Medea Nile Cruise
Five-star cabins across three grades, a shaded sun deck with a small pool, and a panoramic dining room for full-board meals.
At a glance
- Length
- 4 days · 3 nights
- Embarks
- Mon, Thu
- Board
- Full Board
- Class
- 5-star
The short answer
Medea Nile Cruise is a five-star Nile cruise vessel sailing between Luxor and Aswan, arranged through Discovery Tours Egypt.
·In summary
Medea Nile Cruise is a five-star Nile river vessel with Standard, Deluxe, and Suite cabins, full board meals, and en-suite bathrooms. The programme includes guided shore excursions to Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Philae. It sails weekly between Luxor and Aswan with embarkation and disembarkation at those ports.
- Luxury
- Cultural
- Archaeology & history
- Couples·
- Groups·
- Seniors
Snapshot
Good to know
- Accommodation
- 5-Star Cruise Vessel
- Destinations
- Luxor · Karnak Temple · Luxor Temple · Valley of the Kings · Edfu Temple of Horus · Kom Ombo · Philae · Aswan
- Includes
- Meals on a full-board basis · Accommodation in an en-suite cabin · English-speaking Egyptologist · Planned shore trips · Access to facilities on board · Port taxes and standard service charges
- Best for
- History enthusiasts · First-time visitors · Couples · Families with older children · Travellers wanting organised sightseeing
- Guide languages
- English
- Discovery Tours Egypt is a licensed Egyptian tour operator
- Scheduled shore excursions are led by an English-speaking Egyptologist
- Cruise arrangements include local handling and itinerary coordination in Egypt
- Full board and included excursions are clearly defined before booking
- The cruise follows a published Luxor–Aswan sailing programme with regular departures
What lingers
- 01Choose between Standard, Deluxe and Suite cabins, each with an en-suite bathroom.
- 02Use the sun deck, lounge bar and pool where present.
- 03Full-board dining runs from lunch on embarkation day through breakfast on disembarkation day.
- 04Planned shore trips take in Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings.
- 05Visit Edfu Temple of Horus, Kom Ombo and Philae as part of the excursion programme.
- 06Weekly sailings run in both directions between Luxor and Aswan.
02Overview
A first look
Morning light pools on the dining room windows and the scent of hibiscus drifts from the sun deck, punctuated by the soft thrum of the engines as the vessel slips along the Nile. Cabins range from compact Standard rooms to larger Suites with Nile-facing windows, the small pool offers a brief cool-down, and conversations in the lounge often end with plans for the next temple visit.
We arrange embarkation and disembarkation at Luxor or Aswan and our Egyptologists lead the shore-excursion programme. Unlike shorter packaged cruises, the schedule deliberately allows more time ashore at Edfu and Kom Ombo, so visits are calmer and more study-focused rather than hurried.
Background
The facts
Medea Nile Cruise is a five-star Nile river vessel sailing between Luxor and Aswan with embarkation and disembarkation at those two ports. The cruise programme includes scheduled shore excursions to Karnak Temple on the east bank of Luxor, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings on the west bank, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Kom Ombo, and Philae near Aswan. The route follows the central Nile corridor used by most Nile cruises, linking Upper Egypt’s principal Pharaonic and Greco-Roman monuments.
The vessel offers graded cabins in Standard, Deluxe, and Suite categories, all with en-suite bathrooms and Nile or panoramic windows. Onboard facilities include a sun deck with shaded seating, a small pool, a panoramic dining room, and a lounge bar. Full board meals run from lunch on embarkation day through breakfast on disembarkation day; drinks (including water) are usually extra.
The weekly sailing pattern in both directions makes the vessel suitable for either Luxor-to-Aswan or Aswan-to-Luxor bookings. In practical terms, this gives travellers time to visit major temple complexes and tomb sites without relying on separate land transfers between each destination. Shore excursion timing is typically structured to allow longer visits at Edfu and Kom Ombo than the shorter stopovers often seen on compressed Nile programmes.
Named in this entry
Medea·Nile River·Luxor·Aswan·Karnak Temple·Luxor Temple·The Kings’ Valley·Tutankhamun·Horus's Temple in Edfu·Horus·Kom Ombo·Philae·Isis·Upper Egypt
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- This is suitable for adults and older children who want a structured Nile itinerary with guided temple visits and a comfortable cabin-based stay. It is a good fit for history-focused travellers, first-time visitors to Egypt, and couples or small groups who prefer organised sightseeing rather than independent planning.
Maybe not, if
- Choose a land-based holiday instead if you need step-free access or want to set your own pace at every site. The scheduled visits involve walking on uneven ground and steps, particularly at the Valley of the Kings and older temple complexes.
Honest assessment
The honest pluses and minuses, as our own team sees them after running this trip.
Highlights
- The programme includes Edfu and Kom Ombo, not just the larger sites.
- Shaded sun-deck seating and a small pool offer space between visits.
Things to Consider
- Uneven paths and steps can limit access at archaeological sites.
- Cabins are compact compared with hotel rooms.
- May to September brings intense heat during outdoor visits.
- Drinks (including water) and gratuities cost extra.
