Nile River Cruises
By Judi Cuervo & Heidi Sarna
The Nile River IS Egypt.
This 4,132-mile river, the longest in the world, inspired the ancient Egyptians to become experts in the areas of transportation, shipbuilding, farming, and engineering.
It was also on this serene river that the massive limestone slabs used in the creation of the Egyptian pyramids traveled to their destinations. It’s no wonder that the vast majority of Egypt’s 100 million people live on its banks.
Imagine experiencing the wonders of ancient Egypt from the Nile itself.
Aboard Nile River cruises, you’ll watch visions of Egypt from the outside decks or through your stateroom’s large windows or private balcony. Local children wave enthusiastic greetings as they splash along the riverbanks of the Nile, while water buffalo, donkeys and cows graze as farmers work the strips of farmland flanking the banks of the Nile in much the same way they did in ancient times.
Aboard a luxury river boat on the Nile, you’ll dine on authentically-prepared local favorites like kebabs, beef kotleti, and hummus.
Most Nile cruises are three, four of five nights long, some seven, and they sail from Luxor, either round trip, or between Luxor and Aswan.
The shortest sailings will visit Aswan, Kom-Ombo and Luxor, and longer itineraries will add stops to see the temples of Edfu and Esna.
Basically, there are two kinds of river boats on the Nile:
- a traditional-style shallow-bottomed wooden sailboat called a dahabiya
- a typical modern river boat, usually white, similar to what you’d find on the rivers of Europe
RELATED: Quirky’s Ted Scull gives us an overview of Nile River cruises HERE based on his travel there.
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Chaotic & Compelling Egypt
It’s a must to spend several days in the ancient Egyptian capital of Cairo, before or after Nile River cruises. Home to 20 million people and known as the “city of 1,000 minarets,” Cairo is a swirl of high-rise buildings and chaotic traffic. It combines the ancient and the modern, but you’re there of course to see the old stuff, namely the famous Egyptian Museum.
Housing over 170,000 art and artifacts most from 3,000-1,000 BC, it showcases the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world and it can take days to thoroughly explore its treasures.
Most cruise lines offer multi-day Cairo tours and hotel accommodations as part of their package; or as an extra. If you plan a Cairo stay on your own, you can travel between Cairo and your Nile River boat in Luxor by air or rail.
Egypt Museum in Cairo. * Image: https://egyptianmuseumcairo.eg/
Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza
The beautifully haunting and breathtaking trio of pyramids in Giza were built as royal mausoleums, on the west bank of the Nile, a short distance from downtown Cairo.
The pyramids date back to the 26th-century B.C., along with Giza’s Great Sphinx, a massive sculpture of a man’s head on a lion’s body.
The Great Sphinx of Giza. * Photo: John Roberts
Also near Cairo and more than 4,500 years old is the “step” pyramid, Saqqara Zoser (also spelled Djoser), the very first pyramid to be built.
Luxor (also known as Thebes) is one of the world’s oldest cities and often called the world’s greatest open-air museum. The ruins of temple complexes at Karnak and Luxor stand within the modern part of the city, while nearby across the River Nile, are the monuments, temples and tombs of the west bank — namely the legendary Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens.
Valley of the Queens, located on the West Bank of the Nile. * Photo: Ted Scull
Visitors often opt for a hot air balloon ride at sunrise over the Valley of Kings, with its pharoahs’ tombs (including King Tut’s) buried deep within the hillsides, and the Valley of Queens where the pharoahs’ wives laid to rest, including Nefertari.
The breathtaking scene of balloons at dawn. * Photo: John Roberts
The Luxor Temple, with its riot of towering columns, massive courtyards and complex hieroglyphics dazzles, and is a must-see before spending an afternoon simply roaming Luxor’s labyrinthine streets and visiting the abundant and colorful open-air local markets where eager venders entice you with textiles, spices, perfumes and more.
Don’t forget to haggle to get the best price.
