Lake Nasser Cruise and Abu Simbel Tour from Hurghada
Lake Nasser Cruise and Abu Simbel Tour from Hurghada – Discover the beauty of Lake Nasser, explore the magnificent Abu Simbel Temples, and enjoy an unforgettable cruise through ancient Egyptian wonders. Book your Egypt adventure today!
🚢 5 Days · Lake Nasser Cruise · Nubian Temples · Abu Simbel
📅 Updated: October 2026 | ⏱️ 18 min read | 💶 Price on Request | 🌍 Aswan · Lake Nasser · Abu Simbel
The Lake Nasser cruise and Abu Simbel tour from Hurghada is a private five-day journey into Egypt’s far south. You travel by road from Hurghada to Aswan, board a cruise vessel on Lake Nasser, call at the Nubian temples that were rescued from the rising water, and arrive at Abu Simbel by lake rather than by the usual early-morning road convoy. A licensed Egyptologist stays with your group from hotel pickup to final drop-off.
The route is Hurghada, Aswan, Lake Nasser cruise embarkation, the Nubian temple stops, Abu Simbel, then back to Aswan and Hurghada by road. This guide covers the complete 5-day itinerary, what each temple is, the practical tables (duration, pickup time, languages, included and not included), and how to request your price.
🚢 Lake Nasser is not a Nile cruise: The Luxor to Aswan Nile cruise passes Edfu and Kom Ombo and is covered on our 4 Day Luxor to Aswan Nile Cruise page, and on the 5 Day Dahabiya Cruise page. Lake Nasser is a different route south of the Aswan High Dam: no towns on the shore, temples reached from the vessel, and a finish at Abu Simbel. The two programmes do not overlap.
This is a private 5-day, 4-night programme that links Hurghada on the Red Sea with Lake Nasser, the long reservoir behind the Aswan High Dam. Four nights are spent in a cabin on the cruise vessel. The tour covers one dam, six relocated Nubian temples, one fortress headland seen from the water, and the twin rock-cut temples of Abu Simbel. Vessel, cabin category and sailing times are confirmed in your quote.
Detail
Information
Tour Type
Private on land sections, Egyptologist dedicated to your group
Duration
5 days / 4 nights on board
Route
Hurghada → Aswan → Lake Nasser cruise embarkation → Nubian temple stops → Abu Simbel → Aswan → Hurghada
Sites Visited
Aswan High Dam, Kalabsha, Beit el-Wali, Kertassi Kiosk, Wadi el-Sebua, Dakka, Maharraqa, Amada, Qasr Ibrim (seen from the lake), Great Temple of Ramesses II, Temple of Nefertari
Meals on board
Full board from embarkation dinner to disembarkation breakfast
Departure Points
Hurghada, El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi Bay, Soma Bay
Price
Price on Request. Contact us with group size and preferred dates
Tour Highlights
Abu Simbel Arrived at by Water
The cruise ends at Abu Simbel, so you reach the Great Temple of Ramesses II from Lake Nasser instead of by a pre-dawn road convoy from Aswan.
Four Colossi of Ramesses II
Four seated statues around 20 metres tall guard the Great Temple. One collapsed in antiquity; the others still face the rising sun above the lake.
Temple of Nefertari
The smaller temple beside the Great Temple, dedicated to Queen Nefertari and the goddess Hathor, with statues of the queen standing at the same scale as the king.
Amada: Colour That Survived
The oldest surviving temple on Lake Nasser keeps vivid painted reliefs from the New Kingdom, protected by its low sandstone roof.
Temples Rescued from the Flood
Kalabsha, Beit el-Wali, Wadi el-Sebua, Dakka, Maharraqa and Amada were dismantled and re-erected on higher ground as the High Dam filled the lake.
Qasr Ibrim from the Deck
A rocky headland that was a fortified settlement for roughly 3,000 years and remains above the water, seen from the vessel.
Nights Away from Any City
The shoreline has no towns or traffic. Evenings on deck mean open water, desert silhouettes and a clear night sky.
Private Egyptologist, 5 Days
One licensed guide explains how the dam, the lake and the UNESCO rescue connect every site on the route.
