Cruise down the Nile in style
The Nile is the life of Egypt. Most of the population and cities of Egypt lie along the banks of the Nile and nearly all of the ancient and historical sites the country is famed for are also found here. As such, cruises down the river are especially popular, if you do decide to partake in one, here’s some of what you can expect to see.
The Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens are areas in which, for a period of 500 years, rulers, royalty and others of high standing were buried in tombs. In the Valley of the Kings you can see the famous tomb of Tutankhamun, the young pharaoh who died at the age of 18 and whose tomb and story is one of the most famous in Egypt. After his recorded whereabouts was lost in time, his tomb was rediscovered and opened in 1922 by Howard Carter and Lord Carnarvon.
The Luxor Temple is located in a temple complex on the east bank of the river, complete with baroque temples, a colonnade, sun court and one of a pair of obelisks (the other now resides in France). There are also chapels to the rear of the temple though these were created later. The Karnak Temple, which is reasonably close by, also sits within another complex of temples, chapels and a sacred lake.
You can also stop at The Temple of Kom Ombo. It is unique as it has two sets of identical buildings, courts, halls and sanctuaries, one for each of the two gods who were worshipped here. One half was dedicated to the God of Fertility, the Crocodile God Sobek, whilst the other was dedicated to the Falcon God Haroeris. It is a marvel to visit as everything is perfectly symmetrical along its main axis and some of the three hundred crocodile mummies discovered around the temple are displayed inside.
Those with a taste for architecture should visit the unfinished obelisk located in one of the stone quarries near Aswan. It is almost a third larger than other obelisks that have survived to this day, and though little is known of who commissioned it, it is still a sight to behold. Carved directly out of the bedrock, its bottom still attached, it was abandoned due to large cracks in the granite and never finished, and tool marks can still be seen on its surface.
So, find your perfect vessel and set sail on your Nile cruise as you visit some of the world’s most ancient wonders. Make your Nile cruise all inclusive to add that little bit of extra luxury.
