the nile valley

Words like breathtaking and unmissable are much over-used, but they are the only adequate description for the stretch of Egypt between Cairo in the north and Abu Simbel in the south. There are many options for trips to the Nile Valley from the Red Sea & Sinai region, and which you will choose will depend on your time and budget. Many airports have regular services to Cairo and Luxor and other main cities and local operators will offer good value packages to make the most of your trip. Some travellers prefer to go overland and, while it’s obviously a longer trip than by air, you do get some great scenery and a sense of the scale of the country. One such road trip begins with a drive west across the dramatic Sinai Desert
before going through the Suez Canal Tunnel to reach Cairo. Egypt’s capital is a fascinating experience in itself – a huge bustling city with a vast range of great hotels, excellent restaurants – and priceless treasures.


Don’t miss the Egyptian Museum, right in the centre, with one of the best collections in the world – including the shining gold of Tutenkhamun. Every life should include a visit to the Pyramids and the Sphinx, just outside the city. The tourist experience is now of a very high quality, and you can’t fail to be moved, and humbled, as you gaze up at perhaps the most famous creations on the planet.


For unforgettable experiences, which too many people miss, see the Nile at night (many good dinner cruises available) and browse through the famous Khan el Khalili market as thesun goes down. Luxor itself is well worth a visit and, like the Pyramids, it has stunning sound and light shows at its temples of Karnak. Perhaps one of the most popular ways to really drink in all that is special about Egypt is to take a Nile Cruise. A gives you very comfortable a - commodation with a good quality cabin, a restaurant, and usually a sun deck and small swimming pool.


 Most start from Aswan and take a few days to make their way North to Luxor before their return. It’s usual to visit the fascinating sights earlier in the day before the sun gets too high and then head back to the boat to relax as the rich farmland of the Nile Valley seems to float past you. There are also some very high quality luxury cruises available, including top class boats journeying between Aswan and Abu Simbel. It’s also possible (usually by air) to take a trip towards Egypt’s southern border to visit Lake Nasser and the incredible temples of Abu Simbel. As you may know these enormous edifices were dismantled some years ago to save it being engulfed by the new Lake Nasser which now supplies much of the country’s electrical power. It was then raised up the cliff and rebuilt stone by stone. Even the Pharaohs who build it would have been impressed by that! Wherever you choose for your additional trip, you’ll be overwhelmed by what you see – and it will certainly give you an appetite to return again and
again.