Best Way To Do The Nile Cruise And Stay Experience

When it comes to a Nile cruise and stay package, there are a number of things you should be looking for.  There are many factors at play that will depend on you as the traveller.  How many days do you have to work with?  What do you want to see? What kind of cruise do you want to do?  Let me help you make this decision a little easier by showing you in my opinion is the best way to build your very own Nile cruise and stay package.

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Best Nile Cruise and Stay Experience

There are many packages offered by various companies and it’ll be tempting to pick from the menu that you have available but if you’ve arrived to this article, it means you’re a little bit more savvy and looking to go beyond the cookie-cutter experience.

I’ve travelled to Egypt twice and both times post-Revolution so I definitely have authority to speak about the best way to have an incredible time that anyone can do no matter your travel style and budget.

There is extensive information in my Egypt travel guide but for those wanting a quick low-down of the best way to have a Nile cruise and stay, keep reading!

Let’s break things down into the two obvious parts here – the Nile cruise and the land stay.

Cruise

Naturally, you’d think it’s all of the Ancient Egyptian marvels on land that will be the highlight the trip but it’s actually not.  I can confidently say that it’s the cruise along the Nile that will be your favourite.

Don’t do a big cruise ship

The thing is, it’s not any old Nile cruise that will elevate this part of your trip to Egypt to “best” status and this is where I feel most people will be tempted to follow the typical tourist path.

Don’t fall into this trap

Trust me, don’t fall into this trap of the traditional river cruise ships.  Sure there’s the allure of being on a big metal flotilla because of what you might be used to with the river cruises in Europe or in the Caribbean but the Nile just isn’t meant to be explored this way.

Why a river cruise ship isn’t a good idea:

• Typically shortened itinerary which means rushing through the best parts of the Nile river.
• Western food when you really want to be having local Egyptian food while you’re in Egypt.
• Focus on the inside of the cruise ship as opposed to the whole reason you’re on the Nile – to see the Nile!
• Hundred people crammed on a ship.
• I can’t stress enough the negative impact cruises make on the environment – and yes this also applies to river cruises.
• I’ve seen these big cruise ships pass by and the amount of diesel exhaust they plume into the air is scary.

Why you should look to do a dahabiya

Instead of a cruise ship on the Nile, I recommend the tranquility of sailing to the rhythms of the river.  Dahabiyas are traditional twin-masted sail boats that are based on the original designs used in the 19th century and early 20th century before the introduction of steam boats.

It sounds like marketing fluff but honestly there’s something special about sailing slowly under the power of the wind and the calm cutting through of the Nile river as local villages pass by and fishermen cast out lines, and water buffalo turn their head towards you in wonder.

Here is why I’m such a huge fan of the dahabiya:

• Authentic experience  – Egyptian crew with Egyptian food, superb Egyptologist.
• Small group experience with a maximum group size of 12.
• Free of distraction – see the Nile from the comfort of the upper deck and not be distracted by things you’ll find in a cruise that you can do anywhere else.
• Travelling as a family  – get to know other passengers while also having your own space.
• The small ship is able to dock anywhere along the Nile – walk through villages and Egyptian sites big boats can’t get to (highlight being the sandstone quarry).
• Slow things down – the land part of the Nile cruise and stay can be intense and fast-paced.  This is the perfect place to recharge and truly take in the majesty of your surroundings.

Now what they might not tell you is that there is still a tugboat that accompanies the ship because you still have to complete your itinerary in 3 or 4 days so the sails aren’t always open but there are a number of times when the tug boat pulls away if the winds are right where you’ll get to sail under complete control of the wind.

Lastly, it’s also worth noting that there are generators onboard for power which only run in the morning and in the evening.  It sounds scary but honestly that’s enough time to charge all of your devices and light your way at night.  It’s a great excuse to disconnect.

Stay

One of the reasons why I really loved our time in Egypt is because of this idea of Nile cruise and stay which really just means that you can combine a land tour with a cruise on the river – or surf and turf if you will.

If you read the full 10 day Egypt itinerary, you’ll know that we started in Cairo, moved down to Luxor before boarding our dahabiya.  On the back end, we got to see Abu Simbel via land transfer and spent a night in Aswan before heading home.  That said, this isn’t the only way to do it and the only places that you might want to stay.

Ultimately the choice is yours and that’s why I highly recommend that you look at local companies like Djed Egypt Travel that have a thorough understanding of how to travel the country, specialists on the ground, and most importantly, can put something together for you that’s custom and private as well.

For the land portion of the Nile cruise and stay, here are the top spots that you’ll want to consider.

Luxor

The thing you have to know about dahabiyas and cruises in general is that while the Nile of course runs through the entire country, things like dams and cataracts actually slice things up.  So when it comes to sailing in Egypt, the main ports are Esna which is south of Luxor and Aswan in the southern part of Egypt (also known as Upper Egypt).

