The Nile and Cairo cruise

Cruise of the Nile with visits to several cities and temples in Luxor, Esna, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, The Cairo with its pyramids, the Egyptian Museum and its cultural content.

 

Bologna - Luxor

Departing from Bologna, after a quiet flight 3:40h long, we arrive in Luxor at 16:00 where we are waited by Nasser (he will be our guide throughout the journey). Then we move heading to our cruise ship berthed at the port of Luxor.

Once placed in our rooms, we decided to go in the hall upstairs to find out what expects us during this wonderful week in the land of the Pharaohs: by the explanation of Mario (very-italian) we immediately understand that it won't be a walk, indeed... Our toughts go to the few hours of sleep that we'll enjoy during this holiday :-)

During dinner we do the first introduction to our group, finding us in a table together with another couple that lives less than 15 kms far from our house. It will be a friendship destined to last.

At 23:00 everyone to bed, because tomorrow begins a long week of fire.

Luxor, Karnak, Esna, Edfu

First real day of toil, we wake up early (at 4:30) for a visit to the west bank of Nile, with "the Kings and Queens Valley" (where lie tombs of Nakat Set Taw Sert of the XIX dynasty, Seti II of the XIX dynasty, and Tutmosi III of the XVIII dynasty) and the Temple of Hatshepsut, the wife of Tutmosi II, that reigned for more than two decades.
By mid morning we visit the Colosses of Memnon and a bazaar specialized in vases and alabaster jewelry.
After lunch we visit the fabulous Temple of Luxor, famous for the absence of one of two obelisks, led by Napoleon in Paris.
After the visit to this temple we moved to the temple of Karnak.
At evening we are led by bus to Edfu, where we wait about an hour above the dam, for the passage of ships (the dam is opened one hour every six). It's even an useful occasion to socialize with our comrades and to deepen our knowledge about egyptian customs and costumes, thanks to the words of our guide.
Once arrived on board we have dinner, and immediately after we make a tour along the Nile, full of bazaars and very insistent sellers.

Edfu, Kom Ombo, Aswan

By early morning (we wake up at 6:30), we transfer by coaches from our vessel to the temple of Edfu, dedicated to Horus, the falcon god. The temple is majestic and well kept.
Back to board before lunch we continue sailing towards Kom Ombo. During the trip we have lunch and then after we dedicate to sunbathing.
We finally arrive at sunset at the Temple of Kom Ombo, dedicated to two gods: Sobek, the crocodile god and Haroeris, another name for the falcon god. The temple at sunset is very suggestive, under a sky that becomes purple coloured.
Before going back on board for dinner we stop in the bazaar beneath the temple to negotiate, with "Giovanni Trapattoni", a typical Egyptian dress with fez included. We also worried the captain of the ship, stopping to drink with the guide in a very characteristic bar.
The evening continues with the typical dinner in costume with Egyptian dishes, while the boat sails to Aswan through the night. After dinner we assist to a show with typical dances and songs.

Aswan, Philae, Nubian village, botanic garden and Elephantian Island

Another good wake-up time (6:30) for the visit of Aswan, with the great unfinished obelisk and the big dam.
By mid morning, we visit the fabolous Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis (of love and rebirth). It's really impressive to think that the temple was moved from an island to another, after the construction of the dam, to save it from the waters of the Nile.
In the afternoon, aboard a typical Feluca boat, we reach the botanic garden. Then, through the first cataract with a motorboat, we cross the river to visit a Nubian village.
Before dinner we go downtown to buy, in a typical outdoor store, some of the Egyptian specialties: dates, cinnamon, pepper, peanuts, karkadè, figs, etc.
After dinner we pass the evening assisting to the Nubian dancers ballett and go to bed early, since we expect tomorrow to be a very tiring day.

Aswan, Abu Simbel, The Cairo

Wake up (if this can be called) at 2:30 in order to transfer to Abu Simbel. During the travel by bus, the show that we can see is fantastic, inimaginable (if not seeing the number of stars visible in the desert at night); the incoming dawn leaves us breathless.
We arrive in Abu Simbel at 6:40 and, immediatly, the vision of the Ramsar II temple leaves us astonished. Luckily we have the opportunity to visit it with fewer people, managing to seize all the spectacular art of Egypt. Even this temple, after the construction of the large dam and the formation of Lake Nasser, has been moved.
Soon after we visit the temple of the wife of Ramses, Nafertari.
At 10:00 we take a flight to move to The Cairo. In the early afternoon we visit the Citadel with the Mohamed Ali mosque, also known as the alabaster Mosque.
After having dinner at the hotel, we visit The Cairo by night, with a suggestive walk in the old city and a stop at a typical bar, in the market square of Khan el Khalili.
At 22:00 we return to the hotel. Deadly tired but very happy indeed.