River Nile Cruises
Luxury River Nile Cruises
Picture yourself cruising the Nile like Cleopatra or the royal pharaohs of days gone by! A luxury holiday in the form of an unhurried cruise is a unique way of discovering the wonders of Egypt because of the many elegant features on the ships themselves plus the excursions that the ship can arrange onshore with reputable local tour guides to show you the fascinating sights of Egypt.
Although some of the ships are smaller, they have the finest of comfortable accommodations and resident gourmet chefs who prepare international and ethnic dishes. Included are such tasty selections as kebabs with rice and baked cauliflower or rice with a special sauce and tender bits of fish or poultry, and perhaps topped off with a special pudding or a fragrant compote with large pieces of fruit.
You can choose from a typical ship, riverboat, sailing vessel, or steamship depending on your mood. The shorter cruises of 3, 4 or 7 nights are long enough because there are short distances between major areas and attractions.
What type of local and ancient attractions can you arrange to explore? Archaeological sites and artifacts are abundant. There is the Sphinx, the renowned pyramids dating back to the oldest from the 27th century BC, monuments, temples with hieroglyphics, monasteries, catacombs. the tomb of Nefertiti, and much more.
The city of Cairo has the Egyptian Museum with over 120,000 Pharoanic treasures.
Alexandria (”the pearl of the Mediterranean”) was the setting for Cleopatra and Mark Anthony’s romance, and you can also see the Roman Theatre, the El-Mursi Abul-Abbas Mosque, and the underground caves. In Dendera you can visit the Temple of Hathor, which is one of Egypt’s best-preserved temples containing a rare depiction of Cleopatra and her son.
The West Bank of the Nile has the two gigantic statues, the Colossi of Memnon; also the Valley of the Kings, the burial site of many Pharaohs. In Kom Ombo there is a double temple, the only one dedicated to two gods.
In Karmak you can see the slowly reconstructed Red Chapel of Queen Hatshepsut where 315 original blocks that laid side by side until 1997 began to be fitted together to re-form the structure of black granite with red quartzite walls.
Just imagine being able to combine a luxury cruise with exploring the many historic destinations in Egypt.