So when it comes to the land component of your Egypt itinerary, you’re guaranteed to either start or end your trip in Luxor.  The good news is that the ancient capital of Thebes is the epicentre of archeological sights and next to the pyramids, the most impressive examples of life after the Old Kingdom.

What will floor you while your’e here is that there’s so much more excavation work to be done here as I guarantee you’ll hear stories about recent discoveries of things like a cachet of mummies, or the discovery of a new tomb.

While the Nile river cuts through, most of the city itself is found on the east bank of the river but don’t forget to consider the west bank as well when it comes to accommodations because .  Tips like this can be found in the things you need to know before you go travel guide.

Things I recommend that you see

1. Karnak Temple
2. Luxor Temple
3. Valley of the Kings
4. Valley of the Nobles
5. Temple of Hatshepsut
6. Medinet Habu Temple

Where I recommend you stay

Aswan

Similar to Luxor, no matter what cruise you end up deciding on, you will either start or end here (yes you will have the choice of where to start your cruise).

Aswan in comparison to the other big cities in Egypt is much more laid back which you’ll enjoy.  Most things in the city are walkable and so this is your chance to explore on your own without the stress of figuring out how to get around and chaotic traffic.

One thing to know about Aswan is that since you’re in the southern part of Egypt, the temperatures are considerably higher than Cairo.

Things I recommend that you see

1. Abu Simbel (technically not in Aswan but you’ll be catching your land transfer from here)
2. Philae Temple
3. Nubian Museum
4. Aswan Market
5. Nubian Village visit

Where I recommend you stay

Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt, the center of modern Egyptian culture, and of course, the mecca of Ancient Egyptian artifacts and the height of the Old Kingdom.

When you think of Egypt, this is undoubtedly what you picture.  In many ways it lives up to those expectations as a metropolis where the traffic is crazy and the hustle and bustle is real.

What certainly surprised me is just how close the pyramids are to the modern city to Giza.  When you arrive, they’re standing in perfect alignment right in front of you and it’s then and there that it hits you that you’ve arrived.

The Giza Plateau is unmissable as you learn about Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure but what was equally impressive were the pyramids located in Dahshur and Saqqara.  The Bent Pyramid and Step Pyramid are two that stick out in my mind because of how smaller the crowds were here and you could crawl into the pyramid

Things I recommend that you see

1. Pyramids of Giza
2. Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
3. Dahshur – Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid
4. Saqqara – Step Pyramid
5. Khan Al-Khalili Market

Where I recommend you stay

Hurghada

Another popular destination in Egypt is Hurghada by the Red Sea located across the desert from Luxor.

In Hurghada you’ll find many resorts lining the pristine sandy beaches.  As a resort city, you won’t find any Ancient Egyptian sights here but there’ll be plenty of ways to soak in the sun, discover the jewels under the sea, and do a whole lot of nothing.

Most of the services and activities from Hurghada are geared for tourists so it is a rather sleepy city and you won’t find too much in terms of local life.

As part of a Nile cruise and stay, Hurghada is a perfect place to end your time in Egypt especially if you’re taking a cruise from Aswan to Esna (Luxor).  Alternatively, we certainly met other folks on the cruise that started their trip in Hurghada and then made their way down.

Hurghada has its own airport so you can use that to get to other parts of Egypt.

Things I recommend that you see

1. 4×4 ATV Excursion to Bedouin Camp (Quad safari that also includes the traditional tanoura spinning show)
2. Red Sea Diving
3. Giftun Snorkelling
4. 1001 Nights Show

Where I recommend you stay

Other places to consider

Beyond the places mentioned above, take a look at a few cities below especially if you have more time to work with and want to have an even more thorough experience in Egypt.

• Siwa Oasis – A desert oasis between the Qattara zDepression and the Great Sand Sea thats 50km east of the Libyan border.
• Sharm el Sheikh – Second to Hurghada in terms of a Red Sea resort city so expect to find many similar features.
• Mersa Matruh – Resort town on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast known for its white-sand beaches and lagoons.
• Alexandria – Northern port city made famous by its lighthouse from the Seven Wondersof the Ancient World as well as the Alexandria Library.
• Al Minya – A city that’s not well-known but came up a number of times on our tour as somewhere with incredible hidden Ancient Egyptian artifacts and ruins especially from Akhenaten’s reign.
• Marsa Alam – For those that are serious into scuba diving and want to get away from the crowds of Sharm el Sheikh and Hurghada, this is a great choice.  Wadi el-Gemal National Park is also nearby.

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Thinking about a Nile cruise and stay? Do it right by combining the dahabiya Nile sailing cruise with time in Luxor, Aswan, Cairo, and if you have time, Hurghada as well!