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3 days
Visite quotidienne
1 person
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This 3 days trip to Abu Simbel with Aswan and Luxor from Cairo by flight covers Egypt’s three most significant Nile Valley destinations south of Cairo in one connected itinerary — Aswan’s temples and dam, the colossal rock-cut temples at Abu Simbel, and Luxor’s East and West Bank monuments — all reached by short domestic flights rather than long overland drives. It suits travelers who want the full southern Egypt experience without dedicating a week or more to separate trips to each city.
You’ll fly from Cairo to Aswan on day one, drive to Abu Simbel and continue on to Luxor on day two, then spend day three exploring Luxor’s temples and tombs before flying back to Cairo.
Covering Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Luxor by flight rather than by road saves significant travel time — the alternative overland route between these cities can take a full day or more on its own. Flying between them means more actual sightseeing time and less time spent in a vehicle, which matters when the itinerary already covers this much ground in three days.
Each destination also gets proper attention rather than being treated as a quick stop: a full day in Aswan for Philae Temple and the High Dam, a dedicated morning at Abu Simbel timed to arrive before the day’s heat builds, and a full day in Luxor split naturally between the East and West Banks. Hotel accommodation is arranged in both Aswan and Luxor, so the pace never feels rushed despite the ground covered.
Pickup from your Cairo hotel is early, at 04:00, in a private air-conditioned car, heading to Cairo Airport for a flight to Aswan departing at 07:00 and arriving around 08:25. On arrival, your private Egyptologist guide meets you to begin the day.
The first stop is Philae Temple, built to honor the goddess Isis and considered the last major temple constructed in the classical Egyptian architectural style, with construction beginning around 690 BC. From there, you'll visit the Aswan High Dam, a rock-fill dam on the Egypt–Sudan border completed in 1968 and officially inaugurated in 1971, whose reservoir formed Lake Nasser.
Next comes the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan's Northern Quarries — nearly 42 meters long and estimated at 1,168 tonnes, it cracked before completion. Had it been finished, it would have been the single heaviest piece of stone the ancient Egyptians ever worked, and today it offers a rare look at how these monuments were actually carved. You'll also enjoy a felucca sail on the Nile during the day.
For those with extra time and interest, a two-hour visit to a Nubian village is available as an optional stop, along with the option to add the Sound and Light Show at Philae Temple in the evening. You'll spend the night at the Basma Hotel in Aswan.
Pickup from your Aswan hotel is again early, at 04:00, for the roughly 3-hour drive to Abu Simbel, timed to arrive before the day's heat sets in.
The two temples at Abu Simbel were carved directly into the mountainside during the reign of Ramesses II in the 13th century BC. Your Egyptologist guide walks you through the story of one of ancient Egypt's most ambitious pharaohs standing in front of the Great Temple's façade, where four colossal statues of Ramses II sit on his throne, each showing him at a different stage of life. Though officially dedicated to the gods Amun-Re Horakhty and Ptah, the temple's real purpose was to glorify Ramses himself. Beside it stands the smaller temple built for his wife, Queen Nefertari, its rock-cut façade showing the pharaoh and queen together.
After Abu Simbel, you'll return to Aswan for lunch, then continue to a 16:00 felucca sail around Elephantine Island and Lord Kitchener's Island — a slower, quieter way to end the day on the water before transferring to Luxor for the night, where you'll stay at the Steigenberger Nile Palace.
For early risers, an optional hot air balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings is available for $80 per person before breakfast. After breakfast, you'll meet your guide to explore Luxor's West Bank and Karnak Temple.
The Valley of the Kings, once known as the Great Place of Truth, sits in an isolated valley behind Deir el-Bahri, dominated by a natural pyramid-shaped mountain peak. It served as the burial ground for Egypt's pharaohs, laid to rest in stone sarcophagi built to carry them into immortality. From there, you'll see the Colossi of Memnon, two 18-meter statues built by Amenhotep III, the only visible remains of what was once the largest complex on Luxor's West Bank.
Next comes Hatshepsut Temple, its terraces rising directly out of the desert plain to merge with the sheer limestone cliffs of the Theban Mountain — a design so seamless with the landscape that it looks almost natural. The day continues at Karnak Temple, far more than a single temple: a sprawling complex of sanctuaries, kiosks, pylons, and obelisks dedicated to Egypt's pharaohs and, above all, to the Theban Triad of Amun, Mut, and Khonsu, whose worship made Karnak one of the most important religious sites in the ancient world.
Lunch is served during the day's touring, and once sightseeing wraps up, you'll transfer to Luxor Airport for the domestic flight back to Cairo.
It's a 3-day, 2-night trip, including flights between Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor, with one night's hotel stay in each city.
Yes, you'll have a private Egyptologist guide and vehicle throughout all three days.
Philae Temple, the Aswan High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and a felucca sail around Elephantine Island and Lord Kitchener's Island.
The Great Temple of Ramesses II, with its four colossal seated statues, and the smaller temple built for Queen Nefertari.
The Valley of the Kings, the Colossi of Memnon, Hatshepsut Temple, and Karnak Temple.
About 3 hours each way, timed early in the morning to avoid the day's heat.
Yes, flights from Cairo to Aswan and from Luxor back to Cairo are included.
Yes, one night at the Basma Hotel in Aswan and one night at the Steigenberger Nile Palace in Luxor are included.
No, dinner is not included on any night of the trip.
Yes, an optional balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings is available for $80 per person on day three.
Yes, a Nubian village visit is available as an optional add-on in Aswan.
No, it's available as an optional extra at additional cost.
Yes, a passport is required for the domestic flights.
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Aswan, your Egyptologist guide, bottled water, entrance fees, private transport, lunch, and hotel stays in both Aswan and Luxor, plus flights.
Dinner and any extras not mentioned in the itinerary.
The early departure is timed to reach the temples before the desert heat builds up later in the day.
It involves two early starts, a long drive on day two, and sightseeing across three cities, so it suits travelers comfortable with an active schedule.
Yes, though the early departures and amount of ground covered are worth considering for younger children.
A passport, camera, sunglasses, comfortable shoes, and sun protection for all three days.
Flying between Cairo, Aswan, and Luxor saves considerable travel time compared to the alternative overland route, leaving more time for actual sightseeing.
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