Plan the whole trip
A Nile cruise and the Red Sea: how to combine them
Sail first, then finish on the beach. The resorts around Hurghada sit closest to Luxor, so the simplest pairing is a cruise that starts or ends in Luxor followed by a stay on the coast. A week on the river and a week by the sea is the classic two-week trip; eight to ten nights works with a three- or four-night cruise.
Order
Cruise first or beach first?
Cruise first for most people. The river has early starts and full sightseeing days; the beach is where you recover.
Temple days begin early to beat the heat and the crowds, so they suit the start of a holiday when energy is high. Ending on the coast means the last days are slow, and you fly home rested rather than straight from a 6 am visit to the Valley of the Kings.
Beach first makes sense in two cases: when your flight lands at Hurghada or Marsa Alam, or when the only cruise date that fits falls at the end of your trip. Either way works on the river; it is the order of the days that changes, not what you see.
Where to stay
Which Red Sea resorts pair best with the Nile
| Coast | Link to the Nile | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hurghada, El Gouna, Makadi, Sahl Hasheesh, Soma Bay | By road to Luxor | The easiest pairing: start or end your cruise in Luxor, or choose a 7-night round trip from Luxor. |
| Marsa Alam and Port Ghalib | By road to the Nile valley | Further south and quieter; ask us which end of the river suits your hotel. |
| Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab (Sinai) | By air, usually via Cairo | Works well when Cairo is in the trip anyway: Cairo, the Nile, then fly to Sinai. |
To choose the resort itself, see Hurghada vs Sharm vs Marsa Alam and El Gouna. If you only want a taste of Luxor from the coast, a day trip exists, but it is a long day: see the Luxor day trip from Hurghada. For the drive between the coast and your boat, see getting to a Nile cruise from the Red Sea.
Trip shapes
How to split 8, 10 or 14 nights
| Length | Shape | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| 8 nights | 4-night cruise Luxor to Aswan, then 4 nights on the coast | Fly Aswan to the coast via Cairo, or sail Aswan to Luxor (3 nights) instead and end near the Red Sea. |
| 10 nights | 3-night cruise Aswan to Luxor, then 7 nights on the coast | Fly into Aswan, sail north, finish with a week of beach. The river part is short but complete. |
| 14 nights | 7-night cruise round trip from Luxor, then 7 nights on the coast | The classic two-week split: every temple, then a week of reef. |
| 14 nights with Cairo | 3 nights Cairo, 4-night cruise, 7 nights on the coast | Pyramids, river and sea in one trip. |
A 7-night cruise from Luxor starts and ends in the same place, which is why it pairs so neatly with the coast. Good ships for it include Historia (seven nights from Luxor on Mondays) and the Oberoi Zahra, whose seven-night sailings also reach Dendera, north of Luxor. See 7-night cruises.
Smaller boats
Can a dahabiya fit with the Red Sea?
Yes. Most dahabiyas sail between Esna, just south of Luxor, and Aswan. Sail upriver from Esna to Aswan and fly on, or sail downriver from Aswan and end near Luxor, the closer end to the Hurghada coast. Boats with fixed weekly departures make it easy to plan: Loulia, Nora, Zekrayaat, The Orient and the Lazuli fleet. See a 10-day trip built around a dahabiya.
Timing
When both halves are at their best
October to November and March to April. The river is warm rather than hot, and the sea is warm enough for long swims.
In midwinter the Nile is at its most comfortable for sightseeing, but the Red Sea can be breezy and the water cooler, so it suits snorkelling in a wetsuit more than lazy swimming. In summer the sea is at its warmest and the beach is easy, but Luxor and Aswan are very hot by midday, so keep the cruise short and the temple visits early. See the best month for your kind of trip and the best time to snorkel the Red Sea.
Asked often
The Nile and the Red Sea, answered
- Can I combine a Nile cruise with a Red Sea holiday?
- Yes, and it is one of the most popular Egypt trips. The resorts around Hurghada connect to Luxor by road, so a cruise that starts or ends in Luxor pairs neatly with a beach stay.
- Should I do the Nile cruise or the beach first?
- Most people cruise first and finish on the beach, because temple days start early and the coast is where you rest before flying home. Go beach first if your flight lands on the coast or your cruise date only fits at the end.
- How long should I spend on the Nile and on the Red Sea?
- For two weeks, a 7-night round trip cruise from Luxor and seven nights on the coast. For 8 to 10 nights, a 3- or 4-night cruise and the rest on the beach.
- What is the best time for a Nile cruise and the Red Sea together?
- October to November and March to April, when Luxor and Aswan are warm rather than hot and the sea is warm enough for long swims.
