Do Nile cruises leave from Cairo?

Almost all start in Luxor or Aswan. A few ships sail longer itineraries from Cairo, but the standard three, four and seven night cruises do not, so most travellers fly or take the train from Cairo to join the boat.

Is the sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor worth it?

It saves a hotel night and arrives in Luxor in the morning, in time to board for lunch. The cabins are simple two-berth compartments with dinner and breakfast. If you prefer comfort and time, the one-hour flight is easier.

What time should my flight arrive on the first day of a Nile cruise?

By about midday. Ships welcome guests from late morning with lunch on board, and the first visit is usually in the afternoon. Luxor airport is 10 to 20 minutes from the docks, Aswan airport 15 to 25 minutes.

Can I drive from Cairo to Luxor for my cruise?

You can, with a driver, but it is about 650 km and 8 to 10 hours. Most travellers fly or take the sleeper train instead.

Cairo to the boat

From Cairo to your Nile cruise

Almost all Nile cruises start in Luxor or Aswan, not Cairo, so you fly or take the train south. The quickest way is a domestic flight: about an hour to Luxor or 1 hour 20 minutes to Aswan, with the boats a short drive from each airport. The overnight sleeper train takes about 9 to 10 hours to Luxor and arrives in the morning, in time to board. Driving takes most of a day and is rarely worth it.

Ask us to plan the connection

Three ways south

Flight, sleeper train or road

Ways to get from Cairo to a Nile cruise
Option	Time	How often	Good to know
Flight to Luxor	About 1 hour in the air	Several flights a day	Docks are 10 to 20 minutes from Luxor airport
Flight to Aswan	About 1 hour 20 minutes	Several flights a day	Cruise port is 15 to 25 minutes from Aswan airport
Sleeper train to Luxor	About 9 to 10 hours overnight	Nightly	Two-berth cabins with dinner and breakfast; arrive in the morning
Sleeper train to Aswan	About 13 hours overnight	Nightly	Arrives later in the morning; tight for some boarding times
By road to Luxor	About 650 km, 8 to 10 hours	Any time	Possible with a driver, but a long day; rarely worth it

Flights leave from Cairo International. Trains leave from Ramses station in central Cairo, with a stop at Giza, which is handy if you stay near the pyramids. Allow for Cairo traffic to either: an hour or more to the airport from Giza at busy times is normal.

Day one and the last day

Timing the connection

1Day one: fly in the morning. Ships welcome guests from late morning, with lunch on board. A flight landing by about midday gets you on in good time; the boat's team meets you at the airport.
2Or take the train the night before. The sleeper reaches Luxor in the morning, so you can be on board for lunch. To Aswan it arrives later; check it against your boat's boarding time.
3Last day: fly from where you finish. Cabins are vacated after breakfast, usually around 8 to 10am, and the boat holds your bags. A flight from about midday onwards leaves time for the last visit.
4Northbound into Luxor: leave a buffer. Ships heading north pass the Esna lock on the last night and can arrive late. Avoid an early flight on disembarkation day.

Esna starts

Getting to a dahabiya at Esna

There is no airport at Esna. Fly or take the train to Luxor, and the boat’s driver takes you on to Esna, about an hour by road; pick-up is often around 9am from a Luxor address. That makes a night in Luxor before the sailing, or the sleeper train the night before, the easy way to arrive. Dahabiyas such as Loulia, Nora, The Orient and Lazuli Albatros leave Esna on fixed weekdays, so you can plan the connection months ahead. See why dahabiyas start at Esna.

Luxor or Aswan first

Does it matter which end you start from?

From Cairo, both ends are about the same: Luxor is a little closer by air and much closer by train. What matters more is the return. A four-night cruise ends in Aswan, so book the flight back to Cairo from Aswan; a three-night cruise ends in Luxor. Booking the two flights as separate one-way tickets, south to one city and back from the other, is normal.

Ships with fixed weekly days make this simple: Historia, Sonesta St George and Jaz Regent leave Luxor on Mondays and Aswan on Fridays; Jaz Viceroy leaves Luxor on Saturdays and Aswan on Wednesdays; the Oberoi Zahra sails on Tuesdays and Saturdays. See departure days for every boat.

Prices

What the cruise costs

Nile cruise ships run about US$120 to US$1,500 per person per night and dahabiyas about US$140 to US$1,500. Send us your Cairo dates and we will suggest the boat and departure that fit, with the flights or train around it.

Asked often

Cairo to a Nile cruise, answered

How do I get from Cairo to a Nile cruise?: Fly or take the train south. Flights take about an hour to Luxor and 1 hour 20 minutes to Aswan, with the boats a short drive from each airport. The overnight sleeper train takes about 9 to 10 hours to Luxor and about 13 to Aswan.
Do Nile cruises leave from Cairo?: Almost all start in Luxor or Aswan. A few ships sail longer itineraries from Cairo, but the standard three, four and seven night cruises do not, so most travellers fly or take the train from Cairo to join the boat.
Is the sleeper train from Cairo to Luxor worth it?: It saves a hotel night and arrives in Luxor in the morning, in time to board for lunch. The cabins are simple two-berth compartments with dinner and breakfast. If you prefer comfort and time, the one-hour flight is easier.
What time should my flight arrive on the first day of a Nile cruise?: By about midday. Ships welcome guests from late morning with lunch on board, and the first visit is usually in the afternoon. Luxor airport is 10 to 20 minutes from the docks, Aswan airport 15 to 25 minutes.
Can I drive from Cairo to Luxor for my cruise?: You can, with a driver, but it is about 650 km and 8 to 10 hours. Most travellers fly or take the sleeper train instead.

Tell us your dates