5 Days Egypt Nile Cruise from El Gouna

The second day of your Nile cruise from El Gouna will be a busy one as we will be exploring the west bank of Luxor. First, you'll take a tour of the valley of the kings and Hatshepsut temple before heading over to see the colossi of Memnon. You'll have time for shopping before boarding your boat to sail to Esna.

After breakfast onboard your Nile Cruise, start your day with a trip to the Valley of the Kings, one of the most famous archaeological sites in Egypt, and it contains some of the most beautiful and fascinating tombs in all of Egypt. This is a burial site that was used by several pharaohs from the New Kingdom period. The tombs were cut into the limestone cliffs in this area and are very well preserved.  You'll see tombs that are beautifully decorated with hieroglyphics and sculptures of gods. And you will have time to explore these tombs on your own. 

Next, visit Hatshepsut Temple, which was built during the time of Queen Hatshepsut (1473-1458 BC) who ruled alongside her husband Thutmose II (1481-1425). It's one of only two female pharaohs in Egyptian history, so it's especially significant for women! This temple sits on top of an artificial mountain and has some of the finest carvings in Egypt. The architecture is really interesting—you can see how it was built using columns and pillars to create a beautiful effect inside.

The tour concludes with a visit to The Colossi of Memnon: two giant statues that have been standing since ancient times which were built by Amenhotep III (1386-1349 BCE) and were moved from their original location where they were originally part of his funerary temple. These statues are 32 meters tall and are one of the most iconic images in Egypt today!

At the end of the day, you'll head over to Esna for a sail on Lake Nasser.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast onboard your Nile cruise, you will continue sailing until you'll see the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo. These are two of the most important temples in Egypt, and they have been around since at least the time of Ramesses II (1279-1213 B.C.).

Start with the Temple of Horus in Edfu, which was built in 237 BC and is dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god who was both king of gods and lord of the sky.  this temple was built by Ptolemy VII between 237 and 57 BCE, and it's considered one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. It's located on the west bank of the Nile River, an hour away from Aswan.  It's also famous for its reliefs that depict scenes from the Book of Gates (a book in the Egyptian Book of the Dead), which is why it's often called "the Temple of Millions of Years." 

After visiting this temple, you will proceed to Kom Ombo temple, another ancient Egyptian temple that was carved out of a mountain during the Ptolemaic period. The temple itself is dedicated to two gods: Horus and Sobek—both of whom are important figures in Ancient Egyptian mythology.

In the end, return back to your Nile cruise where you will continue sailing until you reach Aswan city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The day will start with breakfast on the cruise. After breakfast, we will proceed to Abu Simbel temple. The temple was built by Ramesses II during the New Kingdom. It was dedicated to his beloved wife Nefertari and their son, Ramses. The temple consists of four main temples, which are connected by a long hall known as "The Hypostyle Hall", which is decorated with scenes depicting the Battle of Kadesh, Ramesses II's victory over the Hittites in 1274 B.C., and other events from Egyptian history. The walls were also decorated with scenes from various religions including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. There are also many statues inside these temples that are carved out of rock and depict ancient gods such as Isis and Osiris among others.

There is also a museum there that has information about Egypt's history and culture, as well as an area where you can see some artifacts from when they were building the temple.

After your tour at Abu Simbel Temples, we'll make our way back down south toward Aswan.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today is the last day of your Nile cruise. In the morning, we will have breakfast onboard the cruise and check out to visit the High Dam, which is a massive structure built to regulate and control the flow of water from Lake Nasser. In recent years, it's become a popular tourist attraction for its impressive architecture and for providing a stunning view of Lake Nasser.

Next up, we'll go to Philae Temple—a beautiful structure with pharaohs' statues carved into its walls. This temple was once submerged in water but has since been excavated and restored as an archaeological site.

Finally, we'll visit an unfinished obelisk that was commissioned by Pharaoh Tuthmosis III in 1450 BC. The obelisk was never completed due to a lack of resources during construction; however, some parts of it were reconstructed in 1964 by UNESCO archaeologists who hope to finish what Tuthmosis III started.

You'll end your day at the port of Ghalib, where your Nile cruise will come to an end after 5 days of exploring Egypt's most famous river.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch