Cruising the Nile

The Nile is Egypt's defining feature. A multi-day sail on this famous river, which saw the emergence of the Pharaonic era, is a highlight of many visitors' Egypt trips.

Cruising the Nile is also the most relaxing way to visit the temples that dot the riverbanks between Luxor and Aswan, and dawn and sunset over the date-palm-studded riverbanks, backed by sand dunes, is one of Egypt's most serene sights. The Temple of Kom Ombo and Edfu's Temple of Horus, where all the major cruise boats stop, are the two most famous sights on a Nile Cruise. You may also cruise the Nile by felucca (Egypt's traditional lateen-sailed wooden boats) if you want a less crowded and slower experience and don't mind "roughing it" a little. The majority of cruise ship itineraries depart from Luxor or Aswan, although feluccas may only be chartered from Aswan for multi-day trips.