As dawn breaks over Aswan, the golden light paints the water in shimmering layers of amber and blue. After a leisurely breakfast on deck, your journey through Nubian history begins with a visit to one of Egypt’s boldest modern achievements , the High Dam. Built in the 1960s to control flooding and power the nation, it is an extraordinary structure, holding back the vast expanse of Lake Nasser, one of the largest manmade lakes on Earth. From here, you’ll appreciate the sweeping engineering feat and understand how it forever altered the landscape, submerging ancient villages while preserving many priceless monuments.

One such monument is your next destination, the enchanting Temple of Philae, reached by boat as you glide across the lake’s peaceful waters. This temple, devoted to Isis, the goddess of love and magic, once stood on Philae Island but was rescued and rebuilt stone by stone on Agilika Island to escape the rising floodwaters. As you walk its courtyards, feel the devotion in its elegant reliefs, where myth, motherhood, and sacred rites still echo in the sunlit silence.

Afterwards, a slow sail takes you past the leafy haven of Kitchener’s Island, where the British general transformed a mid-river islet into a botanical garden brimming with palms, exotic blooms, and birdsong — a gentle reminder of Aswan’s subtropical grace.

Back on land, your exploration continues at the Nubian Museum, a beautiful and modern institution preserving the rich legacy of the Nubian people. Its halls reveal the artistry, language, and heritage of a civilisation that thrived along the Nile for thousands of years, long before Egypt’s golden age.

The afternoon invites you to a moment of elegance and reflection — afternoon tea at the legendary Old Cataract Hotel, where Agatha Christie once stayed and set her mystery Death on the Nile. Seated on the grand terrace overlooking the Nile’s slow sweep through granite boulders, you’ll sip tea just as writers, royals, and explorers have done before you.

Included: All Sightseeing • Entrance Fees • Afternoon Tea • Full Board (B, L, D)

Today offers a choice: relaxation and personal exploration in Aswan, or a once-in-a-lifetime optional excursion to Abu Simbel, an early start but an unforgettable reward.

If you choose to go, you’ll travel across the desert for four hours by road, until the sand gives way to monumental grandeur the twin temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, carved directly into the cliffside nearly 3,300 years ago. Guarded by four colossal statues of the pharaoh, each 20 metres tall, the temple was a staggering feat of power and ego — and, in modern times, a miracle of preservation, as it was carefully moved to higher ground before Lake Nasser claimed its original site. The interior is a gallery of gods, victories, and eternal devotion — a sublime fusion of architecture, astronomy, and reverence.

Back aboard, the ship sets sail northward. You arrive at Kom Ombo, perched dramatically on a bend in the river where crocodiles once basked. This riverside temple is unusual in that it’s dedicated to two deities: Sobek, the crocodile god of fertility and chaos, and Horus the Elder, the falcon god of protection and healing. Their dual worship is mirrored in the temple’s symmetrical layout, with duplicate halls, sanctuaries, and chapels. Don’t miss the adjacent mummified crocodile museum, a curious and slightly eerie reminder of Sobek’s real-world legacy.

As the sun dips, you continue to Edfu, where the spirit of ancient Egypt seems to thicken in the evening air. Onboard, a talk introduces you to the mysterious world of hieroglyphics, and the evening unfolds with a colourful Nubian show — a celebration of regional music, dance, and laughter under the stars.

Included: Sightseeing & Entrance Fees • Optional Abu Simbel Tour (pre-bookable) • Full Board (B, L, D)

The rising sun casts long shadows on the river as you disembark in Edfu, home to the Temple of Horus — one of the most intact temples in Egypt. Guarded by a pair of imposing falcons carved from black granite, this Ptolemaic temple is dedicated to Horus, the god of kingship and the sky. Step beneath the soaring pylon and into a world of incense and sacred rituals, where scenes of Horus battling Seth unfold like a mythological comic strip on the walls.

After this evocative visit, your cruise continues toward Luxor, once known as Thebes, capital of ancient Egypt at the height of its glory. As you sail, enjoy an inspiring documentary about Howard Carter’s discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, laying the groundwork for tomorrow’s revelations.

This evening, prepare for a spellbinding Special Event. As night falls, you step onto the softly lit esplanade of Luxor Temple, its colonnades glowing under amber light. Built by Amenhotep III and expanded by Ramses II, it’s a sanctuary of symmetry, once linked by the Avenue of Sphinxes to Karnak Temple. Afterwards, you’re invited to the elegant Old Winter Palace Hotel for a cocktail — the very place where Carter announced to the world his discovery of the boy king’s resting place. Tonight, you walk in the footsteps of pharaohs and pioneers alike.

