Nile River Cruise Itinerary – DAY 1:
Esna – Al Hegz

Transfer to Esna

From Luxor airport or hotel to Esna (about 60 minutes drive).

Check in

On the “Queeny” at 10 a.m. with a welcome aperitif, boat briefing and moving into the cabin.

Excursion to Esna and Temple of Khnum

Then excursion to Esna to see the ancient Egyptian temple of Khnum, which is 9 meters below street level in the city of Esna. Only the vestibule with its roof is preserved, which is supported by 24 columns.

The temple of Esna was dedicated to the ram-headed god Khnum, who acted as the creator of both men and gods. In his manifestation as Khnum-Hapi he revived the Nile springs every year to bring about the flooding of the Nile.

Soukh and walk

After visiting the temple, walk through the old village and its soukh.

Lunch and travel to Al Hegz

Back on the Queeny, sail to the village of Al Hegz, stopping for lunch en route. Before dinner visit the village where you can get a glimpse of traditional Egyptian life.

You see how fields are cultivated, women bake bread and the village elders play dominoes and smoke shisha. Overnight in Al Hegz

Nile River Cruise Itinerary – DAY 2:
Edfu – Bissau Island – Ǧabal as-Silsila

Edfu City

On your way to Edfu, enjoy breakfast on the sun deck.

Edfu is a city in Upper Egypt on the west bank of the Nile, about 85 kilometers south of Luxor and 100 kilometers north of Aswan.

The area around Edfu is characterized by agriculture, the city lives from pottery and sugar production.

Temple of Horus

Edfu is known for the Temple of Horus on the western outskirts of town.

The building is considered one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. The granite statues of the falcon god Horus in the entrance are particularly impressive.

You will travel by bus to the temple and back. After visiting this famous temple, you will sail to Ramadi for four to six hours, giving you plenty of time to admire the landscape and its changing scenery as it passes by. Overnight in Ramadi.

Bissau Island

Lunch awaits you on board. Your route will take you to the island of Bissau, where you can admire small fishing boats, old houses and farms with their livestock.

Ǧabal as-Silsila Sandstone Quarry

Then you head for Ğabal as-Silsila and can enjoy the beautiful view of the banks of the Nile.

Ğabal as-Silsila was Egypt’s most important sandstone quarry and is an archaeological site on both banks of the Nile. At this point the Nile narrows to a width of less than 400 meters and is overlooked by the steep sandstone cliffs.

Arrived in Ğabal as-Silsila, enjoy your dinner in front of the breathtaking backdrop of the illuminated Horemheb Temple. Overnight in Jabal as-Silsila.

Nile River Cruise Itinerary – DAY 3:
 Ramadi – Bissau Island – Gabal as-Silsila – Maniha Island

Horemheb Temple and Sandstone Quarry of Ğabal as-Silsila

After breakfast, visit Horemheb Temple and Ğabal as-Silsila Sandstone Quarry, one of the many highlights of this cruise.

It is magical to stand here and imagine how the ancient Egyptians quarried the stones for their most famous temples from the rock right here and rolled them on logs to the boats.

Our plus: Large Nile cruise ships cannot dock here.

Walk through the village of Faris

The Queeny makes a stop at the village of Faris, where you can stroll through a typical Arabic village. You can see how the “Balady” bread is baked and maybe taste it, visit the school and see how the locals drink coffee and tea, smoke the famous shisha and play dominoes. Together you will experience a piece of traditional Arabic life.

Bashir Island or Maniha Island

During lunch, depending on the water level, you will either go to Bashir Island or Maniha Island, two islands that invite you to swim and walk. Hope you have your swimwear with you. Unless it’s too cold for that, you can enjoy a barbecue under the twinkling stars on the banks of the Nile in the evening and celebrate a traditional festival with the crew.

In the evening, enjoy a barbecue under the sparkling stars on the banks of the Nile (unless it is too cold for that) and celebrate a traditional feast with the crew. Overnight stay at Maniha Island.

Nile River Cruise Itinerary – DAY 4:
Bashir Island – Kom Ombo – Alherdiab

Kom Ombo

After breakfast, make your way to Kom Ombo, an industrial town on the east side of the Nile, about 150 kilometers south of Luxor and 40 kilometers north of Aswan.

Between 1963 and 1965, 60,000 Nubians were settled in a total of 34 villages in the area around Kom Ombo after they had to leave their home on the Nile south of Aswan after the construction of the dam. Many newly established villages were given the names of the original villages that sunk in Lake Nasser, such as Kalabscha, Amada and Abu Simbel.

The area around Kom Ombo is known for the largest camel market in Egypt in the village of Daraw and for the ruins of the double temple from the time of the Ptolemaic rule directly on the bank of the Nile, which was used to worship the two deities Sobek, the crocodile god, and the falcon-headed Horus .

Temple complexes and museum

For a long time more than half of the ruins of the twin temples of Kom Ombo were buried in sand and were only uncovered and restored in 1893. A deep well was also found.

After visiting the temple complex and the small museum with its mummified crocodiles, a testament to the importance these animals had here in ancient times, you return to the ship for lunch.

Alherdiab Beach

Continue sailing towards Alherdiab Beach for ample swimming, sunbathing and walking.

During dinner, the “Queeny” heads for her destination just before Aswan, where you will spend the night.

Nile River Cruise Itinerary – DAY 5:

Temple of Philae

Another highlight after breakfast is a visit to the Temple of Philae (Temple of Isis), which is praised as the “Pearl of the Nile” and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.

It is incredible to think that the entire complex was dismantled from 1977 to 1980 on Philae Island, which is now flooded, and then rebuilt 600 meters away and thus brought to safety.

A bus takes you to the banks of the Nile, from where you can take motor boats to the island. You can take your time when you visit this extremely impressive temple complex, which was converted into a Christian place of worship around 535.

After lunch you will be spoiled for choice as Aswan has a lot to offer.

You can visit a perfume shop or stroll through the lively, colorful soukh with its wide range of spices. A visit to a Nubian village is also highly recommended, which we can organize for you, but we have to ask for an extra charge of 35 euros per person.

But you can also sit back and relax on the sun deck, enjoy the peace and sweeten it with tea or coffee and cake. The decision is up to you!

Farewell party

In the evening there is a happy farewell party on the “Queeny”, lovingly prepared and carried out by the crew, before you spend one last night on board.