Many long to visit Egypt, yet logistics, language barriers, and unrest in the Middle East sometimes deter all but the most intrepid travelers. As I discovered during a recent visit, cruising down the Nile offers a safe, convenient, and plush way to tour this uniquely fascinating country. And with the opening of Cairo's Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) finally a reality, and several new Nile River ships offering more options and increased capacity, now is a terrific time to visit. 

A variety of cruise lines offer Nile River itineraries on modern ships, many of which launched over the past few years. In mid-November, I sailed on Uniworld's S.S. Sphinx, which debuted in 2021, for the 12-day "Splendors of Egypt & the Nile" sailing. 

I boarded the ship in Luxor — the capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom (1539–1075 B.C.E.), when it was known as Thebes — and cruised for seven nights, visiting millennia-old temples such as Karnak, Dendera, Kom Ombo, and Abu Simbel, and exploring in and around the city of Aswan. But before getting on the ship, I first experienced the glorious sensory overload that Cairo, Egypt's largest city, provides.

Day 1: The Dichotomy of Cairo

I had been to Cairo, population 22 million, twice before so I wasn't shocked by its intensity. Sight- and sound-wise, the city is the definition of cacophony ("an incongruous or chaotic mixture"), with the melodic echo of the muezzin's call to prayer drowned out at times by an impatient chorus of honking horns. When I first visited 25 years ago, I remember being astounded by the endless swaths of beige apartment buildings, the dusty streets where pedestrians dodge cars and buses with seeming abandon, and the open-air night markets filled with a pulsing mosaic of locals shopping for fruits and vegetables. 

By the time I reached the downtown hotel corridor along the Nile River, Cairo's charms came into clearer focus. It's here that you'll find elegant late-19th and early-20th-century architecture modeled after the capitals of Europe alongside modern luxury hotels, like the five-star Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza (where I stayed) and Kempinski Nile Hotel Garden City Cairo. 

Day 2: The Alabaster Mosque, a Gold Sarcophagus and Royal Mummies

After a restful sleep tucked beneath luxe linens, I attended an 8 a.m. orientation with Uniworld guide Walid, the Egyptologist who would accompany my group until our departure. I knew that this day would be a busy one, and by 9 a.m. I was on a bus with half of our fellow S.S. Sphinx guests. The ship accommodates 84 people, but there were only about 40 booked on my sailing, with the group split between two buses, each with its own Egyptologist guide. From the get-go, it was obvious that Walid, who holds multiple university degrees, would offer expert insight into the fascinating and complex history of his country.

Our first stop was the Old Citadel of Salah al-Din, a medieval hilltop fortress. At its center is the mid-19th-century Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali, built by and named for the man who ruled Egypt from 1805 to 1848. Its interior was aglow with massive crystal chandeliers and its ornate gilded domes made it hard to look anywhere but up. 

From there we headed to the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (EMC), a salmon-hued 1905 landmark and the first national museum in the Middle East. Until the opening of the new GEM, EMC housed many of the most splendid treasures of the ancient world — and during our November 2024 visit, it still guarded the most spectacular of all royal memorabilia: the golden mask, solid-gold sarcophagus, and other funerary objects of King Tutankhamun. Tut, known as the "boy king," died at age 19, and his tomb was discovered in the Valley of the Kings in 1922 by English archaeologist Howard Carter. Plans call for these items to be moved to a special wing in the stunning new GEM at a date that has yet to be determined but is expected to be this year.

Mid-afternoon, I was off to experience two extra-cost "Masterpiece Collection" tours, stopping first at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) to view its collection of 20 royal mummies. After descending into the modern underground crypt designed to house the pharaohs and queens in temperature- and humidity-controlled glass cases. All had ruled from the 17th to 20th Dynasties (1630 to 1077 B.C.E.) and most had originally been entombed in the Valley of the Kings.

The day's finale was an evening walking tour through the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar, which bustles with souvenir vendors but also houses some of the most splendid and best-preserved 14th-century Islamic architecture in the city.

