The unforgettable experience of observing the ancient wonders of Egypt and beauty of African landscapes can be gained on any of the Nile river cruises. The lifeline of the ancient civilization, the Nile features you the remarkable sights of the country from Luxor to Aswan and some of the most amazing ancient sites in the world including the incredible Valley of the Kings, the mortuary temple of Queen Hatsheput and the Colossi of Memnon and that of Tutankhamen and the astonishing temples of Karnak and Luxor. Your cruise ship may also navigate to Edfu, which temple, dedicated to the falcon-headed God Horus, is one of the most well-preserved in Egypt. Down the river there is the Kom Ombo temple erected to glorify the crocodile God Sobek, with its mummified crocodiles. You may also stop at Aswan and observe its Aswan High Dam, and the temple of Philae which was taken to pieces and then rebuilt to avoid being sunk under the Dam's rising waters. From this city you may head to the temples of Abu Simbel. This grand construction was taken from its original position and re-erected as the rising waters of Lake Nasser could immerse them. You may also cruise from Aswan to Abu Simbel and see enchanting desert landscapes, particularly beautiful at dawns and sunsets. The off shore excursions usually include Wadi El Seboua and the temple of Ramses II, Kasr Ibrim and the removed temple of Amada.

From the sun deck of the cruise ship, Egypt's beauty reveals itself gradually, each bend of the river brings a new amazement. On a bend north of Aswan, the boat sails to the temple of Kom Ombo as the sun approaches to starboard. You will see a scene that didn’t altered much in the 2,000 years since Cleopatra's royal barge navigated these waters: Elegant columns stand in the luminous dusk, and hieroglyphics unveil a 365-day calendar with three seasons—summer, winter, and flood.

The 130 miles of relics between Luxor and Aswan have become a highway for floating hotels. Twenty-five years ago there were only a dozen of boats; today the Egyptian government, worried about pollution and crowding, reduced the number of vessels at around 300. Given so many options, selecting a riverboat today can be rather hard thing to do.

At first glance, Nile Cruises seem to be the same. First, there are a lot of options. Owing to the airline schedules, you are to spend one night in Cairo on arrival, and one night on departure. Then the ships sail from Luxor to Aswan (or the otherwise), calling at Esna, Edfu, and Kom Ombo along the way. The longest lap between stops is about four hours—the boats moor at night, and navigate in the morning, so you can spend the rest of the day ashore. Most itineraries offer to spend several days in Alexandria and Jordan, so that your trip will last between eight and 13 days.

From the outside, even the boats look shrilly identical. Flat-bottomed with shallow-draft hulls, they are about 220 feet long and 45 feet wide, with four or five decks rising about 35 feet above the water-just like a European riverboat. But if to go inside, it becomes clear they were built to rather as a transportation carrier but not as place for entertaining-there are no early and late dinner sittings, no inside staterooms. Save for the aft part of the lower decks, near the engine room, they're also not as noisy and prone to vibration as cruise ships, as the boats move along at six knots.

Nile Cruise Information >>