5 Day Itinerary
The itinerary lists only the stops that belong to this programme. On Lake Nasser the captain and operator set the final order according to the lake schedule and weather, so some temple visits may swap days. Your guide confirms each evening what the next day involves.
Day 1: Hurghada to Aswan and Lake Nasser Embarkation
05:00 – 06:00 AM · Pickup at Your Hotel
Private vehicle · Egyptologist guide on board
Your private air-conditioned vehicle collects you from your hotel lobby in Hurghada, El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi Bay or Soma Bay. Your guide joins from the first moment. Bottled water and USB charging on board. Exact time confirmed 24 hours before.
Morning to Early Afternoon · Road to Aswan
Across the Eastern Desert and into the Nile Valley
The drive south takes around 6 to 7 hours including comfort breaks. Your guide uses the time to introduce ancient Nubia, the High Dam and the story of the temples you will see on the lake.
Early Afternoon · Lunch in Aswan
Last full land meal before boarding
Lunch at a Nile-side restaurant chosen for quality. Vegetarian, halal and child-friendly options are available.
Mid-Afternoon · Aswan High Dam
The dam that created Lake Nasser
Built between 1960 and 1970, the High Dam holds back Lake Nasser, around 550 km long. Standing on it explains why so many Nubian temples had to be moved, and gives your first look at the lake you are about to sail.
Late Afternoon to Evening · Embarkation
Welcome on board · Night 1
Transfer to the cruise harbour, check in, cabin orientation and dinner on board as the vessel sets out onto the lake.
🚢 Night 1 on board: From dinner onward all meals are included on full board. The lake is calm and silent at night, a very different setting from the hotels of the Red Sea coast.
Day 2: Kalabsha, Beit el-Wali and Kertassi
Morning · Kalabsha Temple
A Roman-era temple moved to save it from the lake
Kalabsha is a large temple to the Nubian god Mandulis, dismantled and rebuilt block by block near the High Dam in the early 1960s. Your guide covers the relocation and the carved reliefs in the courtyards and sanctuary.
Late Morning · Beit el-Wali and Kertassi Kiosk
Ramesses II’s campaigns and a graceful Roman kiosk
Beit el-Wali is a small rock-cut temple of Ramesses II with battle scenes from his Nubian campaigns. The Kertassi Kiosk is a Roman-period structure with Hathor-headed columns, short to visit but memorable.
Afternoon to Evening · Sailing South
Deeper into Lower Nubia
Lunch and dinner on board while the vessel moves south. Deck time, a talk from your guide on the flooding of Nubia, and a quiet night on the lake.
Day 3: Wadi el-Sebua, Dakka, Maharraqa and Amada
Morning · Wadi el-Sebua
The “Valley of the Lions”
A temple of Ramesses II, partly built and partly cut into the rock, approached along a line of sphinxes. The name of the site comes from those sphinxes.
Late Morning · Dakka and Maharraqa
Two temples from the Ptolemaic and Roman eras
Dakka is a temple of Thoth with a tall entrance pylon. Maharraqa is a small Roman temple dedicated to Serapis, close by. Both now stand together on the same relocated site.
Afternoon · Amada Temple ⭐⭐⭐
The oldest surviving temple on Lake Nasser
Begun under Thutmose III, Amada keeps some of the best-preserved painted reliefs in Egypt, with strong blues and reds still visible. Its sanctuary was moved in one piece to its present site. Dinner on board.
Day 4: Qasr Ibrim and Arrival at Abu Simbel
Morning · Qasr Ibrim from the Lake
A fortress headland above the water
The vessel passes Qasr Ibrim, once a fortified settlement used for roughly 3,000 years. It is viewed from the deck and not visited on foot.
Afternoon · Arrival at Abu Simbel
Mooring beside the great temples
The vessel moors near Abu Simbel. Depending on the schedule, you see the temples on the afternoon of arrival or the next morning, and your guide confirms the plan once the vessel timing is known. Dinner and the last night on board.
Day 5: Abu Simbel and Return to Hurghada
Morning · Abu Simbel: Both Temples ⭐⭐⭐
The Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Nefertari
Time inside both temples with your guide. The Great Temple was cut into the cliff in the 13th century BCE and holds painted scenes of the Battle of Kadesh and a sanctuary with four seated figures. Both temples were cut out and raised in a UNESCO rescue between 1964 and 1968. Around 22 February and 22 October the rising sun reaches the inner sanctuary.
Late Morning · Disembark and Drive to Aswan
Cabin check-out and private road transfer
After the temple visit you leave the vessel and drive north from Abu Simbel to Aswan, about 3 hours alongside Lake Nasser.
Afternoon · Lunch in Aswan
Final meal before the road north
A proper sit-down lunch at a Nile-side restaurant before the long drive home.
Afternoon to Late Evening · Aswan to Hurghada
Door-to-door return to your hotel
Your private vehicle drives directly to your hotel in Hurghada, around 6 to 7 hours. Arrival is late evening; the exact time is confirmed in your quote.
Request pricing and availability for the Lake Nasser cruise and Abu Simbel tour from Hurghada.
Hurghada → Aswan (Day 1) · Abu Simbel → Aswan → Hurghada (Day 5)
Pickup Time
Day 1 pickup
05:00 – 06:00 AM, confirmed 24 hours in advance
Pickup point
Your hotel lobby
Day 5 drop-off
Late evening, same hotel
Languages
Guide languages
English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Russian. Tell us your language when you request a quote so we can confirm a guide.
Included and Not Included
✅ Included
Private air-conditioned transport: Hurghada → Aswan and Abu Simbel → Aswan → Hurghada
4 nights in a cabin on the Lake Nasser cruise vessel
Full board on the vessel (dinner Day 1 to breakfast Day 5)
2 land lunches in Aswan (Day 1 and Day 5)
Licensed Egyptologist guide for all 5 days
Entrance fees to the sites on the programme (confirmed in your written quote)
Aswan High Dam visit
Bottled water on land transfers · Zero shopping stops guaranteed
❌ Not Included
Drinks on board the vessel, including alcohol
Tips for guide, driver and vessel crew (optional, your guide can advise on amounts)
Camera or video permits where charged on site
Travel insurance
Any extra ticket not listed on the programme
Personal purchases and souvenirs
Prices and Booking
Price on Request
Price varies by group size, cabin category, vessel and travel dates
Lake Nasser sailings run on a limited schedule, so we confirm availability together with your quote. Contact us for a written proposal within 24 hours.
🗓️ How booking works: choose the tour, send your details, receive a proposal, and pay on arrival. There is no online payment. Lake Nasser vessels are few and sail on fixed schedules, so send your preferred dates, group size and cabin preferences as early as you can.
Pickup Information
Day 1 Pickup Location
Your hotel lobby in Hurghada, El Gouna, Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi Bay or Soma Bay. Your driver meets you with a name board and the guide is on board.
Day 1 Pickup Time
05:00 – 06:00 AM, confirmed 24 hours in advance. Hotels further south may be collected earlier.
Embarkation
The cruise harbour near Aswan on the evening of Day 1. Your luggage travels with you in the private vehicle, so there is no handling between transfers.
Day 5 Drop-Off
Your original Hurghada hotel, door to door, in the late evening.
What to Bring
Soft-Sided Luggage
Cabin storage is limited. Soft bags are easier to stow than rigid suitcases. Pack for four nights and keep a day bag for temple stops.
Sun Protection
SPF 50, wide-brimmed hat and UV sunglasses. The deck and every temple stop are fully exposed to the sun.
Sturdy Closed Shoes
Temple landings involve sand, gravel and steps. Sandals are fine on board but not for site visits.
Modest Clothing
Covered shoulders and knees at all temples. Swimwear and shorts are for the vessel only.
Light Warm Layer
Evenings and early mornings on the lake can feel cool, especially from November to March, and the wind on deck is stronger than on land.
Original Passport and Cash
Needed for embarkation registration and checkpoints. Bring small Egyptian pounds for tips and drinks, and a camera with spare power banks.
