If you thought that a trip to Egypt meant only a visit to the Pyramids, then think again, as going to Egypt and missing out on the Nile River Cruises is indeed regrettable! This beautiful African nation has a lot to offer and if you are looking to enjoy a true blend of luxury and adventure then do avail the Nile River Cruises.

The Nile River Cruises give the tourists a peek into the Egyptian village life. The countryside, still very ancient in the way that people live in clay huts, plough fields manually and use animal pulled carts as vehicles, can be viewed first hand by the passengers while sunbathing on the deck of a cozy ship.

Depending on your choice, you can avail of cruises of short or long duration. The shorter trips, lasting for a three or four days usually Nile River Cruise Ship between Luxor and Aswan. The longer cruises, lasting maybe a couple of week or even more journey further north to Dendera. So if you chose a long Nile River cruise, the attractions would include:

• Trips to Cairo, home to the pyramids
• Museums and other historical places
• A brief voyage to Abu Simbel, the most southern part of Egypt

A Nile River Cruise holiday on the river Nile can be a memorable experience. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation in Egypt, surrounded by the luxuries of comfort, avail the big ships that substitute as floating hotels (Nile River Cruises Ships). Spacious rooms, modern amenities and lip smacking gourmet…it will indeed be a trip to remember. However if the adventurous spirit in you calls out, you can try traveling on the Nile feluccas. These narrow boats will not be as luxurious as the big ships, but sleeping on the deck and having sailors double as cooks has its own charm, and if this kind of a holiday calls out to you, you will have a great time!

The Nile River Cruises are available all year round, but in mid April, locks on the Nile are shut because of water levels. The best time to go on a cruise on the Nile is October to March when all the locks are open and the weather is nice and cool.

So plan a cruise holiday on the River Nile and get set to experience the land of the pyramids closely.

 
Egypt is the land in which civilization was nurtured. Steeped in history, it evokes memories of a glorious past. For millenniums, Egypt was and still is the cradle of civilization; it's rich in history and monuments proof of the heritage of humanity. En-route between Aswan sightseeing and Luxor sightseeing on a Luxury Nile Cruises ships is the only way to appreciate the mysteries of all Ancient Egypt in Aswan (Nile Felucca), Kom Ombo, Edfu, Esna, Luxor, Qena, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple, Kom Ombo Temple, Edfu Temple, Ramsis Temple, Nefertari Temple, Horus Temple.

Egypt Nile River Cruises | Luxury Nile Cruises | Sonesta Nile Cruises | Oberoi Nile Cruises

Ancient Egypt is home to some of world's greatest wonders and some of these treasured sites are situation along the Nile River between Aswan and Luxor.

An Ancient Egypt trip along the Nile River is like a journey back in time itself. You can travel in comfort on this Pharaonic dynasty making stops at the landmarks of history; your voyage will be a luxurious passage of discovery. Nile River Cruises begin in Aswan or Luxor, covering a distance of 200 kilometers.

Throughout your Nile River Cruise you will be accompanied by a knowledgeable tour guide who will provide in-depth insights and a comprehensive understanding of the ancient Egypt Kingdoms.

The Nile River, longest river in the world, located in northeastern Africa. From its principal source, Lake Victoria, in east central Africa, the Nile flows north through Uganda, Sudan, and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea, a distance of 5584 kilometers (3470 miles). From its remotest headstream in Burundi, the river is 6,695 kilometers (4,160 miles) long. A traditional Nile river cruise start and end in either Aswan or Luxor (embarkation points) covering a distance of 200 kilometers. To view a map of the Nile cruise route

The river basin covers an area of more than 3,349,000 sq kilometers (more than 1,293,000 square miles). In pre-historic times, primeval forests covered the river banks when the river was a vast swamp composed of rushes, papyrus, and weeds. However, due to thousands of years of human intervention, the Nile throughout Egypt flows peacefully through green fields - looking much like a rich, well cultivated European plain. The Delta, an area of about 10,000 square miles, is a broad swamp intersected by canals. The Mediterranean Sea influences this region bringing a regular winter rainy season. The Upper Nile valley is one great waterway, with insignificantly small irrigation canals scattered along its length. It is much drier than the Delta, with little to no rain. The lack of seasons makes it much easier to cultivate the land in the Upper Nile. Thus it was cultivated first and is much less swampy than the Delta, which is still being converted into arable land.

In Luxor cross the West Bank to the Necropolis of Thebes and Oris, God of the underworld. Venture into the tomb of the Boy King Tut-Ankh-Amun. En-route at Esna, visit the recently excavated temple of god Khnum and then stop over at the Temple of Horus built in commemoration of the battle between Horus and his brother Set. Further down the river the Temple of Kom Ombo is dedicated to the crocodile and healer gods. At Aswan wrap up the journey with a ride in a lateen-sailed Nile Felucca and a visit to the Temple of Philae dedicated to the Goddess Isis.

Following is a list of our featured Luxury Nile River cruise ships we offer. We personally select each Luxury Nile River cruise ship we offer based on stringent quality control standards. We are confident you too will appreciate our selection we discriminately recommend. Ancient Egypt Sightseeing excursions are included in our Nile River cruises; guided sightseeing in Aswan, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Luxor, Karnak temple. Time permitting optional day tour to Abu Simbel may be included which start and end in Aswan.

