Egypt Tour Review: 6-Night Cairo, Nile Cruise & Red Sea Trip

So, you are thinking about one of those package trips to Egypt, right? Honestly, I was in the very same boat just a few months ago, staring at this exact “6 Nights Cairo Aswan Luxor Nile Cruise & Red Sea from Cairo Airport” option. It almost seemed too good to be true, you know? Like, it packs so much into such a short time. Actually, the big question for me was whether it would all feel incredibly rushed. I mean, could you really get a feel for a place with an itinerary this tight? Well, I decided to just go for it. Basically, I wanted a trip that took care of all the planning because, frankly, arranging all those transfers, trains, and entry tickets on my own seemed like a little bit too much work. This review is pretty much my brain dump of the whole thing, from the moment I landed in Cairo to dipping my toes in the Red Sea. In a way, I hope my thoughts help you decide if this kind of trip is the right fit for you. I’m just going to walk you through it day by day, sort of, and give you the real scoop.

First Look: Cairo and the Great Pyramids

Okay, so getting off the plane at Cairo Airport is definitely an experience in itself. As a matter of fact, the air has a different feel, a kind of energy you notice straight away. A representative from the tour company was supposed to meet me, and frankly, I was a little worried I wouldn’t find them. Yet, there he was, holding a sign with my name on it, which was a pretty big relief. You are more or less whisked through the visa process and then you’re out in the Cairo traffic, which is, I mean, truly something to see. My first day was just about getting to the hotel and settling in, so I really didn’t do much. Still, the drive itself was a tour, with sounds and sights coming from every direction. The real adventure, of course, began the next morning. Actually, waking up knowing you are about to see the Great Pyramids of Giza is a feeling that is kind of hard to describe.

We got to the Giza Plateau fairly early, which I think is a really good idea. The sun was already starting to feel quite strong, you know? And then you see them. Honestly, the pyramids are just so much bigger in person than you could ever comprehend from pictures. They absolutely dominate the view. It’s almost like they don’t look real. Our guide was pretty good; he, like, gave us the basic rundown of the history, talking about Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. To be honest, I was sort of more interested in just standing there and taking it all in. You can walk right up to the base of the Great Pyramid, and the sheer scale of the blocks is just wild. We had the option to go inside one of the smaller pyramids for an extra fee. A word of warning: it’s a very tight, steep, and stuffy climb, so if you are claustrophobic, you may want to skip it. By the way, the views from the panoramic spot, where you can see all three pyramids lined up, are completely worth it. Then, we headed down to see the Sphinx. It sits there, so dignified, almost like a guardian. It’s really an amazing sight with the pyramid of Khafre right behind it. People will try to sell you things constantly here, and it’s a little intense, but a firm and polite ‘la, shukran’ (no, thank you) usually works well enough. At the end of the day, it was an absolutely unforgettable morning.

The Sleeper Train to Aswan: A Unique Egyptian Story

So, later that day, we were taken to the Giza train station for the overnight sleeper train to Aswan. I mean, I was kind of both excited and a bit nervous about this part. I’ve seen sleeper trains in old movies, and it just seemed like a classic way to travel. The station itself is obviously a busy place, full of life and activity. Finding our train and our carriage was basically an adventure on its own. The cabin was, let’s be honest, quite compact. It’s a small room with two bunk-style beds that fold down from the wall, a little sink, and a window. It’s definitely not luxury, but it was surprisingly clean and pretty functional. For instance, an attendant came by shortly after we left Cairo to set up our beds and take our dinner order.

The meal was pretty simple airplane-style food, but honestly, it did the job. The best part, really, was just sitting there as the train rumbled south, watching the city lights of Cairo fade away into total darkness. Then you start seeing smaller towns and villages flicker past your window. Actually, the motion of the train takes a little getting used to; it sways and bumps quite a bit. I’d suggest packing some earplugs if you’re a light sleeper, you know? Waking up the next morning was pretty much the highlight. I pulled up the window blind, and the entire world had changed. Instead of cityscapes, it was just brilliant green fields, palm trees, farmers working with their donkeys, and little villages right along the Nile. You actually get to see a slice of Egyptian life that you would totally miss if you flew. It felt very authentic, in a way. Breakfast was delivered to the cabin, and it was a simple meal of bread, cheese, and jam, with some coffee. At the end of the day, the sleeper train was a really cool experience, and arguably the perfect way to transition from the intensity of Cairo to the more relaxed pace of southern Egypt.