Worth knowing
How this compares
Unlike short Nile programmes that compress Edfu and Kom Ombo into brief stops, this vessel’s excursion programme allows more time ashore at each site. It is also different from land-based tours because accommodation, meals, and sailing are combined into one continuous Upper Egypt itinerary. The cruise is arranged for you, while the vessel itself is owned and operated by a third-party cruise line.
The route
Luxor and Aswan
- EdfuThe Temple of Horus
- Kom OmboThe Temple of Sobek
Choose your direction
- Luxor → Aswan4 nightsupstream, against the current
- Aswan → Luxor3 nightsdownstream, with the current
- Round-trip7 nightsreturn to Luxor or Aswan
Both directions
Where this ship sails
This vessel works more than one stretch of the river. The direction changes the order of the temples, the number of nights and which city you fly out of.
On board
Detailed itinerary
Based on embarkation from Luxor and disembarkation in Aswan.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Bundled in
- Full board
- Group Egyptologist
- Airport transfer
- Private transfer
- All entry tickets
The fine print
What's included – and what is left out
Included
- Full board, beginning with lunch on embarkation day and ending with breakfast on disembarkation day.
- En-suite cabin accommodation, offered in Standard, Deluxe and Suite classes.
- Scheduled shore excursions led by an English-speaking Egyptologist.
- Use of onboard facilities, including the sun deck, lounge bar and pool where fitted.
- Port taxes and standard onboard service charges.
Not included
- Drinks, including water, are not included, even with meals
- Gratuities for crew and guides, which are customarily paid locally.
- Personal expenses, for example laundry, spa treatments and phone charges.
- Optional private or premium excursions, for example hot-air balloon flights.
- Entrance tickets for premium-access areas, for example pyramid interiors, where applicable.
Field notes
From our Egyptologists
- 01
Confirm whether your selected cabin category has Nile-facing windows or panoramic windows before booking.
- 02
Budget separately for drinks (including water), crew gratuities and guide gratuities.
- 03
Ask which shore excursions are scheduled for your sailing, as the programme is not a fixed single-trip itinerary.
- 04
Keep personal spending money available for laundry, spa treatments and phone charges, which are not included.
Tailor it
Make it yours
Travellers can usually choose between Standard, Deluxe, and Suite cabin grades, depending on availability and budget. Private or premium add-ons such as balloon rides in Luxor may be added separately, and some itineraries can be extended with extra nights or land arrangements in Cairo, Luxor, or Aswan. A single supplement may apply for solo occupancy.
Your own specialist deals with each request before you book.
Where it fits
Medea suits the Nile section of a wider Egypt holiday, between time in Cairo and visits to Luxor and Aswan. The vessel sails weekly in both directions, with shore excursions including Edfu and Kom Ombo, unlike shorter cruise programmes that allow only brief stops.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This cruise requires a moderate level of mobility and involves uneven surfaces, steps and short gangway transfers. Embarkation and disembarkation use a gangway with steps and can be unstable when the vessel is alongside the quay; passengers step up from the quay into the gangway. Many cabins have single-door thresholds and one or two low steps; some lower-deck cabins have easier access. Public areas include stairs to the sun deck and to some dining sections, and there is no guarantee of a lift between all decks. Shore excursions include walking on uneven ancient stone, loose sand and temple steps, some with steep staircases and limited handrails. Wheelchair users should contact us before booking so we can assess cabin availability, arrange additional local assistance where possible and confirm whether an accessible shore-excursion alternative can be provided. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and provide meet-and-assist on arrival; any extra mobility equipment or dedicated assistance must be requested in advance and is subject to local supplier capacity.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The vessel uses conventional marine diesel engines typical of Nile river cruisers, and scheduled weekly sailings reduce unnecessary manoeuvring. On board, the cruise line works to limit single-use plastics and uses reusable glassware where local infrastructure allows. Food provisioning prioritises Egyptian suppliers for bread, dairy and seasonal produce, supporting markets in Luxor, Aswan and surrounding towns. Shore excursions use licensed local Egyptologists and local boat crews for short transfers, so a portion of passenger spend goes directly to local guides and communities. Solid waste is sorted on board where space permits and transferred to port reception facilities in Luxor and Aswan; blackwater and greywater are managed according to local port regulations. We arrange this cruise for you as a licensed Egyptian tour operator and do not bundle premium tomb entrances such as Tutankhamun; these remain optional extras arranged with local suppliers on request.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- A valid passport and any visa paperwork
- Copies of your flight information and emergency contact numbers
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- High SPF sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat
- Lightweight daypack and refillable water bottle
- Any prescription medication and seasickness remedies
- Plug adaptor for Egypt types C and F, 220–240V
What to wear
- Lightweight, loose-fitting clothing for warm days
- Clothing covering shoulders and knees at temples and mosques
- Comfortable shoes with grip for uneven stone and steps
- A light jumper or fleece for cooler evenings on deck
- Swimwear for the sun-deck pool
Children & families
Children aged 0–5.99 years travel free; children aged 6–11.99 pay 50%; those aged 12 or over pay the adult price. Children must share a cabin with their parents, with a maximum of one child per cabin. Two or more children need their own cabin. A lightweight, foldable pushchair is more practical for quays and ports, but steps and uneven approaches at some temples make strollers difficult to use throughout excursions. High chairs can usually be requested for the dining room; ask us to confirm availability with the cruise supplier before booking.
