Luxor and Aswan in 3 Days on a Budget
Luxor and Aswan in 3 days: room for the long day trip
Three days is the first version of this itinerary with room for Dendera and Abydos, the 9 to 10 hour round trip a 2 day plan cannot fit. The spine stays the same as the 2 day version, hot air balloon then Aswan, with a full day of temples added in between. For Edfu and Kom Ombo too, move up to the 4 day plan.
Book these before you go
- The hot air balloon : book before you land, flights sell out fastest December through February.
- A Dendera and Abydos day tour if arranging a driver yourself does not appeal.
- An Aswan day trip tour for the same reason on your last day.
Day 1: hot air balloon and East Bank settle-in
Pre-dawn pickup, a motorboat crossing to the West Bank airfield, then 45 to 60 minutes over the Valley of the Kings for $40 to $100. The honest safety note stands: a 2013 crash killed 19 people, the deadliest hot air ballooning disaster on record, and post-crash regulation, a dedicated airfield, caps on simultaneous flights, extra pilot training, is why it still flies today rather than having been shut down. Back at the hotel well before 9am, ease into the East Bank, Karnak or a lit-up Luxor Temple at night, and save the deep dive for the Luxor budget guide if more days get added later.
Day 2: Dendera and Abydos, the long day
This is the 9 to 10 hour day, most of it driving. Abydos is the far end, two and a half to three hours each way via the Qena road; Dendera is the closer stop, about an hour out, usually saved for the way back. Dendera’s entrance runs roughly EGP 300 adult (EGP 150 student) plus small EGP 100 add-ons for the roof and crypt; Abydos has its own separate ticket in a similar range, worth confirming at the gate or on egymonuments.com since the exact 2026 figure moves. A private car and driver for the full day costs EGP 1,500 to 2,500 (about $30 to $50), split between however many people are riding.
Day 3: Aswan by train, out and back
Three to four hours south by train over roughly 215 to 230 km, fares from EGP 55 in third class to EGP 500 for first class air conditioned, call it $1 to $10 at current rates rather than the $17 to $35 a resale booking site often quotes (seat61.com has current timetables). Philae Temple, the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk fill the day between trains.
| Day | Focus | Distance/time from Luxor | Approx cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hot air balloon + East Bank light | West Bank airfield, 15-20 min transfer | $40-100 balloon |
| 2 | Dendera + Abydos | Dendera ~1h, Abydos ~2.5-3h each way | EGP 1,500-2,500 car (~$30-50) + EGP 400-600 tickets |
| 3 | Aswan: Philae, High Dam, Unfinished Obelisk | 215-230 km, 3-4h each way by train | EGP 55-500 train (~$1-10) + EGP 300-500 tickets |
Is a private car or a packaged tour cheaper for Dendera and Abydos?
Split between two or three riders, a private car at EGP 1,500 to 2,500 for the day usually beats a packaged tour charging per person for the same two temples. A tour wins only for a solo traveler or anyone who wants a guide included without arranging one separately.
Do Dendera and Abydos need a full day?
Yes. The driving alone runs 9 to 10 hours round trip because Abydos sits two and a half to three hours each way from Luxor; fitting Aswan or Edfu and Kom Ombo into the same day is not realistic.
Confirm Abydos’s exact 2026 ticket price with your driver or at egymonuments.com before you leave; it was the one figure this route could not pin down precisely this year.