Sailing the Nile: Life on the Cruise from Aswan to Luxor

Arriving in Aswan felt like stepping into a different country, almost. The pace is so much slower than Cairo, and the air just feels cleaner and warmer. We were transferred from the train station straight to our Nile cruise boat, which would be our home for the next three nights. Seriously, seeing the boat docked on the river was a great moment. Most of these cruise ships look more or less the same, with three or four decks, a restaurant, a lounge bar, and a sundeck with a small pool up top. Our check-in was really smooth, and our cabin was surprisingly spacious with a big window that looked right out onto the Nile. After we dropped our bags, the first thing we did, naturally, was head up to that sundeck. Just sitting there on a lounge chair, feeling the sun, and watching the small felucca sailboats drift by was absolutely perfect after the long train ride. The cruise portion of the trip is really where you get to relax a bit, you know?

Aswan’s Peaceful Sights

Our sightseeing in Aswan started pretty much right away. First, we went to the High Dam, which is frankly an incredible feat of modern engineering. The view from the top is pretty impressive, showing you the massive Lake Nasser on one side and the Nile stretching out on the other. Then we went to see the Unfinished Obelisk. It’s located in an old granite quarry, and it’s basically this gigantic obelisk that cracked while they were carving it out of the bedrock thousands of years ago. To be honest, seeing it just lying there gives you a real appreciation for the skill and ambition of the ancient Egyptian builders. It’s just so huge. The highlight of Aswan for me, though, was absolutely the Temple of Philae. You have to take a small motorboat to get to it, as it’s on an island. The temple was actually moved block by block to its current location to save it from the rising waters of the High Dam, which is an incredible story in itself. The temple is just beautiful, dedicated to the goddess Isis. It feels so peaceful and serene on that island. The combination of the water, the stunning carvings, and the blue sky was honestly magical.

Life on the Water

That evening, the boat set sail, and this is when the “cruise” part really begins. Life on the boat is incredibly laid back. The food was generally served buffet-style, and there was a really good variety at every meal, with both Egyptian dishes and more international options. Honestly, you won’t go hungry. The evenings were pretty low-key. Usually, there would be some light entertainment in the lounge bar, like a belly dancer or a ‘Galabeya Party’ where everyone is encouraged to dress up in traditional Egyptian garments. It was a little bit touristy, of course, but still pretty fun. For me, the best part was just finding a quiet spot on the sundeck after dinner and watching the dark riverbanks slide by under a sky full of stars. You actually feel so disconnected from the rest of the world. During the day, when you’re sailing between sites, the pool is the place to be. It’s a great way to cool off from the afternoon sun. I mean, floating in a pool on the top deck of a boat while sailing down the Nile is definitely a bucket-list kind of moment.

Temples Along the Riverbanks

The cruise makes a few key stops between Aswan and Luxor. The first stop was typically at Kom Ombo. What’s sort of cool about this temple is that it’s dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon-headed god. Basically, the whole temple is a mirror image of itself, with one side for each god. You can even see some mummified crocodiles at the nearby museum, which is both a little creepy and really fascinating. The temple is right on the riverbank, so you can just walk off the boat and you’re there. Later, the boat continues sailing to Edfu. The Temple of Horus at Edfu is a completely different experience. To get there, you often take a horse-drawn carriage from the dock, which is, well, an interesting ride through the town. The temple itself is one of the best-preserved in all of Egypt. Because it was buried in sand for centuries, the walls and ceilings are almost completely intact. You can really get a sense of what these temples must have looked like in their prime. Walking into the main hall, with its massive columns stretching up into the darkness, is an absolutely awesome feeling.

Luxor: The World’s Biggest Open-Air Museum

You arrive in Luxor and, right away, the energy feels different again. It’s more of a city than Aswan but still feels deeply connected to its ancient past. Our tour in Luxor was split between the East Bank and the West Bank of the Nile. On the first day, we tackled the West Bank, which is basically the land of the dead in ancient Egyptian belief. And that, of course, means the Valley of the Kings. Actually, the place itself is a sun-baked, rocky valley that seems very plain from the outside. But then you go down into the tombs. These are not just graves; they are incredibly decorated underground palaces for the afterlife. The colors of the paintings on the walls are still so clear, it’s almost unbelievable that they are thousands of years old. Your ticket typically lets you into three different tombs, and your guide will usually recommend the best ones to see on that day. Honestly, standing inside the tomb of a pharaoh like Ramesses IV is a very humbling experience. After that, we went to the Temple of Hatshepsut, which is built right into a cliffside. It’s a stunning, modern-looking structure that looks completely different from any other temple. And finally, we made a quick stop at the Colossi of Memnon, two gigantic statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III that sit silently in a field. They are all that remains of his temple, but they are incredibly impressive on their own.

