By Jerrol Golden
Let’s go! That’s what our guide, Fadi, says when it’s time to move on to the next location.
The banks of the Nile River in Egypt contain some of the world’s most historic sites and we were there to learn as much as we could about the ancient civilizations that thrived there some 2,000 and 4,500 years ago. Tomb raiders have taken their toll on many sites, but Egyptologists and experts continue to conduct digs, uncovering tombs, mummies, and intriguing secrets.
These renowned sites, including Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings, attract numerous tourists — so many, in fact, that approximately 280 river boats cruise on the Nile, with more being built.
Our private Nile River cruise and land combo, like many, starts with four nights in Cairo. We stay at the Four Seasons Hotel, located on the River Nile. Our daily explorations include must-see sites: the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which was in planning for 40 years; the Egyptian Museum, home to the largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities in the world; the amazing ruins of Saqqara; the Pyramids at Giza and the Sphinx; and a walk through the labyrinthian Islamic district.
Three full days are not enough to take a deeper dive into religious and historical sites such as the Coptic Museum and the Citadel of Saladin (we’ll have to come back!). However, the schedule accommodates our jet lag, and a very comfortable bed helps reset our internal clocks for the rest of the trip.
On day four, we take a quick one-hour flight from Cairo to Luxor, departing at 6:25 a.m. By 8:00 a.m., we arrive at the site of Karnak Temple. By 11:00 a.m., we are welcomed aboard the Historia for our four-night cruise with a refreshing fresh juice and a plate of mini homemade cookies.
We are then escorted to our cabins and invited to make ourselves at home. At 1:00 p.m., a gorgeous buffet-style lunch is served in the Noria Dining Room. One section offers a variety of salads, cheeses, and at least seven types of bread; a hot food section features veal roast, shrimp and vegetables, steamed broccoli, and stir-fried chicken; and two kinds of soup, including a clear broth seafood soup.
Lastly, the obligatory dessert station presents delectable local homemade sweets, a variety of small cakes with apples, chocolate, and mini pies with pistachios. A true treasure chest of flavors — all seriously delicious.
My company, Golden Travel Co, planned our custom holiday for four people through Shin Luxury Tours, a local tour operator specializing in Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Morocco.
Our private Nile River cruise package included four nights in Cairo, four-night Nile River cruise aboard Historia, and five nights in Jordan.
Our guide, Fadi, accompanied us throughout our stay in Egypt. When we take the one-hour and fifteen-minute flight from Cairo to Jordan, we were met by our Jordanian guide, Ashraf.
In Jordan, we explore Amman and stay at the Four Seasons, visit the breathtaking ruins of Petra while lodging at The Old Village Resort, and tour Mt. Nebo, where Moses is believed to have seen the Promised Land. We visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan, Jesus’ baptism site, and Madaba, famous for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics.
In Wadi Rum, the desert backdrop for Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, we stay in a futuristic Martian Dome at Sun City Camp.
Finally, we relax with two nights at the Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea hotel, floating in the world’s saltiest body of water indulging in its renowned spa.
INTERESTED IN THIS TRIP? If you’d like more info from Golden Travels, fill out the short form at the end of this review.
Daily Nile Experience
A cruise up or down the Nile River is a relaxing, safe, and scenic way to explore this region!
Each day is well planned. The boat follows a set schedule, and guides work within this framework to see the best sites while avoiding the crowds as much as possible.
On Historia, the guides typically do not sail with you; they travel by car and meet you at each location. One day, we meet our guide at 7:00 a.m.; the next day, it’s 10:00 a.m. — our meeting time varies.
After a delicious onboard lunch following our morning tour, we set out to yet another temple or site. Most Nile River boats follow a similar schedule.
Breakfast and dinner are served in the Noria Restaurant, while lunch is typically held on the Solaria Sun Deck, weather permitting. Breakfast and lunch are usually buffet-style, while dinner is a lovely sit-down, five-course meal. The food is exceptional in both flavor and presentation. There are plenty of options for meat eaters, pescatarians, and vegetarians. They also have a fantastic coffee machine!
