The 600-Mile Nile

Fly from London Heathrow to Aswan via Cairo. Transfer to the 5-star Mövenpick MS Darakum for your 12-night cruise.

Visit the High Dam for views of Lake Nasser; take a boat trip to the Philae Temple, moved to Agilika Island to saved it from submersion in the lake; and sail for birdwatching on the river and a visit to the beautiful botanical gardens of Kitchener Island. Visit the Nubian Museum, displaying the culture and heritage of Nubia’s ‘Land of Gold’ era; and enjoy an afternoon tea, overlooking the river, at the Old Cataract Hotel, from where Agatha Christie wrote the ‘Death on the Nile’. 
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Enjoy a day to relax, explore Aswan and its souk, or join us on an optional tour to Abu Simbel, leaving early this morning (4hrs each way by road, pre-bookable). Created by Ramses II in the 13^th century BCE, the heroic proportions of the two temples were matched by the massive task of moving them up onto the plateau from their original site, which was soon to disappear into Lake Nasser. Cruise to Kom Ombo to visit the riverside ‘double deity’ temple, dedicated the crocodile-headed Sobek and falcon-headed Horus. Sail to Edfu and enjoy a talk on hieroglyphics, and a Nubian show aboard.
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Visit west-bank Edfu’s temple, its huge edifice among the best-preserved and most atmospheric of Egypt’s ancient monuments. Enjoy a film about the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb as we sail to Luxor, where our Special Event is viewing the ‘Luxor Temple by Night’, with a cocktail at the Old Winter Palace, where Howard Carter announced the discovery.
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Optional Luxor hot air balloon flight (early morning start before sunrise, pre-bookable). Visit the Theban necropolis, the Valley of the Kings, viewing the huge Colossi of Memnon. Among several of the 60+ tombs of the pharaohs, we may visit those of Tutankhamun or Seti 1 (subject to viewing restrictions, at extra charge). Continue to visit Carter’s house, now a museum with maps and writings by the archaeologist; and afternoon visit to the Temple of Karnak, its acres of temples, courts, and colonnades linked to Luxor Temple by the two-mile Avenue of Sphinxes.
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Sail to Qena and visit Denderah’s well-preserved Temple of Hathor, the largest of three on the site. Built by Ptolomy XII and Cleopatra, its courtyard and hypostyle hall are carved with depictions of the queen and her son, and of the goddess Hathor. Birdwatching presentation aboard.
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Enjoy a talk on the agriculture, irrigation, and village life of the Nile as we sail to El Balyana, and travel inland to ancient Abydos, to visit the New Kingdom temple of Seti I, where carvings include a ‘List of Kings’ and intriguing hieroglyphs, said to show futuristic transport. Navigate the locks and pass the railway bridge at Naga Hammadi enroute to the city of Sohag, a centre of Coptic Christianity; with an insightful talk on modern Egypt, and a Galabeya party this evening.
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Sail to the provincial town of Asyut and pause to view the monastery of heroic Prince/Saint Tawadros from the Nile, enroute to mooring at Tel el-Amarna. A talk on-board introduces you to the lives of Akhenaten and Nefertiti.
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Visit the northern tombs and the Royal Tomb of Akhenaten at Amarna, its temple dedicated to Aten, God of the setting sun, the pharaoh’s sarcophagus carved with sun discs and images of Nefertiti. Continue to Tuna el-Gabel to see the catacombs of animal burials and tombs of priests. Sail to modern Minya. Folklore show onboard.
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Visit the Middle Kingdom tombs of Beni Hassan, rock-hewn and richly adorned with colourful frescoes. Sail to riverside Beni Suef, with its bridge across the Nile. Quiz night onboard.
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Cruise to Cairo, with a talk on the Pyramids enroute. Visit the walled old city, ‘Coptic Cairo’, to view the Hanging Church, and visit Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church and Coptic Museum of Christian antiquities. Enjoy an Oriental Takht music performance. (B, L, D)
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A full day of discovery begins at Giza to view the enormous, enigmatic Sphinx and the Great Pyramid of Cheops, one of the Seven Wonders of the World; followed by a visit to the Egyptian Museum (or the new Grand Egyptian Museum, subject to opening date) to view the wealth of artefacts from statuary to jewelry and the treasures of Tutankhamun’s tomb.

Morning at leisure and lunch onboard before disembarking and transfer to the airport for return flight to London Heathrow.
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Fly from London Heathrow to Cairo and transfer to the 5-star Mövenpick MS Darakum, the vessel for your 14-night cruise, for a three-night mooring in Cairo.

