Jaz Viceroy Nilkreuzfahrt

Morning on the West Bank brings the necropolis of Thebes: three painted royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the terraced temple of Queen Hatshepsut carved into the Deir el-Bahari cliffs, and the towering Colossi of Memnon. Lunch is served aboard as the ship casts off, sailing south to Esna and easing through the historic Esna Lock. Dinner and overnight while cruising toward Edfu; a dawn hot-air-balloon flight is offered.

A horse-drawn carriage carries you to Edfu, the most completely preserved temple of antiquity and a Ptolemaic tribute to the falcon-god Horus. After lunch aboard, the ship reaches Kom Ombo, the rare mirror-image temple honoring the crocodile-god Sobek and Horus the Elder side by side; the adjacent Crocodile Museum displays mummified offerings. Sail on through the afternoon toward Aswan, with dinner and overnight on the river.

Explore Aswan's blend of Nubian charm and modern engineering: the High Dam that tamed the Nile and created Lake Nasser, the island sanctuary of Philae reachable only by boat and sacred to the goddess Isis, and the Unfinished Obelisk lying in its ancient granite quarry. Lunch aboard, then a free afternoon for an optional felucca sail or Nubian village visit. Dinner and overnight moored in Aswan.

Enjoy a final breakfast aboard before disembarking in Aswan. Travelers who want one last masterpiece can add the early-morning excursion to Abu Simbel, where the colossal rock-cut temples of Ramses II and Queen Nefertari face the rising sun. Otherwise, our team transfers you to the airport, train station or your Aswan hotel, closing the cruise on the river.

Embark in Aswan before lunch, then set out on an afternoon tour of the city's signature sights. Stand atop the High Dam that reshaped modern Egypt and formed vast Lake Nasser, sail across to the graceful Philae Temple on Agilkia Island dedicated to Isis, and visit the Unfinished Obelisk still resting in its quarry. Return to the Jaz Viceroy for dinner and your first night moored in Aswan.

Cast off early for Kom Ombo, the unusual double temple shared by Sobek the crocodile-god and Horus the Elder. The ship continues north with lunch served aboard, reaching Edfu where a horse-drawn carriage delivers you to one of Egypt's best-preserved temples, sacred to the falcon-god Horus. Sail on toward Luxor through the afternoon, with dinner and overnight on the moving river.

Spend the morning among the wonders of the Theban West Bank: the rock-cut royal tombs of the Valley of the Kings, burial place of pharaohs from Ramses II to Tutankhamun; the architectural masterpiece of Queen Hatshepsut's temple at Deir el-Bahari; and the weathered Colossi of Memnon, standing guard for over 3,000 years. Return for lunch and an easy afternoon aboard, with dinner and overnight in Luxor.

After breakfast and check-out, your final morning is devoted to Luxor's East Bank. Wander the vast Karnak Temple complex, built and embellished by generations of pharaohs, then visit Luxor Temple, raised by Amenhotep III and expanded by Ramses II as the heart of royal ritual and festival. The cruise concludes with a transfer to the airport, train station or your Luxor hotel.