Insider Tips
Tip 1: Book early. Lake Nasser vessels are few and sail on fixed schedules. The earlier you send your preferred dates, the more choice of cabin and vessel you will have.
Tip 2: Expect a flexible order. Temple visits can swap days depending on the lake and the vessel’s schedule. This is normal on Lake Nasser and your guide manages it.
Tip 3: Mention the sun alignment when you enquire. If your dates fall near 22 February or 22 October, tell us. Those are the best-known days for the light reaching the inner sanctuary at Abu Simbel.
Tip 4: Ask about Amada’s ceiling and reliefs. Many visitors rush past the painted detail. A few unhurried minutes inside the sanctuary are the best use of the stop.
Tip 5: Ask your guide about the Battle of Kadesh at Abu Simbel. The reliefs in the hypostyle hall describe a famous clash between Ramesses II and the Hittites. Most visitors walk past without knowing what they are seeing.
Tip 6: See the Great Temple first, then Nefertari. The contrast between the huge façade and the more intimate queen’s temple is stronger in that order.
Tip 7: Keep your camera ready on deck. The shoreline is empty desert and the light at sunrise and sunset is the main reason people photograph this route.
Tip 8: Do not expect a Nile-style town stop. There are no markets or cities on the lake. Bring any personal items you need from Aswan.
Tip 9: Plan the last day. Day 5 combines a temple visit, about 3 hours to Aswan and the drive to Hurghada. Keep snacks and water within reach.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Lake Nasser cruise start and end?
The cruise starts from the harbour near the Aswan High Dam and ends at Abu Simbel. This programme adds private road transfers so you start and finish at your hotel in Hurghada.
Is Abu Simbel included in the cruise?
Yes. Abu Simbel is the final stop of the cruise and part of the programme. The Great Temple of Ramesses II and the Temple of Nefertari are visited with your Egyptologist guide.
Which temples will I see on Lake Nasser?
The standard stops are Kalabsha, Beit el-Wali, Kertassi, Wadi el-Sebua, Dakka, Maharraqa and Amada, with Qasr Ibrim seen from the water, then Abu Simbel. The order can change with the lake schedule.
How is this different from a Luxor to Aswan Nile cruise?
The Nile cruise sails between Luxor and Aswan and normally passes Edfu and Kom Ombo. Lake Nasser lies south of the High Dam and has its own temples, vessels and finish point at Abu Simbel. See the 4 Day Nile Cruise and the 5 Day Dahabiya Cruise for those routes.
What is the price of the Lake Nasser cruise and Abu Simbel tour from Hurghada?
The price is on request because it varies with group size, cabin category, vessel and dates. Contact us at [email protected] or on WhatsApp at +20 100 925 5585 with your group size and preferred dates and we will send a written quote within 24 hours.
Do I have to pay online?
No. There is no online payment. You receive a proposal first and pay on arrival.
Is this tour suitable for families with children?
It can be, but the Day 1 and Day 5 drives are long and the temple stops involve walking outdoors. Please give the number and ages of children when you request a quote so we can advise.
Is there a shorter way to see Abu Simbel from Hurghada?
Book the Lake Nasser Cruise and Abu Simbel Tour from Hurghada
Day 1: Hurghada → Aswan High Dam → cruise embarkation · Day 2: Kalabsha, Beit el-Wali, Kertassi · Day 3: Wadi el-Sebua, Dakka, Maharraqa, Amada · Day 4: Qasr Ibrim → Abu Simbel · Day 5: Abu Simbel temples → Aswan → Hurghada. Private Egyptologist guide, 4 nights full board on the vessel.
Price on Request. Contact us with your group size and travel dates
Lake Nasser exists because the Aswan High Dam closed the river and flooded Lower Nubia. Dozens of monuments were moved to higher ground before the water rose, and the temples you visit on this cruise are the survivors of that campaign. Reaching them by vessel, one by one, shows the scale of what was saved far better than a single day trip can.
Abu Simbel at the end of the route makes the story complete: the largest rescue of all, reached across the water that made it necessary. Contact us with your group size and preferred dates and we will shape the programme around your group.
