Cruise the Nile on Board Luxury Nile River Cruise

What’s it like to take a luxury nile river cruise? Before now, i wouldn’t have been in a position to tell you – i’m now not precisely what you’d call an extravagant traveler. The longest quantity of time i’ve ever spent in a five-megastar motel was when I met a colleague for espresso within the lobby of the ritz carlton. My personal travel ritual starts with yanking my hiking boots out of the closet and knocking the mud off their soles. I suppose simply getting showered counts as a high-priced journey revel in. Luxurious egypt tours aren’t precisely in my ballpark.

However after I had an possibility to head on a 5-star nile river cruise, i knew i couldn’t skip it up. There’s sincerely no purpose now not to explore the surreal temples of historic egypt while crusing down the nile, unless you without a doubt aren’t impressed via the grandeur of some of mankind’s finest ancient achievements – or in case you hate fun, perhaps. When you consider that neither of these statements applies to me, i thankfully packed a bag and boarded a flight to aswan, a small, colourful metropolis inside the south of egypt. A bit over an hour after departing cairo, the aircraft touched down in aswan. I used to be demanding approximately finding the Luxor and Aswan Travel excursions consultant who’d come to pick me up, however i soon determined that i needn’t have worried. The airport turned into a shoebox. Some feet faraway from my arrival gate had been the baggage declare, our guide and the go out. After assembly and greeting some strangers who have been in my small institution of tourists, we boarded a van and drove off to meet our cruise ship.

I checked out the view as we drove out to the ship docked on the riverbank. The structure in aswan is classic nubian style, with airy, open arches, domed ceilings, and brightly painted information in geometric styles. I would see quite a few the equal tucked between arms and open fields over the following couple of days as we sailed up the nile. The cruise deliver became the polar opposite in fashion. The nile cruise became a gleaming white leviathan bedecked with modern fixtures pieces in earthy tones. My cabin had a comparable modern sense, with inviting hues, minimalist information and a lavatory that changed into actually nicer than the one i had at home. The window stretched from ground to ceiling and the view was, in a word, wonderful.

My tour institution became a small accumulating of ten. Most people didn’t recognize each different, however over the following couple of days we'd turn out to be a close-knit institution of pals who continuously giggled like teenagers. After checking in and eating lunch, we left the ship for our first tour collectively. Our guide, mohamed, changed into an egyptian man in his early 1930s with an clean demeanor and perfect english. As we drove up to the high dam and lake nasser, mohamed gave us a present day egyptian records lesson that changed into as charming because it was informative, punctuated via the occasional wry joke. Our subsequent forestall turned into the northern granite quarry. Heaps of years ago, stone became excavated from this website online and transported all of the manner upriver to cairo. The solar beat down on us as we hit mid-afternoon. It become a hundred and twenty°f, but the dry air made the warmth greater tolerable than any of us have been waiting for.

Overdue afternoon got here and we boarded a small motorboat and set out for philae temple, on a small island nestled among rocky shoreline and dense flowers. The nile water become crisp and clean. Collective gasps of awe were issued as we approached the temple, a splendid stone complicated that particularly dates lower back to the ptolemaic nation within the third century b.C.E. A sleek colonnade marked the principle temple front. The beauty of philae temple is something that truely ought to be visible to be understood. We had dinner lower back on board the deliver, which became a fantastically scrumptious mixture of egyptian and global fare. "i'm able to’t agree with i can clearly devour right here," said the vegan sitting next to me. Over the next few days, the staff took obvious pride in the uncommon task (for egypt, as a minimum) of getting ready custom vegan food for her.

The second one day of the cruise was a blur. I awakened to the gentle movement of the cruise crusing north. I had my breakfast with the aid of the window, wherein i could admire the serene view of passing arms and fertile farmland. We reached kom ombo and de-boarded for a excursion of the temple, an uncommon structure divided in for dedication to 2 gods, sobek and horus the elder. The first-rate a part of this experience changed into the crocodile museum, which changed into fitting, for the reason that sobek turned into a crocodile-headed god. I didn’t visit upper egypt for the crocodile mummies, however i’ll sincerely go back to higher egypt for the crocodile mummies.

