Nile River Cruise

candid Egypt tips

 

Why a
Nile River Cruise
is special

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A Nile River Cruise takes you up close through 5,000 years of ancient Egyptian history. And, as your boat smoothly glides by the palm-tree dotted river banks, you view timeless farming scenes and drifting sand dunes.

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Nile River Cruise
tips & insights

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Most popular  itinerary

There are several Nile River Cruise itineraries. By far the most popular is the 4-day journey between Luxor and Aswan (see red line on map).

The 4-day trip offers you a choice of either sailing upriver or downriver. If you choose the first, you fly from Cairo to Luxor and fly back to Cairo from Aswan. If your boat travels downriver, you do the opposite.

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Longer itineraries

A few Nile River Cruises start and end in Cairo and usually take 10 to 12 days. Some tourists enjoy their leisurely pace.

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Luxor to Aswan

Most travelers, however, save time and money by choosing the 4-day journey between Luxor and Aswan, with stops in between. That's by far the most interesting stretch for sightseeing.

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Top 3 Nile Cruise attractions

They are all on the Luxor to Aswan cruise tour itinerary. Each has won a Hillman Wonders Gold Medal. Click their blue names to view my web pages on them.

Abu Simbel
Four great statues of Rameses II guard his temple's entrance. You fly from Aswan city to Abu Simbel (45 minutes). Or, you can take a bus (several hours).

Abu Simbel

Karnak
It is by far the largest of its kind in the world. The Great Hypostyle Hall is particularly impressive. It is situated in Luxor city.

Karnak

Valley of the Kings
The carved underground tombs of 60 pharaohs are here, including that of Tutankhamun (King Tut). It is near Luxor.

Valley of the Kings

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Other top attractions

These five temples are also major Nile River Cruise must-sees:

Edfu
Best preserved and second largest temple in Egypt. Only Karnak is larger.

Esna
A Ptolomaic-era sanctuary surrounded by a modern era city.

Hapshepsut
She was Egypt's greatest female pharaoh.

Kom Ombo
A double temple. One half is dedicated to Horus, the other half to Sobek.

Luxor
Sits next to Karnak Temple and is almost as grand.

Other highlights include Valley of the Queens, Philae Temple, and Aswan High Dam.

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Scenes from your boat

A Nile River Cruise is more than exploring ancient ruins. As you cruise, you see many rural scenes such as tiny minaretted villages living at a traditional pace. You also view white-galabiya-dressed farmers working their small fields with animal-pulled wooden plows, as their distant ancestors did. And, you frequently see gently moving felucca sailboats (see photo above).

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Encroaching desert

A thin strip of cultivated land is all that separates the adjoining desert from reaching the Nile River (sometimes the relentless desert wins).

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Nile River Cruise

boat & cabin

selection tips

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Save time, money and disappointment by clicking the link below to read my candid pointers:

Nile Cruise boat and cabin tips

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