Sinai to the Nile
Joining a Nile cruise from Sharm el-Sheikh
From Sharm el-Sheikh, fly. The usual route is Sharm to Cairo and on to Luxor or Aswan, about an hour per flight, with daily connections; direct Sharm to Luxor flights run only on some days in some seasons. The road is more than 1,000 km and not worth it. The easiest plan is a four-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan or a three-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor, flying in to one end and out of the other, ideally with Cairo on the way.
Sharm to the boat
How to get from Sharm el-Sheikh to the Nile
| Route | Time | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Fly via Cairo | About an hour Sharm to Cairo, then about an hour to Luxor or 1.5 hours to Aswan | The usual way; flights every day, so it fits any cruise departure |
| Direct flight to Luxor | About an hour | Runs on some days in some seasons only; check schedules for your dates |
| Ferry to Hurghada, then road | A sea crossing of a few hours, then 3.5 to 4 hours by car to Luxor | Only on days the ferry runs, and the timetable changes often |
| All the way by road | More than 1,000 km, through the Suez tunnel and down the Red Sea coast | Not recommended: a very long day each way |
From Dahab, add about an hour by road to Sharm el-Sheikh airport. Carry your passport on every internal flight.
Plan the shape
Which cruise suits a Sinai holiday
- 1Cairo, the Nile, then Sinai. Start with the pyramids in Cairo, fly to Luxor for the cruise, fly back from Aswan to Cairo or Sharm, and end on the beach.
- 2Four nights Luxor to Aswan. Fly into Luxor, fly out of Aswan. The most common and most complete route.
- 3Three nights Aswan to Luxor. The short version, flying into Aswan and out of Luxor.
- 4A dahabiya. Fly into Luxor and transfer to Esna, or into Aswan, for four or five nights under sail.
See a Nile cruise and the Red Sea for how to split the beach and the river, a Nile cruise with Cairo, and a Nile cruise from Hurghada if you are on the other side of the Red Sea.
Our picks
Boats with easy weekly departures
Ships with a fixed weekday make the flights easy to plan: Historia and Sonesta St George leave Luxor on Mondays and Aswan on Fridays, and the Oberoi Zahra leaves Luxor on Tuesdays and Aswan on Saturdays. Among dahabiyas, Iris leaves Luxor on Mondays and Aswan on Fridays.
Prices
What it 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, depending on the boat, cabin and season. We quote the cruise with internal flights and transfers so the timings join up.
Asked often
Nile cruises from Sharm el-Sheikh, answered
- Can you do a Nile cruise from Sharm el-Sheikh?
- Yes, by flying to Luxor or Aswan, usually via Cairo, about an hour per flight. Cruises do not sail from Sharm, and the road is more than 1,000 km.
- Are there direct flights from Sharm el-Sheikh to Luxor?
- On some days in some seasons. Most travellers connect through Cairo, which has daily flights to both Luxor and Aswan.
- Can you drive from Sharm el-Sheikh to Luxor?
- It is possible but not recommended: more than 1,000 km through the Suez tunnel and down the Red Sea coast. Flying takes a few hours door to door.
- Is there a ferry from Sharm el-Sheikh to Hurghada?
- A ferry runs across the Red Sea on some days, but the timetable changes often. From Hurghada it is 3.5 to 4 hours by road to Luxor.
- What is the best Nile cruise to combine with Sharm el-Sheikh?
- A four-night cruise from Luxor to Aswan or a three-night cruise from Aswan to Luxor, flying into one end and out of the other, with Cairo before or after.