A full day of touring begins at the Egyptian Museum, to view treasures from King Tutankhamun’s tomb. Visit the walled old city, ‘Coptic Cairo’, to view the Hanging Church, and visit Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church and Coptic Museum of Christian antiquities. Transfer to the vessel for lunch and in the afternoon explore the Great Pyramid of Cheops, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the famously enigmatic Sphinx, stretching 73m long and 20m high. Enjoy an Oriental Takht music performance.
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This morning, tour to the ruins of Egypt’s first capital, Memphis, and its oldest pyramid at Saqqara. Return to the ship for lunch, before an afternoon visit to the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum, featuring the Grand Hall, housing the statue of King Ramesses II, 10 Statues of Senusret, Victory Column of Merenpetah and Ptolemaic King and Queen Statues, the extraordinary Hanging Obelisk, the remarkable Grand Staircase and the recently opened galleries hosting a wealth of artefacts. Manager’s Cocktail party aboard this evening.
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Enjoy the ship’s facilities and the Nile scenery as you begin your journey through almost biblical landscapes, cruising to Beni Suef, with its bridge across the Nile for overnight mooring. A talk on the agriculture, irrigation, and village life of the Nile.
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Sit back on the sundeck or take a dip in the pool as the ship floats, through somnolent scenes of rural life, to modern Minya, for a two-night mooring. View a documentary on board about birdwatching in the area.
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A morning tour visits Tuna el-Gabel to see the catacombs of animal burials and tombs of priests; and the afternoon sees you amid the Middle Kingdom tombs of Beni Hassan, rock-hewn and richly adorned with colourful frescoes. Folklore show on board.
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A talk on board introduces you to the lives of Akhenaten and Nefertiti as you sail to Tell el-Amarna to visit the northern tombs and the Royal Tomb of Akhenaten. Its temple is dedicated to Aten, God of the setting sun, and the sarcophagus of the ‘heretic pharaoh’ is carved with sun discs and images of Nefertiti. View the monastery of heroic Prince/Saint Tawadros from the Nile, enroute to an overnight mooring in the provincial town of Asyut. Galabeya party this evening.
(B, L, D)

An insightful talk on modern Egypt, education, and hieroglyphs as you cruise to the city of Sohag, a centre of Coptic Christianity, for overnight mooring. Quiz night this evening.
(B, L, D)

Cruise to El Balyana and travel inland to ancient Abydos, to visit the New Kingdom temple of Seti I, where carvings include a ‘List of Kings’ and intriguing hieroglyphs, said to show futuristic transport. Continue to Naga Hammadi, known for its railway bridge, for overnight mooring.
(B, L, D)

Sail to Qena and visit Denderah’s well-preserved Temple of Hathor, the largest of three on the site. Built by Ptolomy XII and Cleopatra, its courtyard and hypostyle hall are carved with depictions of the queen and her son, and of the goddess Hathor. Cruise to Luxor and explore the remarkable Luxor Temple, laid out parallel to the riverbank, the temple has been in almost continuous use as a place of worship right up to present day and played an essential role in the annual Opet Festival which celebrated the Nile River floods. This evening, enjoy some unique experiences as you view ‘Luxor Temple by Night’ followed by a cocktail at the Old Winter Palace, where Howard Carter announced the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. Two-night mooring in Luxor.
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Early this morning, an optional hot-air balloon ride gives you a sunrise view of Luxor, the modern city wrapped around its ancient tombs and temples (pre-bookable). Tour the west-bank necropolis of ancient Thebes, the Valley of the Kings, where iconic landmarks include the monumental Colossi of Memnon, the statues soaring 60-feet high, and the tiered tomb of Queen Hatshepsut. Among over sixty tombs of pharaohs, we may visit those of Seti I and Tutankhamun (subject to viewing restrictions, at extra charge). Continue to Carter’s house, now a museum with maps and writings by the archaeologist.
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A morning tour explores the Nile’s east bank, the magnificent Temple of Karnak, the second largest ancient religious site in the world, with its Great Hypostyle Hall, courts, colonnades, and obelisks, linked to Luxor Temple by the two-mile Avenue of Sphinxes. Leave Luxor and navigate the Esna Lock enroute to Edfu, for overnight mooring.
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Begin the day with a visit to Edfu’s temple. Dating back to the 2^nd century BCE, and dedicated to Horus, the god of fertile Nile-side lands, its huge edifice is revered as one of the country’s most atmospheric ancient monuments. Cruise to Kom Ombo to visit the riverside ‘double deity’ temple of crocodile-headed Sobek and falcon-headed Horus; and continue to Aswan for your final two-night mooring.
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Visit the High Dam of Lake Nasser, and sail to the Temple of Philae, saved from a watery grave in the lake by moving it to Agilika island. After lunch aboard, visit the Nubian Museum for its display of the culture and customs of Nubia’s ‘Land of Gold’ era; and enjoy a sundowner, overlooking the river, at the Old Cataract Hotel, from where Agatha Christie wrote the ‘Death on the Nile,’ and a Nubian show aboard.
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Disembark the MS Darakum and transfer to Aswan airport for the return flight, via Cairo to London Heathrow.
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