Oberoi Philae Nile cruise review: big cabins, Abydos and Tutankhamun's tomb

The Philae is the older of Oberoi's two Nile ships and, after its rebuild, the more spacious. Our verdict in one line: if you want a large standard cabin and the longer programme with Abydos and Dendera, this is the ship; if you need a fixed weekday or a short 3-night trip, look at its sister, the Zahra. As with every Oberoi product, no platform sells the Oberoi Philae Nile cruise, so this review covers what it is, how to book it, and what you can book online instead.

The ship: rebuilt by Oberoi for 44 guests

The Philae was built in 1996 to carry 100 guests. Oberoi rebuilt it in Cairo over nearly five years, cutting 58 cabins down to 22, and relaunched it in late 2015. It now carries 44 guests on five decks, and Lindblad, which sells it inside its own tours, lists 65 staff and crew.

Accommodation comes in three types:

• Luxury Cabin, 36 m², with windows that open.
• Luxury Suite, 55 m².
• Luxury Suite with Terrace, 55 m² inside plus a private terrace with a sun lounger and a heated outdoor whirlpool, 85 m² in total.

That standard cabin is a third larger than the Zahra's. Up top there is an 11-metre temperature-controlled pool; inside, a cigar lounge, the Oberoi Spa, a beauty salon and a gym. Like the Zahra, the Philae uses private landings, so you are not moored six deep at the public quay.

Oberoi Philae Nile cruise itinerary: 4 or 6 nights

The Philae sails one way between Luxor and Aswan, alternating 4-night and 6-night trips. Because the two lengths alternate, its departure weekday moves from week to week, even though Oberoi's itinerary page mentions Tuesday and Saturday. Check the sailing dates for your month before booking flights. There are no sailings in June.

The Aswan-to-Luxor 4-night runs the other way: the Nubian Museum; Philae, the High Dam and Kom Ombo; Edfu and the Esna lock to Luxor; then a West Bank day that, per Oberoi, includes Tutankhamun's tomb and Ramses VI's tomb with Deir el-Medina, Medinet Habu and the Colossi; and Karnak and Luxor Temple to finish. Those two tombs carry their own tickets (EGP 700 and EGP 220 on top of the Valley of the Kings' EGP 750), and most standard cruises leave them out. Ask whether your direction includes them.

The 6-night trip, in either direction, adds Dendera and Abydos by sailing north to Qena (or by coach in the low-water variant Oberoi publishes), plus the Luxor Museum and Hatshepsut. Abydos is a full day from Luxor by road for most visitors, so getting both temples inside a cruise is the main reason to choose this ship.

Oberoi Philae prices and what's included

Oberoi publishes no rate: choose dates on its website to see a price. The only public figures come from group tours that use the ship:

• Lindblad Expeditions–National Geographic, "Passage Through Egypt Aboard Oberoi Philae": 11 or 12 days, from $13,512 per person, departures January to March and September to November.
• Tauck, "Egypt: Jewels of the Nile": 10 days from £8,990, on the Philae or the Zahra, with a Tauck-only after-hours visit to the Valley of the Kings and Tutankhamun's tomb and chartered flights to Abu Simbel.

Oberoi's rate includes meals, return transfers, monument entrance fees and the guide. The eight core sites of a standard cruise alone cost EGP 4,060 per foreign adult; add Tutankhamun, Ramses VI, Dendera (EGP 300) and Abydos (EGP 260) and the inclusions are worth more here than on most ships. Drinks and tips aren't listed in the inclusions, so ask.

No platform sells the Oberoi Philae. The nearest small, upmarket boat you can book online is a 3-night luxury dahabiya from Aswan to Luxor, from $1,100 and rated 4.8 from 58 reviews: a sailing boat with a few cabins, its name not given on the listing. If what you want is Dendera and Abydos, a day trip from Luxor gets you there from a standard cruise or hotel.

⛵ Aswan

GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan

Aswan to Luxor: 4-Day Luxury Dahabiya Nile Cruise Adventure

4.8 (58)

from $1,100Check dates

⛵ Luxor

GetYourGuide4 nightsFrom Luxor

Luxor: 5 Days Nile Cruise with Guided Tours & Abu Simbel

4.4 (69)

from $840Check dates

⛵ Cairo

GetYourGuide5 nightsFrom Cairo

Cairo: All-Inclusive 6-Day Egypt Highlights & Nile Cruise

4.8 (56)

from $1,700Check dates

⛵ Aswan

GetYourGuide3 nightsFrom Aswan

From Aswan: 4-Day Nile Cruise to Luxor with Abu Simbel and Balloon Flight

4.5 (555)

from $580Check dates

Prices checked on 19 October 2026

Oberoi Philae vs Oberoi Zahra

Choose the Philae for space and Abydos; choose the Oberoi Zahra for a 3-night trip, a predictable weekday, or Abu Simbel inside the cruise.

What travellers should check before booking

We don't summarise guest reviews here. Before you pay, check:

• The exact programme for your direction. The tombs named on one direction may not be on the other.
• The weekday. It changes with the 4- and 6-night pattern; fix the cruise first, then flights.
• Low water. In the low-water variant Dendera and Abydos are reached by road, not by sailing to Qena.
• Group tours on your dates. Lindblad and Tauck both use the ship; whether a group takes the whole ship on a given date isn't published, so ask Oberoi or your agent.
• Children. Oberoi's pages don't state a minimum age for the ship; ask before booking.

How to book the Oberoi Philae

Sailing dates and itineraries are on Oberoi's Philae pages. For a fully escorted trip, Lindblad and Tauck sell it inside their Egypt tours (see our Tauck review). Note that it is Lindblad, not A&K, that uses the Oberoi Philae; A&K sails its own Sanctuary boats.

Alternatives to the Oberoi Philae

• A&K Sanctuary Nile Seray: 32 suites and A&K's newest boat, with Seti I, Ramses VI and an after-hours Tutankhamun visit.
• SS Sudan: a 1921 paddle steamer, 5 nights via Qena with Dendera and Abydos.
• Historia: a boutique 5-star ship you can book like a hotel through SLH.
• Nour El Nil: five nights by dahabiya from Esna to Aswan, entry fees included.

Compare the field in luxury Nile cruises and the best luxury ships.

Oberoi Philae Nile cruise: FAQ