3-Day Aswan , Nubian Village ,Abu Simbel , Luxor & Train ticket

The best thing here is the sheer amount of southern Egypt packed into three days: Philae Temple by motorboat, a Nubian village, Abu Simbel, and both banks of Luxor. I like the mix of guided sightseeing and free evenings, and I like that the $177 price includes the long-distance train ticket and nearly all transport. The main trade-off is pace. Abu Simbel requires an early start, and Luxor’s west and east banks make Day 3 a full day of temples and tombs.

You also need to budget for entrance fees, hotels, and meals. Those costs are not included, and sightseeing admissions must be paid by credit card at the sites. The arrangement is practical, but it suits you best if you want the major sights handled for you rather than a slow, unstructured visit.

Key points at a glance

• Philae by motorboat: Reach the island temple by water, with about 90 minutes set aside for the visit.
• Nubian Village by felucca: Add a more local-feeling stop after Philae, then return to your Aswan hotel.
• Abu Simbel in one long morning: Allow about eight hours for the shared group excursion and return journey.
• First-class train to Luxor: Your Aswan to Luxor connection is arranged, including pickup at each end.
• Luxor’s essential sights: Visit the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut’s temple, Karnak, Luxor Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon.
• A partly independent plan: You choose your accommodation and meals, while the operator handles guides, vehicles, boats, and transfers.

Three days from Aswan to Luxor

This is a clever route for someone with limited time in Upper Egypt. You begin in Aswan, make a long morning trip to Abu Simbel, then continue by train to Luxor. The final day covers the main ancient sights on the west and east banks.

The plan is not an all-inclusive holiday. You are buying the structure around the sightseeing: transportation, guides, boats, and train tickets. You still choose and pay for your own hotel and food. That can be a plus if you want control over your budget and hotel style.

The schedule also reduces the usual trouble of arranging separate taxis, boats, and station transfers. Your pickup can be from an Aswan hotel, train station, or airport, and the team asks for those details in advance. That matters in Egypt, where a clear pickup plan can save time and confusion.

Philae Temple reached by water

Day 1 begins with a pickup in Aswan and a motorboat ride to Philae Temple. The boat crossing gives the visit a pleasant sense of arrival. You do not simply walk off a city street and into the ruins. You approach the island across the water, then spend about 90 minutes seeing the temple.

Philae is devoted mainly to the goddess Isis. Its location is part of its appeal, and the boat is not just a transfer. It gives you a different view of Aswan and makes the temple visit feel separate from the modern city.

The guide adds useful context as you move through the site. With only 90 minutes, you should expect a focused visit rather than time to inspect every carved wall at leisure. If you like to take many photographs or read every sign, the schedule may feel tight.

The entrance ticket is not included. You should also note that the tour includes the motorboat, while admission to the archaeological site is an extra cost paid by credit card. Keep your passport and sunglasses with you, as requested for the trip.

A felucca ride to Nubian Village

After Philae, the day continues to a Nubian village, with a felucca trip included. This shifts the mood from monumental temples to a community connected with the Nile and Nubian culture.

You have about 90 minutes for the village visit. That is enough for a brief look and some time to take in the setting, but it is not a full cultural program with many hours of free exploration. The short visit works well after the morning temple stop, especially if you want a change from ancient sites.

The boat ride is one of the more distinctive parts of the three-day plan. Many Egypt itineraries become a string of vans and ruins. Here, the water gives you a break from the road and links the two Aswan stops in a more memorable way.

At the end of the day, you are taken back to your Aswan hotel. The tour does not include accommodation, so you need to book an Aswan room yourself and provide the correct hotel details before pickup.

Abu Simbel and the eight-hour day

Day 2 is the demanding one. You leave early for the Abu Simbel Temple Complex, spend the morning there, and return to Aswan in the afternoon. The complete excursion takes about eight hours.

Abu Simbel is one of Egypt’s great set pieces, with the massive rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari. Its distance from Aswan is exactly why arranging transport is helpful. A self-planned visit requires you to sort out the early departure and return connection. This service puts that long road movement into a group excursion.

The Abu Simbel portion is a shared tour, with a maximum group size of 15. That is small enough to remain manageable, but it is not the same as having a car and guide entirely to yourself. If you want the lowest possible cost and do not mind following a group schedule, this setup makes sense.

Admission is extra, so the $177 headline price is not the final amount for the whole trip. You also need food for the day, and the supplied details do not include meals. Plan for an early start, a long ride, and a warm visit to the temples. Sunglasses are a sensible item to bring.

The first-class train from Aswan to Luxor

After returning to Aswan, you are transferred to the train station for the journey to Luxor. The train ride itself is scheduled for about three hours, followed by pickup at Luxor station and transfer to your hotel.

Your ticket is for a first-class seated train. That is an important inclusion because the route connects two major sightseeing bases without requiring another private road transfer. It also lets you rest after Abu Simbel before the full Luxor day.

The train does not remove every timing issue. Day 2 combines the long Abu Simbel outing with the station transfer and the rail journey, so it will likely feel full. Still, the plan avoids sending you back to Aswan simply to sleep before starting again elsewhere.

You arrange your own Luxor hotel. Make sure the booking details are accurate so the pickup after arrival goes smoothly. The operator provides the transfer from the station to the hotel, which is especially useful when arriving after dark or after a tiring day.

Valley of the Kings and Hatshepsut’s temple

Day 3 starts with pickup from your Luxor hotel and heads to the west bank. The first stop is the Valley of the Kings, with about two hours planned.