Historia’s Aura Bar & Lounge features two nights of local entertainment — a belly dancing and whirling dervish show and a Nubian dance performance.
The boat also features a library area, spa, small fitness room, and a small pool, along with plenty of seating on the upper deck.
Temples, Ancient Sites & Local Life
On the cruise, we visit seven sites:
- Karnak Temple
- Luxor Temple
- Valley of the Kings
- Hatshepsut Temple (pronounced “hat-ship-suit”)
- Edfu Temple
- Kom Ombo
- Philae Temple in Aswan
I get rather excited as I begin to note the differences in hieroglyphics and carvings and start to understand the basic distinctions between temples like Kom Ombo and Edfu, both built during the Ptolemaic dynasty.
Kom Ombo is dedicated to two gods — Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horis, the falcon god. You see these ancient symbols throughout the temple plus medical carvings, including early surgical instruments.
The temples are uniquely symmetrical, with two identical halves for each god. Edfu is dedicated to one god, Horus, and is famous for its well-preserved reliefs, including the myth of Horus avenging Osiris.
We also visit a Nubian village near Aswan and take a felucca ride — a traditional sailing vessel.
To prepare for this trip, my husband and I watch several documentaries about Egypt, excavations, and tomb raiders including Saqqara Tomb on Netflix and the National Geographic series Lost Treasures of Egypt.
We also read The Ancient Civilizations — an excellent way to whet our appetites and gain a foundational understanding of what we are about to see.
A Little Background on Historia
Built in 2021, Historia is owned and operated by an Egyptian family and staffed by friendly Egyptians who speak excellent English. The boat has an understated design and is easy to navigate across its five decks.
Like most Nile riverboats, it features a boxy design to maximize height and width, allowing it to pass under bridges and fit through the Esna Lock.
The boutique riverboat Historia sails between Luxor and Aswan, as do most boats. On our trip, we sail against the wind, heading upstream. The Nile River runs south to north, which is unusual. Historia’s tagline, “Sail Through Time,” feels appropriate given the region’s rich history.
Historia accommodates up to 90 passengers in 45 suites across four distinct cabin categories. Each suite is well-appointed with huge picture windows that open, king beds (convertible to two twins), modern bathrooms, Nespresso coffee machines, water kettles, mini refrigerators stocked with complimentary beverages and snacks, and a safe.
We were quite comfortable in cabin 202.
VIDEO: Below is a quick look around Historia’s Luxury Suite #202.
What to Consider When Booking a Nile River Cruise
Choosing a riverboat involves several factors: trip duration, quality of the tour operator and guides, transportation logistics, level of service, cuisine, budget, and time of year. Several well-known lines sail the Nile River, including Viking, AmaWaterways, Lindblad, and Uniworld River Cruises.
We frequently encountered Viking guests at various temples, where they were transported to and from their boat by bus. In contrast, our group of four enjoyed a private driver plus our exceptional guide, Fadi.
Other luxury tour operators, such as Abercrombie & Kent, and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, offer Cairo exploration and Nile River cruises aboard high-end vessels. Historia is considered a premium Nile cruise, renowned for its excellent cuisine.
We preferred a more intimate experience by traveling with a private guide. Like us, all guests aboard Historia had pre-arranged private guides and transfers. Most guests aboard Historia were Europeans, followed by British and American travelers.
Most Nile cruises last three, four, or seven nights. The three-night cruise feels too rushed, while the four-night cruise covers all major sites at a comfortable pace. The seven-night cruise sails roundtrip between Luxor and Aswan at a more leisurely pace.
The only major site we missed on our four-night cruise was Abu Simbel, which requires a flight from Aswan and is offered as a pre- or post-cruise add-on.
Getting There: Many flights from the USA to Cairo connect through Europe. We had one plane change in Paris, traveling from Los Angeles.
