MS Acamar Nile Cruise 3 Nights
Aswan → Kom Ombo → Edfu → Luxor
Overview
Experience the luxury of sailing the Nile aboard MS Acamar Nile Cruise, where elegance meets comfort on a journey between Luxor and Aswan. Discover the wonders of Upper Egypt as you visit iconic sites like Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, Edfu, and Philae.
Onboard, enjoy a refined yet intimate atmosphere, with attentive service, delicious meals, and relaxing spaces that make you feel at home. Whether you’re exploring ancient history or simply unwinding on deck, every moment feels effortless.
This is more than a cruise—it’s a smooth, memorable way to experience the beauty and timeless magic of the Nile.
Highlights
- Philae Temple
- Aswan High Dam
- Kom Ombo Temple
- Edfu Temple
- Karnak Temples
- Luxor Temple
- Valley of the Kings
- Hatshepsut Temple
- Colossi of Memnon
Includes/Excludes
Cost Includes
- 3 nights on board MS Acamar Nile cruise on a full-board basis (all meals included)
- Private certified Egyptologist guide throughout all excursions
- All entrance fees to temples and sites listed in the itinerary
- Private air-conditioned vehicle for all transfers
- Meet and assist service at Aswan airport or train station on arrival and departure
- All service charges and taxes
Cost Excludes
- International and domestic flights
- Abu Simbel - Hot air balloon - Nubian village - Karnak sound and light show (available as an optional add-on)
- Entrance to Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings (extra charge on site)
- Personal expenses
- Tipping for guide, driver, and cruise crew
- beverages
Itinerary
A luxurious 3 nights / 4 days journey sailing from Aswan to Luxor, combining iconic temples, smooth Nile cruising, and premium onboard comfort.
Your Luxe Tours Egypt representative meets you at Aswan airport or train station and takes you directly to MS Acamar Nile cruise for embarkation before lunch.
Your first stop is the Aswan High Dam — one of Egypt's most significant modern engineering achievements,
From there, you cross to Agilkia Island to visit the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis. This temple was painstakingly dismantled and rebuilt stone by stone during a UNESCO rescue mission in the 1970s.
Dinner and overnight on board in Aswan.
The ship sails north in the early morning while you have breakfast on deck. You'll arrive at Kom Ombo mid-morning — a dramatically unusual temple dedicated simultaneously to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god of fertility, and Horus the Elder. The temple's perfect symmetry is its most striking feature; every hall, corridor, and sanctuary is doubled, one side for each deity.
| Kom Ombo at river level, seen from the gangplank as the ship docks — the columns rising directly out of the Nile bank — is one of those views that make you put your phone away. |
The Acamar Nile cruise continues to Edfu, where your guide leads you to the Temple of Horus one of the best-preserved ancient Egyptian temple in existence, built between 237 and 57 BC. Inside, the reliefs are crisp and clear: Horus in his falcon-headed form, the eternal battle against Seth, and the Holy of Holies where the sacred rituals once took place.
Tea Time on the sundeck. Dinner (Egyptian Night) & Fancy Dress Party. Overnight in Luxor.
Breakfast on board, and then your guide takes you across the river to the West Bank — ancient Thebes, the city of the dead.
The Valley of the Kings needs no introduction, but it still manages to astonish first-time visitors. Sixty-four royal tombs are cut deep into the limestone hills here; your admission covers three of the open tombs, selected on the day based on which are accessible. The colours inside — turquoise, ochre, lapis lazuli, still vivid after 3,000 years — are genuinely breathtaking.
Next is the Temple of Hatshepsut, the mortuary monument of one of Egypt's few female pharaohs. Carved into the cliff face at Deir el-Bahari, it rises in three colonnaded terraces and remains one of the most dramatic architectural statements in the ancient world.
The final stop on the West Bank is the Colossi of Memnon — two 18-metre sandstone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, standing sentinel on the plain for over 3,400 years. They are among the oldest free-standing sculptures in Egypt.
Lunch on board
Afternoon free to relax on the sun deck or explore independently
Dinner & Belly Dance Show. Overnight in Luxor
Breakfast on board before Checkout
Luxor's East Bank — home to two of the most extraordinary temples in the world, separated by the Avenue of Sphinxes.
Karnak Temple is not one temple but an entire sacred city: a complex of sanctuaries, obelisks, hypostyle halls, and processional avenues built over more than 2,000 years by successive pharaohs.
Luxor Temple, closer to the Nile, is gentler in scale but extraordinarily beautiful — particularly if you have the chance to see it at dusk, when the stone turns gold and the floodlit reliefs seem to breathe.
After the morning's temples, your Luxe Tours Egypt driver transfers you to Luxor airport or train station for your onward journey.
