When visiting Egypt, images of the ancient world spring to mind and trust us, on this river cruise down the world’s longest river, the Nile river, you will get plenty of ancient Egyptian delights to explore.
Wonders of the Nile – Cairo to Aswan – 15 days
When visiting Egypt, images of the ancient world spring to mind and trust us, on this river cruise down the world’s longest river, the Nile river, you will get plenty of ancient Egyptian delights to explore.
With its varied landscape and culture, perhaps the best way to cover the breadth of the country is by a relaxing river cruise? We certainly think so here at Suitcase Travel.
This holiday starts in the metropolitan capital city of Moscow where you will get to see an array of UNESCO-listed monuments including the magnificent 70- acre Kremlin fortress and historic Red Square. After leaving Moscow, you will see a whole different side to Russia as you cruise down then River Volga. As you relax, you will notice swathes of ancient silver-birch forests, centuries-old churches and brightly painted timber houses in quintessential villages lost in time.
On this holiday, you will also be lucky enough to cruise the waters of the River Svir, which is located between Lake Onega to the wild marshlands of Lake Ladoga, two of Europe’s largest lakes before ending the holiday in Russia’s other magnificent city, St. Petersburg.
Day 1: Day 1 - Depart the UK
Today you will fly directly from London Heathrow to Cairo and will board the MS Movenpick Darakum in the late evening, which will be your home for the next ten nights.
Day 2: Day 2 - Cairo; Egyptian Pyramids and Museum
Today you will get an up-close view of the three main pyramids of Giza where you will be awed by their size. You can choose to enter the pyramids but this is payable locally. Nearby, you will see the world’s largest free-standing sculpture, the Sphinx of Giza.
Afterwards, it is time to explore all the treasures in the Egyptian Museum. A highlight is the dedicated section to what was buried in Tutankhamun’s tomb. There was so much buried with him that it took ten years to examine, photograph, catalogue and finally remove all the items. There are also plenty of items to see showing how the ordinary people in Ancient Egyptian times lived, giving you a true idea of what it was like back then.
Day 3: Day 3 - Saqqara and Coptic Museum
You head south to the pyramids at the necropolis of Saqqara. Soon the lush fields give way to barren desert and you will see the giant ‘step’ pyramid. What makes this so special is that it was built using smaller bricks than those used for the Pyramids of Giza and thus showing how the ancient Egyptians evolved their building techniques over time.
The afternoon will be spent going to old part of Cairo where you will learn about the city’s Christian history including a visit to the Hanging Church. Afterwards, you will continue to the Coptic Museum and the nearby Ben Ezra synagogue, said to be where the Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses in his basket amongst the reeds.
Day 4: Days 4 & 5 - Full days sailing and relaxing
Day 5: Day 6 – Beni Hassan Tombs
After breakfast, you will set out with a visit to Tuna El Gebel, the necropolis of Hermopolis, sacred to the Greek god Hermes and his Egyptian counterpart Thoth, God of writing and wisdom. Explore the tomb of Petosiris and the catacombs which once held thousands of mummified ibis and baboons.
Once you have indulged in a tasty lunch on board, we continue with a tour of the tombs at Beni Hassan, with wonderful views across the valley.
Day 6: Day 7 – Amarna
Amarna was the capital city for a brief time during the reign of Pharaoh Akhenaten and his queen Nefertiti. You will visit Akhenaten’s tomb, as well as those of some of his courtiers.
Day 7: Day 8 – Full day sailing and relaxing
Today is all about putting your feet up after a busy few days exploring as you continue your journey southwards. It is time to start getting excited about the second part of this river cruise with the best temples and sites coming up in the next few days.
Day 8: Day 9 – Abydos
You will be seeing a real highlight of Ancient Egypt today. Abydos remains one of ancient Egypt’s most mysterious sites, with the Great Temple of Seti I as its centrepiece. Dedicated to the cult of Osiris, god of the dead, Abydos was a pilgrimage centre for thousands of years. The temple is known for its Gallery of the Kings, which lists all the pharaohs, as well as some hieroglyphs which look like modern machines! We sail on to Qena where we moor overnight.
