The Le Fayan Nile cruise is a well-equipped independent ship with standard 22 m² rooms, a rooftop pool and a small spa, sold both direct and through agencies. It is a good candidate if you want a named ship you can check before booking. Get the weekday and the full price in writing, though, because its own website shows two different schedules and we found no published fare.
- Operator
- Le Fayan (Heliopolis, Cairo; company name not published)
- Type
- 5-star cruise ship
- Cabins
- 58: 53 Luxury Rooms 22 m², Junior, Family, 2 Royal and 1 Presidential Suite
- Pool
- Yes: rooftop pool and jacuzzis
- Route
- Luxor ⇄ Aswan: 3, 4 and 7 nights
- Embarks
- Two schedules published (Aswan Mon / Luxor Thu, or Aswan Fri / Luxor Mon); confirm the weekday
- How it is sold
- Direct (lefayan.com) and through agencies
- Status
- Sailing (brochure dated September 2026)
Source: lefayan.com ↗ · 19 October 2026
Our scores
- Cabins
- 4/522 m² Luxury Rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows; five suites
- Ship and facilities
- 4/5Rooftop pool and jacuzzis, spa with sauna, gym, clinic
- Itinerary
- 3.5/5Standard Luxor–Aswan sites; 3, 4 and 7 nights
- Value
- 3/5No published fare to judge; no outside drinks allowed
- Transparency
- 3.5/5Official site and brochure, but two conflicting schedules
- Booking ease
- 3.5/5Direct or through agencies; not on any platform by name
Pros
- Official website and a current brochure: you can check what you book
- 22 m² standard rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows
- Rooftop sun deck with pool and jacuzzis, spa, sauna and gym
- Clinic on board and a doctor on call
Cons
- Two different weekday schedules on its own site
- No outside drinks of any kind, not even water
- On-board charges are in Egyptian pounds
- No published price
The ship: rooms, suites and the rooftop
Le Fayan's current brochure lists 58 cabins and suites: 53 Luxury Rooms of 22 m², one Junior Suite (28 m²), one Family Suite (32 m²), two Royal Suites (38 m²) and one Presidential Suite with its own jacuzzi. Older text on the website still says 57 rooms and three suites; the brochure is newer, so use its figures.
Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, and the website's suite descriptions mention private balconies. If a balcony matters to you, confirm which suites have one before paying. At 22 m², the standard room is a little larger than many Nile ships' standard cabins (Steigenberger's and JAZ's are around 19 m²).
On top of the ship is a rooftop sun deck with a pool and jacuzzis. Inside there is a spa with two massage beds and a sauna, a gym, and a clinic on the first deck. A doctor is on call and can take up to an hour to arrive when the ship is docked. Smoking is allowed only on the sun deck.
As on any Luxor–Aswan ship, windows don't guarantee a view: at busy moorings ships often tie up side by side, so your window may face the next ship.
Itinerary and sailing days
Le Fayan sails between Luxor and Aswan: 4 nights upstream from Luxor, 3 nights downstream from Aswan, or 7 nights as a round trip. The official website shows two schedules without explaining them:
- Aswan on Monday (3 or 7 nights) and Luxor on Thursday (4 or 7 nights)
- Aswan on Friday (3 or 7 nights) and Luxor on Monday (4 or 7 nights)
The site doesn't say whether this is a seasonal change, and we could not tell which applies now. Ask Le Fayan or your agency for the weekday of your exact date before you book flights.
The sites are the standard ones for the route: Karnak and Luxor Temple, the West Bank, Edfu, Kom Ombo, and the High Dam and Philae in Aswan. Our Luxor to Aswan and Aswan to Luxor guides show how the 4-night and 3-night versions differ. If you take the 7-night round trip, the second leg repeats the route, so it mostly adds time on the river; see 7-night cruises.
- 0 kmLuxorStart or end of every standard cruise. Ships moor along the East Bank and at private docks south of town; Karnak, Luxor Temple and the West Bank are visited from here.
- 50 kmEsnaAbout 50 km upriver. Ships pass the Esna lock (two ships per lockage), often at night; many ships stop here overnight without visiting the temple.
- EdfuBetween Esna and Kom Ombo. The Temple of Horus is visited by horse carriage or coach from the quay, usually in the morning.
- Kom OmboRiverside temple, open for entry until 20:00: upstream ships stop at dusk, downstream ships come early in the morning.
- 200 kmAswanAbout 200 km by river from Luxor. Philae, the High Dam and a felucca or motorboat round Kitchener's Island; last night of a dahabiya trip at the Aswan bridge dock.
Distances along the river, rounded; ships also stop at the Esna lock and sometimes moor at Kom Ombo for the night.
