Nile River Cruises

• Luxor

• Edfu

• Kom Ombo

• Aswan

The Nile lays claim to being the world’s longest river, with this leggy waterway meandering its way through 11 countries. Egypt grabs the lion’s share of it though, and that’s where you’ll be gliding along on our Nile river cruises, with two itineraries to choose from – Legends of the Nile, and Ancient Gods and famous Pharaohs. They both start and finish in one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, Luxor. Often dubbed ‘the world’s greatest open-air museum’ for its ancient sites, it’s also home to the famous Valley of the Kings and the impressive temples of Luxor and Karnak. The latter hosts a Hollywood-style sound and light show, which brings the old place to life, and the two temples are connected by the distinctive Sphinx Avenue, which is lined with more than 1,000 statues of sphinxes and rams’ heads. Between the Luxor sandwich, there are stops in Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan. Edfu’s big claim to fame is the Temple of Horus – one of the country’s best-preserved temples – while Kom Ombo has a striking temple of its own, with a unique ‘double’ design. And as for Aswan, you can venture out from there to UNESCO-approved temples in Abu Simbel and Philae. The latter sits on its own island a short boat ride away from the city. Speaking of the city, that’s where the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk take centre stage on the sightseeing front.