Journal
A First-Timer's Guide to a Nile Cruise
What a Nile cruise is really like — the cabins, the dining, the daily rhythm of temples and sailing, which direction to go, and how to choose between a big river ship and an intimate dahabiya.
A Nile cruise is the oldest way to see Egypt and still the best. For a few days the river does the travelling for you: temples arrive at the riverbank, the landscape drifts past the deck, and the logistics that make a land trip tiring simply dissolve. If you have never done one, here is what to expect.
The daily rhythm
Life aboard settles into an easy pattern. Early mornings are for the big sites, before the heat and the crowds; middays are for sailing, lunch and the sun deck; late afternoons bring another temple or a quiet stretch on the water. Meals are generally buffet style and plentiful, evenings are relaxed, and the whole thing asks very little of you beyond turning up and looking out.
Which direction, and how long
Most cruises run between Luxor and Aswan, and the standard options are three or four nights. Sailing south from Luxor or north from Aswan covers the same great sites — Karnak and the Valley of the Kings at the Luxor end, Edfu and Kom Ombo in the middle, Philae near Aswan — so choose by which city you would rather fly in and out of. Four nights gives everything a little more room to breathe.
Cruise ship or dahabiya?
The big river ships are comfortable and sociable, with pools, several decks and a few hundred fellow travelers. A dahabiya is the intimate alternative: a small sailing boat with a handful of cabins, no crowds, and a slower, wind-driven pace that feels closer to how the river was always travelled. Ships suit those who like amenities and company; dahabiyas suit those who want quiet and romance. Neither is wrong.
Choosing a cabin
Spend a little more for a higher deck and a proper window or balcony if you can — the view is the whole point, and you will spend more time watching it than you expect. Cabins are generally compact but well kept; you are not in them much.
A few honest tips
Pack a light layer for breezy evenings on deck and a good sun hat for the day. Tipping is usually pooled for the crew and handled at the end; ask your guide what is customary. And resist the urge to cram the itinerary — the sailing hours, when nothing is scheduled and the valley slides by, are the ones you will remember most.