Easter 2027
Easter 2027 on the Nile
Easter Sunday 2027 is 28 March. The week around it is priced as peak on the boats that publish seasonal bands, often 25 to 50 per cent above the normal winter rate, and it sells out months ahead because it falls in the school holidays. Late March is warm and bright on the river. Most boats sail fixed days each week, so the day you start decides which holiday nights you spend on board.
2027
The dates that matter
| Date | Day | What it means on the river |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Mar–2 Apr 2027 | The Oberoi Zahra's Easter peak band; other boats run from about 22 March to 5 April | |
| 26 Mar 2027 | Friday | Good Friday; a common day for sailings north from Aswan |
| 28 Mar 2027 | Sunday | Western Easter Sunday |
| 29 Mar 2027 | Monday | Easter Monday; a common day for sailings south from Luxor or Esna |
| 2 May 2027 | Sunday | Coptic (Orthodox) Easter, celebrated in Egypt |
| 3 May 2027 | Monday | Sham el-Nessim, Egypt's spring festival and a public holiday |
Exact peak dates vary by boat, so ask for your boat’s bands. For the full year’s calendar, see when to go.
Which day to start
Which departure puts you on board over Easter
Most boats pair a four-night sailing south from the Luxor end with a three-night sailing north from Aswan. Find your boat’s pattern below and pick the sailing that covers the nights you care about.
Monday south, Friday north
Boats on this pattern include Historia, Sonesta St George, Sonesta Sun Goddess, Jaz Regent, Iris, Zekrayaat, Lazuli Albatros, Lazuli Highness and Lazuli Karnak.
| Sails | Arrives | Route | Easter nights on board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 19 Mar | Mon 22 Mar | Aswan to Luxor or Esna, 3 nights | None |
| Mon 22 Mar | Fri 26 Mar | Luxor or Esna to Aswan, 4 nights | None |
| Fri 26 Mar | Mon 29 Mar | Aswan to Luxor or Esna, 3 nights | Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday |
| Mon 29 Mar | Fri 2 Apr | Luxor or Esna to Aswan, 4 nights | None |
| Fri 2 Apr | Mon 5 Apr | Aswan to Luxor or Esna, 3 nights | None |
Saturday south, Wednesday north
Boats on this pattern include Sonesta Star Goddess, Jaz Viceroy and The Orient.
| Sails | Arrives | Route | Easter nights on board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sat 20 Mar | Wed 24 Mar | Luxor or Esna to Aswan, 4 nights | None |
| Wed 24 Mar | Sat 27 Mar | Aswan to Luxor or Esna, 3 nights | Good Friday |
| Sat 27 Mar | Wed 31 Mar | Luxor or Esna to Aswan, 4 nights | Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday |
| Wed 31 Mar | Sat 3 Apr | Aswan to Luxor or Esna, 3 nights | None |
Thursday south, Monday north
Boats on this pattern include Loulia and Jaz Royale.
| Sails | Arrives | Route | Easter nights on board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon 22 Mar | Thu 25 Mar | Aswan to Luxor or Esna, 3 nights | None |
| Thu 25 Mar | Mon 29 Mar | Luxor or Esna to Aswan, 4 nights | Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday |
| Mon 29 Mar | Thu 1 Apr | Aswan to Luxor or Esna, 3 nights | None |
| Thu 1 Apr | Mon 5 Apr | Luxor or Esna to Aswan, 4 nights | None |
Sunday south, Thursday north
Boats on this pattern include Nora.
| Sails | Arrives | Route | Easter nights on board |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 21 Mar | Thu 25 Mar | Esna to Aswan, 4 nights | None |
| Thu 25 Mar | Sun 28 Mar | Aswan to Esna, 3 nights | Good Friday, Easter Saturday |
| Sun 28 Mar | Thu 1 Apr | Esna to Aswan, 4 nights | Easter Sunday |
| Thu 1 Apr | Sun 4 Apr | Aswan to Esna, 3 nights | None |
Sailing days are each boat’s published pattern for 2026 and 2027 and can change. Boats starting at Esna meet you in Luxor, about an hour’s drive north. The Sonesta Amirat Dahabeya sails seven nights every Saturday, so the 20 March departure covers Good Friday and the 27 March departure covers Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday.
Prices
What Easter costs
Through the year, Nile cruise ships cost about US$120 to US$1,500 per person per night and dahabiyas about US$140 to US$1,500. Over Easter, expect the top of each boat’s own range: typically 25 to 50 per cent above its normal winter rate.
Some boats publish a separate peak fare for Easter, as they do for Christmas; others add a compulsory supplement. When you compare quotes, ask whether the Easter supplement is already included. Peak bands usually end between 2 and 5 April, so a departure just after that is often the better buy: still warm, and in some countries the schools are still out. See how much a Nile cruise costs.
Spring
Weather, and the khamsin
In March, Luxor averages highs of about 30 °C and lows of about 13 °C; Aswan is a degree or two warmer. Days are hot enough that temple visits start early, and the sun deck is pleasant from late afternoon. Pack sun cream, a hat and a light layer for the evenings.
From roughly March to May, hot, dusty southerly winds called the khamsin can blow for a few hours or a day or two, cutting visibility and sometimes moving meals indoors or a balloon flight to another morning. It does not ruin a trip, but leave a little slack in the plan.
School holidays
Families and Easter
Easter is one of the few school holidays that falls in the Nile season, so family cabins and small dahabiyas go first. A dahabiya your family can fill, such as Lazuli Albatros (eight cabins) or Loulia (six), gives children the run of the deck. Among ships, Sonesta Sun Goddess has two family suites of 60 m², and Historia and Sonesta St George both have a pool on the sun deck. See which boat fits your group and the best dahabiyas by what you want.
Asked often
Easter on the Nile, answered
- When is Easter 2027?
- Western Easter Sunday is 28 March 2027, with Good Friday on 26 March and Easter Monday on 29 March. Coptic (Orthodox) Easter, celebrated in Egypt, is a month later on 2 May, followed by the Sham el-Nessim holiday on 3 May.
- Is Easter a good time for a Nile cruise?
- Yes. Late March is warm, with Luxor highs around 30 °C and cool evenings, every ship and dahabiya is sailing, and it falls in the UK and European school holidays. It is priced as a peak week, though, and spring can bring a dusty khamsin day or two.
- Which Nile cruise departure is on board for Easter Sunday 2027?
- On the many boats that sail north from Aswan on Fridays, the Friday 26 March sailing is on board for Good Friday, Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday, arriving on Easter Monday. On boats that sail south on Thursdays, such as Loulia, the Thursday 25 March departure covers all three nights.
- How much does an Easter Nile cruise cost?
- Expect the top of each boat's range, typically 25 to 50 per cent above its normal winter rate. Across the year, cruise ships run about US$120 to US$1,500 per person per night and dahabiyas about US$140 to US$1,500.
- Does Coptic Easter affect a Nile cruise?
- Very little. Coptic Easter (2 May 2027) and Sham el-Nessim (3 May) are Egyptian holidays, so sites and towns are busier with local visitors, but boats sail as normal. By then most boats have moved to their lower summer rates.
