Enjoy 3 days Aswan,Luxor,Abu Simbel,Nubian village&Balloon by flight from Cairo

Three days cover an astonishing stretch of Egypt. This private tour links Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Luxor with flights, hotel stays, a first-class train, local meals, and an Egyptology guide, so you spend less time arranging transport and more time at the monuments. I especially like the Nubian village visit and the sunrise balloon flight, two experiences that add local life and grand views to the usual temple circuit. The main drawback is the pace: early starts, long touring days, and several flights make this a demanding trip.

The package costs $790 per person, including Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo flights, two hotel nights, lunches, transfers, and most guided activities. That is a useful bundle for anyone short on time, though entrance fees and tipping are extra. The private format also means your group gets its own guide and vehicle, rather than being folded into a large coach tour.

Key points to know before booking

• Abu Simbel begins around 4:30 in the morning, but the early start gets you to one of Egypt’s most powerful temple sites on the same day as your journey to Luxor.
• The Nubian village visit includes a boat ride and time with a Nubian family, giving the tour a human side beyond ancient stones.
• The Luxor balloon flight lasts about 30 to 45 minutes and takes place around sunrise above the West Bank.
• Your route uses flights in both directions, plus a first-class air-conditioned train from Aswan to Luxor.
• Guides named in the feedback include Abdo and Lamy, while Hany is praised as the tour operator. Staff assignments can vary, but these names received especially warm comments.
• Entrance fees are not included, so you need extra money for the temples and tombs.

Why this three-day Egypt route works

This is a tightly packed trip, but the route makes good geographic sense. You fly south from Cairo to Aswan, continue north by train to Luxor, then fly back to Cairo. That avoids the long overland journey from Cairo and lets you see two of Upper Egypt’s major centers in one short break.

I like the way the tour combines headline sights with smaller encounters. Philae Temple, Abu Simbel, the Valley of the Kings, and Karnak are the big reasons to come. The Nubian village and lunch in a local home help you see how people live beside these famous monuments.

The private format is important here. Your guide meets you at Aswan airport, handles the transfers, and accompanies you through the main sightseeing stops. If you want to ask questions, adjust the pace, or spend a little longer taking photographs, a private group is more flexible than a large scheduled tour.

Still, you should be ready for early alarms. Pickup in Cairo begins around 5:00 in the morning, Abu Simbel starts around 4:30, and the balloon ride begins around 5:00. This is not a restful three-day escape. It is a concentrated archaeological trip with a few memorable local experiences added in.

Day one: Cairo to Aswan, then the Nubian village

Your first transfer begins at your Cairo or Giza hotel. The exact pickup time depends on the hotel location, but the plan is to reach Cairo airport for the flight to Aswan. A driver handles the airport transfer, and an Aswan guide meets you on arrival with a sign bearing your name.

That door-to-door arrangement is one of the tour’s most useful features. Air travel in Egypt can involve several moving parts, and having someone waiting at the other end removes much of the uncertainty. Keep your morning simple, though. You will already have been up for hours when the sightseeing begins.

A boat ride through Aswan’s First Cataract

The first major outing is a motorboat ride to the Nubian village on the west bank of the Nile. The route passes the First Cataract and travels near Soheil Island and the Aswan Dam. The boat trip gives you a pleasant change of pace after the airport transfer and introduces the river as part of daily life, not just a backdrop for temples.

At the village, you visit a Nubian family and learn about their customs and simple home life. You also have time for photographs. This is the most personal stop in Aswan, and I consider it one of the tour’s strongest choices because it breaks up the monument-heavy schedule.

The description emphasizes meeting a family and seeing local traditions, but it does not promise a long visit. Think of it as a cultural stop within a busy day, not a full village homestay. Be polite with photography and follow your guide’s advice about when it is appropriate.

Lunch, the High Dam, and Philae Temple

After the village visit, you check into the four-star Aswan hotel, rest, and have lunch at a local restaurant. That pause matters. The day starts early, and a short break before the afternoon sites can keep you from running out of energy.