Day 3: Cairo to Luxor and All Aboard S.S. Sphinx

We checked out before sunrise and hopped on a 7:30 a.m. flight to Luxor. When we landed an hour later, our luggage was hauled to the awaiting ship while we headed off to tour one of the most impressive examples of ancient Egyptian architecture: the Temples of Karnak. Constructed over 1,000 years, between the 12th and 20th Dynasties, this massive complex was the most important place of worship during the New Kingdom. Its archaeological highlights include an avenue of ram-headed sphinxes and the massive Temple of Amun-Ra (the local god) with its towering forest of papyrus-shaped columns covered in elaborate paintings and hieroglyphics. 

After that awesome start to our S.S. Sphinx itinerary, the ship itself managed to keep the intrigue going with bespoke, sourced-in-Egypt décor that included gleaming inlaid tables and furniture, sculptural brass lamps accented with gemstone-hued beads, and woven wall coverings in an Islamic-inspired geometric pattern. I settled into my 430-square-foot Grand Suite (a welcome upgrade since the ship wasn't full) and sat down to a buffet lunch that offered just the right mix of tantalizing Egyptian flavors and familiar western ones. Our afternoon was free to spend enjoying the passing scenery as we set sail for Qena, where exploring nearby Dendera Temple was on the morning agenda.

Day 4: Two More Exceptional Temples

Nile cruise excursions begin notoriously early to beat both the heat and the crowds, so we were off to the Temple of Dendera at 7 a.m. This well-preserved complex, constructed during the Ptolemaic Period (305 to 30 B.C.E.), is Greco-Roman in design and dedicated to Hathor, the ancient goddess of joy, love, beauty, music, and fertility.  

Six massive columns, each adorned with the face of Hathor, greeted us. The temple's exterior and interior walls are both decorated with intricately carved reliefs of gods and goddesses, along with pharaohs and queens and their identifying cartouches (an oblong design enclosing hieroglyphics). Among these, Walid pointed out, is a large relief of Cleopatra VII, who ruled Egypt from 51 to 30 B.C.E., and her son, Caesarion, fathered by Roman emperor Julius Caesar.   

As we sailed back toward Luxor, we were served snacks and refreshments on the sun deck before lunch. Then, for a few relaxing hours, we lay supine on shady loungers back up top, lazily gazing at life along the Nile. Next was a nighttime tour of Luxor Temple, which was strategically lit up and almost empty, taking on an almost mystical quality. Shadows danced off its striking colonnade of 52-foot-tall papyrus-inspired columns and massive statues of the pharaohs who built it in the 14th century B.C.E. Several rulers of the New Kingdom had their hand in its construction: Amenhotep III began it, while Tutankhamun and Horemheb finished it, and Ramses II added to it, erecting massive statues of himself (as pharaohs were known to do) as well as two giant obelisks.

Day 5: Hot Air Balloons, Exploring Tombs, and Dancing in Our Galabeyas 

The next morning, some cruisers headed to the Nile's West Bank for a sunrise hot air balloon ride above the Valley of the Kings. Having already enjoyed that excursion in the past, I opted to sleep in — a relative term, however, since the tour of the Valley of the Kings would begin at 6:45 a.m.

Our first stop was the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, the 15th-century B.C.E. queen who ruled as a king after usurping the title from her stepson, Thutmose III, and locking him up for two decades. This striking temple is built into the cliffs and features multiple levels with pillared porticos and interior shrines to the gods Anubis, Hathor, and others. After her death, a vengeful Thutmose III defaced Hatshepsut's images and destroyed her statues in an attempt to erase her legacy.

From there, we were off to explore one of the world's most famous archeological sites: the Valley of the Kings, where almost all the pharaohs of the 18th to 20th Dynasties were entombed. They included King Tut, who's still there, resting in a glass case in his rather modest KV62 tomb, all the gold funerary objects having been removed after its 1922 discovery. 