RELATED: Read Ted’s Nile River cruise overview to learn more about Egypt and what to expect.
4 Nile River Cruises to Drool Over
Cruise options on the Nile reflect Egypt’s embrace of the ancient and modern — choose what best floats your boat.
While other lines also offer Nile River cruises, including the luxury lines AmaWaterways and Uniworld, we have first-hand reviews and experience of these four:
Nour El Nil’s 24-passenger Dahabiya
Perhaps you’d prefer a classic, eco-friendly sailing aboard a dahabiya, like the 24-passenger Adelaide from Nour El Nil that Alison Abbott sailed on.
Meals are served up on deck. * Photo: Alison Abbott
Alison writes:
“While there are a number of luxury Nile River cruise tour operators, I chose Nour El Nil for their commitment to responsible travel and eco-friendly boats powered by the winds of nature. Their boats don’t have engines, relying on wind power most of time (if/when the wind dies down, there are strong little tug boats following along nearby to give a nudge when needed.)
The three owners of the company have a strong mission of closing the loop in travel and keeping dollars in the local economy. The entrepreneurs have an eye firmly planted on sustainable travel, each bringing a component towards accomplishing that goal. Expertise ranges from building boats with sustainable materials (solar panels will be installed in the near future), connecting with local villagers and guides, and promoting local craftspeople with a beautiful curated onboard shop set up in the salon.
Nour El Nil’s 5-night/6-day Nile River cruise from Luxor to Aswan avoids the crowds and gives plenty of time for exclusive comfort in a tranquil setting; an antidote for the stresses of modern life…”
HERE’S ALISON’S FULL REVIEW of her magical Nile River cruise on a traditional vessel.
A Nile River cruise aboard Nour el Nil’s 18-pax Adelaïde. * Photo: Alison Abbott
Viking’s 82-passenger Viking Osiris
Viking River Cruises has four new 82-passenger ships on the Nile doing its popular “Pharaohs & Pyramids” cruise, including the Viking Osiris, which John Roberts reviewed for us in 2023.
Viking Osiris is the first in a series of riverboats purpose-built for cruising the Nile, bringing luxury and comfort (it’s got a pool!) to the table, plus design touches that celebrate the destination.
John cooling off in the Viking Osiris’ refreshing pool on Deck 4. * Photo: Colleen McDaniel
John Roberts sailed on the Viking Osiris and he writes:
“Viking has been offering journeys along the exotic Nile River in Egypt for several years.
But the brand-new 82-pax Viking Osiris is the line’s first ship built from scratch to navigate this immense waterway.
I joined the new vessel for its naming ceremony and inaugural cruise with some 40 other media and special guests on Viking’s “Pharaohs & Pyramids” itinerary, an 11-night/12-day program that allows adventurers to explore some of Egypt’s most historic sites.
Viking now boasts three river ships on the Nile, with Osiris joining 62-passenger MS Antares and 48-passenger Viking Ra. These two other ships were refurbished, while Viking Osiris is the line’s first purpose-built ship on the Nile.
Osiris is the first in an ambitious program to build more ships for Nile cruising. Sister ships Viking Aton (2023), Viking Hathor (2024) and Viking Sobek (2024) are on the way, too.
This was my second Nile River cruise. I had sailed with Viking years ago on a chartered ship, but Viking Osiris offers a much enhanced experience, as the ship is more luxurious and comfortable. Though the overall voyage had a very familiar Viking feel, with excellent crew and food. The shore excursion program was almost identical both times…”
Read more about Viking Osiris in John Roberts’ FULL REVIEW here.
The Viking Osiris cruises the Nile River year-round. * Photo: John Roberts
10 River Boats on the Nile for Viking by 2026
There are four new identical sister ships — the 82-pax new Viking Sobek (2024), Viking Osiris (2022), Viking Aton (2023) and Viking Hathor (2024) — all with several of Viking’s signature design features and amenities, from the ships’ distinctive square bow to the indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. Other ships in Viking’s Egypt fleet include the 52-pax Viking Ra (refurbished in 2017) and the 62-passenger MS Antares (refurbished in 2018).
