A magical history tour - part 2
All main tour stops between Luxor and Aswan, both key destinations for anyone even remotely interested in ancient Egypt, are reasonably close to the Nile’s banks. Luxor, with its air of old-world elegance, has extensive souks and can be likened to a huge open air museum, with multiple temples and antiquities. Back in the day Luxor used to be called Thebes, the City of a Hundred Gates and was once capital of Egypt. The more relaxed town of Aswan at the southern edge of modern Egypt is popular with visitors from the Sudan. It is surrounded by elegant islands and has a riverside Corniche lined with restaurants.
For those who want to see even more of what the Nile has to offer, which includes of course the Pyramids of Giza and enigmatic Sphinx, the popular route between Luxor and Cairo has reopened, which means that tourists with time to spare can enjoy a longer cruise while delving deeper into many of Egypt’s world-renowned glories along the way.
Highlights of the Nile
Think of Egypt and the Pyramids and enigmatic Sphinx probably spring to mind. Those who haven’t seen them are often surprised at how close they are to the city of Cairo. The astonishing 4,000-year-old feats of engineering inspire awe in all who see them. The Pyramids of Giza are the oldest of the seven ancient wonders of the world and the only one that still remains.
The power represented by the Valley of the Kings, burial place of Egyptian pharaohs, is palpable. Nowadays there is a modern visitor centre onsite.
If your cruise starts at Luxor, an early port of call will be at Karnak Temple. The sheer scale of this ancient complex is mesmerising, it is almost a small town in its own right.
Another enormous edifice is the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the Falcon God, Horus. A visitor centre, shops and café are close by.
Luxor Temple, worth seeing for its gloriously intricate carvings, was built in approximately 1400 BCE.
The ancients paid homage to crocodiles at Kom Ombo because this part of the Nile was infested with crocs and they thought that building a temple would placate them.
The two temples at Abu Simbel, famously moved 200ft from their original site to make way for the Aswan Dam, are dedicated to Pharaoh Ramses 11 and his wife Queen Nefertari..
Aswan’s attractions include El Nabatat Island which has a botanical garden created by Lord Kitchener in the 1890s after his military exploits in Sudan.
Go back to a Magical History Tour part 1 here
Read about ships on the Nile here
Return to features index
Highlights of the Nile
Think of Egypt and the Pyramids and enigmatic Sphinx probably spring to mind. Those who haven’t seen them are often surprised at how close they are to the city of Cairo. The astonishing 4,000-year-old feats of engineering inspire awe in all who see them. The Pyramids of Giza are the oldest of the seven ancient wonders of the world and the only one that still remains.
The power represented by the Valley of the Kings, burial place of Egyptian pharaohs, is palpable. Nowadays there is a modern visitor centre onsite.
If your cruise starts at Luxor, an early port of call will be at Karnak Temple. The sheer scale of this ancient complex is mesmerising, it is almost a small town in its own right.
Another enormous edifice is the Temple of Edfu, dedicated to the Falcon God, Horus. A visitor centre, shops and café are close by.
Luxor Temple, worth seeing for its gloriously intricate carvings, was built in approximately 1400 BCE.
The ancients paid homage to crocodiles at Kom Ombo because this part of the Nile was infested with crocs and they thought that building a temple would placate them.
The two temples at Abu Simbel, famously moved 200ft from their original site to make way for the Aswan Dam, are dedicated to Pharaoh Ramses 11 and his wife Queen Nefertari..
Aswan’s attractions include El Nabatat Island which has a botanical garden created by Lord Kitchener in the 1890s after his military exploits in Sudan.
Go back to a Magical History Tour part 1 here
Read about ships on the Nile here
Return to features index