Mohamed gave us a lesson in bargaining with the nearby dealers, and it paid off; all of us negotiated for ourselves and ended up with egyptian clothing and souvenirs at honest charges. We spent the rest of the day at the sun deck gambling in the pool and enjoying the view as we sailed to edfu. That night we organized excitedly for an egyptian dance celebration and donned our newly-bought galabayas. Egyptians and overseas site visitors alike amassed inside the lengthy, decorated gowns and danced to nearby shaabi tune. If we appeared silly, no one troubled to inform us.

We wakened in edfu. Horus temple (temple of edfu) is without problems the nice vicinity i’ve been in egypt. Its partitions had been buried in sand until 1860, which contributed to the stellar protection of the paint internal. The statues, art work, even the structure itself are a tribute to horus and his great birdly visage. Left to discover freely inside its hallowed halls, i marveled at its precise paintings and slim corridors. Back within the day, it was a sacred region in which only priests could enter. I ought to infrequently believe my success that i was without a doubt allowed in, peasant that i'm. After reluctantly being dragged out of the temple, i joined my institution and we sailed north to luxor, a metropolis so archaeologically rich that it’s essentially an open-air museum.

Until you have got a habit of wandering around ancient temples (i don’t), nothing can prepare you for the emotional gravity of getting into karnak temple. Its towering the front gate and walls are enforcing. Internal, a field of painted, engraved columns stretches closer to the sky. Your eyes can’t assist but be drawn upward. The ceiling is long past now, however the large lotus and papyrus-shaped columns still maintain up a weighty feel of spiritual significance. This vicinity is large. Pharaohs once walked right here, i considered thoughtfully as i wandered around.

It's miles stated that in case you circle the scarab statue in karnak temple three instances, your desire might be granted. I teamed up with a friend from my institution and paced around the limestone beetle. Make this journey ultimate longer, i silently wanted. Luxurious travel changed into surely a long way greater fun than a country backpacker like myself had given it credit for.

The final morning of our nile cruise dawned warm and vibrant. We got up and had breakfast early – we'd go to the valley of the kings these days and desired to beat the summer season warmness. A valley of craggy peaks and crumbly pink rocks conceals the royal tombs of extra than 60 pharaohs, inclusive of queen hatshepsut, celebrated female hero of historic egypt. Mohamed offered us all tickets to explore three tombs. Even as some of us elected to visit the final resting region of the boy king tutankhamun, i selected the tomb of pharaoh merneptah, son of ramses ii. The descent into merneptah’s tomb turned into steep and slender, the air heavy and still. The final resting place of his sarcophagus had been carved deep into the mountain, underneath an indigo ceiling painted with starry skies.

Our closing location to visit became the mortuary temple of queen hatshepsut, famous for not only reigning over egypt as a woman, but arguably doing it better than any of her male predecessors. Mohamed gave us a history lesson packed with data and details interspersed with spiritual and philosophical commentary. His admire for hatshepsut was obvious, and his memories made her temple come to existence. I took a couple of minutes to climb the stairs to the top stage and changed into rewarded with the aid of a view of the orange hills and deep inexperienced fields that took my breath away (this will additionally were because of the steps). Upper egypt is so phenomenally beautiful, it’s hard now not be jealous of the individuals who live there and get to peer it each day.

My new buddies and i were all dropped off on the luxor airport for departure to cairo. Every body regarded lively and refreshed. Anybody were greater than satisfied by way of the tours and sightseeing, but we appreciated it a lot we have been all left wanting a little greater. I don’t suppose every body was geared up to go away their 5-big name floating motel.

Would i do a luxury cruise once more? Surely. I suppose i ought to have enjoyed the experience from any antique lodge, however gradually sailing up the nile has to be one of the quality methods to explore top egypt. Every night time was a time for quiet stargazing whilst paying attention to waves lapping lightly against the ship! Every morning i opened my window to a glorious view of the solar growing over sparkling waters. And sincerely, it felt first-class to be dealt with like a prince for a few days. I was surprised with the aid of how a lot i liked it. I’m not geared up to throw out my trekking boots, but i’m equipped to give "fancy travel" any other pass.