Travel: Discovering Egypt by river, from pharoahs to pyramids ...Middle East

Just inside the entrance of Cairo’s must-see Egyptian Museum is an unassuming display case off to the left. Competing for attention in a sea of head-turning antiquities — from towering statues to dozens of sarcophagi — this humble wood-framed vitrine went entirely unnoticed on a recent bustling day, save for one curious visitor with a tender soul for the overlooked.

Stepping up to the table, the tourist squinted to make out what lay underneath the dusty glass top. “ANCIENT EGYPTIAN GAME, IVORY, 3,000 BC” read the typed index card next to several pale yellow pieces that perhaps only Indiana Jones would ever guess as being remnants of archaic amusement.

In any other museum in any other city, this 5,000-year-old archeological find would likely be its piece de resistance. But this is Cairo we’re talking about. The place has ancient artifacts coming out of the Sphinx’s ears. So, disrespectful as it is to the 99% of historical treasures that are ignored in the capital city and elsewhere along a Nile River cruise, exhibit sprinting is necessary in order to cover the must-sees while visiting this cradle of civilization.

Before we go any further, let’s address the camel in the room: That cradle we speak of isn’t always civilized for foreign visitors not experienced in vacation destinations that are, to put it politely, challenging. Chaotic, confusing and claustrophobic, Egypt is a bucket lister’s dream, but a nightmare for many, logistically and societally. Where tourists go, aggressive and relentless entrepreneurs follow — even deep inside tombs at the sacred Valley of the Kings and Giza pyramids. Hawkers in frenetic Bangkok and Shanghai are like refined Nordstrom sales associates compared to the element visitors must endure while exploring Egypt. One AmaWaterways guide — pardon me, Egyptologist — calls the high-pressure parade of pests greeting you on all the hallowed grounds as “valley of the vendors.”

And, yet, despite all its mummified warts, Egypt is so worth it. An itinerary that spans Cairo, Luxor, Edfu, Aswan, and Abu Simbel — the classic heavyweights of Egyptian tourism — feels like your sixth-grade ancient civilizations textbook has leapt off the page. No longer will your wanderlust be teased by mere rotating images on your screensaver because you’re actually there. For most of us, this truly is the trip of a lifetime.

For the fortunate few who have explored this pinch-me region multiple times and multiple ways, the key takeaway, besides indelible memories, is to leave logistics to the professionals. Planning and executing a trip that covers the major sights requires skills and insights beyond even the most organized traveler. Props to the intrepid independent traveler who succeeds, but the wise will do their blood pressure and mental health a favor by seeking help from a travel advisor who specializes in Egypt.

Or, even simpler, book a luxury Nile cruise and let an entire team deal with the headaches. The higher-end cruise lines live for this stuff, and their sole purpose, besides turning a profit, is to deliver an unforgettable vacation where you can explore King Tutankhamun’s tomb one day, behold a 4,500-year-old pyramid the next, and later in the week enjoy an afternoon tea at the very hotel where Agatha Christie wrote her classic whodunit, “Death on the Nile.”

On cruises with the larger, English-speaking brands, the river portion that begins in Luxor is typically five to eight nights, preceded by a whirlwind four-day, three-night immersion in and around Cairo. While the competitive climate is nearly as wide as the Nile itself, AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Scenic Cruises, and Viking River Cruises rank among the top companies operating year-round.

Value-wise, it’s hard to beat California-based AmaWaterways (amawaterways.com), which has found a sweet spot between ultra-luxury Scenic Cruises (www.scenicusa.com) and premium-class Avalon Waterways (avalonwaterways.com) and Viking River Cruises (vikingcruises.com). Through 2026, fares for AmaWaterways’ 12-day “Secrets of Egypt & the Nile” were ranging from $4,294 to $7,829 per person, double occupancy, at last check. Several sails were priced even less than brands of a lower category; Scenic, by comparison, was running at around $10,000 per person, double occupancy, for comparable 13-day “Treasures of Egypt” cruises this fall. Generally, Scenic offers more under the all-inclusive label, such as gratuities, a butler and unlimited premium-brand drinks.

Going premium or above will have you walking like an Egyptian in style, but if your budget is more like that of a vizier than a pharaoh, the Nile has no shortage of domestic companies that follow a similar itinerary for less. That said, if there ever was a place where the idiom, “you get what you pay for,” applies, it’s Egypt. Being frugal can put you on a ramshackle ship with a nose-picking cook and dead moth on your bed pillow (been there) or a vessel that shamelessly chuga-chugas on the river as plumes of black smoke billow off the back (done that). To both, we say, “La, shukran!”

