This iconic tour allows you to sail all the way from the Pyramids and Sphinx in Cairo, south to the main Nile cruising section of the river between Luxor and Aswan.
The lower parts of the Nile between Cairo and Abydos were closed to Nile cruisers for many years, and still only a handful of boats and departures run all the way from Cairo to Luxor each year. This tour offers you an exciting opportunity to be one of the few to enjoy this long sail and to visit sites such as Tel Amarna, Beni Hassan and Hermopolis which are rarely visited by tourists. The cruise also passes through some of the Nile Valley's most rural areas where you can see typical Egyptian life pass you by on the banks of the river the parts of the Nile After reaching Luxor, the river becomes much busier as you visit the west bank sites of the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatchepsut Temple and the Colossi of Memnon. East bank visits in Luxor include Karnak and Luxor temples. For those who have selected the 15 day version of this cruise, you'll then continue south past Edfu and Komombo temples before arriving at your final destination, Aswan. There are more sites to see here including the beautiful island temple of Philae, and an optional tour to the temples of Abu Simbel which were dismantled and rebuilt when Lake Nasser was flooded.
The cruise will come to an end in either Luxor (12 day cruise) or Aswan (15 day cruise), from where you can fly home (normally via Cairo if flying with Egypt Air).
Upon arrival at Cairo airport, we will meet & greet you and transfer you directly to your Nile Cruise boat. The rest of the day is free for you to settle in and relax on board the boat or start to explore Cairo. The evening is spent moored up on the Nile in Cairo. Extra days in a hotel in Cairo are available if you would like to arrive earlier.
Your tours start today with visits to some of Egypt's most well-known attractions. Your first stop is the famous Pyramids and Sphinx in Giza, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Next you head into central Cairo to explore Pharaonic history at the Egyptian Museum, which is also home to the treasures from King Tutankhamun's Tomb. The evening is spent on board your Nile Cruise boat in Cairo.
Today we head to the outskirts of Cairo for more insight into the history and evolution of pyramid building, and of the Egyptian civilisation. First we'll visit Saqqara, a huge desert necropolis which was built for the kings and nobles of the Old Kingdom. Here we see Zoser's 'step' pyramid and the adjacent Imhotep museum where we learn more about Memphis and the history of the region. Next we'll head to Memphis, which was a former capital of Ancient Egypt.
Today we start sailing south for Beni Suef, and as the ship cruises along the Nile you can witness rural Egyptian life pass by. The whole day is free for relaxation and to enjoy the ships amenities.
Today we start cruising early, before breakfast. The journey to Minya is a long one and we aim to arrive in Minya just after lunch at around 2pm, where we spend the afternoon exploring the nearby by sites. The first tour of the afternoon is to Tuna al Gebel where you'll visit the Tomb of Petosiris, which has a unique fusion of Greek and Egyptian architectural styles. Next you'll also visit Ashmunein, site of Hermopolis a major city in antiquity, before spending the night on board your cruise ship in Minya.
This morning we'll visit Tuna al-Gabel, whose name comes from the nearby ancient necropolis. In Pharaonic times, this region was a cult centre for pilgrims who came to pay homage to the god Thoth. These pilgrims often brought with them Ibises and Baboons which they gave to the priests to embalm - it is thought that in excess of 2 million of these animals were sacrificed here. The mummified remains of these animals were then placed in a necropolis, which some believe stretches as far as Hermopolis. The best preserved site at Tuna al-Gabel is the tomb of Petosiris and his family. Petosiris lived in the time of Alexander the Great and the interior of the tomb demonstrates a fusion of Greek and Egyptian styles.
Later today we'll visit Beni Hassan. The majority of the 39 tombs here are unfinished; however they demonstrate the transitional period between the traditional Mastaba type tombs of the Old Kingdom and the deep cut tombs which can be seen in the Valley of the Kings. During this Middle Kingdom period provincial dignitaries began to show their independence by commissioning grand burials in the local area, rather than at sites such as Saqqara. The tombs are decorated with Pharaonic iconography and unique murals which depict wrestling scenes.. Overnight on board in Minya.
Today you will sail to Tel El Amarna, the home of the 'Amarnian experience'
We'll have a relaxing day today, sailing south to Sohag. Meals will be served during the course of the day and you'll have the opportunity to relax beside the onboard pool, whilst witnessing typical Egyptian life along the banks of the River Nile. In the evening, there will be music within the bar.
