correctly.

As far as women are concerned, unlike most Upper Egyptian cities, it is pretty alright for women to walk in shorts and spaghetti straps or to lie down comfortably in Bikini by the pool. Luxor and Aswan are two of the most important tourist destinations in the world. Their inhabitants have been used to the European way of dressing for a long time and show excellent tolerance towards different cultures.

However, shorts and flip-flops or sandals are forbidden for men and women in the restaurant on the ship. You do not necessarily have to wear a suit or an evening dress for lunch, but you are expected to wear at least a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.

Onboard, the program includes a Nubian show, a Galabya party, or a belly dance show. There are lovely costumes, which you can buy with the help of your guide from the market during the excursions.

On excursions, you should pay attention to appropriate clothing, so miniskirts or shorts are not recommended. Being half-naked through the temples does not go down well.

A further hint would be sturdy shoes for the sightseeing tours; please note that the monuments you will visit are in the desert. You will also often have to walk a distance until you reach the temple or until you have seen all parts of the vast temple complexes. Many women in Egypt wear a hijab/headscarf, which is not required for tourists. It would be best if you covered your head with a headscarf when you visited a mosque.

If you are bored of visiting the ancient monuments, you can take up Nile River Cruises in Egypt for a change. These are fun activities and can be very refreshing. Here are some best picks-

Egypt Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor
Egypt Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan
Dahabiya Boats
River cruise tour through Cairo, Giza, Aswan
A river cruise through Cairo, Luxor, Dendera