Luxor and the Nile Valley
Luxor and the Nile Valley, in a few days
The temples and royal tombs of Luxor, then a cruise up the Nile to Aswan: the map, what is worth booking, everything that costs nothing, and where to sleep at three budgets.
- Day by day
- 1 Luxor Days 1-3
- 2 The cruise to Aswan Days 4-5
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
Day by day
Luxor
Ancient Thebes, capital of Egypt at the height of the New Kingdom. Karnak and Luxor temple stand on the east bank, the Valley of the Kings across the river on the west.
- Valley of the Kings, with an EgyptologistHalf day · from €45The painted royal tombs cut into the west bank hills. Tutankhamun's is among them, on a separate ticket.
- Hot-air balloon at sunrise1h · from €90Up before dawn to float over the west bank, the Colossi of Memnon and the edge of the desert as the sun comes up.
- Luxor temple, lit up at night
The cruise to Aswan
Upriver between Luxor and Aswan, stopping at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo, with the Nubian country of Aswan at the end.
- Two-night cruise, Luxor to Aswan2 days · from €180Two nights on board heading upriver, with guided stops at the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo and the banks sliding past in between.
Worth sorting before you go
Boat, train or plane · The cruise carries you from Luxor to Aswan. To get there and back, there are flights to both towns and a sleeper train from Cairo.
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Compare the agencies before you land.
Compare · Booking
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
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Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Koshari: rice, pasta and lentils under a spiced tomato sauce and fried onions, sold on every corner.
- Ful medames: fava beans stewed overnight, the breakfast of the country.
- Taameya: the Egyptian falafel, made with fava beans rather than chickpeas.
- Molokheya: a thick green soup of jute leaves, heavy on the garlic.
- Sugar cane juice, and karkade, the hibiscus drink served cold.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Getting into a taxi, carriage or felucca before agreeing the price.
- Stopping for the touts on the corniche and at the temple gates: a clear no, and keep walking.
- Unsealed bottles and washed salads outside good restaurants.
- Running out of small notes: baksheesh is part of every day here.
Words that help
English ↔ Arabic
| English | Arabic |
|---|---|
| Hello | مرحبا (marhaba) |
| Thank you | شكرا (choukran) |
| Please | من فضلك (min fadlik) |
| Yes | نعم (na'am) |
| No | لا (la) |
| Excuse me | عفوا (afwan) |
| Goodbye | مع السلامة (ma'a salama) |
| Do you speak English? | هل تتكلم الإنجليزية؟ (tatakallam injliziya?) |
| I don't understand | لا أفهم (la afham) |
| How much is it? | بكم هذا؟ (bikam hadha?) |
| Where are the toilets? | أين الحمام؟ (ayna al-hammam?) |
| The bill, please | الحساب من فضلك (al-hisab min fadlik) |
| Help! | النجدة! (an-najda!) |
| Cheers! | في صحتك! (fi sahtak!) |
The practical page
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/luxor-nile-valley
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.