MS Reinassance Nile Cruise

Upon your arrival in Luxor, you'll be warmly welcomed and transferred directly to your luxurious Nile Cruise ship. After checking in and settling into your comfortable cabin, you'll enjoy a delicious lunch on board as the ship prepares for its journey.

In the afternoon, your adventure into ancient Egypt truly begins with a captivating tour of Luxor's magnificent East Bank. Accompanied by your expert Egyptologist guide, you'll delve into two of the most iconic ancient sites:

• Karnak Temple Complex:
  •  Far more than just a single temple, Karnak is an awe-inspiring, sprawling complex of sanctuaries, kiosks, pylons, and obelisks. It represents the largest ancient religious site in the world, continuously built and expanded upon by generations of pharaohs over nearly 2,000 years. Primarily dedicated to the Theban Triad of Amun (the king of the gods), his consort Mut, and their son Khonsu, Karnak was the most important place of worship for the ancient Egyptians in Thebes. Its sheer scale and intricate carvings tell a grand story of power, devotion, and artistry.
  • Highlights: You'll be dwarfed by the towering columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall, a forest of 134 massive pillars, and discover the sacred Avenue of Sphinxes that once connected Karnak to Luxor Temple. Explore various courts, chapels, and the Sacred Lake, all testament to the enduring might of the pharaohs.
• Luxor Temple:
  •  Primarily constructed by the New Kingdom Pharaoh Amenhotep III and later completed by the revered King Tutankhamun and the legendary Ramesses II, Luxor Temple served as a vital center for royal rituals and festivals, particularly the annual Opet Festival. Unlike many other temples, it's not dedicated to a cult god or deified pharaoh in death, but rather to the rejuvenation of kingship, making it a unique symbol of royal power and legitimacy.
  •  You'll enter through the grand First Pylon, raised by Ramesses II and adorned with intricate reliefs depicting his famous military victory at the Battle of Kadesh. Marvel at the colossal statues of Ramesses II guarding the entrance and explore the beautiful colonnades and courtyards. The temple's grandeur is particularly enchanting when illuminated at night.

After an enriching afternoon exploring these monumental sites, you'll return to your cruise ship. Enjoy a delightful dinner on board, reflecting on the wonders you've witnessed, before spending your first night docked in Luxor.

• Overnight Cruise Luxor
• Meals Lunch, Dinner

Wake up to a delicious breakfast on board your Nile Cruise as you prepare for another day of incredible discoveries. Today, you'll cross to the West Bank of the Nile, often referred to as the "City of the Dead," where ancient pharaohs and nobles sought their eternal rest.

Your guided tour will include:

• The Valley of the Kings:
  •  Once known as "The Great Place of the Truth," this isolated, barren valley is now famously called the Valley of the Kings. It served as the secret burial ground for most of the New Kingdom pharaohs (18th to 20th Dynasties) and powerful nobles. To protect the mummies and valuable treasures intended for the afterlife from tomb robbers, elaborate rock-cut tombs were meticulously carved deep into the cliffs, replacing the more visible pyramid structures of earlier dynasties. The valley is dominated by a natural, pyramid-shaped mountain peak, believed to have inspired the choice of this secluded location.
  • You'll have the opportunity to explore several royal tombs (typically three to four, depending on the day's open tombs, excluding the tomb of Tutankhamun which requires a separate special ticket). Marvel at the vibrant, perfectly preserved hieroglyphs and colorful wall paintings that adorn these subterranean chambers, depicting scenes from religious texts, daily life, and the pharaoh's journey through the underworld.
• The Colossi of Memnon:
  •  Standing majestically on the Theban plain, these are two massive stone statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Rising approximately 18 meters (about 60 feet) from the ground, they are the last remnants of what was once the largest and most magnificent mortuary temple complex on the West Bank, built during Amenhotep III's reign. The temple itself has largely succumbed to the annual Nile floods and earthquakes over millennia.
  • Pause to admire the sheer scale of these ancient guardians and learn about their fascinating history, including the ancient Greek legends of the "singing" Colossi.
• The Temple of Queen Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari):
  • Rising gracefully out of the desert plain in a series of three towering terraces, the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari is an architectural masterpiece. It merges seamlessly with the sheer limestone cliffs of the eastern face of the Theban Mountain, creating the illusion that nature itself had sculpted this extraordinary monument. Built for one of Egypt's most successful female pharaohs, its unique design features colonnaded porticoes and ramps.
  • Ascend the ramps to explore the various levels, adorned with beautiful reliefs that depict Hatshepsut's divine birth, her famous expedition to the land of Punt, and her relationship with the gods. The temple’s open and airy design is a stark contrast to the enclosed tombs of the Valley of the Kings.