The valley gives you a chance to enter the world of royal tombs cut into the cliffs. The standard admission does not include every tomb, and the exact ticket choices can affect what you see. Since entrance fees are separate, ask your guide about the available options before paying.

Two hours is a useful amount of time for a guided visit. It gives you room to see the main areas without turning the morning into a slow museum session. Wear practical shoes and carry water, since the tour includes outdoor walking and several stops.

Next comes the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahari, with about 90 minutes. The temple is known for its broad terraces and strong connection to Queen Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt’s most important female rulers. Its setting against the cliffs also makes it feel very different from the enclosed tombs of the valley.

The Colossi of Memnon follow. This is a short 30-minute stop, and admission is free. Think of it as a quick photo and history stop rather than a long site visit. The two giant statues are an efficient way to see another famous west-bank monument without adding much time.

Karnak and Luxor Temple on the east bank

The tour then crosses to the east bank for Karnak Temple. You have about two hours here, which is appropriate for a large complex with halls, columns, courts, and sanctuaries spread across a broad area.

Karnak rewards a guide because the site can feel confusing without a clear route. An Egyptologist can help you understand how the complex developed and which parts deserve your attention. The scale is the point, but it can also be tiring after a morning on the west bank.

The final sightseeing stop is Luxor Temple, with about 90 minutes planned. It is a more contained visit than Karnak and can provide a strong finish to the day. The temple’s position in modern Luxor makes the contrast between ancient stonework and the living city especially clear.

After Luxor Temple, you are transferred back to your hotel or to the Luxor train station. That final choice is useful if you are continuing by rail. It also means you do not need to arrange a separate taxi after a long day.

What the $177 price really covers

At $177 per person, this package offers good value if you were already planning to see all three areas. The cost includes air-conditioned transfers in Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Luxor, an Egyptologist guide, the first-class Aswan to Luxor train ticket, the motorboat to Philae, the felucca trip to Nubian Village, and guided sightseeing.

It also includes the shared Abu Simbel excursion and the full Luxor west and east bank program. Those separate pieces would take time and effort to arrange on your own. The main value is not only the vehicle. It is the coordination between boats, road trips, train stations, hotels, and guides.

The price does not include site admission, hotels, meals, or tips. Tipping is listed as optional, not required. Because entrance fees must be paid by credit card at the sights, bring a usable card and leave room in your budget for several separate admissions.

The tour can also be a better deal for two or more people who would otherwise hire private cars for each leg. Group discounts are offered, though the exact discount is not specified. The Abu Simbel day is shared, while the other transfers and guided visits may feel more private depending on the day’s arrangements.

The good points and the compromises

I like the way the schedule joins places that are often sold as separate day trips. You see Aswan’s island temple and Nubian culture, make the major Abu Simbel outing, then finish with Luxor’s best-known monuments.

The transport plan is another strong point. A modern air-conditioned vehicle matters in southern Egypt, and the included boats make Philae and the Nubian Village easier to reach. The first-class train ticket is a useful touch, since it replaces another long car ride with a straightforward rail connection.

The compromises are mostly about time. Abu Simbel takes eight hours, and Day 3 includes five sightseeing stops. You will see a lot, but you will not have endless free time at each place.

The information provided also includes a mixed account of the service, with particular praise for an agent named Peter for being responsive and accommodating. That is useful if you need to clarify pickup arrangements or coordinate several hotels and transport points. Still, you should send complete hotel, train, or flight details in Aswan before the trip, because the schedule depends on accurate pickup information.

Who should book this trip

I would choose this experience if you have only three days for southern Egypt and want the major sights connected for you. It suits first-time visitors who prefer a guide at the monuments and do not want to negotiate every transfer themselves.

It is also a good match if you want to select your own hotels and meals. You keep some independence without having to plan the difficult parts from scratch.

I would hesitate if you want long, unhurried visits or dislike early starts. The Abu Simbel day is long, and the Luxor program covers a great deal of ground. A slower plan with extra nights would be better for anyone who wants extended time at the tombs, temples, or Nile.

The group limit of 15 keeps Abu Simbel from becoming a huge coach experience, but you should not book this expecting every moment to be private. The mix of shared and arranged services is part of how the price stays reasonable.

Should you book it?

Book this three-day plan if your priority is coverage and simple transport. For $177, you get an efficient route through Aswan, Abu Simbel, and Luxor, plus guides, boats, vehicles, and a first-class train ticket.

Before booking, add up the separate costs for admission, hotels, and meals. Confirm your pickup information, bring your passport and sunglasses, and leave room in your schedule for a very full second and third day. If that sounds manageable, this is a practical way to see southern Egypt’s biggest sights without turning every transfer into a separate problem.

FAQ

How long is the experience?

The experience lasts approximately three days.

Where does the tour begin?

Pickup is offered from an Aswan hotel, Aswan train station, or Aswan airport.

Is accommodation included?

No. You arrange and pay for your own accommodation in Aswan and Luxor.

Are meals included?

No. Meals are not included in the tour price.

Is the train ticket included?

Yes. The tour includes an air-conditioned first-class seated train ticket from Aswan to Luxor.

Is Abu Simbel a private tour?

The Abu Simbel visit is a shared group tour. The maximum group size is 15 travelers.

What transport is included?

The tour includes air-conditioned vehicle transfers, a motorboat to Philae Temple, a felucca trip to Nubian Village, and transfers connected with the Aswan to Luxor train journey.

Are sightseeing entrance fees included?

No. Entrance fees are extra and should be paid by credit card at the sightseeing locations.

What should I bring?

You should bring your passport and sunglasses. You should also have your hotel, train, or flight details ready for pickup planning.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded or accepted.