The afternoon includes the High Dam and Philae Temple. The High Dam is one of modern Egypt’s major engineering works, while Philae offers the more atmospheric visit. You reach the temple by motorboat, adding a scenic approach before you begin exploring the ancient site.

Philae is dedicated to the goddess Isis and is known for its island setting. The tour information does not specify how long you spend there, so expect your guide to manage the timing around the rest of the day. Ask questions as you go, especially if you want context about the relocation and preservation of the temple complex.

You spend the night in Aswan with breakfast included. The hotel is described as four-star, but the exact property is not named, so you should not book this tour based on a particular hotel brand or room style.

Day two: Abu Simbel before the train to Luxor

The Abu Simbel morning starts around 4:30. That is very early, but there is no practical way around the timing if you want to fit Abu Simbel into this itinerary and still reach Luxor by train later the same day.

Abu Simbel is one of Egypt’s great set pieces. The rock-cut temples were built for Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari, with enormous carved figures and a dramatic setting. The scale is easy to appreciate even if you are not an ancient Egypt specialist. Your Egyptology guide can explain the rulers, religious purpose, and design as you move through the site.

This is also the day’s main physical and logistical test. You have an early transfer, several hours at the temples, lunch back in Aswan, and then a train journey. Wear practical clothing, bring water, and keep your camera ready, but avoid carrying more than you need.

After returning to Aswan, you eat lunch at a local restaurant and transfer to the station. The package includes a first-class, air-conditioned train to Luxor, with the journey taking about three hours. This is a smart way to cover the distance. You avoid another road transfer and get a chance to sit down after the Abu Simbel outing.

When you arrive in Luxor, a transfer takes you to the hotel. The second hotel night is included, along with breakfast. Again, the property is described as four-star without a named hotel, so confirm the accommodation details if that matters to you.

Day three: balloon views and Luxor’s West Bank

The final day begins before sunrise with a 30 to 45-minute hot-air balloon flight over Luxor’s West Bank. The flight is timed so you can watch the sun come up over the temples and mountains.

This is a fine counterpoint to the previous day’s close-up temple visits. From above, you see the scale of Luxor’s open spaces and the relationship between the river, fields, tombs, and ancient sites. The flight is short, so think of it as a special morning view rather than a long aerial excursion.

The early start is once again the trade-off. You will likely be tired by this point, especially after the Abu Simbel morning. Still, the balloon ride gives the final day a memorable opening and is one of the package’s strongest value points.

Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut

After the flight, you visit the Valley of the Kings, the ancient Theban cemetery where more than 60 royal tombs were carved into the cliffs. The valley is famous, but the experience is more intimate than a giant temple complex. You walk into selected tombs, where painted decoration and narrow passages provide a close look at ancient burial traditions.

The precise tombs included are not listed, and entrance fees are separate. That means you should ask your guide which tickets are included in your admission allowance, if any, and which special tombs require an additional charge. The guide can also help you decide how to use your time if several tombs are open.

Next comes the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. Its broad terraces and cliff-side setting make it one of Luxor’s most recognizable monuments. It also adds a strong female royal figure to a program otherwise dominated by kings and male pharaohs.

The last West Bank stop is the Colossi of Memnon, two huge seated statues that are the surviving remains of the funerary temple of Amenophis III. This is a short photo stop rather than a long visit, which suits the packed schedule. You get a quick look and then continue toward the East Bank.

A local lunch inside a Luxor home

One of the more unusual inclusions is lunch in a local house on Luxor’s East Bank. You eat a typical Egyptian meal, drink local tea, and get an idea of family customs and everyday life.

I like this part because it gives you a break from formal sightseeing. Ancient monuments can sometimes make Egypt feel like one enormous outdoor museum. Sitting in a home brings the present back into view.

The information provided does not specify the menu, the length of the visit, or whether the family speaks with you through the guide. Treat it as a hosted cultural meal rather than a cooking class. If you have dietary restrictions, ask about them before the tour begins, since the included meals are not described in detail.

Karnak Temple closes the tour

The final major sight is Karnak Temple, one of Luxor’s largest and most important ancient complexes. Give yourself time to look up as you walk among the columns, courts, and carved surfaces. Karnak is not a quick single-building visit, and a guide helps you understand how the different sections developed over time.

