A NILE CRUISE BOAT & FALUKA

philae temple, aswan

a typical view from deck

WHAT IS THIS site ABOUT?

dreaming of egypt?

ruising the river Nile is more than just another holiday, another cruise even... it's an almost mystical experience. Booking a river Nile cruise however, is not such a mystical experience and as with any purchase (particularly a holiday), it’s nice to have at least some idea of what to expect.

Although the paddle steamers and Agatha Christie style explorers are a thing of the past, you can at least console yourself with the fact that you can now enjoy the ancient world with modern comforts.

The purpose of this site is to inform others wishing to undertake a cruise down the Nile; what you will see (out of the window, on deck and on land), what to take with you, how hot the weather will be, how to avoid that Egyptian belly ache (though we can’t guarantee that one!) and the sometimes difficult art of bartering with local street vendors.

What you won’t find here are papyrus filled pages of historical facts, nor can you book a Nile cruise with us… this site aims to offer a personal perspective for those wishing to book a Nile cruise and as such, you shouldn’t just take our word for it.

It’s worth noting that the ancient world isn’t the preserve of silver surfers and scholars; it is a truly unique experience that can be enjoyed by all. My wife and I are in our late twenties, but what struck us on our first cruise down the Nile was the sheer range of people who are drawn to it’s historic waters.

No matter who you are, the wonders of the Nile will never fail to inspire. We sincerely hope these pages are of use to you... thanks for visiting us!

AN OLDIE... BUT A GOODIE. ALTHOUGH THIS AD ON BEHALF OF THE EGYPTIAN TOURIST BOARD IS A FEW YEARS OLD NOW, IT'S STILL A GREAT SELL AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT GOT ME INTERESTED IN BOOKING A NILE CRUISE HOLIDAY.

COPYRIGHT : GARDEL Bertrand/hemis.fr

IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THIS WAS PAINTED TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO...

THE RIVER NILE CRUISE MAP

This map represents the most common Nile cruise destinations as well as some of the most popular additional excursions not usually part of a main cruise package. Destinations here are listed by port, except in the case of Abu Simbel.

Cairo

abu simbel, lake nassar

RIVER NILE FACTS

At 6,650 km long, the River Nile is largely considered to be the world's longest river.

The river was instrumental in the rise of the ancient Egyptian civilization, because of the annual inundation. These floods left behind fertile alluvial silt that helped Egypt forge a reputation as the 'bread basket' of the ancient world.

The Nile no longer contains crocodiles (apparently).

The source of the river is thought to be Lake Victoria, which straddles the territories of Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.

Since the completion of the High Dam in 1970, the Nile no longer experiences an annual inundation.