Nile Pharaohs is the boat that looks the part: a vessel built in pharaonic style, which resellers describe as modelled on an ancient barge honouring the goddess Hathor. The company says it has sailed since the 1970s and calls itself Egypt's first cruising restaurant. Our verdict in one line: good value and the best choice if you dine late or stay on the Giza side, but less polished than the Maxim, and the operator's own website is unreliable, so a platform booking is often simpler.
- Operator
- Nile Pharaohs Cruising Restaurant
- Type
- Cairo dinner-cruise boat in pharaonic style
- Route
- Boards at 138 Nile Street, Giza (west bank); about 2 hours on the river
- Embarks
- Dinner 20:00–22:00 and 22:30–00:30 daily; lunch Friday and Saturday 15:00–17:00
- How it is sold
- Direct (nilepharaohs.com, 15% off for two or more), Tiqets, Headout's GEM and dinner combo
- Status
- Sailing
Source: nilepharaohs.com ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Boat and setting
- 4/5pharaonic-style boat on the Giza bank
- Food
- 3/5Egyptian-oriental open buffet; no menu published
- Show
- 4/5belly dance, singers and musicians; tanoura per resellers
- Value
- 4/5from $30 online, 15% off direct for two or more
- Transparency
- 3/5no prices on its site; site sometimes down
- Booking ease
- 3/5Tiqets and a Headout combo; direct site unreliable
Pros
- Late 22:30 sitting, handy after a museum evening or for late diners
- Lunch cruise on Fridays and Saturdays
- Pharaonic décor that sets it apart from the other boats
- From $30 on Tiqets; 15% off direct for two or more
Cons
- Few platform reviews (4 on the main Tiqets listing)
- The operator's website sometimes returns errors
- Drinks, even water, are extra
- No standalone listing on Headout or GetYourGuide
The boat and where it boards
The Nile Pharaohs boards at 138 Nile Street on the Giza (west) bank, in the Oula area of Giza district. That is convenient for hotels in Dokki, Giza and Mohandessin, and less so for Heliopolis or New Cairo, which are a long evening drive away.
The boat is decorated in a pharaonic style, the main reason people choose it over the plainer Nile Crystal or the Nile Maxim. Its operator, the Nile Pharaohs Cruising Restaurant, also runs KA Felucca, a floating bar and restaurant on a felucca, and a Greek café-restaurant. Both "Nile Pharaoh" and "Nile Pharaohs" are used for the same boat.
Nile Pharaohs sittings: early, late and lunch
| Sitting | Time | Days |
|---|---|---|
| First dinner | 20:00–22:00 | daily |
| Second dinner | 22:30–00:30 | daily |
| Lunch | 15:00–17:00 | Friday and Saturday |
The 22:30 sitting is the one to know about. One guest comment on the operator's site found it less crowded than the 20:00, and it suits travellers used to dining late. It also fits after a late evening at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which stays open to 21:00 on Wednesdays and Saturdays (tickets only on tickets.gem.eg).
Museum's evening hoursOpen to 21:00 on Wednesdays and Saturdays
Leave the museum by taxi or booked transferAllow for traffic
Arrive at 138 Nile Street, Giza bankCheck in
Cast off; buffet and showDrinks extra
Back at the quayBook the return transfer in advance
During Ramadan, one reseller says there is no belly dancer on the Nile Pharaohs; check sitting times and the show with the seller (FCDO advice on Ramadan in Egypt).
Nile Pharaohs buffet, show and drinks
Dinner is an Egyptian-oriental open buffet. The show has belly dancers, singers and musicians; resellers also list tanoura, the whirling skirt dance. Drinks are not included: the basic Tiqets ticket excludes them, and a guest comment on the operator's own site notes that even water is charged. Whether alcohol is served isn't stated, so ask if it matters to you.