Sadly, not every ship that meanders the Nile is a well-oiled machine, AmaWaterways runs two vessels that are. The 82-passenger AmaLilia, which joined the fleet last year, and the slightly older and more intimate AmaDahlia practically run like clockwork set to Eastern European time. Tight ships are the norm in river cruise-happy Europe, but the Middle East is a different desert animal. Daunting, gritty and bearing a supply chain that’s not always unbroken, Egypt doesn’t make things easy on cruise lines. So, when they deliver a near-flawless experience, that’s nearly as stunning as how in the world the ancient Egyptians built the pyramids that still stand today.

The answer to that one, along with a dizzying amount of other fun facts, are happily shared by guides whose services are included in the fare of most luxury cruises. If they’re like the Egyptologists contracted by AmaWaterways, every notable temple, tomb, pyramid and statue prompts an interesting story. Guests will get a day of TMI on a full day spent in Giza thanks to a robust schedule that begins with a visit to Saqqara, site of King Djoser’s groundbreaking Step Pyramid, which, dating back to 2670 BCE, is considered the first large-scale stone building in history. Then it’s back on the air-conditioned bus to visit the dual headline act of the Giza pyramid complex and equally iconic Sphinx. It’s almost unreal that you get to take in all this before lunch rolls around.

Capping off “Giza Day,” after a view-blessed gourmet lunch at the legendary Mena House, it’s off to the new Grand Egyptian Museum, or GEM. Spanning nearly 5.3 million square feet and housing over 100,000 artifacts, the new crown jewel of Egypt is the largest archaeological museum in the world and tops among any dedicated to a single civilization.

Since July 3, GEM is even more of a must-see, having just publicly unveiled the complete collection of King Tut’s treasures in a climate-controlled dedicated wing. The gems inside GEM include Tut’s golden funerary mask that since 1934 had been on display at the old Egyptian Museum in Cairo’s Tahrir Square — the one with those neglected ancient game pieces made of ivory. More than 5,000 of the boy king’s artifacts are now displayed together for the first time since their discovery in 1922 by British archaeologist Howard Carter.

Something had to give when AmaWaterways added GEM to the itinerary, and drawing the short straw was the visit to Memphis, capital of ancient Egypt. No offense to the third pharaoh of the 19th Dynasty, but it’s the right call. The last full day in the Cairo area is already an abundance of riches. Then again, so is the entire week, which is spent seeing the best of Luxor (highlighted by the tomb-raided Valley of the Kings, Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple), the remarkably preserved Temple of Horus in Edfu, an enjoyable felucca sail around Elephantine Island and the Crocodile Museum in Kom Ombo. One of the more interactive activities is a visit to a Nubian village for singing, dancing and smiles with gracious representatives of the indigenous people whose history dates back thousands of years.

Optional add-ons on a Nile cruise can include afternoon tea at the 19th-century Old Cataract Hotel, though on one particular day it surprisingly lacked elegance and good service, and a visit to the historical and engineering marvel that is Abu Simbel. That splurge is worth the investment of around $420 that includes a quick round-trip flight on Egyptair from Aswan to the gateway of the iconic twin temples carved into the cliffs near Lake Nasser.

Every luxury cruise line has its strengths and weaknesses, but based on experience, AmaWaterways and Scenic seem to have barely a hint of the latter. Their forte is a focus on immersive experiences and unique itineraries, and that starts with the hotel nights in Cairo. AmaWaterways contracts with two properties; AmaLilia guests stay at the St. Regis and it’s the Nile Ritz-Carlton for passengers booked on AmaDahlia. Scenic checks in their guests at Mena House and St. Regis. Can’t go wrong with any of them.

Accommodations and amenities are first-rate aboard the luxury-class floating hotels, too. On AmaLilia, for one, 24 of the 34 spacious staterooms feature French balconies, a spa, gym and well-stocked bar, and up top on the sundeck are a heated pool, another bar and lots of loungers. And, oh, the food. Every meal on AmaWaterways’ two vessels includes indigenous delights among the marvelous buffet spreads at breakfast and lunch, and full-service dinners.

With outings scheduled most mornings and afternoons, onboard programming is understandably and mercifully light. Daytime activities range from engaging lectures to hands-on cooking demonstrations, while evening entertainment often features local performers who offer an effortless way to enjoy regional music and dance without ever leaving the ship.

Cultural authenticity takes a holiday for the sake of Luxor-sized laughs on the end-of-trip game night. Nothing says “Nile cruise” more than when passengers compete to see who can mummify each other fastest using rolls of toilet paper. But like much of this epic Egyptian escapade, even this game comes with unwarranted complications. Memo to AmaWaterways: Single-ply toilet paper may be best for a ship’s plumbing, but not so great when wrapping humans.

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