Prices by sailing
Prices are per person in GBP, from 2 people sharing a double cabin. Each price 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.
| Sailing | October – Aprilcurrent season | Peak dates18 Dec – 6 Jan, 21 Mar – 4 Apr, 9 Apr – 23 Apr |
|---|---|---|
| 3 nights · Aswan → Luxorembarks Mondays | October – April: from £926single cabin £1,340 | Peak dates: from £1,113single cabin £1,776 |
| 4 nights · Luxor → Aswanembarks Thursdays | October – April: from £1,139single cabin £1,691 | Peak dates: from £1,389single cabin £2,273 |
| 7 nights · Luxor → Luxorembarks Thursdays | October – April: from £1,779single cabin £2,744 | Peak dates: from £2,216single cabin £3,763 |
| 7 nights · Aswan → Aswanembarks Mondays | October – April: from £1,794single cabin £2,760 | Peak dates: from £2,232single cabin £3,779 |
Peak dates: 18 Dec – 6 Jan, 21 Mar – 4 Apr, 9 Apr – 23 Apr. Choose your sailing and date in the booking panel for the exact price.
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.
These fares are a guide, as prices and cabins move through the year. Do ask us and we will confirm the fare for the days you have in mind.
Add Cairo before or after your cruise
The ship stays between Luxor and Aswan. The Pyramids, and most flights back to the UK, are in Cairo. These short extensions link the two.
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
What you receive back if you cancel depends on how far ahead of your holiday you let us know and the kind of holiday you book. See our current cancellation and refund terms
Location
On the map
While you're here
Worth pairing
- Luxor TempleRight here
- Karnak Temple3 km
- Luxor Museum15 min walk
- Mummification Museum6 min walk
Asked & answered
Frequent questions
01How long is the Medea Nile Cruise and where does it sail?
The listed Medea Nile Cruise lasts eight days and connects Luxor with Aswan. The vessel sails weekly in both directions, with embarkation and disembarkation at those two ports. Its shore-excursion programme includes Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu Temple of Horus, Kom Ombo and Philae. Check your booking details for the exact sailing dates and sequence.02What is included on the Medea Nile Cruise?
Full board covers meals from lunch on embarkation day through breakfast on disembarkation day. Your booking also includes an en-suite cabin, scheduled shore excursions with an English-speaking Egyptologist, use of onboard facilities and routine port charges. The vessel has a sun deck, lounge bar and dining room; a small pool is available where present.03What is not included in the Medea Nile Cruise booking?
Drinks (including water), premium beverages and gratuities for crew and guides are not included. Personal costs, such as laundry, spa treatments and phone charges, are also extra. Optional private or premium excursions are separate, as are premium-access tickets where applicable. Check the booking page for the cancellation terms that apply to your arrangement.04What cabin types are available on the Medea Nile Cruise?
Medea has Standard, Deluxe and Suite cabin grades, each with an en-suite bathroom. We'll confirm cabin dimensions and views before you choose a grade. Prices are per person sharing, and a single supplement typically applies to a traveller occupying a cabin alone.05Is the Medea Nile Cruise accessible for guests with limited mobility?
The vessel and ancient sites may present mobility challenges, and accessibility details have not been confirmed. Shore excursions can involve uneven stone, steps and changing surfaces at places such as Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings. Contact us before booking with your specific needs so we can check the vessel and excursion arrangements.06Are children allowed on the Medea Nile Cruise, and what are the cabin rules?
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. Ask us to confirm the cabin arrangement for your family before booking.07What should I wear and bring on the Medea Nile Cruise?
Pack light clothing, sun cream, a hat, water and sturdy shoes for warm weather and uneven temple surfaces. Choose modest clothing for visits to religious sites, covering shoulders and knees. Casual clothes suit the vessel; bring any personal medication you need. A light layer can be useful in cooler winter evenings on the Nile.08Can I take photographs during Medea Nile Cruise excursions?
Photography rules vary between the sites visited on the Medea Nile Cruise. Some areas may restrict flash or require a separate ticket for photography, particularly inside certain tombs. Follow instructions from your Egyptologist and site staff, and check before taking photographs indoors.09When is the best time to take the Medea Nile Cruise?
October to April is generally cooler for shore excursions in Luxor and Aswan. Summer brings high temperatures, so visits may feel more demanding, particularly around exposed stone sites. Winter sun is a useful UK holiday-season option, but evenings can be cooler than daytime. Consider your tolerance for heat when choosing travel dates.10What is the difference between visiting Edfu and Kom Ombo on this cruise?
Edfu is home to the Temple of Horus, while Kom Ombo has a temple complex included in the Medea excursion programme. The programme allows more time ashore at these stops than the brief calls common on shorter Nile cruise schedules. Your final visit order depends on the sailing direction and confirmed programme.
Last updated 31 January 2026Product ID: CRU-NIL-520376
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