egypt’s Luxor / Aswan Nile Cruises


Where it all began F


or centuries taking a boat was the only way to travel around Egypt and the country’s tourism industry started with the Nile cruise. Following the course of the Nile is an impressive and authentic way of tracing the course of Egypt’s fascinating history and having a planned itinerary and personal guide also makes it an ideal introduction to the country for first-time visitors.


Nile cruising has developed considerably over the last decade, with an increase in both boats and quality, including modern facilities and improved cabins. Luxury vessels such as the Oberoi Zahra and Sonesta St George I have on-board spas while other boats on the Nile include a fleet operated by Travco, the ground handling agent of TUI, and Viking, the ground handler for Discover Egypt. Flowing 6,700 km (4,163 miles) from the mountains of central Africa, the Nile is the


world’s second-longest river and nearly a quarter of it flows through Egypt, via Giza, Cairo and towards the east of Alexandria in Rosetta where the delta reaches the Mediterranean Sea. The 209 km (130 mile) stretch of river between Luxor and Aswan comprises the classic seven-night Nile cruise with journeys starting and finishing at both points. Tour operators offer cruises as stand-alone products or part of an extended Egyptian holiday and with full board accommodation and excursions included, cruising is a cost-effective option.


The world’s biggest


Days, interspersed with sightseeing, float by at a leisurely place and meals will feature typical Egyptian cuisine, with dinner often followed by belly dancing and musical entertainment. Visitors looking for an elegant Agatha Christie- style Nile experience should opt for the


Egypt’s tourism industry is, like its history, among the world’s oldest and the traditional ‘classic cruise’ along the Nile river was where it all started back in the 1800s


high-end boats – although even some of them aren’t immune from weekly Egyptian fancy dress competitions and mummy-making contests involving willing volunteers and yards of toilet roll! Luxor, in Upper Egypt, is on the site of


the ancient city of Thebes which once had a population of over a million people and was the centre of the civilized world for more than 2,000 years. Described as the world’s biggest open-air museum, and Egypt’s biggest attraction after the pyramids, it is estimated that it contains about a third of the world’s most valuable monuments and antiquities and they are remarkably well preserved. Dug deep into the desert mountains and dating back to the 11th century BC, the Valley of the Kings contains the tombs of the pharaohs and, most famously, Tutankhamun whose tomb was unearthed by English archaeologist Howard Carter in


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