Money Matters: The Egyptian Pound is the official currency; US dollars and credit cards are accepted are many places, but not all. The current rate for February 2025 is $1.00 equals 50 Egyptian Pounds.
Tips & Facts
- Egypt is a tipping culture. Expect to tip everyone, though modestly. Guides should be tipped well; we suggest at least $20-$25 per person per day. Drivers receive about $8-$10 per person per day.
- Carry the 10 Egyptian Pound (EGP) bills for bathroom attendants (each is about .20 cents USD). Our tour operator provides us with a purse of small bills for this purpose.
- Wear flat, comfortable walking shoes. Many sites have uneven walkways, rocks, and ancient sloping floors.
- The food onboard Historia is European style with local specialties always available. It is exceptionally fresh and high-quality.
- You may bring alcohol onboard, but discreetly. Drinks on the boat are not cheap — vodka ranges from $15 to $26 USD, beer is about $7, and a bottle of local wine costs $26-$36. Alcoholic beverages were not included.
- Regarding guides, ask your travel advisor, tour operator or cruise line if they provide an Egyptologist who has a four-year degree in Egyptology and can read hieroglyphics. It will make an enormous difference in your experience.
- If you are traveling with a small private group such as eight to 12 people and prefer to charter a boat for a Nile River cruise vs joining a regularly scheduled cruise, there are several excellent private boats for private charter (Golden Travel can help find and book one). Expect to pay more for this more intimate experience.
- Egypt is predominantly Muslim and conservative. Women should bring a scarf to cover their head when entering a mosque and everyone must take off their shoes; generally, wearing conservative western clothing shows respect.
- On our travels, the tourist areas felt perfectly safe and welcoming; though like any big cities, keep an eye on your bags and wallets.
- We did eat enjoy lunch at a few local restaurants including Taboula, and Zooba, located at the Grand Egyptian Museum. We are cautioned not to eat any raw vegetables or street food and only drink bottled water. At hotels and on the river boat, the food preparation is sanitary, and so we found consuming raw vegetables and salads was not an issue.
- Best to avoid Egypt during the summer season June — August as it is HOT, well over 100 degrees. Meanwhile, January and February can be cool so travel with a coat!
Pro Tip: After Hours Tours
If you’re willing to spend the big bucks, you can request to book an after-hours tour of some of the temples and Valley of the Kings. It’s expensive and must be requested months in advance through your tour operator and/or travel advisor.
Advantages are no crowds, and your guide can enter all tombs with you to offer explanation. Many of the popular sites have limited space in some sections where guides typically are not allowed to accompany you.
Trip Cost
The price for this 13-night trip, as reflected in this article, starts at $7,500–$8,000 per person (depending on hotel and room categories), including domestic flights, guides, drivers and entrance fees to sites.
As highlighted in this review, the full trip includes four nights in Cairo, the four-night Nile River cruise and five nights in Jordan, with a private guide in both countries.
Final Thoughts
We are thrilled with our experience aboard Historia. The comfort level, excellent service, and friendly crew make it a standout choice. While Egypt is a developing country, the river boat offers many comforts you find at home. We felt safe and well taken care of.
Likewise, we were very happy with the hotels and guides we organized for our Cairo and Jordan land stays.
Interested in This Trip?
Golden Travel Co. specializes in creating custom trips that include both a Nile River cruise and land excursions. We highly recommend their team, as they are experienced travelers and experts in organizing private trips for individuals, families or groups — whether it’s just one or two travelers or a group of 10, 12, or more.
Pricing is all-inclusive, covering internal flights, all hotels, guides, drivers, entrance fees to sites and the Nile River cruise. Additional costs consist of dinners in Cairo, alcohol, and tips.
To show your interest in a custom Nile River cruise and land tour package offered by Golden Travel, please tell us a bit more about what you’re looking for and we’ll be happy to get back to you right away.
Jerrol Golden has worked in the travel space for years,
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HEIDI SARNA
