With less than 50 mm of yearly rainfall in some parts of the country, Egypt hast ten time less rain pouring on its land than England. Needless to say that the Nile is the true gem of Egypt, a source of life, fertility and wealth today and in the ancient world. The Nile flood bringing abundance and luxuriance had even its own hymn and god, “Hapi”, often depicted with papyrus plants or lotus. The river was also largely used to transport goods such as the enormous amount of stones needed for construction. Without the Nile, the ancients would have not been able to erect such monumental temples and leave their footstep in human history.

Nowadays cruising on the Nile is the most pleasant and effortless way to reach many of the wonders of ancient Egypt. It will not avoid you some of the recurrent disagreement as touts and pushers present in most of frequently visited places, but it will surely reduce it drastically. Most of boats cruise between Luxor and Aswan, passing by highlights like the Karnak temple and the outstanding tombs of the Valley of Kings and Queens. Luxor is itself an open-air museum. Called Thebes during the Pharaoh times, it was the capital of the Kingdom and is now UNESCO world heritage site. As conclusion, the Nile cruises end in Aswan for a visit to the High Dam, Egypt’s contemporary example to build on a monumental scale.