12 Night Ultimate Nile River Cruise

Trip Itinerary

Day 1 - Set off in Aswan

Following your arrival in Egypt, you will be met by a Wayfairer representative for a smooth-sailing transfer to Aswan. Here, your luxury boat awaits: the Movenpick Darakum. This sleek, modern boat with Moroccan-inspired design will accommodate your journey back through 7,000 years of Egyptian history, past tombs, temples and fascinating museums.

Your first evening in Egypt, however, is spent relaxing amidst the Darakum’s first-class facilities, beginning with a decadent dinner buffet in the restaurant and perhaps ending with a tipple in the Lounge Bar.

Day 2 - High Dam and Philae Temple Tour

The first full day of your cruise brings you towards two of the country’s most iconic historic landmarks, situated amongst the alluring, sepia setting of Aswan. First, you float past the sensational Aswan High Dam, an emblem of modern engineering which was constructed in the 1960s.

Offering a somewhat startling contrast, the Philae Temple is located just round the corner. Allow yourself to slip into the hypnotising stories which lie behind one of Egypt’s most famous temples, a monument built in honour of the Goddess Isis. Following a tasty buffet lunch on board, the Nubian Museum makes the perfect next stop, guiding you through tales of the “land of gold”.

Day 3 - Kom Ombo Temple Tour

This morning, you are free to admire the mystifying views which line the Nile’s banks, perhaps indulging in the Darakum’s sun deck which makes the most of Egypt’s consistent blue skies. Then, after a delicious lunch on board, it is time to plunge into more ancient history, as the Kom Ombo Temple is at your fingertips.

Just standing before the magnificent temple is enough to drop your jaw, as its gigantic stone pillars, built somewhere between 180 and 47 BC, are fully preserved, stirring images of a time long gone. Throughout the temple, you will find mysterious carvings and even mummified crocodiles, as the temple was built in dedication to the crocodile god Sobek and Horus.

Day 4 - Edfu Temple Tour

An early start brings you to the Edfu Temple, another architectural treasure which conjures up soul-stirring stories of the ancient world. The temple’s background centralises a whirlwind story about the falcon-headed god Horus, whom the temple is partially dedicated to. The impressive structure of Edfu, and its excellently kept condition, help bring its stories to life, as you are transported back through time. With the help of your expert guide, it is like you are standing before Egypt’s most notorious gods and goddesses.

Day 5 - Valley of the Kings and Queens

This morning, it is time for another of Egypt’s most legendary landmarks: the Valley of the Kings and Queens, a tomb complex which tells tragic tales of pharaonic glory. The tombs are located in ancient Thebes, now the West Bank of Luxor, the perfect location for a more secretive burial of New Kingdom pharaohs and their families. See well-preserved treasures, richly coloured murals and other fascinating relics.

Next, visit the Temple of Queen Hatsheput, the only female pharaoh of ancient Egypt. The temple juts out of the sepia desert, seeping with stories of Hatsheput and her jealous successor, Tuthmosis III.

Then, following lunch, the temple of Karnak and Luxor offer yet more historic wonder. The 62-acre Temple of Karnak is a maze of pylons, obelisks and smaller temples which would take days to explore in full. Meanwhile, the Temple of Luxor spreads almost 3-kilometres in length, built by Amenhotep III in 1380 BC and used for many festivals, like the Festival of Opet.

Day 6 - Dendara Temple Tour

Following breakfast, you sail gently onwards to Qena for an afternoon at Dendara Temple, built in honour of Hathor, the goddess of maternal and family love, beauty and music. Here lies yet another emblem of Egypt’s fantastic archaeological preservation, as the temple seems completely intact, offering an intimate glimpse into the past.

A blissful afternoon of exploring leads you to yet another relaxing evening ahead of Egypt’s best sunset as you sail toward Naba Hammadi. A delicious dinner onboard makes the perfect cherry-on-top to your evening.

Day 7 - Abydos Temple Tour

Your historic adventure through Ancient Egypt continues today, as you visit Abydos Temple, the site of the famed “King’s List”, a list of 76 Egyptian rulers which lays out the order of dynasties. Your tour of the temple brings you to its only remaining structure, the glorious, limestone Temple of Seti I, built in honour of a 19^th-dynasty pharaoh.