On-Board Facilities
- Sun deck with swimming pool, tanning beds, canopies, and poolside bar
- Full-service spa: sauna, Turkish bath, and massage treatments
- Gym with cardio and strength equipment
- Jogging track on deck
- Main restaurant serving international and Egyptian cuisine — full buffet, three meals daily
- Lounge with dance floor and billiard bar
- Nightly entertainment: traditional music, folkloric shows, and themed evenings
- Concierge desk, bazaar, daily laundry service, and room service until midnight
- Wi-Fi access throughout the ship
Cabins & Suites
MS Acamar has 54 cabins across five decks, accessible by lift — an unusually practical feature that also makes this one of the best wheelchair-accessible Nile cruises available. All cabins face the Nile through large panoramic windows and are equipped with:
- Air conditioning with individual control
- Satellite flat-screen television
- Minibar and tea/coffee-making facilities
- In-room safe deposit box
- Private bathroom with separate bathtub and shower
- Hairdryer
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Daily housekeeping
The four specially adapted cabins for guests with mobility requirements are a rare and genuinely thoughtful inclusion on a Nile cruise ship of this class
Know Before You Go
Packing for a Nile Cruise
- Light, breathable cotton clothing for temple visits — the sun is intense year-round
- Comfortable walking shoes with grip for uneven temple floors
- A light layer or pashmina for evenings on deck, which can be cool
- Sun hat, sunscreen SPF50+, and sunglasses
- Small daypack for excursions
Best Time to Travel
October to April is the most comfortable period for a Nile cruise — warm days (20–28°C), cool nights, and clear skies. November, February, and March are particularly pleasant. Summer (June to August) is genuinely hot in Upper Egypt — temperatures above 40°C are common in Luxor and Aswan — though the ship’s air conditioning and pool make it manageable for those who don’t mind the heat.
What to Expect on a Private Cruise
The Acamar Nile cruise carries up to around 100 guests when full, but your Luxe Tours Egypt experience is entirely private: your guide is exclusive to your group, your vehicle is dedicated, and your excursion times are arranged to your schedule. You will be sharing the ship’s facilities with other guests, but your touring experience will not intersect with anyone else’s group.
The Story Behind the Route
The Nile between Aswan and Luxor was, for the ancient Egyptians, the axis of their world. Aswan marked the First Cataract — the traditional southern boundary of Egypt, where the granite bedrock forces the Nile into rapids and the river narrows between islands. Luxor was Thebes, capital of the New Kingdom, the city where pharaohs were buried and gods were worshipped in temples of staggering scale.
Sailing this stretch in the direction of the current — south to north, Aswan to Luxor — is the natural direction of the river. It’s also, historically, the direction of power: from the remote southern frontier to the great city of the north. The temples along the way were not built as tourist attractions; they were the living centres of Egyptian religion, politics, and myth. Your guide’s job is to make that world feel real again — and on MS Acamar, there is time for it to happen.
Why Book With Luxe Tours Egypt?
- Private certified Egyptologist guide — never shared with another group
- No shopping stops, no group dynamics, no rushed schedules
- All entrance fees and full-board meals included — no hidden costs
- Private air-conditioned transfers at every point
- Flexible booking with personal assistance from first enquiry to departure day
- Fully insured, licensed, and Cairo-based — we know these sites intimately
| We’ve been arranging private Nile cruises for European and American travellers for years. The question we hear most often at the end is: why didn’t we do this sooner? |
FAQs
Yes. MS Acamar Nile cruise is rated five stars and has been consistently recognised as one of the finest vessels on the Nile. It completed a full renovation in 2018 and holds the Golden Crystal Award for hygiene standards.
The route from Aswan to Luxor takes 3 nights and 4 days. If you prefer to travel in the opposite direction — Luxor to Aswan — the journey takes 4 nights and 5 days, as the ship is sailing against the current. Luxe Tours Egypt also offers both options; please enquire for details.
MS Acamar departs from Aswan every Friday. The Monday departure is from Luxor for the reverse direction. Luxe Tours Egypt can arrange your connecting flights, transfers, or overnight hotel stays to fit the departure schedule.
Abu Simbel is not part of the standard 3-night itinerary, but it is very strongly recommended and can be added as an optional excursion on Day 1 from Aswan, Please mention this at the time of enquiry so we can arrange it in advance.
MS Acamar is one of the few Nile cruise ships with a full lift accessing all five decks, four specially adapted cabins for guests with mobility requirements, and specially adapted transfer vehicles available on request. It is widely regarded as the best wheelchair-accessible Nile cruise option on this route.
MS Acamar is one of the few Nile cruise ships with a full lift accessing all five decks, four specially adapted cabins for guests with mobility requirements, and specially adapted transfer vehicles available on request. It is widely regarded as the best wheelchair-accessible Nile cruise option on this route.
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily are included, prepared by the ship’s kitchen team and served as a combination of international and Egyptian cuisine. Soft drinks and water during meals are typically included; alcoholic beverages and specialty orders may be charged separately.
With Luxe Tours Egypt, your Egyptologist guide is private to your group for the entire cruise. You will not be combined with other passengers for any excursion. This is a fundamental part of how we operate.
contact our team directly. We’ll confirm availability, arrange your itinerary, and handle all the details from transfers to guide allocation.
