Nile cruise direction: north or south?

Most Nile cruises run Luxor to Aswan over four nights, or Aswan to Luxor over three. The two sailings differ. The northbound one is shorter because the current does the work, and it costs less because it is a night shorter.

Southbound: Luxor to Aswan

Four nights, and the better trip. You start with Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, which are the heavyweight sites, then wind down through Edfu and Kom Ombo and finish in Aswan, which is the prettiest and calmest of the three cities.

Ending in Aswan also leaves room to add Abu Simbel at the end.

Northbound: Aswan to Luxor

Three nights, and cheaper because it is one night shorter. On our own cruises the northbound trip starts at US$840 per person, against US$1,095 for the four-night southbound one on the same boat. Per night the price is about the same.

The downside is that it front-loads the quiet part and ends with the busiest, hottest sites. The last morning is Karnak and Luxor Temple, between disembarking and your flight home.

It is the right choice if budget is the deciding factor, or if you are heading on to Hurghada afterwards, since Luxor is four hours from the coast.

How the direction changes your days

Sailing south, the current is against you, so engine time is longer and the sailing stretches are slower. Northbound runs with the flow and tends to be quicker between stops.

That changes the shape of a day more than most people expect. On a southbound leg you get longer stretches on deck watching the bank go past. Northbound you arrive earlier and spend more of the afternoon moored.

Neither is better. It depends whether the river or the temples are the part you came for.

Does the boat matter more than the Nile cruise direction?

Yes, considerably. Cruise boats vary far more than the photographs suggest, and a refurbished five-star is a different holiday from a tired four. Ask what year the boat was last refitted — the answer is more useful than the star rating.