We offer Nile River Cruises starting from 4 days / Nile River Cruises starting from 3 nights up to 8 days / Nile River Cruises starting from 7 nights. The number of days you want to cruise on the Nile River and the Nile River cruise ship you choose will determine the Egypt sightseeing excursions in your Nile River cruise. Following is a general list of Egypt Sightseeing and excursions included for various Nile River cruises:

Following is a list of our featured Nile River cruises ships we offer categorized by standard. To view complete details including day-by-day sailing itineraries and routes for a specific Nile River cruise ship click on the name of the Nile River cruise ship of your choice.

We offer different Egyptian holidays combining a Nile River cruise with visits to the main sights of Egypt. We offer many cruise and stay options, of lengths from 8 to 17 days. Itineraries can include Red Sea Diving Holidays, Red Sea Liveaboard Safari, Western Desert Oasis Safari, Cairo and the Pyramids, or extensions to Abu Simbel by lake Nasser Nile River cruise ship or air.

Visits to Cairo are usually based on Giza to the south east of the city, where you find the Pyramids and the Sphinx and be amazed by their size. The fascinating Egyptian Museum includes the burial treasures of the Pharaoh Tutankhamun. In the evening is a Sound and Light Show in the shadow of the Sphinx.

From Cairo fly to Luxor or Aswan to join your Nile River cruise ship - alternatively start your holiday by direct flight to Luxor. From Luxor some cruises go north to Dendera, for a visit to the temple of the God Hathor, then sail back to Luxor.

From Luxor visit the Valley of the Kings, with its hundreds of tombs, most famously that of Tutankhamun. See also the Valley of the Queens, Deir El Bahri, the mortuary temple of Queen Hatsheput and the Colossi of Memnon. Cruises also offer visits to the temple complexes of Luxor and Karnak, both noted architectural sights.

Your cruise ship sails via the river lock at Esna to Edfu. The temple of Edfu, dedicated to the falcon-headed God Horus, is one of the best preserved in Egypt. Further down the River Nile is the famous Kom Ombo temple dedicated to the crocodile God Sobek, with its mummified crocodiles.

Aswan is a colorful city, noted for its markets. Visit the Aswan High Dam, and the temple of Philae, which was dismantled and rebuilt to avoid being submerged under the Dam's rising waters. Kitcheners Island is a beautiful botanic garden with many exotic plants and trees.

From Aswan there are excursions by air to the temples of Abu Simbel. This massive ancient site was moved from its original position and rebuilt to avoid being submerged by the rising waters of the new Lake Nasser. The people in the picture (bottom right) indicate its huge size.

It is also possible to cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel and see marvelous desert landscapes, particularly sunrises and sunsets. This allows visits to temples and sights only accessible by water, on the shores of Lake Nasser. There are virtually no towns or villages, or mooring sites, so small boats are used for transport ashore. Excursions include Wadi El Seboua and the temple of Ramsis II, Kasr Ibrim and the relocated temple of Amada.

The Luxury Nile River Cruises listing below shows the length of each cruise holiday and the areas covered. Kindly Click on the Luxury Nile River Cruise name to reach the detailed information pages.  

Abu Simbel 

Trip to Abu Simbel 

Tour to Abu Simbel . . . a witness turned to stone as evidence to posterity of the power of the divine Pharaoh.

 The Abu Simbel temples were carved out of a mountain on the west bank of the Nile. There are two: the colossal temple of Ramsis, which was dedicated to the Egyptian gods Ra-Horakhty, Amun and Ptah, and to the deified pharaoh himself. The smaller temple of Nefertari was dedicated to Hathor, the cow-headed Egyptian goddess of love. In the doorway to the main temple are four statues of Ramsis, each more than 20 meters high, accompanied by smaller statues of the Queen Mother and Nefertari. Above the doorway stands a figure of the falcon-headed sun-god Ra-Horakhty. Inside, eight statues of Ramsis hold up the roof of the Hypostyle Hall; the relief's on the wall show the pharaoh victorious in various battles. In the next hall, Ramsis temple and Nefertari temple are shown in front of the gods and the solar baroques that will carry them to the underworld. The innermost chamber is the sacred sanctuary, where the gods (including Ramsis) sit on their thrones. Twice a year; every February 22nd and October 22nd at sunrise, light penetrates the temple and illuminates the faces of these figures.

If you decide to stay overnight at Abu Simbel, the Abu Simbel Sound & Light Show is truly memorizing; you will not want to miss this incredible display of history reflecting off the massive stone monuments with laser lights and amphitheater quality background music. Abu Simbel Sound & Light Show is performed every night at the Karnak Temple. At dusk, enjoy a magical experience as floodlit buildings are silhouetted against the volcanic rocks and surrounding water. Let your imagination take you back in time to experience how the ancient Pharaohs might have lived. For complete details for this optional tour excursion

There are evening more that one of Abu Simbel Sound & Light Show available in Aswan at the Philae Temple and in Luxor at the Karnak Temple. Some Nile River cruise schedules afford you time for optional land tour excursions.