Our tour today will take us to Abydos, birthplace of the legend of Osiris. The ancient Egyptians believed that Osiris was resurrected at Abydos after he was killed by his brother Seth. Osiris was then granted powers to become the lord of the Afterlife.
Today we sail a little further south to the temple of Dendera. This important temple is dedicated to Hathor - the goddess of joy, dance and love. The ancient Egyptians believed that Hathor had healing powers, so often brought their sick to Dendra to be cured. After plenty of time exploring the temple we'll continue sailing the rest of the way to Luxor. In the evening we'll be joined by a belly dancer for some traditional entertainment.
Luxor is often referred to as the world's largest outdoor musuem and this morning we cross the Nile early this morning to begin our tour of West Bank. Home to the Valley of the Kings, the dusty tombs in this ancient burial site are still revealing their secrets today and so it remains one of the most important archaeological sites in the world. Our tour includes several of these Pharaonic tombs, as well as the temple of Queen Hatchepsut.
We'll have breakfast on board today before visiting the huge temple complex at Karnak, once the religious centre of Thebes and Upper Egypt. It was linked to Luxor by an extensive avenue, lined with sphinxes, and the whole complex was in turn linked to the Nile via a canal through which moved the sacred boats of the god Amun. Entering through a smaller sphinx-lined avenue, built by Ramesses II, you come to the immense pylon entrance. Inside the huge Courtyard are three chapels dedicated to the gods Amun, Khous and Mut. The remarkable Hypostyle Hall has 134 towering columns, each carved with scenes of gods and pharaohs, and hieroglyphic inscriptions adorn the walls.We'll also visit the smaller Luxor temple in the centre of town. You have a little more free time in Luxor before the boat begins to sail further south towards Edfu where we'll spend the night on board.
Today we visit the impressive riverside Temple of Edfu, which is dedicated to the god Horus. The temple is one of the best-preserved temple in Egypt, so this visit is not to be missed. Sailing further south, towards Aswan, we'll stop at the unusual double temple of Komombo, which is dedicated to the gods Sobek and Horus. The unique design of the temple means that everything is perfectly symmetrical along the main temple axis. Whilst visiting the temple, you may also get the chance to see one of the mummified crocodiles which are on display here. From Komombo you'll sail the rest of the way to Aswan where you'll spend the night on board.
This morning we take a short boat trip to the beautiful island temple of Philae. We'll also drive across the Aswan High Dam, which holds back the waters of Lake Nasser. After lunch we'll spend a little time visiting the Nubian Museum, where you can learn more about the Nubian people who inhabit much of southern Egypt.
Your tour end today after breakfast, but you may consider taking an optional sunrise tour to the stunning temples of Abu Simbel, situated on the shores of Lake Nasser. This optional tour requires a very early start and should expect to arrive back into Aswan by 1pm. We recommend booking a flight out of Aswan no earlier than 6pm to allow for of any delays on the road back from Abu Simbel.
We can assist with extra nights' hotel accommodation in Aswan if required as well as international flights into Cairo and out of Aswan (these will return via Cairo with Egypt Air). Please ask for details.
Later, we'll have a guided tour of the Coptic area of Cairo where the Romans constructed the fortress of Babylon. The church of St. Mary was built over the ruins of two towers of the fortress whilst it is more commonly known as the Hanging Church next stop is St. Sergius which is said to be the resting place of the Holy Family. Time will also be taken to visit the Coptic Museum.
Visit the northern tombs of Tel El Amarna, the Royal Tomb of Akhenaten, the northern palace and the small temples of Aten. Stop in front of Prince Tawdrous Monastery to view the monastery from the boat (guide will of course provide some explanation on the importance of the monastery).
While at Abydos you'll also visit the temple of Seti I, who founded Abydos. The temple was not finished during the lifetime of Seti, but was finally finished during the rule of his well-known son Ramses II.
Later, we'll return back to the boat and sail to Naga Hammadi via Naga Hammadi Bridges.
Cruise Boat Gala Dinners
Many of Egypt's hotels and Nile cruise boats arrange a very special gala dinner with entertainment in the evening on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. Payment for these is often optional on Christmas Eve (24 Dec) but may be compulsory on New Year's Eve (31 Dec), whether you attend or not. Prices can range from around US$50 to over US$150 per person. Final decisions on prices and whether dinners are compulsory are made relatively close to the time. We aim to always select hotels that make their Gala Dinners optional, though this is not always possible. Gala dinner prices are therefore not included in our prices above, but will be added to your booking if they become required. More information is available on request.
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