The next day was for the East Bank, the land of the living. And this is where you find the really big temples. First, we visited Karnak Temple. To be honest, there are no words or pictures that can prepare you for Karnak. It’s not just a temple; it’s a colossal complex of sanctuaries, pylons, and obelisks built over 2,000 years. I mean, you could spend a whole week here and probably not see everything. The most famous part is the Great Hypostyle Hall, which is a forest of 134 massive columns. Walking through them literally makes you feel tiny. You just look up and up and it seems to go on forever. It’s one of the most amazing places I have ever been. Later in the day, we visited Luxor Temple, which is right in the heart of the city. It’s connected to Karnak by the Avenue of Sphinxes. Luxor Temple is especially beautiful at night when it’s all lit up. The way the light plays on the carvings and statues creates a really magical atmosphere. Standing there, with the modern city of Luxor buzzing just beyond the walls, felt like a perfect intersection of the past and the present. It was a seriously powerful way to end our tour of ancient Egypt.

A Change of Scenery: From Ancient History to the Red Sea

So, after days of being completely soaked in history and culture, the next part of the trip was a total shift. We traveled from Luxor to Hurghada on the Red Sea. The journey is by road and takes about four hours, so it’s a bit of a drive. You watch the green, fertile lands of the Nile valley slowly give way to the stark, beautiful desert mountains. It’s actually a really interesting drive, scenery-wise. Then, you finally see a glimmer of the most incredible blue water, and you know you’ve arrived. Checking into an all-inclusive resort in Hurghada felt like a different vacation altogether. The vibe is completely relaxed. It’s all about beaches, pools, and sunshine. Honestly, it was the perfect way to unwind after so much walking and early mornings. You basically just trade temple dust for beach sand.

The main attraction here, of course, is the Red Sea itself. The water is crystal clear and incredibly warm. Most resorts have their own private beaches, so you can just grab a chair and a book and do absolutely nothing, which, in a way, felt like a luxury. But the real magic is under the water. I signed up for a snorkeling trip, which is something I highly recommend. They take you out on a boat to a few different reefs, and the moment you put your face in the water, it’s like entering a whole new world. The coral is so colorful, and there are fish of every imaginable shape and size swimming all around you. It’s like swimming in an aquarium, but obviously, it’s so much better. Some people on our trip went for a full scuba diving course. At the end of the day, whether you are a serious diver or just want to float on the surface, the underwater life here is just spectacular. It was a really refreshing and beautiful way to spend the last full day of the tour.

Final Thoughts and Practical Advice

Alright, so who is this trip really for? Basically, I think it’s perfect if this is your first time in Egypt and you want to see all the major highlights without any of the stress of planning it yourself. You pretty much get a taste of everything: the ancient wonders of Cairo and Luxor, the slow-paced beauty of the Nile, and the sunny relaxation of the Red Sea. You just have to be prepared for the fast pace at the beginning. You have a lot to see, and the days can be quite long, so bring comfortable shoes. That is probably the most important piece of advice I can give. For packing, light cotton clothes are your best friend, plus a hat and lots of sunscreen. It can get a little cool in the evenings on the Nile, especially in winter, so a light jacket or sweater is a pretty good idea. As for money, it’s good to have small Egyptian pounds for tipping—you will be tipping a lot—for things like the bathroom attendant, your carriage driver, and the boat staff. Your main guide will likely give you some good direction on this.

When it comes to the guides, they really do make a huge difference. I feel like we got pretty lucky; our Egyptologist was extremely knowledgeable and passionate. As a matter of fact, he really brought the stories of the pharaohs to life. I would also say, be open to trying the local food when you can. While the cruise food is good, some of the best flavors are found in the smaller things. You have to be a little bit adventurous. So, at the end of the day, this ‘6 Nights’ tour was an absolutely incredible whirlwind. It’s efficient, it’s comprehensive, and it gives you a look at so many different faces of Egypt. It is a bit of a whirlwind, for sure, yet you leave feeling like you have truly experienced something special. I returned to Cairo for my flight home feeling pretty tired, but also just so full of new memories and a much deeper appreciation for this amazing country and its history. This tour is more or less a perfect introduction, you know? It just might make you want to come back for more. Read our full review: [6 Nights Cairo Aswan Luxor Nile Cruise & Red sea from Cairo Airport Full Review and Details] See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now ([Reserve a 6 Nights Cairo Aswan Luxor Nile Cruise & Red sea from Cairo Airport Tour])