Day 9: Day 10 – Dendera
It is here where you will find the temple of Hathor. It is one of the most complete and best-preserved in all of Egypt. Hathor was the Egyptian goddess of love, beauty, joy and healing, and her temple, although only completed in Roman times, nevertheless follows the architecture and style of much older temples. Once you have marvelled at this spectacular site, you will sail the short distance to Luxor where you will moor overnight.
Day 10: Day 11 – Luxor West Bank
The river cruise will continue to the west bank for the Valley of the Kings before going to Howard Carter’s house, which is next to a replica of Tutankhamun’s temple. The morning’s excursions ends at the mortuary temple of Hatshepsut, the first female pharaoh before heading back to the ship for an afternoon of relaxation.
Day 11: Day 12 – Karnak and Luxor Temples
This morning you will be visiting the Temple of Karnak. The astounding Hypostyle Hall is the most awe-inspiring part of this vast complex, said to be the largest religious centre of the ancient world. We also visit the Temple of Luxor. After lunch, it is time to set sail again for Edfu where you will be moored overnight.
Day 12: Day 13 – Kom Ombo
This is a unique temple because it is dedicated to not just one but in fact two gods, Horus and Sobek. There was a lake with sacred crocodiles and archaeologists have since found many mummies nearby that is believed were for the crocodiles.
Day 13: Day 14 – Aswan
After arriving back in Aswan the previous night, today is your last full day in Egypt. You will see the famous Aswan High Dam, which is another one of Egypt’s greatest achievements. You will see the temple of Philae and the Nubian Museum. The day will end with something very special. You will enjoy a felucca sail as the sun sets to Kitchener Island, which the general converted to a botanical park.
Day 14: Day 15 – Fly back home
Today is a sad day as your river cruise along the River Nile comes to an end. You will be transferred to Luxor Airport to get your flight back home via Cairo.
One of the smaller ships on the Nile, with just 52 cabins and suites, the five-star MS Movenpick Darakum has been designed with a low draft in order to navigate the full length of the Nile in Egypt. It is currently the only vessel regularly operating this route, so this cruise is very much a unique experience!
Can’t see what you are looking for? Don’t worry, in all probability we can still do it.
Call us on 01582 349480.
A family run boutique travel agency, we specialise in creating memorable travel experiences. Offering unique adventures, tailored to your specific requirements, we focus solely on you, helping you to understand the experience that your holiday will give you and equipping you with those all-important tips that will help to make your holiday that extra bit special. Oh, and the best part? Our service is free – it literally costs you no more than if you were to book direct. Come and talk to us and we’ll help you to create memories that really will last a lifetime.
Sign up for our newsletter to receive special offers and new itineraries first.
Get our latest news and offers direct to your inbox – be the first to know when a new Suitcase Adventure is launched
Suitcase Travel is not about selling holidays, but finding and creating memorable travel experiences that you will want to share with friends and family for years after.
The search engines on this site and holidays found in results are for inspiration and price guide.
Suitcase Travel sells travel services on behalf of Hays Travel Limited and benefits from Hays Travel’s membership of ABTA with membership number ABTA P8282 and ABTA Members help holidaymakers to get the most from their travel and assist them when things do not go according to plan. We are obliged to maintain a high standard of service to you by ABTA’s Code of Conduct.
For further information about ABTA, the Code of Conduct and the arbitration scheme available to you if you have a complaint, contact ABTA, 30 Park Street, London SE1 9EQ. Tel: 020 3117 0599 or www.abta.com
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides up to the minute advice for British nationals travelling abroad. We recommend that all prospective travellers check FCO advice when planning journeys and again immediately before travelling. Please click here for foreign travel advice.
