Egypt Nile Cruise: Valley of the Kings and Beyond
Cruising Through History – The Nile with Mohamed 🚢🌅
As we were planning our Egypt visit, a great friend
suggested the Nile cruise, and at the last minute, Eric made the reservation. Before
we even stepped onto the boat, we knew we were in good hands. Being the
shoulder season, the boat was not crowded, and the service was awesome. When
Eric booked the trip, he wanted to ensure our transportation was taken care of,
and in doing so selected the one that came with a private Egyptologist for our trip. Our Egyptologist
guide, Mohamed, was a walking encyclopedia in sunglasses. Fun fact - his
family once had a house in the area of the Valley of the Kings but had
to relocate when large-scale excavations ramped up. He grew up playing
hide-and-seek among pottery shards, so when it comes to pharaoh gossip,
Mohamed’s your guy. Not just a guide but a professor of Egyptology. He provided
notes and detailed explanations of every place we visited before leaving the
boat. It truly made the trip to upper Egypt one-of-a-kind.
Day 1 – Luxor East Bank: Temples and Tall Tales 🛕🌴
Karnak Temple: Words cannot describe the hieroglyphs/statutes/monuments/sarcophaguses and the sheer size of the structures. Learning about the history behind it took it to a whole new level. Picture a stone forest of colossal columns. As we walked to a crowded area we were shown the sacred scarab statue. Fun fact: You can make a wish while circling it three times (clockwise!); here’s to wishes coming true! ✨ Side note - Lisa’s favorite thing about Egyptian history is the scarab - otherwise known as the dung beetle. 😄🪲
Luxor Temple: By the entrance starts the famed Avenue
of the Sphinxes - a 1.7-mile (2.7 km) procession path lined with guardian
sphinxes all the way back to Karnak. Mohamed adjusted our visitation times to
ensure fewer crowds and we were blessed not to endure many tourists. We had time
to really reflect on the temples and the meaning of the hieroglyphics. The
pictures we took without crowds made it even better.
Day 2 – Luxor West Bank: Tombs and Temples💀
Valley of the Kings: One ticket gets you into three different tombs. Some of the tombs are closed as the authorities rotate them to protect the art. At night, the Valley of the Kings glows like it's holding onto the last whispers of ancient secrets. ⚱️
Our Three Tomb Picks:
Ramses IV – This tomb is one of the most accessible and spectacular in the Valley of the Kings. The massive granite sarcophagus sits beneath a midnight-blue ceiling covered in golden stars—ancient Egyptian mood lighting at its finest ✨💫. The walls are adorned with scenes from the Book of Caverns and Book of the Dead, guiding Ramses through the afterlife.
Merenptah – The loooongest staircase of the day which
is one of the longest in the Valley of the Kings, stretching 535 feet. Inside,
we found towering corridors and layers of massive stone sarcophagi - like
ancient Russian nesting dolls, but heavier. The walls are covered in scenes from the Book
of Gates, mapping the sun god’s journey through the underworld. It was both
eerie and awe-inspiring - definitely worth the calf workout! 🌌
Ramses I – Tiny compared to the others - he reigned for only a short time, so his tomb is compact, yet the colors inside are extremely vivid ✨. Despite its size, the detailed artwork and preserved hues made it one of the most visually stunning spots we visited. A true hidden gem in the Valley of the Kings! 👑
Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut: Queen-turned-king and
cliff-carved grandeur dedicated to Amun-Ra. Our Egyptologist, Mohamed, called
her “Hot Chicken Soup” so we’d never forget how to pronounce her name.
And honestly? It worked. 🔥🍲 Hatshepsut
wasn’t just any ruler - she ruled for over 20 years, built massive temples, and
even had herself depicted as a male pharaoh to solidify her power. Who needs a
beard when you’ve got that kind of legacy? 😏 👑
Colossi of Memnon: These two 60-foot statues of Amenhotep III have stood watch over the Theban plain for more than 3,000 years, a striking reminder of Egypt’s ancient grandeur.