13:00: Return to your cruise ship for a delicious lunch, which will be served as the vessel begins its scenic sail towards Esna.

18:00: Arrive at the Esna Lock. Experience the fascinating process of the ship navigating through this ancient lock system, a marvel of engineering that raises or lowers the ship to continue its journey along the Nile. After passing through the lock, the cruise will continue its sail towards Edfu.

Enjoy a sumptuous dinner on board as the sun sets over the tranquil Nile. You will spend the night docked in Edfu, ready for tomorrow's explorations.

• Overnight Cruise Edfu
• Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Begin your day with a delightful breakfast on board your Nile Cruise. Following breakfast, you'll disembark for a remarkable visit to one of Egypt's most well-preserved temples.

07:00: Visit the Temple of Edfu

• Edfu Temple:
  •  This magnificent temple is one of the largest and best-preserved ancient sites in Upper Egypt, almost entirely intact thanks to being buried under sand for centuries. It is dedicated to the hawk-god Horus, a principal deity in ancient Egyptian mythology, and stands on the site of a much older temple. The construction of the current Ptolemaic temple of Horus dates to the period between the reigns of Ptolemy III (246 BC) and Ptolemy XII (57 BC), taking nearly two centuries to complete. The temple's well-preserved walls are covered with intricate hieroglyphs and reliefs that provide a wealth of information about ancient Egyptian religion, language, and rituals. They notably include descriptions of the "Myth of the Contending of Horus and Seth," a dramatic tale of vengeance and divine kingship, which was likely performed annually as a religious drama.
  • You'll be awe-struck by its towering entrance pylons, adorned with colossal reliefs of pharaohs in battle. Explore the vast outer courtyard, the richly decorated hypostyle halls, and the inner sanctuaries, including the sacred boat shrine of Horus. The temple offers a unique insight into the ritualistic daily life of priests and the intricate mythological narratives that shaped ancient Egyptian beliefs.

09:30: Return to the cruise ship, and the ship will begin its scenic sail towards Kom Ombo.

12:30: Enjoy a delicious lunch served on board the Nile cruise as you glide along the tranquil river, taking in the picturesque views of the Egyptian countryside.

15:30: Arrive at Kom Ombo & visit the Temple of Kom Ombo

• Kom Ombo Temple:
  • Located approximately 40 kilometers north of Aswan, the Temple of Kom Ombo is unique among Egyptian temples due to its symmetrical "double" design. It is dedicated to two distinct sets of deities: the southern half of the temple is dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god of fertility and creator of the world, along with his consort Hathor and son Khonsu. The northern half is dedicated to Horus the Elder (Haroeris), the falcon-headed god, along with his consort Tasenetnofret and son Panebtawy. Dating primarily to the Ptolemaic and Roman periods (332 BC - 395 AD), the temple's duality is reflected in its two parallel entrances, courts, and sanctuaries.
  • Explore the perfectly balanced architecture and admire the detailed reliefs, including an intriguing carving thought to depict ancient surgical instruments. Adjacent to the temple, you can visit a small museum showcasing mummified crocodiles found in the area, testament to the reverence shown to Sobek. The temple is especially atmospheric at dusk when it's beautifully illuminated.

17:30: Return to the ship and continue sailing south towards the vibrant city of Aswan. Dinner will be served on board as the sun sets over the Nile, painting the sky with warm hues.

21:00: Arrive in Aswan, one of Egypt's most beautiful cities. You will spend the night docked on board the cruise in Aswan, ready for more explorations tomorrow.

• Overnight Cruise Edfu
• Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, after a satisfying breakfast on board your cruise ship, you'll embark on an exciting exploration of Aswan, a city renowned for its picturesque setting and unique Nubian culture.

