Africa

Nile River Cruise

The Nile River is usually counted as the longest river in the world, at about 6,650 kilometres long. Its basin is shared by eleven countries, and the river flows north through East Africa, South Sudan and Sudan to Egypt, where it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is formed by two main tributaries: the White Nile and the Blue Nile. The White Nile is the longer of the two; its farthest headwaters lie in Burundi and Rwanda, and it flows out of Lake Victoria in Uganda and north until it reaches Khartoum in Sudan, where it converges with the Blue Nile, which begins in Ethiopia.

Small Group Tour

Ancient History & Culture of Egypt

18-Day Tour · Cairo, Luxor, the Nile, Lake Nasser and Alexandria · Small group, up to 16 travellers, solo travellers welcome

A four-night Nile cruise sails upstream from Luxor to Aswan, with Dendera, the Museum of Mummification, Edfu by horse-drawn carriage, Kom Ombo, Philae and a felucca sail around Elephantine Island, before a three-night Lake Nasser cruise from Abu Simbel.

View the Ancient History & Culture of Egypt Tour

Map of the Nile Delta in ancient Lower Egypt

A map of the Nile Delta, showing the river’s ancient branches and the nomes (provinces) of Lower Egypt

The Nile River in Egypt

For millennia, the river has been a source of irrigation for the countries it passes through, transforming dry, arid land into regions of lush greenery. Around 5,000 years ago, the Ancient Egyptians relied on the Nile and it provided them with fresh water, food and a means of transportation. It meant they had fertile land on which they could farm and grow crops and today it has a similar role, continuing to be an invaluable life source for the people of Egypt. More than 95% of the country’s population depend on its water and live within about 20 kilometres of the river and its delta. This is because of the Nile Delta.

The Nile Delta is situated in northern Egypt and is one of the world’s largest river deltas, stretching from Alexandria in the west to Port Said in the east and covering 240km of Mediterranean coastline. The delta is formed by the division of the branches of the River Nile, which spread out in a V-shaped fan, making their way towards the Mediterranean. This is what makes the area one of the world’s most fertile farming areas. The soil of the Nile Delta between Cairo and the sea is rich in nutrients due to the large silt deposits left behind as the river flows into the sea. From space, you can see the stark contrast between the Nile’s verdant green river banks and the arid desert that encircles the area. The Delta used to flood annually and this is what brought such lushness to an otherwise barren region but the flooding ended with the construction of the Aswan High Dam, completed in 1970.

The Nile in Uganda

The powerful impact of the Nile is one of the reasons Herodotus wrote that the gift the Nile gave the world is called Egypt. While the Nile basin takes in ten other countries, the river is the heart of Egypt and getting a sense of the country and the way it develops is dependent on understanding the effect of the Nile. The Nile gave Egypt wealth, power and sustenance. For this reason, one of the most amazing things you can do when travelling Egypt is a Nile River cruise, which allows you to trace Egypt’s lifeline as it flows through the country. If you are going to visit Egypt, cruising the Nile gives you a sense of the Egyptian landscape and the experience of travelling along the ‘green ribbon’ of Egypt as so many people have done for thousands of years. Cruise travel allows you to take in the breeze, the palm trees, the watermelon crops, the variety of birdlife and the deep-green scent of the river.

Nile Cruise Holidays

The paddle steamer Sudan cruising on the Nile

Nile cruise holidays are a popular choice for those interested in Egypt travel because they provide a unique view of some of the country’s most famous sites, statues and antiquities as they watch five thousand years of history and culture float past. Our 18-day Ancient History & Culture of Egypt small group tour includes a four-night Nile cruise that sails upstream from Luxor to Aswan, with shore visits to the temples of Edfu and Kom Ombo along the way. The Temple of Kom Ombo is one of the Nile Valley’s most beautifully sited temples, standing on a promontory around 48 km north of Aswan. It was built in the Greco-Roman period and is unique in being dedicated to two gods, the crocodile god Sobek and Horus the Elder (Haroeris), the falcon-headed god.

A satellite view of the Nile valley and delta in Egypt

A Nile River cruise has become an almost essential part of an Egyptian holiday because so many of the most famous ancient sights are located on the river. This makes a cruise a practical option but also a far more beautiful one than navigating busy streets and chaotic roads. On a cruise, you get to see temples and monuments illuminated at night with the reflective water glimmering around them. During the day, the rural scenery looks much like it would have done centuries ago.

If you’re interested in discovering Egypt, the Nile is a must-see. They say every river has a story to tell but when it comes to the world’s longest river and Egypt’s life source, there is more than one story to be told. Our guide to planning an Egypt itinerary shows how a Nile cruise fits into a wider journey through the country.

Sunset on the Nile

Cruising the Nile with Odyssey Traveller

On our Ancient History & Culture of Egypt tour for mature travellers, the Nile cruise begins on Day 8. We travel by coach from Luxor to the Temple of Hathor at Dendera, then board our boat (the MS Tulip or similar) in the afternoon. On Day 9 we visit the Museum of Mummification in Luxor before sailing south. Day 10 takes us by horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus at Edfu, then on to the double temple of Kom Ombo. On Day 11, in Aswan, we see the Aswan High Dam, the ancient granite quarries and the Unfinished Obelisk, and the Temple of Philae, then sail by felucca around Elephantine and Kitchener Island. On Day 12 we disembark and travel by coach to Abu Simbel, where a second, quite different voyage begins: a three-night Lake Nasser cruise that sails north past the temples of Nubia. Groups are up to 16 travellers, and solo travellers are welcome.