A luxurious journey aboard the MS Grand Palm

Overview

5-Day Nile Cruise with MS Grand Palm: Luxor to Aswan
Experience the ultimate adventure on this 5-day Nile cruise aboard the luxurious MS Grand Palm, beginning Egypt Holidays Nile Cruise in Luxor and concluding in Aswan. This Egypt Tours package takes you through remarkable ancient sites, including Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, and El Qantara East Bank. Along the way, you’ll enjoy exciting activities like snorkeling, swimming, and fishing, making this cruise an unforgettable escape.

When you arrive in Aswan, don't miss exploring its amazing highlights, especially the Philae Temple, an ancient site dedicated to the goddess Isis.

Inclusion

Meet and greet services upon your arrival and departure are provided by Cairo Top Tours representatives.
Dedicated guest relations assistance throughout your tours in Egypt.
All transfers are in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle for your comfort.
Full board accommodation aboard the MS Grand Palm Nile Cruise.
All private Egypt Nile Cruise tours as detailed in the itinerary.
Entrance fees to all attractions between Luxor and Aswan that are part of your cruise experience.
An English-speaking tour guide to accompany you during your Egypt tour package.
All service charges and taxes are included during your Egypt day tours.
Optional shopping tours during your excursions in Luxor and Aswan.
Snack stops are available upon request.
Enjoy a soft drink at a local café during your tour (time permitting).

Exclusion

Any optional excursions or Egypt day tours not listed in the program.
Gratuities are not included in any of our Egypt travel packages.
Personal expenses are not covered.
International airfare is excluded.
Egypt entry visa fees.
Drinks during meals are not included.

Itinerary

After picking up at the Luxor Airport or railway station by our representative, we start our MS Grand Palm Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan. Begin your Egypt Day Tour with an exploration of the Luxor East Bank Tours, with the first day on board spent at the temples of Karnak and Luxor.

In Egypt Holidays Nile Cruise We had heard that the site looks majestic when viewed from afar from a boat, so that's what we're going to do! We'll start from the vast grounds of the Karnak Temple and wander around the ancient ruins. Here, a guide will tell you all there is to know about the site's history. Afterward, you will have time to stroll outside, where some of the best views of Thebes await you, including the Karnak Open Air Museum filled with fabulous treasures: from small shrines to enormous boulders, statues, and the recently refurbished Red Chapel of Hatchepsut.

Thereafter, we would visit Luxor Temple, undoubtedly one of the more recognizable monuments in Egypt. It was erected during the New Kingdom period (1539-1075 BC) and had already been used as a place of worship for some thousands of years. Of course, it stands in an area replete with other temples—some dedicated to Egyptian gods such as Isis or Horus—so there'll be so much to explore for this very day!

Meals available: Lunch, Dinner

In today's plan, there will be a Luxor West Bank tour. The services to be included within the tour are seeing the Hatshepsut Temple and Valley of Kings at Colossi Memnon, and continuing with Luxor excursions.

Hatshepsut Temple, built during the reign of Hatshepsut from 1478 to 1458 BCE, is a glorious example of Egyptian architecture and artistry and is one of the best preserved temples of ancient Egypt. For the temple, limestone blocks covered with white sandstone were used, which gave it the famed white characteristic color. We shall also be able to see some of the hieroglyphic inscriptions that fill the walls.

Queen Hatshepsut chose to build her funerary temple on the west bank of Thebes to face the great temple of her father god Amun and be close to her tomb in the valley of the kings.

From here, free time will be available for your own views or an optional visit to the Dendara Temple Complex.

Then, you'll visit the famous Valley of Kings and Colossi Memnon, two iconic must-sees while visiting Luxor! The Valley of the Kings, being a necropolis that houses the tombs of many pharaohs of Ancient, would see some of the best-known tombs, such as those of Tutankhamun, Ramses II, and Seti I. In Egypt's New Kingdom, many pharaohs were usually buried there, and it has been in use since around 1550 BCE, even till today. You might recognize the place from movies such as "The Mummy" or "Raiders of the Lost Ark."

Walk around Colossi Memnon, two gigantic statues that used to be part of a temple of Amenhotep III, and then sail overnight to Esna.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today our activity will be the visiting of the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo. These temples are very well preserved with some very beautiful examples of Egyptian art preserved through thousands of years. Also, we have time to explore the neighborhoods to see how the Egyptians are living today.

The first stop would be the Temple of Horus of Edfu in the morning. It was built by Ptolemy VI Philometor and is among the best-preserved of them all in Egypt. Its facade is decorated with scenes of Horus fighting Seth whilst inside is a huge Hypostyle Hall with 134 columns holding up a roof consisting of eight rows of pillars.

After that, we proceed to the temple of Kom Ombo, which was constructed by Nero Claudius Caesar. This temple was for two gods: Sobek, representing fertility and protection against crocodiles, and Haroeris, being the healing power of Horus.

Then very much ideal for lunch! What we have planned is a buffet lunch aboard one of our onboard restaurants so that guests may sit back and enjoy their meal without being in a rush searching for food items. After lunch, Egypt Holidays Nile Cruise sets out again along the Nile, this time towards Aswan.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Probably the most favored among various things to see and do in Aswan excursions for us is the High Dam. Thus, the first stop for your Aswan excursions is the High Dam, which is considered one of the greatest engineering land marvels ever in the effort to control the flow of water from Lake Nasser and to prevent flooding. The High Dam was set across the Nile River in 1964 by President Gamal Abdel Nasser and it is still used to regulate the flow of water in both Egypt and Sudan.

On leaving the dam, one would proceed to the Temple of Philae, on an island in Lake Nasser. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Isis, who was worshiped here before it became part of Egypt under Alexander the Great. The guide will take one round the island telling stories of how it was built and why this place is so important to Egyptians today. It's interesting!

This ends your visit to Philae Temple and its surrounding ruins, after which you will embark towards lunch before heading out to see the Unfinished Obelisk. If the adventurous spirit within you feels the need to see something cool and relatively off the beaten path, it will not disappoint: the Unfinished Obelisk: it started by Ramses II but was never finished because he died before they could finish it! Great pictures are a guaranteed bonus.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, we will be disembarking the MS Grand Palm Nile cruise ship and then transferring by a private vehicle to Aswan Airport or railway station. We hope you have enjoyed your time on board and that your journey has been an unforgettable experience.

Meals: Breakfast