08:00: Proceed with Visits of Aswan, including:

• Philae Temple:
  • This stunning temple complex, dedicated primarily to the goddess Isis, is a true testament to international collaboration in heritage preservation. Originally located on Philae Island, it was painstakingly dismantled block by block and meticulously reassembled on higher ground at Agilkia Island between 1972 and 1980, as part of a UNESCO rescue project to save it from being submerged by the rising waters of Lake Nasser after the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Built in the classical Egyptian style, its construction began around 690 BC, though many additions were made during the Ptolemaic and Roman periods, making it one of the last outposts where the ancient Egyptian goddesses were worshipped.
• Tour by Felucca around Elephantine Island:
  • Description: Experience the timeless charm of the Nile with a traditional felucca ride. These ancient Egyptian wooden sailboats rely solely on the wind, offering a tranquil and authentic way to glide past the picturesque islands of Aswan, particularly around Elephantine Island. Elephantine Island itself is one of Aswan's oldest inhabited parts, historically significant as a southern border fort, a vital trading hub for ivory, and a cult center for the ram-headed god Khnum. It houses ancient ruins, including temples and a Nilometer.
• The High Dam:
  •  The Aswan High Dam is a monumental rock-fill dam located at the northern border between Egypt and Sudan, completed in 1970 and officially inaugurated in 1971. Its construction, which began in 1960, created Lake Nasser, one of the world's largest artificial lakes. The dam was a pivotal project for modern Egypt, designed to control the annual flooding of the Nile, provide constant irrigation for agricultural expansion, and generate hydroelectric power for the entire country.
• The Unfinished Obelisk:
  •  Located in the ancient granite quarries of Aswan, this colossal obelisk remains incomplete, still partially attached to its bedrock. Aswan was the primary source of the finest pink and red granite used throughout ancient Egypt to create magnificent statues, embellish temples, and carve pyramids and obelisks. The unfinished obelisk provides invaluable insight into the meticulous and labor-intensive methods ancient Egyptians used to quarry and carve these massive monuments, although the full construction process is still not entirely clear. Had it been completed, this single piece of stone, nearly 42 meters (137 feet) long and weighing an estimated 1168 tonnes, would have been the heaviest piece of stone ever fashioned by the Egyptians. It was likely abandoned due to cracks discovered in the granite during the carving process.

12:00: Return to the cruise ship for a delicious lunch on board, savoring the flavors as you reflect on the wonders of Aswan.

Enjoy dinner and your final overnight stay on board the cruise in Aswan.

• Overnight Cruise Aswan
• Meals Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy a final breakfast on board your Nile Cruise. Today offers a remarkable optional experience for those who wish to delve further into Egypt's extraordinary ancient history.

• Optional Tour to Visit Abu Simbel (Highly Recommended - Extra Cost):
  • For those opting for this incredible excursion, you will have an early morning departure by either private air-conditioned vehicle (a drive of approximately 3-4 hours each way across the desert) or a domestic flight from Aswan (a shorter travel time, but involving airport procedures). This journey takes you to the remote and awe-inspiring Abu Simbel temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of Egypt's most magnificent ancient monuments. These two colossal rock-cut temples, carved directly into the mountainside on the west bank of the Nile, were built by Pharaoh Ramesses II between 1274 and 1244 BC.
    • The Great Temple is dedicated to Ramesses II himself and the principal gods Ra-Harakhty, Amun-Ra, and Ptah. Its façade is dominated by four enormous seated statues of Ramesses II, each standing over 20 meters (66 feet) tall.
    • The Smaller Temple is dedicated to his beloved Great Royal Wife, Queen Nefertari, and the goddess Hathor, featuring statues of both the queen and the pharaoh.
  • The Relocation: One of the most astounding feats of modern engineering, both temples were meticulously dismantled stone by stone (over a thousand blocks, some weighing 30 tons) and rebuilt on higher ground (65 meters higher and 200 meters further inland) between 1964 and 1968. This monumental international effort, spearheaded by UNESCO, saved them from being submerged by the rising waters of Lake Nasser following the construction of the Aswan High Dam. The relocation preserved their precise astronomical alignment, ensuring that the sun's rays continue to illuminate the inner sanctuary of the Great Temple twice a year.
• For Guests Not Taking the Optional Tour: Enjoy a final leisurely morning on board the cruise, perhaps relaxing on the sun deck, before preparing for disembarkation.

Leave the cruise: After breakfast, and whether you returned from Abu Simbel or enjoyed a relaxing morning, it will be time to check out from your Nile Cruise cabin. Our representative will assist with your transfer to Aswan International Airport (ASW) or Aswan train station for your onward journey, bringing your unforgettable Nile Cruise adventure to a close.