Included: All Sightseeing • Entrance Fees • Cocktail Event at Old Winter Palace • Full Board (B, L, D)

For those who choose, an early wake-up call offers a chance to see Egypt from the heavens on an optional hot air balloon ride. As your basket rises over the Valley of the Kings, the light of dawn touches tombs and temples, revealing the west bank’s golden terrain in all its ancient majesty.

After breakfast, your day continues with a visit to the Valley of the Kings, final resting place of over 60 pharaohs. These underground tombs, cut into the rock of the Theban hills, are masterpieces of colour, geometry, and symbolism. Depending on access, you may visit the tombs of Tutankhamun or the legendary Seti I — known for its immense detail and scale.

You pause at the Colossi of Memnon, two towering statues of Amenhotep III standing in eternal vigil, their expressions weathered yet regal. Then, explore the home of Howard Carter, now preserved as a museum with his notes, maps, and tools.

The afternoon brings you to Karnak Temple, a staggering complex that grew over 1,500 years. Walk among its hypostyle hall of 134 giant columns, where rays of sun pierce the high sandstone roof, illuminating carvings of gods and kings. You return via the restored Avenue of Sphinxes, a ceremonial road that once linked Karnak to Luxor in festivals of light and power.

Included: All Sightseeing • Entrance Fees • Optional Balloon Ride • Full Board (B, L, D)

Today your ship charts a course northward to Qena, a town rarely touched by mass tourism and gateway to one of Egypt’s most beautiful temples — Denderah, sacred to Hathor, goddess of love, beauty, and music.

This temple is a wonder of symmetry and preservation, its hypostyle halls still bearing vivid astronomical ceilings, its walls alive with carvings of Cleopatra and Caesarion (her son with Julius Caesar). One of the few places in Egypt where coloured pigments still cling to the stone, it offers an unparalleled glimpse into the temple’s original splendour.

Return to the ship as the Nile unfurls itself again, with a birdwatching presentation onboard. You may spot herons, ibis, and kingfishers along the reeds — reminders that while dynasties have risen and fallen, nature’s rhythm endures.

Included: Temple Visit • Onboard Lecture • Full Board (B, L, D)

As the river drifts further into the heartland of Egypt, the next stop is El Balyana, a small town with one monumental claim: proximity to Abydos, one of Egypt’s most sacred ancient sites.

Once a centre for the cult of Osiris, god of the afterlife, Abydos was a place of pilgrimage for centuries. You’ll visit the Temple of Seti I, a jewel of the New Kingdom, known for its artistic mastery and the Abydos King List — a chronological list of 76 pharaohs inscribed on the wall. Among the temple’s carvings are scenes so precise they’ve sparked modern myths, including the famous “helicopter hieroglyphs.”

As the ship continues its voyage north, you pass through the Naga Hammadi locks and arrive at Sohag, a city tied to the Coptic Christian heritage of Egypt. An onboard talk about contemporary Egypt adds thoughtful perspective, exploring the blend of ancient tradition and modern challenges. The evening ends in festive style with a Galabeya Party, where you can don traditional Egyptian attire, join in the music, and share in laughter with fellow travellers.

Included: Abydos Excursion • Lock Navigation • Evening Celebration • Full Board (B, L, D)

As the Nile cuts through Egypt’s heartland, the scenery begins to shift: sugarcane fields unfurl along the banks, sleepy donkeys graze beneath date palms, and quiet fishing villages drift by like watercolor brushstrokes. You’ll spend the morning sailing peacefully, watching river life unfold in a rhythm that hasn’t changed for centuries.

The ship glides into the town of Asyut, where ancient tombs dot the cliffs above the river. While your stop here is brief, the highlight is a glimpse from the deck of the Monastery of Prince Tawadros, one of the many Coptic sanctuaries hidden in the desert hills. Dedicated to a martyred Christian warrior, the monastery reminds us of the deep spiritual diversity layered into Egypt’s soil.

In the afternoon, you approach Tell el-Amarna, once a revolutionary city unlike any other in ancient Egypt. Founded by Akhenaten, the “heretic pharaoh,” Amarna was home to a short-lived experiment in monotheism — the worship of the sun disc, Aten. Akhenaten rejected the many gods of Egypt and built this city from scratch to house his radical vision of the divine. His queen, the elegant and enigmatic Nefertiti, ruled beside him and left a legacy that still inspires awe.

An onboard lecture delves into this extraordinary couple’s lives — their art, their beliefs, and the seismic cultural shockwaves they left behind. You’ll dock near the site, ready to explore its mysteries come morning.

