MS Nile Dolphin Nile Cruise: 3, 4 & 7 Nights Between Aswan and Luxor

Why the MS Nile Dolphin Nile Cruise Suits a First Trip on the Nile

The MS Nile Dolphin Nile cruise sails between Luxor and Aswan on a standard-class ship: five stars under the Egyptian system, and about 3.5 stars by European and US standards. It is a comfortable, well-run boat for travellers who want the classic Nile route without paying luxury-class prices, with a pool deck, air-conditioned cabins with a French balcony, single-sitting dining and a crew that has worked the Luxor–Aswan route for years. Fares start at $600 per person for three nights on full board.

Built in 2007 and fully refurbished in 2017, the ship is 72 metres long with five decks. Its 63 cabins and 2 royal suites are spread across three decks, so it never feels crowded, even when full. The ship leaves Aswan every Friday for a 3-night sailing north to Luxor, and leaves Luxor every Monday for a 4-night sailing south to Aswan. The two legs together make a 7-night round trip from Luxor.

Every shore visit is led by a licensed Egyptologist guide from Egypt Best Vacations, at Philae, Kom Ombo, Edfu, Karnak, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings. On every sailing, the sightseeing runs as a small group of no more than 16 guests. Private guiding is available on request. Our guides read the walls with you: why Edfu is the best-preserved temple in Egypt, and where Hatshepsut’s name was cut away after her death.

Three itineraries, one ship

• 3 nights, Aswan to Luxor (every Friday): the High Dam and Philae, then Kom Ombo, Edfu and both banks of Luxor.
• 4 nights, Luxor to Aswan (every Monday): Luxor’s East and West Banks first, then upstream through the Esna Lock to Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan.
• 7 nights, Luxor round trip (every Monday): the full circuit at a slower pace, with a free day in Aswan for Abu Simbel.

What Our Guests Say on Tripadvisor

 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Egypt Best Vacations
  
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 Vivian H 
 
 
 
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Mid-tier Lake Nasser Cruise
Just finished the Lake Nasser Cruise mid tier with Egypt Best Vacation. Highly recommend. Food and service are better than 5-star hotels in USA. Had a wonderful relaxing time.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Momaleoale 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Family travel in Egypt
Thank you for this amazing trip! Everything was perfectly organized, from our arrival at the airport to the day we returned home. The Nile cruise was wonderful, our guide in Cairo was excellent, and we couldn’t have asked for anything better. The choice of restaurants and the excursions were also outstanding. Thank you for making this experience so special for our whole family! ❤️)
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Destination732328 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Fantastic 8-day private tour of Egypt – highly recommended!
Fantastic 8-day private tour of Egypt – highly recommended! We recently returned from an amazing 8-day private tour of Egypt with Egypt Best Vacations, and we couldn't be happier with our experience! Our trip included Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, a 3-night Nile cruise, Luxor and Giza. Everything was organised in advance, including domestic flights, hotels, transfers, transport, entrance tickets and private guides. From the moment we arrived, everything ran smoothly. The drivers were punctual, professional and reliable, and the whole trip was very well coordinated. A special mention goes to our guide in Cairo and Giza, Mina, who was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and professional. He made our visits particularly enjoyable, sharing interesting information and answering all our questions. We were also very happy with everyone involved throughout the trip, including our guides, drivers and airport representatives, who helped make the whole experience so smooth and stress-free. Cairo Airport was quite chaotic, but having a representative from the agency there to assist us made the process much easier, and we really appreciated their help. Overall, we had a fantastic experience and felt well looked after throughout the entire trip. Everything was very well organised, allowing us to enjoy Egypt without having to worry about the logistics. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Egypt Best Vacations to anyone planning a trip to Egypt. Highly recommended – definitely 5 stars from us!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Eric E 
 
 
 
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Egypt Best Vacations is aptly named
We spent 10 days in Egypt with our friends. The entire trip was coordinated by Egypt Best Vacations. From the beginning, the communication was superb. We felt like we were coddled throughout the trip starting with Tarik who met us at the airport and facilitated and expedited the immigration process, to Karim who drove us safely everywhere around Cairo. Our guide Abdel was friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about Egyptian history, and made our experience very enjoyable. Seeing the pyramids in Giza, and visiting the new Grand Egyptian Museum was spectacular. We then flew south to Upper Egypt where Ahmed met us and guided us from Abu Simbel to Aswan and ultimately on our Nile River dahabeya cruise to Luxor. Kamal did a great job driving us in Upper Egypt, and we felt extremely safe along the way. Ahmed’s knowledge of Egyptian history is astounding, and he could easily be a professor on the subject. The entire trip was curated and coordinated by Essam who even came to meet us in Luxor, which was such a friendly gesture. We loved our Egyptian experience, and would absolutely recommend Egypt Best Vacations to anyone who is considering a trip to Egypt. There is no question that if we wanted to visit Egypt again, we would use this company and the entire crew again. This was a top notch company with top notch coordination.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Debbie T 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Wonderful Experience
Our tour with Egypt Best Vacations was truly an unforgettable trip. It was extremely well organized from airport pick up and drop off to getting us to every destination on a luxury bus. Our tour guide Essam was kind, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and friendly. He went above and beyond to help us understand Egyptian history, culture and traditions. The Nile River cruise on the Dahabiya was amazing with an outstanding crew making everyone feel welcomed. I highly recommend Egypt best Vacations.!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Kirby M 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Trip of a lifetime!
I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about this experience! From the moment we arrived in Cairo to our time in Luxor and four unforgettable days cruising the Nile River, every single detail was exceptional. Our incredible tour guide, Essam, and his associate, Ali, went above and beyond to make this journey extraordinary. Their knowledge of Egypt’s rich history, attention to detail, and genuine care for our safety and comfort made all the difference. The accommodations, the staff, the organization, and the seamless coordination of everything were absolutely outstanding. They even arranged unforgettable extras, including private ceremonies and a hot air balloon ride over Luxor, making an already magical experience even more special. I can say without hesitation that this was the best trip of my life. Egypt is a remarkable place, but experiencing it with this team took it to an entirely different level. I would recommend this company over and over and over again. Truly the trip of a lifetime!
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 Galen H 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Amazing tour!
Our tour was so Awesome and our guide couldn’t have been better, he knew the answers for every question I asked and made it fun with his sense of humor. We started in Cairo, flew to Luxor and then sailed on a private cruise to Aswan. Seeing all the history, Pyramids and temples was incredible. Highly recommend Egypt Best Vacations!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Claudine F 
 
 
 
 Verified 
O Voyage, incompetent provider for a Nile cruise in Egypt.
The O Voyages representative never showed up and completely ignored us; we were part of a group of 35 people who left from Orly, arrived in Cairo for a day, and then transferred by plane to Luxor for the Nile cruise. We spotted him at the Monte Carlo restaurant eating with the two guides since we were two groups of 35 people. No information from him. We saw that he was from O Voyages since he was wearing a black t-shirt with O Voyages on the back. Also, on 7/1/2026, we received an email from Leclerc Voyage indicating that our cruise was moved up by one day and that the flight plan was modified with an arrival in Cairo on September 4th instead of September 11th as scheduled in our program, stipulating that the services and visits remained unchanged. The other people in the group who had booked either through Leclerc Voyage or Carrefour received a new detailed program, whereas for us, we were told, "you are taking the program in reverse!!!!" Also, we left from Orly and returned to Roissy!!!! No information from Leclerc Voyage on this point, even though we had clearly stipulated that we had booked parking at Orly, so there were additional costs for a taxi on September 13th at midnight to take us to Orly to retrieve our car. Again on this point, the other members of our group had been well informed by Leclerc or Carrefour!!!! Regarding clothing in Egypt, same thing, Leclerc told us to wear clothes to the knee and keep arms covered for women, whereas all the tourists wear shorts even in the temples; the other people in our group had received the correct information again on this point!!!!! Non-existent costume party, and for the themed evenings indicated on the program, we had 2 groups of dancers 20 minutes before dinner. Visa indicated on the program at €48 while we paid €53!!!!! I do not recommend O Voyages at all, it is the 1st and last time I travel with your incompetent organization. positive point: our guide, fortunately, who raised the level of the trip but who seemed a bit lost regarding the program he had to follow with the changes made 2 months prior without a new program.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 Giuseppe Z 
 
 
 
 Verified 
Spectacular vacation... excellent service..
Spectacular 10-day tour... maximum availability from the agency in tailoring the trip to our needs. From our arrival in Cairo, where they welcomed us and helped us with visas, to our departure for the return trip, we were followed in an excellent manner... my wife and I had a great time... We asked for guides who spoke Italian; Abram and Amro were 2 exceptional, helpful, and very knowledgeable guides... we felt pampered and never alone... thanks for everything.
  
 
  
 
 
 
 Posted on Tripadvisor  
  
 
 AtlantaTraveller 
 
 
 
 Verified 
An unforgettable and beautifully orchestrated Egypt experience
An unforgettable and beautifully orchestrated Egypt experience We just returned from an incredible trip to Egypt with Egypt Best Vacations, and it was truly one of the most memorable journeys our family has taken. Egypt can feel overwhelming at first — the airports, early morning flights, cruise schedules, temple visits, Cairo traffic, tickets, transfers, and the sheer magnitude of history everywhere you go. But Egypt Best Vacations handled the logistics with impressive precision and made the entire experience feel effortless. That allowed us to be fully present and enjoy the trip instead of constantly worrying about the next step. Our journey began in Cairo and then continued to Luxor, where we boarded our Nile cruise to Aswan. Luxor was absolutely extraordinary. Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon were all breathtaking. What made the visits even more meaningful was having a knowledgeable guide who could explain the history, symbolism, and significance behind what we were seeing. In Egypt, the right guide makes a huge difference — otherwise you are just looking at ancient stones without understanding the civilization behind them. The Nile cruise was another highlight. Sailing between Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan gave the trip a beautiful rhythm. Philae Temple was stunning, and Abu Simbel was worth every minute of the early morning journey. Standing in front of those monumental temples is humbling and almost surreal. Back in Cairo, we visited the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo, the Citadel, and Khan El-Khalili. Each place had its own character, from the grandeur of the pyramids to the spiritual depth of Coptic Cairo and the energy of the bazaar. The itinerary was ambitious, but it never felt chaotic because the team managed the details so well. What we appreciated most was the professionalism, responsiveness, and genuine care from Egypt Best Vacations. They were punctual, organized, flexible when needed, and clearly experienced in creating a smooth experience for travelers. For a first trip to Egypt, that kind of coordination is invaluable. I would highly recommend Egypt Best Vacations to anyone planning to visit Egypt. They helped turn a complex itinerary into a seamless, enriching, and unforgettable adventure.