THE NILE
The soothing sound of afternoon prayers emanates from the minarets on the banks of the river as children play in the water, refreshing themselves from the 38C early afternoon heat. The sun is so intense that we seek out a shady spot on board the sun deck of our Nile river ship to recline and soak in our surroundings, before heading for a dip in the pool.
After the sound of prayers fades
away, a fellow passenger on board Abercrombie & Kent’s Sanctuary Sun Boat IV gasps in astonishment. We peer oÛiÀ vÀom Ìhi «ool Ìo wn` >n >nViinÌ temple, dating back to the time of the Pharaohs, carved into the stone. The view of this structure, thousands of years old, is incredible. But it is a passing sight on our four-night journey along the world’s longest river to visit some of the most sacred and impressive sites in human history. Our journey starts in Luxor, or Thebes to classical historians. At Luxor Temple, on the Nile’s east bank, our guide, Mazen, gives important context to the wonders we will see throughout our trip, telling us about construction techniques likely to have been used to move giant stones and the methods used to engrave and paint hieroglyphics.
As we gaze at the statues of Ramses II
and Tutankhamun and struggle to get the giant obelisk into our pictures, we spot the impressive remains of the Avenue of the Sphinxes, which once
stretched 2,700 metres and linked Luxor and the Karnak temples as a ‘Path of God’. This is all before lunch. We return to the boat where we’re introduced to the unbelievable food that elevates this experience above what other Nile cruises may offer. Freshly-fried mi>Ì >n` wÃh] in`liÃÃ moÕÌhÜ>ÌiÀin} salad platters and a broad selection of Egyptian dishes are on offer – with new options served each day. The desserts are almost as jaw-dropping as the ancient statues.
Cultural marvels
A short felucca boat trip across the river gives us time to digest as we set off for Luxor’s west bank, arguably the most impressive of Egypt’s many archaeological phenomena and where its ancient rulers were buried. First up is the twin statues of Pharoah Amenhotep III, the Colossi of Memnon, where you get a sense of the sheer scale of the monuments the ancient Egyptians created. Onwards to the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, one of few female pharaohs and most likely one of the ÜoÀl`½Ã wÀÃÌ viminiÃÌà voÀ Vh>llin}in} gender roles while in power. Her temple, reminiscent of a scene from Star Wars, is ornately and impressively carved into a giant cliff face.
The next site is perhaps the best known in all of ancient Egypt, rivalling even the Pyramids of Giza. The Valley
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OPPOSITE: FIRST ROW: nomad riding a camel near the Pyramids; Standard King Cabin SECOND ROW: Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut; writer Ben Ireland; hieroglyphics at the Temple of Hathor, Dendera THIRD ROW: lounge on Sanctuary Sun Boat IV FOURTH ROW: sun deck on Sanctuary Sun Boat IV; Ramesses II by Luxor Temple PREVIOUS PAGE: Aerial view of feluccas on the Nile Credits: Shutterstock/AlexAnton; Sanctuary/Jonathan Stokes; Unsplash/Jeremy Bezanger
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ASPIRE SEPTEMBER 2022
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