Nile Cruise
To fully discover the ancient wonders of Egypt, a cruise on the River Nile is truly an unforgettable experience. The Nile River has been Egypt’s lifeline since ancient times and there is no better way to trace the passage of Egypt’s history than to follow the course of the Nile. Each day gives you every opportunity to explore new sights or simply enjoy a different view.
A first time visitor to Egypt who wants a classical (pharaonic antiquities) experience would do well to book a Nile cruise. Of course modern airlines shuttle tourists to the southern region of Egypt, but historically the Nile cruise was really the only way to visit the temples and tombs located along this stretch of the river. It is still a popular means of visiting upper Egypt and has many advantages to other means of travel.
Around the middle of April, locks on the Nile river are closed due to water levels, ultimate time for a Nile cruise is between October and mid April, when the weather is fairly cool, but the locks are all open. However, most cruise boats operate all year. If the locks are closed, cruise operators will arrange boats on either side of the locks, and a transfer must be made between boats.
A typical three night cruise usually departs from Aswan to Luxor and includes the following visits:
Aswan: The High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk and the Temple of Philae
Kom Ombo: Visit the Temple of Kom Ombo
Edfu: visit the Temple of Edfu
Esna: visit the Esna Temple
Luxor: visit the west bank in Luxor to see, the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, and the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