The exceptional day ended with a fun-filled Egyptian Night on board the ship that featured a buffet dinner of flavorful local dishes such as koshary (chickpeas, lentils, rice, and fried onions), kofta (minced lamb) and om ali (puff pastry with hot milk and nuts). Then we danced wearing our floor-length galabeya tunics (which we'd purchased in the onboard shop) and were joined by the ship's enthusiastic crew, who showed us some smooth Egyptian dance moves.

Day 6: Crocodile Rocks, Bird Watching, and a Spectacular Aswan Sunset 

Another early morning, this time touring the Temple of Kom Ombo, which was built from 205 to 180 B.C.E. and is dedicated to both Sobek, the crocodile god who symbolized power, and Horus, the falcon god who symbolized protection. We also ducked into the Crocodile Museum to see a display of mummified crocs that roamed the Nile thousands of years ago.

By noon, S.S. Sphinx was sailing toward Aswan. Upon arrival in the city best known for its two historic dams, we set out on a bird-watching cruise around Elephantine Island, where we spotted egrets, terns, kestrels, among others.

The day's highlight, however, was the sunset, viewed from the terrace of Aswan's legendary Old Cataract Hotel. This Victorian-era beauty, built in 1899 to house European travelers and since expanded as part of the Sofitel chain, is the spot to sip tea and eat sweets while watching the sky transform from ethereal blue to tangerine and magenta. 

Day 7: Absolutely Astounding Abu Simbel

Today's 6 a.m. departure time was old hat by now as I headed off for a six-hour extra-cost excursion by air to Abu Simbel, a temple complex with a fascinating backstory. Its structures — a large temple built in the 13th century B.C.E. by Ramses II for himself and a smaller one built for his wife Nefertari — were completely buried by sand, only to be rediscovered in the early 19th century and later excavated.

The two sandstone structures then faced a watery grave as the new Aswan High Dam was being planned. Its 1960 to 1970 construction would create Lake Nasser and flood a number of ancient temples — unless they were moved. So between 1964 and 1968, Abu Simbel was cut up block by block by a team of archeologists and engineers, transported to higher ground, and meticulously reassembled.

As we approached the main temple, whose colossal stone façade bears four 66-foot-tall statues of Ramses II, we felt dwarfed by history. The pharaoh's adjacent homage to Nefertari is equally impressive, although it features another four massive statues of himself but only two of her. Also dedicated to the goddess Hathor, who wears a headdress of cow horns and a sun disk, the temple has a beautiful interior filled with her painted and carved likeness.

We were back aboard S.S. Sphinx in time to enjoy lunch followed by a felucca ride (a small boat propelled by oars and/or small sails) up the Nile captained by two Nubian brothers from South Egypt.

Day 8: Philae Temple, Aswan High Dam, and "Death on the Nile"

Another beautiful structure saved from the waters of Lake Nasser and relocated is Philae Temple, and we had a chance to explore it during a morning tour. Located on a small island in the High Dam's reservoir, it's reached via motorboat. Philae Temple is dedicated to the goddess Isis, who was the wife of Osiris and the mother of Horus, and its construction in the 3rd century B.C.E. was begun by Ptolemy II and later finished by Roman emperors. It's impossible to pick a favorite Egyptian temple, but Philae scores high points for ambiance given its backdrop of sapphire blue water.

Day 9: Esna Temple and Fond Farewells

Our final day aboard S.S. Sphinx was perhaps the most low-key of the week, with time to wind down and pack. We docked in Esna for a morning walk through town and a tour of Esna Temple, another Greco-Roman-style sandstone landmark that was built during the Ptolemaic Period and had been buried in sand before being excavated. It lies 30 feet below street level and excavation and restoration are ongoing. We were captivated by the colorful and incredibly detailed paintings on the temple's lotus- and papyrus-capped interior columns, which form a forest of sorts beneath a ceiling decorated with interconnected reliefs of birds with outstretched wings. 

After passing through the Esna Locks on our sail back to Luxor, I soaked in every minute of my last night onboard, enjoying an Arabian buffet in the restaurant and a folklore show in the lounge that was capped off by a whirling dervish decked out in glimmering capes who spun and spun and spun with abandon. The dizzying performance perfectly captured how I had felt all week in the presence of Egypt's spectacular treasures.