After we wrapped
up Day 2, we were relaxing on the
sundeck of the cruise ship when we noticed a small commotion in the water. A tiny wooden boat floated by,
paddled by a group of young boys, who, without hesitation, hooked a rope to the cruise ship and held on as we drifted down the
Nile. It was wild to watch - pure entrepreneurial hustle. It was half-marketplace, half-action
movie. 💪🚣♂️💼
Day 3 – Edfu and Kom Ombo: Gods and Crocs🐊
Temple of Edfu: After arriving in Edfu, we climbed
into a horse-drawn carriage and trotted through the streets looking at a
culture we had no idea existed. Gives vibes from the Indiana Jones movies. The
temple, dedicated to Horus, the falcon-headed god of protection, is one
of the best-preserved in Egypt. The walls are covered in vivid
hieroglyphs detailing an epic battle between Horus and Set. This place was another of the
many ancient structures that took your breath away. Mammoth walls and towering
structures all the way down to small perfume rooms, dark corridors, and Christian
alters.
Temple of Kom Ombo: This temple was packed with
tourists thanks to the lineup of cruise ships. We docked next to a
cruise ship and had to walk through it just to get to shore. But even with the
crowds it was worth it because Kom Ombo is one of the most unique temples
in Egypt. It’s dual-dedicated - half to Sobek, the crocodile
god of the Nile, and half to Horus the Elder, protector of kings.
One of the most fascinating (and slightly terrifying)
features is the deep stone pools used to house live crocodiles -
offerings to Sobek himself. Standing at the edge of one, it’s easy to imagine
massive reptiles lurking below.🐊 Today the only crocs
you'll encounter are displayed next door in the Crocodile Museum, where
rows of mummified crocodiles are on display - creepy, but cool.
You'll also find some surprisingly detailed carvings inside the temple. A wall of surgical instruments offers insight into ancient Egyptian medicine, and a rare depiction of Cleopatra VII with her son Caesarion is carved nearby - one of the few surviving images of her in Egypt.
Day 4 – Aswan: Island Temples 🛶🕌
The High Dam: Mohamed gave us the scoop on its
political drama and massive impact, which includes the creation of Lake
Nasser, the largest man-made lake in the world. It was an interesting
story, especially how they had to move an entire Nubian community out of the
flood zone.
Temple of Isis at Philae: One of the most magical
temples we visited, this island sanctuary is dedicated to Isis, goddess of
love, magic, and motherhood. What adds an additional layer is its story. It was
completely relocated to Agilkia Island after the dam was built, saving
it from permanent submersion. We took a boat to get there, and as you glide
across the water, the temple slowly rises into view. Inside you will see Coptic
Christian crosses carved over earlier hieroglyphs - a reminder of Egypt’s long,
layered spiritual history. 🛶✨
The Grandfather of the Court Jester: Bes, was a
dwarflike deity directed with protection and joy. Eric's pretty sure he was the inspiration
for Tyrion Lannister from Game of Thrones.
The Unfinished Obelisk: We walked through an ancient
quarry seeing firsthand how the rock was cut from the granite. The Obelisk lies
still after being worked on for seven months before a crack was found
rendering that project over. Had it been completed, it would’ve been the
largest obelisk ever at over 1,000 tons.
Day 5 – Abu Simbel: The Big Finale 🎆🛕
On our last day, we made the 3.5-hour drive across
the sands of the Sahara to reach the majestic Abu Simbel temples. Built by
Ramses II to honor himself (and also his beloved wife Nefertari), the twin
temples are carved right into a cliff. What’s mind-blowing is that they too
were relocated - cut into blocks and moved uphill to avoid being lost under
Lake Nasser. The inside of the main temple is lined with giant statues of
Ramses and scenes of battle, while the smaller temple honors Nefertari.
It’s a powerful place where you feel both tiny and totally in awe. An epic
finale to our journey through Upper Egypt. 🌄👑
After a meal at a local restaurant, we drove back through
the desert, and then it was a flight back to Cairo. Exhausted and phones
overloaded with pictures, here’s hoping at least one of our wishes around the scarab involves
more trips with Mohamed! 🛫🪲
Here is a shout-out to the incredibly creative and caring cruise staff - every day after we returned to our room we would find a new towel sculpture masterpiece waiting for us. From hanging monkeys with lights to crocodiles, they made us laugh each time. At our meals, we were given a private table away from the rest. By the second day, our waiter knew what we wanted to drink and had it waiting for us as well as making sure we knew what the good deserts were. Eric made a friend for life with the meat carver, who went above and beyond with the serving size. 😄
If
you’ve been contemplating visiting Egypt, do it! We had planned it twice before
and are so glad we finally made it happen!
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