Enjoy breakfast onboard your Nile Cruise before meeting your Egyptologist guide and traveling by private air-conditioned vehicle to Luxor’s West Bank to explore some of ancient Egypt’s most remarkable royal monuments.

Valley of the Kings

Primarily used between approximately 1550 and 1070 BC

Begin at the legendary Valley of the Kings, the royal burial ground of Egypt’s New Kingdom pharaohs. Hidden among the desert hills, the valley contains dozens of tombs decorated with colorful paintings, hieroglyphic inscriptions, and scenes from ancient Egyptian funerary texts.

Visit the tombs included in your admission and discover how the ancient Egyptians prepared their kings for the afterlife. Your guide will explain the burial traditions and beliefs that shaped this extraordinary necropolis, including the discovery of Tutankhamun’s famous tomb in 1922.

Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

Continue to the magnificent Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari, built during the 18th Dynasty in the 15th century BC. Set dramatically against towering limestone cliffs, this unique mortuary temple is renowned for its elegant terraces, long colonnades, and carefully designed architectural lines.

Dedicated to Queen Hatshepsut, one of ancient Egypt’s most successful female rulers, the temple features detailed reliefs illustrating religious ceremonies and important events associated with her reign.

Colossi of Memnon

Conclude your sightseeing program at the Colossi of Memnon, two colossal stone statues depicting Pharaoh Amenhotep III, dating to approximately 1350 BC. Each statue once stood before the entrance to the pharaoh’s enormous mortuary temple, much of which has since disappeared.

Take memorable photographs and learn how these monumental figures have watched over the Theban Necropolis for more than 3,000 years.

Return to Your Nile Cruise

After completing your West Bank visits, travel by private air-conditioned vehicle back to the cruise dock and reboard your Nile Cruise.

Continue sailing south along the Nile, enjoying the peaceful river scenery, green riverbanks, and traditional villages along the way. Relax onboard and take in the changing landscapes as your journey continues toward the southern Nile Valley.

Helpful Hint: Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. The Valley of the Kings and Temple of Hatshepsut involve walking in exposed areas, so remember to stay hydrated.

Enjoy breakfast onboard your Nile Cruise as you sail along the majestic Nile, taking in views of lush riverbanks, palm groves, and traditional Egyptian villages.

Edfu Temple

Built mainly between 237 and 57 BC

After breakfast, meet your Egyptologist guide and disembark to visit Edfu Temple, one of the best-preserved ancient temples in Egypt and an outstanding example of Ptolemaic architecture. Dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god associated with kingship and protection, the temple was constructed over several centuries during the Ptolemaic Period.

Explore its massive entrance pylons, impressive courtyards, towering columns, and beautifully preserved reliefs depicting religious ceremonies and ancient Egyptian myths. Your guide will explain the temple’s importance as a major center of worship for Horus.

After the visit, return to your Nile Cruise and reboard the ship to continue sailing along the Nile.

Kom Ombo Temple

Mainly constructed during the Ptolemaic Period, approximately 180–47 BC

Later, disembark to explore Kom Ombo Temple, a remarkable riverside sanctuary distinguished by its unusual double design. The temple was dedicated to two deities: Sobek, the crocodile god associated with the Nile and fertility, and Horus the Elder, a falcon-headed god.

Discover its twin entrances, symmetrical halls, carved columns, and detailed wall reliefs. Your guide will also explain the temple’s religious significance and its distinctive connection with Sobek, including the ancient Egyptians’ reverence for crocodiles.

After completing your visit, return to the cruise dock and reboard your Nile Cruise.

Dinner and Overnight Onboard

Enjoy dinner onboard as your cruise continues along the Nile. Spend the evening relaxing and appreciating the peaceful atmosphere of the river.

Helpful Hint: Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Keep your cruise key and essential belongings with you when disembarking and returning to the ship.

Enjoy breakfast onboard your Nile Cruise before meeting your Egyptologist guide and beginning your sightseeing tour of Aswan. Travel between the attractions by private air-conditioned vehicle.

Aswan High Dam

Completed in 1970

Begin with a visit to the Aswan High Dam, one of Egypt’s most important modern engineering achievements. Completed in 1970, the dam was built to regulate the Nile’s flow, control flooding, support irrigation, and generate hydroelectric power. It also created Lake Nasser, one of the world’s largest artificial lakes.

Learn how this monumental project transformed Egypt’s water management and played a major role in the country’s modern development.

The Unfinished Obelisk

Continue to the Unfinished Obelisk, located in Aswan’s ancient granite quarries. Generally dated to the New Kingdom, this enormous monument was abandoned while still being carved and remains one of the most important examples of ancient Egyptian stoneworking techniques.

Observe the visible cracks in the granite and the surrounding quarry marks, which offer valuable clues about how ancient craftsmen shaped and prepared massive stone monuments. Had it been completed, the obelisk would have been among the largest ever erected.

Philae Temple

Proceed by private air-conditioned vehicle to the Nile waterfront, where you will board a motorboat to Philae Temple.

Visit the beautiful Philae Temple, a magnificent sanctuary dedicated primarily to Isis, the ancient Egyptian goddess of magic and motherhood. The temple complex was originally located on Philae Island but was relocated to nearby Agilkia Island during the international UNESCO-led rescue campaign in the late 1970s and early 1980s to protect it from rising waters following the construction of the Aswan High Dam.

Explore its elegant columns, monumental gateways, and finely carved reliefs while your guide shares the stories and religious significance behind this remarkable site.

After completing your visit, return by motorboat to the Nile waterfront and transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle back to the cruise dock.

Final Evening Onboard

Return to your Nile Cruise and enjoy your final evening onboard, relaxing and taking in the peaceful atmosphere of the Nile as your journey through Upper Egypt draws to a close.

Helpful Hint: Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Keep your essential belongings with you during the motorboat transfer to and from Philae Temple.

Enjoy breakfast onboard your Nile Cruise before completing the check-out and disembarkation procedures.
At the scheduled time, meet your representative and transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle to Aswan Airport for your onward flight or final departure arrangements.
We hope you have enjoyed your journey through Egypt and leave with wonderful memories of its ancient wonders and the beautiful Nile.