The afternoon proceeds with a tasty lunch on-board and plenty of time for leisure as you sail onward, whilst the evening offers something more exciting. An oriental buffet kicks off an upbeat party championing and music and fashion of the Galabeya, an Egyptian tradition originating in North Egypt.

Day 8 - Sail to Tel Amarna

Today is a day which spotlights the beautiful scenery of the Nile River, transporting you on a journey past two magnificent landmarks. The afternoon begins with sights of the Asyut Lock, or the Assuit Barrage, designed by the same man responsible for the Aswan Dam.

Next, your journey to Tel El Amarna brings you to s short stop at the Prince Tawdrous Monastery where your guide will recount stories of the martyrdom of a Roman officer who refused worship. The figure is worshipped today as El-Mohareb in the Coptic Orthodox tradition.

Day 9 - The Royal Tombs

An early rise introduces you to two days of regal history as your cruise proceeds toward the most impressive northern tombs of Egypt. First, the Tombs of El Amarna transport you to the ancient city of Akhetaten, their cliffside location and distinctive artistic style pointing to the grandeur of the 18^th Dynasty.

Next, the Royal Tomb of Akhenaten tributes Pharoah Akhenaten’s religious revolution, its unfinished elements narrating the king’s untimely death. The Northern Palace awaits at Tel El Amarna, telling tales of the same era and demonstrating the opulent lives of the pharaoh and his family.

The Small Aten Temples at Tel El Amarna offers more lessons on the spiritual importance of the 18^th Dynasty, dedicated to the sun god Aten. A visit to Ashmunein, a major religious centre which was dedicated to the god Thoth, is your next tour before, finally, an archaeological adventure at Tuna El-Gebel. This treasure trove encompasses an incredible archive of tombs, temples, and burial complexes.

Day 10 - The Royal Tombs

Another day exploring Egypt’s most extravagant royal tombs begins with an early morning visit to the Tombs of Baget III and the Tomb of Khety. The first brings intricate wall paintings and tributes to Baget III, who played a huge role in the military of Egypt during the 11^th Dynasty. The latter celebrates the life of Khety, likely the successor of Baget III.

Next, explore two remarkable 12th Dynasty tombs in Beni Hassan. Amenemhet's tomb showcases vivid scenes of daily life, religious devotion, and preparations for the afterlife, while Khnumhotep II’s tomb is renowned for its elaborate paintings, including depictions of hunting, and fishing, and foreign visitors bearing gifts. Together, these tombs provide a fascinating glimpse into ancient Egyptian life, religion, and international connections.

Day 11 - Coptic Cairo Tour

Today’s tours contrast those of the royal tombs, inviting you to indulge in a more contemporary corner of Egyptian history as you land in Cairo. Begin at the Hanging Church, a phenomenal, suspended church in basilica style which is situated on top of the Fortress of Babylon.

Next, the Coptic Museum offers a more comprehensive insight into the pre-Christian period up until the fifth Century AD, displaying a range of fascinating sculpture, bone carvings, and other relics.

Round off this wonderful day with a visit to the Synagogue of Ben Ezra, a badge of the once-thriving Jewish community in Egypt, where the so-called “Geniza Documents” were found, a treasure hailed as providing major insight into the life of the Jews in Egypt’s past. This is yet another paramount religious site in the country.

Day 12 - The Great Pyramids & The Sphinx

What better way to round off your Egypt cruise than with a visit to the country’s most legendary sites? Today, the 4,500-year-old Pyramids of Giza are at your fingertips, one of the “Seven Wonders of the Ancient World”. Take a classic tour of the Pyramids and hear the stories behind the iconic monument.

In the late morning, visit the Valley Temple, where the mysterious Sphinx unravels mysteries of Ancient Egypt. It Is said that the workers shaped the body of the Sphinx into a lion and gave it their king’s face, as a guardian of the necropolis. The walls of the Sphinx are laced with mythological tales and legends – this is a truly timeless regal figure, offering a bewildering and eye-opening final tour.

Round off your final day with an afternoon visit to the Egyptian Museum, where 7,000 years of the country’s history is on display. This is the largest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts in the world!

Day 13 - Departure Home

It is time to disembark from the ship and head home. This trip has been one to remember, allowing you to connect with the ancient world in a way which very few have. You depart home recounting the memories you have made along the way, dreaming of your next adventure with Wayfairer.

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