Day 10: Back to Cairo and Exploring the New Grand Egyptian Museum

Leaving behind S.S. Sphinx wasn't easy. It had been a wonderful week of incredible sights complemented by genuinely kind and caring service by the ship's local crew. But after landing back in Cairo, we were immediately treated to something equally magical: Exploring the galleries of the Grand Egyptian Museum, which had opened just weeks earlier in Giza. 

From the outside, the 1.8-million-square-foot GEM is a visual puzzle of wedge shapes with a captivating pyramid theme expressed across its façade in translucent marble and metal. Inside, the soaring atrium is home to a 34-foot-tall, 3,300-year-old statue of Ramses II, and ascending galleries set on a grand staircase showcase priceless statues as visitors are whisked past to the upper-level galleries on an escalator. There, more than 100,000 artifacts are on display.

Day 11: Pyramid Schemes — From Saqqara to Giza 

The final day of our itinerary was all about pyramids. We began with a visit to the Step Pyramid of Saqqara, which is 204 feet tall and dates to the 3rd Dynasty, making it the oldest of Egypt's pyramids. Then, after an exterior look at the 481-foot tall Great Pyramid of Giza built by Pharaoh Khufu (Cheops) in 2600 B.C.E., and a walk past the smaller pyramid named Khafre, after his son who built it in 2550 B.C.E., Walid handed us tickets to descend into the third Giza pyramid (Menkaure), which was built in 2510 B.C.E. by Pharaoh Menkaure. We carefully stooped and stepped our way down its steep ramps, finally reaching the empty burial chamber — and, miraculously, were agile enough to climb back out.

What about the Great Sphinx of Giza, the namesake of the Uniworld ship that had been our home for the past week? Of course, we paid a visit to the 4,500-year-old limestone statue that depicts the head of a man (likely the Pharaoh Khafre) on the body of a lion. It was to be our last incredible morsel of antiquity. 

The Best Time to Cruise on the Nile

The ideal time to cruise the Nile is November to March when temperatures are generally in the 70s and 80s. Cruises are offered from April to October (except for July and August, when it's just too hot), but keep in mind that highs will still be in the 90s and low 100s. 

Know Before You Go

- Visiting temples, tombs, and pyramids requires a fair amount of walking — sometimes two or three miles daily — and there are multiple steps to navigate at docking locations and some excavation sites. 

- Bottled water is used throughout ships for rinsing produce and making coffee, tea, and ice cubes as well as for drinking and brushing teeth. Tap water isn’t potable and can cause digestive upset known as "mummy tummy." 

- A balcony is nice to have on a cruise, but not critical along the Nile, where temperatures are often too high to enjoy sitting in the sun.

Top Nile Cruise Options 

Three major river cruise lines have ships on the Nile — all sailing roundtrip from Luxor and visiting most of the same sights in Aswan, Dendera, and Qena.  

- Uniworld's S.S. Sphinx, which is both luxurious and welcoming, is the most "Egyptian" option, with intricate décor, locally-inspired cuisine, and an all-Egyptian crew. Uniworld also operates the 84-guest River Tosca, which sails the same "Splendors of Egypt & the Nile" itinerary but features décor that's European-inspired.

- Viking now operates six ships on the Nile, with four more joining the fleet in 2025 and 2026. Four of the current ships sailing its 12-day "Pharaohs & Pyramids" itinerary — Viking Sobek, Viking Hathor, Viking Aton, and Viking Osiris — carry 82 guests and are identical, featuring light-filled spaces, sleek Scandinavian design, and contemporary western cuisine with some local specialties also on the menu. 

- AmaWaterways has two ships sailing its 10-night "Secrets of Egypt & the Nile" itinerary, the new 82-guest AmaLilia and the 72-guest AmaDahlia, which debuted in 2021. Both the décor and cuisine onboard each vessel combine contemporary and Egyptian influences, with AmaDahlia's interiors featuring more traditional locally inspired elements than AmaLilia's.