Hi everybody, a friend of mine "Nick" is in the middle of a love story with the Nile River, and I borrowed his passionate words to discribe the beauty of the Nile banks, here is what he said when I asked him about the Nile.
Imagine yourself exploring ancient Egypt, taking in the vistas once ruled by Pharaohs, and traveling along the Nile, one of the world’s largest rivers, and arguably the river most imbued with the history, architecture, and culture that made ancient Egypt the richest, most powerful kingdom in the world.
We’ve traveled extensively throughout Egypt, and feel there’s no better way to experience this fascinating, historical country than one of the many river cruises that travel along the Nile. A few longer cruises (ten to twelve days, mostly), go from Cairo all the way to Aswan, but most travelers choose a shorter four-day cruise from Luxor to Aswan, since most of the main attractions are between those areas. There are many options available, but in researching your Nile river cruise, be sure to see these can’t-miss sights:
Abu Simbel
This amazing place consists of two huge temples that were originally carved into the mountainside during the reign of Ramesses II as a monument to his power and victory during the Battle of Kadesh. Something very interesting about this massive structures is that they were completely relocated in the 1960s to avoid their being submerged when Lake Nasser was created. Abu Simbel is one of the top tourist attractions in all of Egypt.
Karnak
A massive campus of ruins, temples, chapels, and other buildings, Karnak is the largest ancient religious site in the world. Most tourists concentrate their visit on the Precinct of Amun-Re, which features the Great Hypostyle Hall, an area filled with 134 of the most massive columns you’ll ever see.
Valley of the Kings
The Valley of the Kings is essentially an enormous graveyard! For almost 500 years, this was the spot where major royal figures and other privileged people were buried. There are currently 63 known tombs and chambers, some just a simple pit in the ground, some extremely opulent and enormous. The Valley is probably most notable for the discovery of the tomb of King Tut.
More Temples
Don’t miss these temples, either! The Temple of Hatshepsut is an homage to the “Foremost of Noble Ladies,” the female pharaoh who is generally seen as one of the most successful pharaohs to rule ancient Egypt. Another can’t-miss is the Temple of Kom Ombo, which is a strange “double” temple dedicated to two different gods, and is therefore split down the middle and perfectly symmetrical. Finally, don’t miss Luxor Temple, which sits next to Karnak and approaches Karnak’s grandeur.
This short guide is by no means an exhaustive list of everything you must see and do on your cruise along the Nile, but hopefully it’ll give you some idea of what this fabulous river has to offer. Filled with the history, culture, and romance that make every vacation special, a cruise along the Nile will be a trip you’ll never forget.
