In mid-2023, one of our Africa travel experts, Joanna, went on the trip of a lifetime to Egypt. After dreaming of visiting this north African icon for many years, the reality surpassed every expectation, from seeing Tutankhamun’s mummy up-close to enjoying cocktails whilst cruising the Nile.
After catching her breath with an evening at the Nile’s edge in Cairo and a quick flight to Luxor, it was time to board the Sanctuary MS Nile Adventurer for a cruise on Africa’s longest river. The journey would take them from the enthralling Valley of the Kings to the Karnak Temple and Unfinished Obelix. Their entire experience was curated by a phenomenal Egyptologist guide, Amro, who offered the most incredible insight into every temple and ruin.
“I loved seeing how well-preserved many of the temples were, especially since some of them were in the region of 3,000 years old. For me, the most beautiful was Edfu, where there was a room with essential oil ‘recipes’ scribed on the wall in hieroglyphs – some of the most famous perfumes in the world are based on them!”
“It was also amazing to see Queen Hatshepsut’s temple because she was such an incredible ruler and had so many great accomplishments during her reign. Our guide kept a visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum for the end of our trip, which completely transformed the experience when we looked upon the statue of Hatshepsut.”
“Throughout the trip, we learned a lot about local handicrafts, from cotton, papyrus and jewelry in Cairo, and woven rugs in Saqqara, to essential oils in Aswan and alabaster in Luxor. It was incredibly fascinating to hear all about their history and production.”
“Another fabulous experience was our cooking class aboard the ship, when we learned to make a few traditional Egyptian dishes, like their famous Koshary and Om Ali. We also had the chance to try a number of other dishes and desserts. My favourite was kunafa, a delicious dessert which is popular in the region after Ramadan. The perfect end to our cruise was sipping on chilled drinks as the sun set, turning the Nile into a river of indigo and gold.”