Viking reports they’re planning to welcome four additional 82-passenger ships in the next two years — Viking Amun and Viking Thoth in 2025 and the Viking Sekhmet and Viking Ptah in 2026 — to bring Viking’s fleet to 10 vessels on the Nile River.
Lindblad Expeditions’ 2 Ships
Ted Scull, a co-owner of quirkycruise.com, experienced an extended 16-day Nile River cruise-tour with Lindblad Expeditions several years ago. Ted provides a very in-depth look at the comprehensive itinerary, HERE’S the link to Ted’s story.
The current Lindblad ships on the Nile River are the 44-passenger Oberoi Philae and the 60-passenger Sun Goddess.
Visit Lindblad’s website for more details on this pair.
The 44-passenger Oberoi Philae. * Photo: Lindblad Expeditions
The 14-passenger Minja
QuirkyCruise reader Sigrid from Germany took a Nile cruise on a traditional dahabiya, the 14-passenger Minja, from the company Sail The Nile.
Sigrid writes:
“I celebrated my birthday on this boat, with family and friends together. The boat is very nicely designed! Food is healthy, delicious and Egyptian style!
Further, the excursions were amazing. Our female guide was highly educated in archaeological themes…”
Sail The Nile’s 14-pax Dahabyia Minja. * Photo; Sail the Nile
Upper Egypt vs Lower Egypt
Contrary to what seems logical, the Nile River flows from south to north.
And so, Lower Egypt is in the northern part of the country, where you’ll find the city of Alexandria, the Nile Delta and Cairo.
Upper Egypt, on the other hand, comprises areas in the south, such as Luxor and Aswan.
Nile River Cruise Tips
No matter how you choose to sail the Nile, our writers emphasize the following:
- The optimum time to visit Egypt is October-April.
- Egypt is very warm year-round (with daytime temperatures sometimes soaring above a sweltering 105 degrees) yet evenings may be cool. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, brimmed hats and tote along a bottle of water.
- A visa is required for U.S. citizens traveling to Egypt. You may apply online or upon arrival at the port of entry in Egypt ($25).
- Wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes: You’ll likely be walking on uneven, sometimes slippery and/or sandy surfaces.
- Prepare for your trip by brushing up on your knowledge of ancient Egypt. Many cruise lines will provide suggested reading lists prior to your voyage.
- Organized tours will often allow you to “cut the lines” into the more popular sites.
- Be careful — like every crowded town or site, pickpockets are likely.
- Itineraries may be adjusted when water levels are low.
- Learn the term “shukran”— it’s “thank you” in Arabic.
One of the Main Stars — King Tutankhamun
You would think that being the subject of Steve Martin’s silly pop song would be the greatest indignity the boy king had to suffer after his death, but no.
Since the discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922, rumors abound, with archaeologists speculating on his lineage, a possible incestuous marriage, his health issues, the cause of his untimely death and probing the guy repeatedly with scans and DNA testing. Grave robbers have hit his tomb twice and some even believe the tomb is cursed.
During your Nile River cruise, chances are your ship’s Egyptologist will solve these mysteries, and a visit to King Tut’s tomb, located not in a pyramid, but in the Valley of Kings, situated over 1,000 feet of limestone on Luxor’s West Bank, will astonish with its newly-restored ancient art, golden walls and, of course, the mummified star of the show: King Tut.
The tomb underwent a 10-year restoration project that was completed in 2019. The project included the installation of air and ventilation systems, walkways, lighting and a viewing platform to ensure this important site will be accessible to visitors for generations.
Have You Been on a Nile River Cruise?
Let us know all about your Nile River cruises in a QurkyCruise Reader Review.
Here’s the Reader Review form.
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HEIDI SARNA