Included: River sailing • Cultural talk onboard • Monastery viewing • Full Board (B, L, D)

Step into history’s most curious city this morning as you explore the ruins of Tell el-Amarna. Begin with the Northern Tombs, once home to Akhenaten’s most trusted nobles. Though weathered by time, the tombs retain detailed inscriptions and murals that reveal a new style of art — softer, more human, filled with tender family moments and intimate expressions of divine connection. You’ll also visit Akhenaten’s Royal Tomb, where his carved sarcophagus once lay beneath images of the sun disc casting life onto the faces of his beloved wife and daughters.

From this rare place of monotheistic devotion, continue to Tuna el-Gebel, an ancient necropolis once used by Greeks and Romans, as well as Egyptians. Here you’ll descend into catacombs filled with animal burials, mummified ibises and baboons once sacred to Thoth, god of wisdom. The site also houses the tomb of Isadora, a young Greek girl tragically drowned, her story immortalised in stone and legend.

You’ll rejoin the cruise in Minya, a rarely visited provincial city where the Nile moves quietly and the minarets rise above market rooftops. As dusk settles, enjoy a folkloric show onboard — a colourful celebration of Egypt’s rural spirit in song and dance.

Included: All Sightseeing • Entrance Fees • Onboard performance • Full Board (B, L, D)

After a restful night aboard, you awaken as the ship sails toward the ancient cliffside necropolis of Beni Hassan. Unlike the pharaonic tombs you’ve already seen, these are the graves of regional governors and nobles of the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000 BCE), and they offer a more intimate, human portrait of life in ancient Egypt.

Cut directly into the limestone cliffs, these tombs are famed for their colourful frescoes, remarkably well-preserved after 4,000 years. Within them, scenes of everyday life come alive — wrestling matches, fishing expeditions, weaving, harvesting, and trade caravans — reminding you that ancient Egypt was not only a land of gods and monuments, but of farmers, artisans, and administrators too.

Return to your ship as it sails past Beni Suef, a riverside city near the narrowing of the Nile valley. This evening, the mood lightens with a fun-filled quiz night onboard — a chance to test your knowledge of all the incredible things you’ve seen so far.

Included: Beni Hassan Tomb Visit • River sailing • Onboard activities • Full Board (B, L, D)

This morning, you cruise onward to the bustling edge of Cairo, where towering minarets and apartment blocks begin to pepper the horizon. Along the way, your onboard Egyptologist hosts a fascinating talk on the pyramids, preparing you for the wonders that await.

Once in Cairo, delve into a very different chapter of Egypt’s religious history — Coptic Cairo, a sacred quarter enclosed within the old city’s walls. You’ll visit the atmospheric Hanging Church, suspended above a Roman gate, its wooden nave a place of timeless peace. Continue to the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, believed to be a resting place of the Holy Family during their flight into Egypt. Then explore the Coptic Museum, housing rare manuscripts, icons, and early Christian art that speak to Egypt’s deep spiritual layers.

Back onboard, enjoy a traditional Takht performance — the classical instrumental music of the Arab world, performed with oud, qanun, and ney — a perfect bridge between East and West, past and present.

Included: Coptic Cairo tour • Onboard cultural performance • Full Board (B, L, D)

This is the day that crowns your journey — a full immersion into the glory of Ancient Egypt’s golden age.

You begin at the Giza Plateau, where the vast desert opens like a theatre stage and the stars are the monuments themselves. Stand before the awe-inspiring Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) — the last remaining wonder of the ancient world — built with over 2 million limestone blocks nearly 4,500 years ago. Nearby, the Great Sphinx, with the body of a lion and the face of a pharaoh, gazes eastward, its expression as enigmatic as time itself.

Next, visit the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, where the golden treasures of King Tutankhamun shimmer in the galleries. Peer into the boy king’s iconic mask, his jewellery, and everyday objects placed in his tomb for the afterlife. Even with the new museum opening, this historic building retains a special soul.

In the afternoon, you’re among the first to experience the marvel of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the world’s largest archaeological museum. Its stunning modern architecture houses priceless antiquities in vast light-filled spaces. Highlights include the Grand Hall with its monumental statue of Ramses II, the Hanging Obelisk, the Grand Staircase, and recently opened galleries displaying thousands of newly exhibited artefacts — from tiny amulets to towering statues.

You return to your ship with a sense of awe, the arc of Egyptian civilisation now etched into your heart.

Included: All Sightseeing • Entrance Fees • Full Board (B, L, D)

After breakfast and one last peaceful lunch aboard, it’s time to say goodbye to your Nile sanctuary. You’ll disembark and be privately transferred to Cairo International Airport, where your Anteros Travel representative will assist you with departure formalities.

As your plane lifts above the city, glance out one last time — the Nile glittering far below, the pyramids rising through the haze — and carry with you the memory of a journey that travelled not just through geography, but through eternity.

Included: Breakfast & Lunch • Airport Transfer