A Genuine Review of the 3-Day Aswan, Luxor, Abu Simbel & Balloon Tour
So, you are looking at this three-day tour of southern Egypt and, frankly, wondering if it’s genuinely possible to see everything on the list without feeling like you are in a complete whirlwind. We had pretty much the same thought. You know, the schedule seems absolutely packed: Aswan, Luxor, Abu Simbel, a visit to a Nubian community, a hot air balloon, and a sleeper train to get there from Cairo. Honestly, it sounds like a lot for 72 hours. Is that something that could actually be an enjoyable time? Well, as a matter of fact, it really can be an amazing experience, but you sort of have to know what you are signing up for. This is basically my rundown of what this fast-paced adventure through thousands of years of history actually feels like, day by day. It’s a little less of a formal review and more of a friendly chat, really.
Day 1: The Sleeper Train and a Gentle Start in Aswan
Alright, so the whole thing kicks off with an overnight sleeper train ride from Cairo, which, to be honest, is a unique part of the whole deal. I mean, it’s not exactly a five-star hotel on wheels, but it’s actually pretty comfortable and an efficient way to travel south. You get a private little cabin, and just looking out the window as the green fields of the Delta give way to the desert landscape is, in a way, a perfect introduction to Upper Egypt. Honestly, there is something very special about falling asleep to the click-clack of the train tracks. You eventually arrive in Aswan in the morning, feeling more or less refreshed and ready to go. Aswan itself just has this incredibly laid-back atmosphere, unlike the rush of Cairo. It tends to be a lot quieter, and the Nile River seems wider and a bit more majestic here. First, we went to the Aswan High Dam, which is, obviously, a massive piece of modern engineering. The scale of it is pretty hard to get your head around, seriously.
Next, we took a little motorboat to Philae Temple on Agilkia Island. You know, this temple was famously moved piece by piece to save it from the rising waters of the dam, which is an absolutely incredible story. Frankly, the setting is just beautiful; the temple looks like it’s floating. The carvings inside are in really good shape, and you can spend a fair amount of time just walking through, seeing the old stories depicted on the stone walls. It feels, I mean, almost like a peaceful sanctuary. At the end of the day, this first day is a relatively gentle introduction to the amazing sights you are about to see, which is actually a really smart way to plan the tour.
A Colorful Afternoon in a Nubian Village
By the way, the afternoon of the first day was for many people a true highlight of the entire trip. We got on another boat and sailed down the Nile, past these huge, smooth granite boulders that poke out of the water, on our way to a Nubian village. Okay, so the village itself is a bit of a tourist spot, but that doesn’t really take away from its charm. You will see these houses painted in the most unbelievably vivid shades of blue, yellow, and orange; it’s honestly like stepping into a painting. The patterns and pictures on the walls are just so full of life.
You know, what really makes this part special is the people. They are just incredibly welcoming and seem genuinely happy to share their culture. We were invited into a family home for some sweet mint tea, which was very nice.
Frankly, you will see kids playing, people selling handmade crafts and spices, and you might even get to see some of the pet crocodiles that some families keep. It sounds sort of weird, but it is a very old tradition for them. It’s a really fun and relaxing way to spend a few hours, and you get a small, you know, peek into a culture that has existed along the Nile for thousands of years. As a matter of fact, the calm boat ride back as the sun begins to set over Aswan is more or less the perfect way to finish your first day.
Day 2: The Awesome Scale of Abu Simbel and the Move to Luxor
So, the second day is where the pace really picks up, and it all starts incredibly early in the morning. I mean, you are waking up when it’s still completely dark outside to get in a bus or van for the three-hour drive south into the desert. Seriously, you might be a little grumpy at first, but it is absolutely worth it. You drive through this huge, empty landscape as the sun starts to rise, which is pretty cool to see. And then, almost out of nowhere, you arrive at Abu Simbel. To be honest, nothing really prepares you for seeing those four massive statues of Ramesses II for the first time. They are just enormous. It’s almost impossible to understand how people carved these from a solid rock mountain over 3,000 years ago.
You, like your guide, will probably explain the story of how these temples were also moved in the 1960s to save them from the lake. You know, that in itself is a mind-boggling feat of engineering. You get a good amount of time to explore both the main temple and the smaller, but still lovely, temple for Nefertari next to it. Walking inside the main temple is almost like stepping into another world, with giant pillars and walls covered in detailed carvings. Honestly, it’s one of those places that genuinely lives up to all the pictures and hype. After your visit, it’s basically back on the bus for the return drive to Aswan. In the afternoon, you will usually travel from Aswan to Luxor, often by road or by train, checking into your next hotel and getting some rest for what is arguably another very big day.
Day 3: Floating Over Luxor and Walking Through History
Okay, your final day starts with another early morning, but this time it’s for something completely different and, you know, just magical: a hot air balloon ride over the West Bank of Luxor. You are literally floating hundreds of feet in the air as the sun comes up over the horizon, lighting up the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut below. The silence up there is actually amazing; all you hear is the occasional whoosh of the burner. Frankly, it’s a viewpoint and an experience that you will absolutely not forget. Seeing the scale of these ancient sites from the air gives you a totally new perspective.
Once you are back on solid ground, you basically dive right into exploring those sites up close. First is the Valley of the Kings, where you can actually go down into the brightly painted tombs of pharaohs like Tutankhamun and Ramesses VI. It’s pretty amazing to see colors that have stayed so bright for thousands of years. Then you move on to the striking, multi-tiered Temple of Hatshepsut, which is built right into a cliffside. It just looks completely different from any other temple. After a quick stop at the towering Colossi of Memnon, you cross over to the East Bank. The day usually finishes at the absolutely massive Karnak Temple Complex. You could honestly spend a whole day just wandering around Karnak. Its Great Hypostyle Hall, with its forest of giant carved columns, is sort of one of the most awe-inspiring things you’ll see in all of Egypt. At the end of the day, it’s a very packed day of sightseeing, but it covers the best of what Luxor has to offer.
What to Realistically Expect from a Packed Tour
Alright, so here is the thing about a tour like this one. It’s extremely efficient, but it is also very, very fast. You need to be prepared for the pace, you know. There are a couple of very early mornings, and a good amount of time is spent traveling by train, bus, and boat. You are, in a way, trading relaxed exploration time for the ability to see an incredible number of world-class sites in a very short period. That is the basic trade-off. To be honest, this kind of trip is pretty much perfect for someone who has limited vacation time but wants to see the main highlights of Upper Egypt without the headache of arranging all the transportation and tickets themselves.
The tour handles all the logistics, which is, frankly, a huge relief. You just get to show up and enjoy the history. You will see things that are literally breathtaking. From the quiet beauty of Philae Temple to the jaw-dropping scale of Abu Simbel and Karnak, it’s just one amazing thing after another. Plus, you get these really cool cultural experiences, like the balloon ride and the visit to the Nubian community, which add a lot of value. As a matter of fact, as long as you go in with the right expectations – that it will be a quick-moving adventure rather than a lazy holiday – you will almost certainly have an absolutely fantastic time.
Read our full review: [Enjoy 3 days Aswan,Luxor,Abu Simbel,Nubian village,Balloon&train from Cairo Full Review and Details]
See Prices, Availability & Reserve Now ([Egypt 3-Day Tour Package])
