15-Day Mövenpick MS Darakum Nile Cruise from Cairo to Aswan

Your detailed trip plan

A suggested sequence — every flight, hotel and day can be changed.

• 2Destinations
• 7Transport

1. 12 Feb

   Cairo

   Stay from
   

   • Egypt
   • 14 nights

   Cairo, one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East, is the capital of Egypt. Cairo has been a centre of great importance to many civilisations, cultures and religions. From Pharaonic and Greco-Roman to Ottoman and European, and passing by Jewish, Christian, and Islamic, each of its identities has left a strong imprint on Cairo, thus making it one of the most fascinating cities in the world. The Giza Plateau, that includes the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, is the only remaining monuments of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the country's most famous tourist attraction. The sheer mass of the pyramids is awe inspiring. Islamic Cairo, the centre of historic Cairo, is best done on foot. Located east of downtown, it is full of charming little mosques and water fountains. The most important sites to visit are the Citadel, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Khan el Khalili, the main bazaar, some historic mosques and displays of medieval architecture, as well as some of Cairo's Turkish baths or Hammams. No visit to Cairo is complete without seeing the Egyptian Museum. Exotic atmosphere, chaotic traffic, thousands of minarets, noise, charming people, Cairo is a fascinating city. Few cities in the world surpass Cairo in number of monuments or architectural styles. Cairo is not an ordinary city, Cairo is a whole world.
2. 12 Feb

   15 Days Nile Cruise - Cairo to Aswan (14 Nights) aboard Mövenpick MS Darakum

   Guided tour
   

   • days 1–15

   Day 1: Embarkation in Cairo

   Your Nile adventure begins with embarkation aboard the elegant Mövenpick MS Darakum in Cairo, where Moroccan-inspired décor and panoramic river views set the tone for the days ahead. After settling into your cabin, enjoy a relaxed lunch on board before the ship's crew introduces you to the rhythms of cruise life. As evening falls over the Egyptian capital, a light dinner is served on board, giving you the first taste of the culinary variety that awaits throughout the cruise. The first overnight stay in Cairo allows you to unwind after arrival and look forward to the historic sites the following days will bring, all while the Darakum remains moored close to the city's timeless skyline. (L, D)

   
   

   Day 2: Coptic Cairo, Pyramids and Sphinx

   After breakfast on board, you'll delve into Cairo's Christian heritage with a visit to Coptic Cairo, taking in the Hanging Church, the Coptic Museum and the historic Jewish Synagogue - a fascinating cross-section of Egypt's layered religious history. Back on board for an international buffet lunch, you'll then head out in the afternoon to marvel at the Pyramids of Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx, icons that have captivated travelers for millennia. Afternoon tea service on board offers a moment of calm before a Lebanese buffet dinner rounds out the day. The ship remains overnight in Cairo, letting the day's remarkable sights settle in before continuing the journey south. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 3: Memphis, Sakkara and the Grand Egyptian Museum

   Following breakfast on board, you'll journey to Memphis, once the capital of ancient Egypt, and Sakkara, home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser and one of the world's earliest large stone monuments. Returning for a Mediterranean buffet lunch, the afternoon brings a visit to the eagerly anticipated Grand Egyptian Museum, whose vast collection showcases treasures spanning the whole of Pharaonic history. Back on board, a Manager's Welcome Cocktail Reception sets a festive tone for the evening, followed by a Gala dinner and an Oriental Tkht show alive with traditional music. The Darakum spends a third night moored in Cairo, giving guests a full and immersive introduction to Egypt's ancient and modern capital. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 4: Sailing to Beni Suef

   With Cairo's sights behind you, today is dedicated to cruising as the Mövenpick MS Darakum sails a full day toward Beni Suef, giving guests the chance to relax on deck and watch rural Nile life drift by. Breakfast and a barbecue lunch are served on board amid the gentle rhythm of river travel, while afternoon tea offers another pause to enjoy the scenery. In the evening, a singer accompanies a Mexican buffet dinner, adding a lively touch to the meal. The ship arrives and overnights in Beni Suef, a quieter stretch of the Nile that marks the transition from Cairo's bustle to Middle Egypt's more tranquil landscapes. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 5: Sailing to Minya

   An early departure from Beni Suef carries you onward to Minya as the Darakum continues its passage south along the Nile. Breakfast on board precedes a relaxed morning of sailing, and a French buffet lunch is served as the Egyptian countryside unfolds along the riverbanks. Afternoon tea service offers another chance to soak in the views before a Set Menu dinner and a lively Folklore Party bring the evening to life with traditional music and dance. The overnight stay in Minya positions guests perfectly for the historic sites to be explored the following day. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 6: Tuna El Gebel, Ashmunein and Beni Hassan Tombs

   After an early breakfast, you'll visit Tuna El Gebel and Ashmunein, lesser-known but richly rewarding archaeological sites tied to ancient Egyptian religious life. The morning continues with a visit to the Beni Hassan tombs, including the Tomb of Baqet III, the Tomb of Khety, the Tomb of Amenemhet and the Tomb of Khnumhotep II, reached via a short drive from the Minya dock. A light lunch on board refreshes you before the group returns to the boat in the afternoon. Afternoon tea and an Italian buffet dinner close out a day dedicated to Middle Egypt's ancient necropolises, with a second overnight stay in Minya. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 7: Tel El Amarna and Prince Tawdrous Monastery

