Nile River Cruises

On the western bank of the Nile opposite the ancient city of Thebes, now known as Luxor is The Valley of the Kings. This isolated valley from above is unremarkable, but under it’s barren surface lies 63 magnificent royal tombs which were created between 1550 - 1069 BC to house the deceased pharaohs of the New Kingdom.

Today only 18 of the tombs are open for visitors, which are rotated in order to preserve the ornate hieroglyphs and sarcophagus’. Of all the tombs in the valley, the most popular remains that of Tutankhamun. Found by British archaeologist in 1922, the tomb itself is relatively small compared to the others but the treasures found there. A full film on the discovery can be found at the air conditioned visitor centre.

Known in the ancient times as the earthy home to the gods, Karnak is one of Egypt’s grandest building projects. Built, added to, dismantled, restored, enlarged and decorated over nearly 1500 years, Karnak was the most important place of worship in Egypt during the New Kingdom.

Dominated by the great Temple of Amun-Ra, it is one of the biggest religious complexes in the world. It is so big that St Peter’s, Milan, and Notre Dame Cathedrals would fit within its walls. The temple's famous hypostyle hall can still be seen today, as can the 3km paved avenue of sphinxes.

If you are looking to get the perfect photo, then visit around 5pm when the stonework seems to glow in the sunlight.

Situated on the bend of the Nile, Kom Ombo Temple is unique because it is dedicated to two gods. Sobek, the crocodile god and Horus the falcon-headed god. This twin dedication is reflected in the template’s architecture, with two symmetrical entrances which are adjoined by the hypostyle hall. Don’t miss one of the best reliefs on the left-hand north wall of the hall. Here, you can see the falcon-headed Haroeris presenting the Ptolemaic era pharaoh with the curved sword of victory and the hieroglyph for eternal life. Just behind the pharaoh are his sister Cleopatra VII and his wife Cleopatra.

The path out of the temple leads to the new Crocodile Museum. It's well worth a visit for its beautiful collection of mummified crocodiles and ancient carvings, which is well lit and well explained. The museum is also dark and air-conditioned, which can be a blessing on a hot day.

The great temple of Ramses II on the Abu Simbel complex was not only an engineering achievement when it was first built, but again in the 1960s when the whole temple had to be moved because of the rising waters of Lake Nasser. The temple itself has become iconic of Egypt’s architecture, the four 20M high statues of Ramses are imposing and give you the sense this was a pharaoh of great power. So it is hard to imagine that this temple was lost to the desert sands for centuries. Only to be rediscovered in 1813 when Swiss explorer Jean-Louis Burckhardt found one of the heads sticking out of the sand.

For all its sheer size and scale, what truly makes the Temple of Ramses II great is the smallest of details. Ramses dedicated the temple to the sun gods Amun & Ra-Horakhty and the god of the underworld Ptah. With this in mind, the temple was aligned in a way that each 22 February and 22 October, Ramses’ birthday and coronation day, the first rays of the rising sun moved across the hypostyle hall, through the vestibule and into the sanctuary, where they illuminate the figures of Ra-Horakhty, Ramses II and Amun. Whilst Ptah remains in darkness. Therefore defining Ramses as an equal to the gods.