Prices and what is included
We found no published fare for Le Fayan. Ask for a quote with the date, cabin type and a written list of inclusions: does it cover the guide, the entry fees and transfers? If entry fees are not included, the eight core sites of a standard cruise cost EGP 4,060 per foreign adult. Drinks are extra by house rule, and tips (agencies suggest roughly US$5–10 per person per night for the crew plus US$10–15 per person per day for your guide) come on top.
To judge a quote, compare it with platform cruises on the same route. GetYourGuide's 3-night cruise from Aswan with Abu Simbel and a balloon flight starts from $580. It names no ship ("5-star ship or similar"), so ask the operator for the name and the entry-fee list after booking.
| Platform | Listing | Rating | Price | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GetYourGuide | From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight · 3 nights | 4.5 (555) | $580 Lowest | See on GetYourGuide |
| Headout | From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise with Luxor Hot-Air Balloon Ride & Abu Simbel Visit · 3 nights | 2.0 (1) | $600 | See on Headout |
| Headout | 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Luxor Hot Air Balloon · 3 nights | — | $700 | See on Headout |
Lowest price per person in US dollars, checked on 19 October 2026. Ship, cabin, departure day and what is included differ between listings: open each one before you pay.
For the whole price ladder, see Nile cruise prices.
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight
4.5 (555)
from $580Check dates
GetYourGuide2 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 3-Day Cruise to Luxor with Hot Air Balloon
4.3 (657)
from $1,000Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Guide
4.3 (654)
from $450Check dates
Headout4 nightsFrom Luxor
From Luxor: 5-Day Nile Cruise with Hot-Air Balloon Ride & Abu Simbel Visit
No reviews yet
from $590Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
Aswan: 4-Day Private Nile Cruise to Luxor with Balloon Ride
4.2 (261)
from $643Check dates
GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan
From Aswan: 4-Day, 3-Night Nile Cruise with Hot Air Balloon
4.5 (168)
from $550Check dates
Prices checked on 19 October 2026
Le Fayan II, Le Fayan Suites and Chateau Lafayette
Some agencies list a "Le Fayan II" (71 cabins) and a "Le Fayan Suites" (37 suites). Neither appears on Le Fayan's official site, and we could not confirm that either exists as a separate ship. If an agency offers you one, ask for its website and deck plan.
Le Fayan is not related to Chateau Lafayette. The names sound alike, but the two ships are marketed separately, and we found no shared operator.
What travellers say, and what to check
We have no reliable summary of guest reviews to pass on, so here is what to settle before you book:
- The sailing day for your date (see the two schedules above)
- Inclusions: guide, entry fees, transfers, and whether Tutankhamun's tomb (EGP 700) is extra
- Your cabin: Luxury Room or suite, which deck, and whether a balcony is included
- Drinks: the price list, since you can't bring your own water
How to book Le Fayan
Le Fayan sells direct through lefayan.com and through Egyptian and foreign agencies. Booking direct lets you ask the ship's own office about the weekday and inclusions; an agency may bundle transfers and guiding.
No platform sells Le Fayan under its name. For a platform alternative, the 4-day cruise from Aswan with Abu Simbel and balloon (from $580, 4.5 from 555 reviews) is the closest equivalent in class and route, on a ship the operator assigns. Most GetYourGuide bookings can be cancelled free up to 24 hours ahead, but multi-day cruises may differ, so check the listing.
Alternatives to Le Fayan
- For published rates with fees included, look at Mayfair and its sister Esplanade.
- For balconies in 49 of 53 rooms, consider Sonesta Moon Goddess.
- For a ship you can book like a hotel, consider Historia.
- To compare everything we cover, browse the ships directory.
Le Fayan Nile cruise: questions
Is there an official Le Fayan Nile cruise website?
Yes, lefayan.com, with the ship's details, house rules and a current brochure. The company behind it gives an office in Heliopolis, Cairo, but doesn't publish its legal name.
How many cabins does the Le Fayan Nile cruise ship have?
58 according to the current brochure: 53 Luxury Rooms of 22 m², a Junior Suite, a Family Suite, two Royal Suites and a Presidential Suite.
What day does Le Fayan sail from Luxor?
Its website shows two schedules: Thursday from Luxor (with Monday from Aswan), or Monday from Luxor (with Friday from Aswan). Confirm for your date.
Can I bring my own water on Le Fayan?
No. House rules ban outside drinks of any kind, including water, and unsealed food. Drinks are bought on board and charged in Egyptian pounds.
Is Le Fayan the same as Chateau Lafayette?
No. They are separately marketed ships, and we found no link between them.