   Sailing onward to Tel El Amarna, described as the home of the "Amarnian experience," you'll explore the northern tombs of this remarkable site, including the Royal Tomb of Akhenaten, the Northern Palace and the Small Temples of Aten - remnants of Pharaoh Akhenaten's revolutionary religious capital. A barbecue lunch is enjoyed on board while the ship continues sailing toward Assyut, and afternoon tea provides a relaxing interlude. In the late afternoon, the Darakum passes in a scenic crossing before Prince Tawdrous Monastery, with your guide sharing insight into its significance. An English buffet dinner and a spirited Galabia Party complete the evening, before the ship overnights in Assyut. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 8: Sailing to Sohag

   Today brings another scenic sailing day as the Mövenpick MS Darakum makes its way to Sohag, giving guests time to relax on deck and enjoy the ever-changing riverside panorama. Breakfast and an international buffet lunch are served on board, followed by afternoon tea as the ship continues its unhurried progress south. An Oriental buffet dinner caps off the evening before the vessel settles in for an overnight stay in Sohag, a peaceful stop along the Nile's historic corridor. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 9: Abydos Temple and Naga Hammadi

   An early sailing brings you to El Balyana, from where you'll visit the revered Abydos Temple, the holy city of Osiris, God of the Dead, and home to the New Kingdom temple of Seti I - one of Egypt's most beautifully preserved temples. Returning to the boat, the Darakum sails on to Naga Hammadi via its lock and bridges, with a Moroccan buffet lunch served en route. Afternoon tea service offers a moment of calm before a barbecue dinner on board. The ship arrives and overnights in Naga Hammadi, having explored one of ancient Egypt's most sacred pilgrimage sites. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 10: Dendera Temple and Luxor

   After sailing onward to Qena, breakfast is served on board before a short drive to the beautifully preserved Dendera Temple, dedicated to the goddess Hathor and renowned for its striking astronomical ceiling. Returning to the ship, an Asian buffet lunch is enjoyed while the Darakum continues its journey to Luxor. Afternoon tea service precedes an evening of entertainment, including a captivating Oriental Show featuring a Belly Dancer performance and a casual Sandwich Street Food dinner on board. The overnight stay in Luxor sets the stage for exploring this open-air museum city over the following two days. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 11: Luxor's West Bank

   A full day dedicated to Luxor's West Bank begins after breakfast on board, taking in the Valley of the Kings and the striking Temple of Queen Hatshepsut. These sites reveal the burial grounds and mortuary temples of Egypt's New Kingdom pharaohs, carved dramatically into the desert cliffs. A light lunch on board offers a refreshing break before an evening featuring an Indian buffet dinner and a mesmerizing belly dancers show. The Darakum remains overnight in Luxor, having covered some of the most iconic funerary monuments of ancient Thebes. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 12: Luxor's East Bank and Sailing to Edfu

   Breakfast on board precedes a visit to Luxor's East Bank, where the magnificent Karnak and Luxor Temples showcase the grandeur of ancient Theban religious architecture. After an Egyptian buffet lunch, the Mövenpick MS Darakum sets sail toward Edfu via the Esna lock, allowing guests to watch river life pass by from the sun deck. Afternoon tea service and a Set Menu dinner round out the evening before the ship overnights in Edfu, ready for the temple visit that awaits the next morning. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 13: Edfu and Kom Ombo Temples

   This morning brings a visit to the well-preserved Edfu Temple, dedicated to the falcon god Horus and considered one of Egypt's best examples of Ptolemaic architecture. The ship then sails to Kom Ombo, where a barbecue lunch is served before an afternoon visit to the unique double temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated jointly to the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. Afternoon tea service and an international buffet dinner follow, before the Darakum arrives and overnights in Aswan, gateway to Nubia. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 14: Aswan's High Dam and Philae Temple

   After breakfast on board, you'll visit the mighty Aswan High Dam, an engineering feat that transformed modern Egypt, followed by the beautifully situated Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis and relocated to Agilkia Island to save it from flooding. A seafood buffet lunch is enjoyed on board before an afternoon visit to the Nubian Museum, which traces the rich culture and history of Nubia. Afternoon tea service, a flambé dinner and a festive Nubian Party bring a memorable close to the cruise's final full day, with the Darakum overnighting in Aswan. (B, L, D)

   
   

   Day 15: Disembarkation in Aswan

   After a final breakfast on board, it's time to disembark the Mövenpick MS Darakum in Aswan, bringing this fourteen-night journey along the Nile to a close. From the ancient wonders of Cairo and Giza to the temples of Middle Egypt and the Nubian sights of Aswan, the cruise has traced thousands of years of Egyptian history along the river that shaped it all. (B)

   
   

   B = Breakfast | L = Lunch | D = Dinner

3. 26 Feb

   Aswan

   Stay from
   

   • Egypt

   Aswan is a city in the south of Egypt, some 680km south of Cairo, just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser, with a population of 275,000. Aswan is far more relaxed and smaller than Cairo and Luxor. Aswan is the smallest of the three major tourist cities on the Nile. Aswan is calming and relaxing and has a laid-back feel to it. Aswan has some unique gems. Rock cut monument Abu Simbel, to the south is one of Egypt's most daring symbols of Egyptian power. The sanctuary temples of Philae and Kalabsha present excursions reminiscent of Greece. Other places worth visiting in Aswan include: The dual temples of sobek and horus at Kwam Umbu, and the well preserved temple of horus at Idfu. Aswan is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Nile.