Nile Pharaohs prices: Tiqets, Headout and direct
| Where | What | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Tiqets, basic | dinner cruise, optional transfer | from $30, 4.0 (4 reviews) |
| Tiqets, with drinks | dinner cruise, transfer and soft drinks | from $48, 5.0 (1 review) |
| Headout, GEM + dinner combo | museum ticket plus a dinner cruise; one option uses the Pharaohs | from $70 |
| Direct | 15% off for two or more | price on request |
The two Tiqets tickets come from different Cairo suppliers (Black Camel Tours for the basic ticket, FTS Travels for the one with drinks), and both cancel free up to 24 hours ahead. Neither has many reviews yet, so the boat's own Google score, 4.2 from 797 reviews as shown on its website, is the better guide to the evening itself.
Booking direct via nilepharaohs.com gets 15% off for two or more people, but the site publishes no prices and sometimes fails to load; reception answers 09:00–21:00. If you can't get through, the Tiqets ticket with transfer is the simple option.
GetYourGuide's best-selling generic "Dinner Cruise on the Nile River" does not name its boat, so it is not a way to book the Pharaohs.
Tiqets2 hCairo
Cairo: Nile Pharaohs Dinner Cruise + Optional Transfer & Drinks
5.0 (1)
from $48Check dates
Headout
Combo: Grand Egyptian Museum Skip-the-Line Tickets + Nile Dinner Cruise
4.7 (1,155)
from $70Check dates
Headout2 hCairo
[Headout Exclusive] Nile Crystal 4-star Cairo Dinner Cruise with Guaranteed Window Seating
4.5 (340)
from $39Check dates
Nile Pharaohs on Tiqets →Prices checked on 19 October 2026
What travellers say
The Nile Pharaohs shows a Google score of 4.2 from 797 reviews on its own site; its platform listings have only a handful. Before booking, check:
- Which sitting you're on: 20:00 or 22:30, and the transfer time back after 00:30.
- Drinks: whether your ticket includes any, and how to pay on board (carry cash and a card).
- Transfers: Giza and central Cairo hotels are usually covered; New Cairo, Heliopolis and the airport cost extra on most listings.
- Ramadan changes to the show and sitting times.
How to book the Nile Pharaohs
Booking the Nile Pharaohs without surprises
- Pick the sitting: 20:00, the late 22:30, or Friday–Saturday lunch.
- For two or more, try the operator direct for 15% off; otherwise book on Tiqets.
- Choose the ticket with transfer if you're not on the Giza side, and confirm the return time.
- Bring money for drinks, and check the show during Ramadan.
Alternatives to the Nile Pharaohs
- Nile Maxim: central Zamalek, seated set dinner, 20:00, from $70.
- Nile Crystal: Maadi, buffet, top deck and a 6 pm sunset sitting, from $27.
- Named boats on GetYourGuide such as Opal, from $45 and rated 4.7 from 401 reviews.
- A felucca on the Nile: a private sail without a show.
Compare every boat in our Cairo dinner cruise guide, and plan the rest of the city with things to do in Cairo.
Nile Pharaoh dinner cruise: FAQ
Where does the Nile Pharaoh dinner cruise leave from?
From 138 Nile Street on the Giza (west) bank of the Nile, in the Oula area of Giza district.
How much is the Nile Pharaohs cruise?
From $30 on Tiqets, or $48 with soft drinks and transfer. The operator offers 15% off direct for two or more people, but publishes no price list.
What time is the Nile Pharaohs dinner cruise?
Daily from 20:00 to 22:00 and from 22:30 to 00:30. There is also a lunch cruise on Friday and Saturday, 15:00–17:00.
How do I make a Nile Pharaoh cruise reservation?
Through the operator's website (sometimes down), on Tiqets, or inside Headout's Grand Egyptian Museum and dinner combo.
Are drinks included on the Nile Pharaohs?
Not on the basic ticket. A Tiqets option adds soft drinks and transfer for $48; otherwise drinks, including water, are paid on board.
Is "Nile Pharaoh" the same as "Nile Pharaohs"?
Yes, both spellings are used for the same boat on the Giza bank.
