Red Sea to the Nile
Joining a Nile cruise from Hurghada
There is no river link from the Red Sea: you reach the Nile by road. From Hurghada to the cruise moorings in Luxor is about 280 km and 3.5 to 4 hours by car, via Safaga and Qena. The easiest plan from a Red Sea resort is a cruise that starts in Luxor and ends in Luxor, such as a seven-night round trip, or a dahabiya that returns to Esna, so the drive back is short. Ending in Aswan means a much longer road home, or a flight.
By road
Drive times from the Red Sea to the boats
| From | To | Distance and time |
|---|---|---|
| Hurghada | Luxor | About 280 km, 3.5 to 4 hours, via Safaga and Qena |
| El Gouna | Luxor | Add about 30 minutes to the Hurghada time |
| Makadi Bay, Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay | Luxor | Slightly shorter than from Hurghada, as they sit south of the town on the way |
| Hurghada | Esna (dahabiya) | About 4.5 to 5 hours, through Luxor |
| Hurghada | Aswan | About 6 to 7 hours; usually better to start in Luxor |
| Marsa Alam | Luxor or Aswan | About 4.5 to 5 hours, inland through Edfu |
Times are for a private car with one short stop. The road crosses the Eastern Desert and has police checkpoints, so carry your passport. Leave the resort by about 08:00 to board in Luxor in time for lunch, which is when most ships welcome guests on the first day.
Plan the shape
Which cruise suits a Red Sea stay
- 1Seven nights, Luxor round trip. Drive to Luxor, sail to Aswan and back, and drive back from the same mooring. The simplest shape from the coast.
- 2Four nights Luxor to Aswan, then fly. The classic route, but you finish about 6 to 7 hours by road from Hurghada. Most guests fly on from Aswan, home via Cairo or back to the coast, rather than drive.
- 3Three nights Aswan to Luxor. Short and ends close to the coast, but you must first get to Aswan: a long drive, or a flight via Cairo.
- 4A dahabiya from Esna. Esna is about an hour beyond Luxor. On a downstream sailing from Aswan the boat brings you back to Esna, close to the road to the coast.
See the day-by-day itineraries for what each route visits, and where the boats moor in Luxor and Aswan.
Our picks
Boats that fit a trip from the coast
For a Luxor start, ships with a set weekly departure from Luxor make the transfer easy to plan: Historia leaves Luxor on Mondays, Sonesta St George on Mondays, Jaz Regent on Mondays and Sonesta Star Goddess on Saturdays. The Oberoi Zahra sails on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Historia also runs a seven-night round trip from Luxor.
Jaz runs both Red Sea resorts and Nile ships, which many guests find convenient for a combined stay. For a dahabiya, the sister boats Loulia, Nora and The Orienteach leave Esna and Aswan on fixed weekdays; The Orient’s package, for example, includes transfers from any address in Luxor or Aswan.
Getting picked up
Booking the transfer
Most cruise packages include transfers only within Luxor or Aswan, from the airport, station or a hotel. The drive from the Red Sea is an extra, priced per car rather than per person, so it costs much the same for one guest or four. We arrange it with the cruise, with a driver who meets you at your resort and hands you to the boat’s team at the gangway.
Shared coach programmes from Hurghada also exist and are cheaper, but they start before dawn and follow the day-trip timetable. If you are joining a cruise with luggage, a private car is far easier. For the Hurghada airport side of the trip, see Hurghada airport transfers.
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 a night, depending on the boat, cabin and season. Send us your resort, dates and the number of guests and we will quote the cruise and the car together.
Asked often
Nile cruises from Hurghada, answered
- Can you do a Nile cruise from Hurghada?
- Yes. Cruises do not sail from Hurghada itself, but Luxor is about 280 km and 3.5 to 4 hours away by road. A driver takes you from your resort to the boat, and many Red Sea holidays add three, four or seven nights on the Nile.
- How far is Hurghada from Luxor?
- About 280 km by road via Safaga and Qena, roughly 3.5 to 4 hours by private car with a short stop. The road has police checkpoints, so carry your passport.
- Which Nile cruise is best from Hurghada?
- One that starts and ends in Luxor, such as a seven-night round trip, so the drive back to the coast is short. A four-night cruise to Aswan works too if you fly on from Aswan rather than drive back.
- Is the transfer from Hurghada included in a Nile cruise?
- Usually not. Packages tend to include transfers within Luxor or Aswan only. The drive from the Red Sea is arranged as an extra, priced per car.
- How do I get from Marsa Alam to a Nile cruise?
- By road inland through Edfu, about 4.5 to 5 hours to either Luxor or Aswan. Marsa Alam is one of the few Red Sea resorts from which starting in Aswan is about as easy as starting in Luxor.