The tour then transfers you to Luxor airport for the flight back to Cairo. On arrival, another transfer takes you to your Cairo or Giza hotel. This last transfer is included, which keeps the package genuinely door to door from beginning to end.

What the $790 price really covers

At $790 per person, the tour is not a bargain independent trip, but it includes a lot of costly logistics:

• Cairo to Aswan and Luxor to Cairo flights
• Two nights in four-star hotels
• Breakfast at both hotels
• Daily lunches, including lunch in a local home
• Private transfers from Cairo or Giza
• Aswan and Luxor sightseeing
• Abu Simbel transport and guiding
• Nubian village visit
• Hot-air balloon flight
• First-class air-conditioned train from Aswan to Luxor
• Licensed drivers, guides, permits, taxes, and handling fees

For a short trip, this can be good value if you want someone else to coordinate flights, airport pickups, hotels, train tickets, and local transport. Booking each part separately could take time and create more chances for missed connections.

The price does not include entrance fees or tips. That distinction matters because the temples and tombs are the core of the trip. Budget extra for admission tickets and gratuities, and confirm the current entry costs before departure.

Guides, vehicles, and the private format

The tour includes an Egyptology guide and qualified licensed drivers. The strongest praise is directed toward the staff, particularly Abdo, who is described as a warm and effective guide, and Lamy, who helped make the trip work well for two sisters. Hany, the tour operator, also receives specific credit for organizing the package.

Those names show that personal service can make a difference on a tight schedule, but they do not guarantee who will be assigned to your group. You should view them as examples of the standard you can hope for, not promised personnel.

Because the tour is private, only your group participates. That suits couples, families, and friends who want to move at their own pace. It also makes the early mornings easier to manage than they might be in a large group, since there are fewer people to gather and coordinate.

Who should book this trip?

I would choose this tour if you have only three days beyond Cairo and want to see the main sights of southern Egypt without arranging domestic flights, hotels, and transfers yourself.

It suits first-time visitors who want structure, families who value door-to-door transport, and small groups who want a private guide. It is also a good fit if Abu Simbel is high on your list but you do not want to spend several extra days traveling overland.

I would hesitate if you dislike very early mornings, prefer slow museum-style visits, or want control over every hotel and meal. The schedule leaves little free time, and the combination of flights, train travel, temples, and ballooning demands stamina.

Should you book this Aswan and Luxor tour?

Book it if your priority is coverage and convenience. In three demanding days, you reach Abu Simbel, Philae, the Nubian village, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut, Karnak, and the Colossi of Memnon, with a balloon flight added for good measure.

Before paying, confirm the flight times, hotel names, entrance-fee arrangements, and which guide will accompany you. If you are comfortable with the early starts and extra costs for admissions and tipping, the $790 package offers a practical way to connect Cairo with Egypt’s greatest southern sights.

FAQ

How long is the tour?

The experience lasts approximately three days, beginning with pickup in Cairo or Giza and ending with transfer back to your Cairo or Giza hotel.

Does the tour include flights?

Yes. The package includes a flight from Cairo to Aswan and a return flight from Luxor to Cairo.

Does the tour include hotel accommodation?

Yes. It includes one night at a four-star hotel in Aswan and one night at a four-star hotel in Luxor, with breakfast included at both hotels.

Is Abu Simbel included?

Yes. The itinerary includes a trip from Aswan to Abu Simbel to visit the temples of Ramesses II and Queen Nefertari.

What time does the Abu Simbel trip begin?

Pickup for Abu Simbel is scheduled for around 4:30 in the morning.

Is the hot-air balloon ride included?

Yes. The tour includes a hot-air balloon flight over Luxor’s West Bank, lasting approximately 30 to 45 minutes.

Is the train from Aswan to Luxor included?

Yes. The package includes a first-class, air-conditioned train journey from Aswan to Luxor, which takes about three hours.

Are entrance fees included in the price?

No. Entrance fees are listed as excluded, along with tipping.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.