A Sara Nile Cruise

After breakfast, cross to the West Bank to explore three painted tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the dramatic terraces of Hatshepsut's mortuary temple at Deir el-Bahari, and the towering Colossi of Memnon. Back aboard, the cruise sails south through the Esna Lock. An optional dawn hot-air balloon flight over the necropolis is available. Dinner and overnight as you drift toward Edfu.

Reach Edfu and ride a horse-drawn carriage to the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in Egypt. Sailing on, you dock at Kom Ombo to tour the unusual double temple shared by the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus, plus its Crocodile Mummification Museum. Enjoy lunch and afternoon tea on deck before dinner and an overnight sail to Aswan.

Spend the morning discovering Aswan's landmarks: the engineering feat of the High Dam, the island Temple of Philae dedicated to Isis, and the colossal Unfinished Obelisk in its ancient granite quarry. The afternoon is yours to relax, with an optional felucca sail around Elephantine Island or a visit to a colorful Nubian village. Dinner and overnight in Aswan.

Enjoy a final breakfast before disembarkation. Travelers with extra time can add an early excursion to the monumental rock-cut temples of Abu Simbel by road or short flight (additional cost) before onward transfer. Otherwise, your complimentary transfer delivers you to Aswan airport, the train station or your hotel.

Embark in Aswan before lunch, then head out with your guide to the High Dam, the serene island Temple of Philae and the Unfinished Obelisk lying in its quarry. These sites set the tone for the journey north, blending pharaonic monuments with Nubian scenery. Return to the boat for dinner and your first overnight moored in Aswan.

An optional pre-dawn excursion to Abu Simbel is available for early risers. Later, the cruise calls at Kom Ombo, where the twin sanctuary honors Sobek and Horus and the adjoining museum displays mummified crocodiles. Back on board, savor lunch and tea on the sun deck as the A Sara sails toward Edfu. Dinner and overnight underway.

Begin with a horse-drawn carriage ride to the magnificent Temple of Horus at Edfu. Sailing on to Luxor, the afternoon and early evening bring the East Bank's great temples: the immense Karnak complex and the floodlit Luxor Temple. Return to the boat for dinner and an overnight stay moored in Luxor.

After breakfast and checkout, cross to the West Bank for the grand finale: three royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings, the terraced temple of Queen Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon. Your guide shares the stories behind each monument before a complimentary transfer to Luxor airport, the train station or your hotel.