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From per person£1,973
Nile CruiseASWAN → ASWAN

Steigenberger Omar El Khayam Lake Cruise

A 5-star Lake Nasser cruiser with a pool, gym, restaurant, and lake-view cabins for shore excursions between Aswan and Abu Simbel.

At a glance

Length
4 days · 3 nights
Embarks
Mon, Fri
Board
Full Board
Class
5-star
  • New

Snapshot

Good to know

Destinations
Aswan · Abu Simbel

02Overview

A first look

Steigenberger Omar El Khayam is a five-star ship sailing Lake Nasser, the great reservoir behind the Aswan High Dam and a stretch of Nubia most holidaymakers never see. Between Aswan and Abu Simbel she calls at the temples rescued from the rising waters in the 1960s — Kalabsha, Wadi El Seboua, Amada and the clifftop fortress of Kasr Ibrim — before finishing beneath the colossi of Abu Simbel.

Sailings follow the classic lake pattern: four nights from Aswan on Mondays and three nights from Abu Simbel on Fridays. Cabins and fares are confirmed on request — let us know your dates and we will check availability directly with the operator.

The route

ASWAN and Abu Simbel

  1. ASWANPhilae Temple & the High DamEmbark
  2. Abu SimbelThe Great Temple of Ramses IIDisembark

Choose your direction

  • ASWAN → Abu Simbel3 nightsupstream, against the current
  • Abu Simbel → ASWAN2 nightsdownstream, with the current

At sea

Detailed itinerary

Based on round-trip embarkation from ASWAN. On 7-night round-trips each site is visited once.

  1. 1

  2. 2

  3. 3

  4. 4

  5. 5

Cabin pricing

Pricing & seasonal rates

Per person, per cabin, in GBP. Each rate below covers the full sailing, the guided sightseeing programme along the route, and your arrival and departure transfers between the vessel and the local airport or railway station.

7 nights / 8 days · Aswan to Aswan

CabinLow seasonMay – SeptemberHigh seasonOctober – April
Single cabin£2,538£2,538
Double cabin£1,974£1,974
Triple cabin£1,940£1,940

Cabin allocation

  • Nile vessels do not have interconnecting cabins.
  • Book early and we will ask the vessel to place your party together — usually adjacent, or directly opposite.
  • Cabin numbers are confirmed by the vessel at check-in.

Indicative rates only – pricing and cabins fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.

On property

What's here

  • restaurant
  • gym
  • pool
  • parking

Accessibility

Who can join this

This Lake Nasser cruise involves walking on uneven ancient stone, sand, gravel and temple steps at multiple shore-excursion sites such as Abu Simbel, Kasr Ibrim and Amada. Expect gangways to board and disembark the vessel, plus a short transfer by coach between the pier and some monuments. Cabins and public areas on the vessel may include steps; elevators are not guaranteed. Wheelchair users should be aware that full independent access to temple interiors is often not possible due to narrow doorways and stepped approaches. If you use a mobility aid or require assistance, please tell us at booking so we can arrange help, reserve a cabin with easier access where available, and brief local teams. For guests with limited mobility we recommend discussing specific needs with our reservations team before confirming, as some shore visits will require standing, climbing stairs and walking on uneven surfaces for 20 to 60 minutes at a time.

Before you go

What to pack & wear

What to bring

  • Valid passport and printed booking confirmation
  • Lightweight daypack for water, hat and camera
  • Sunscreen SPF30 or higher and sunglasses
  • Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
  • Reusable water bottle (refillable where possible)
  • Small amount of local currency (Egyptian pounds) for incidentals
  • Any personal medication, plus a copy of prescriptions

What to wear

  • Lightweight, breathable layers for daytime heat and cooler evenings
  • Covered shoulders and knees for temple visits and mosques
  • A sun hat or cap and neck protection
  • A light waterproof or windproof layer for breezy evenings on deck
  • Closed-toe shoes for walking at archaeological sites

Children & families

Children 0–5.99 years travel free; 6–11.99 years pay 50%; 12+ pay the full adult price. Children must share a cabin with their parents (maximum one child per cabin); two or more children require their own cabin. Strollers are usable on coach transfers but are impractical on temple approaches and at many sites where there are steps and uneven surfaces. Child meals follow the vessel's Full Board provision; please notify us at booking of any special dietary requirements or allergies.

Location

On the map

ASWAN and Abu Simbel — where it sails in EgyptMediterranean SeaRed SeaWestern DesertEastern DesertLake NasserASWANAbu SimbelCairoAbu SimbelN
Cairo lies north; your cruise is the gold stretch in the south. The Nile flows north, so sailing upstream means heading south.

Responsible travel

How we travel here

Transfers for this Lake Nasser cruise use air-conditioned coaches that meet current Egyptian road-safety and emissions standards; we contract local coach companies based in Aswan that service the route regularly. Shore excursions employ licensed Egyptologists and guides recruited locally in Aswan and Abu Simbel, which keeps tour income within the region. Food for the vessel is supplied primarily by Aswan markets and vendors, supporting local producers and suppliers. Where possible we coordinate with the vessel crew to limit single-use plastics on board and to consolidate luggage handling, reducing extra vehicle runs. Shore-visit timetables are planned to avoid unnecessary back-and-forth driving between sites. These measures are practical steps we take; they are not certification claims.

  • Licensed local Egyptologists

    ETAA-credentialed, on payroll

  • Fair wages on the ground

    Drivers + guides paid above market

  • Site preservation

    We follow MoTA visitor caps and no-touch protocols

  • Carbon-aware itineraries

    Domestic flights only when train/road is impractical

If plans change

Cancellation

More than 30 days
Full refund less a £50 admin fee
15–30 days
50% refund
Within 14 days
No refund – date changes considered case by case

Product ID: CRU-ASW-451028

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