- Home
- Destination
- Nile
Nile
Nile
Its length of 4,132 miles (6650 km) makes the Nile the longest river in the world. The Nile dates back thousands of years to Ancient Egypt, where it was a sacred ground that paved the way for agriculture and civilisation in the arid deserts. As such you’ll find many of the cultural and historical sites such as the Sphinx, pyramids and Valley of the Kings along its banks. In total the river flows through eleven countries: Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt.
White Nile & Blue Nile
The Nile begins from its two main tributaries, the White Nile and Blue Nile. The Blue Nile, sourcing large amounts of water from Lake Tana in Ethiopia, is much more fertile whereas White Nile is longer, stretching from the Great Lakes region in central Africa through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda and South Sudan. The two rivers join to form the main Nile near Khartoum in Sudan, flowing through most of Sudan and Egypt.
Nile Proper
The Nile is famous for being the literal lifeline of the Ancient Egypt civilization and land, where hard work and repeated cultivation allowed Egyptians to form fertile ground that was used to grow papyrus and other crops in the otherwise harsh environment. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes and Aswan are the key highlights of a Nile cruise, exploring the many temples and structures in the area still remaining.
First is the Luxor Temple and ram-headed sphinxes of Karnak Temple. Opposite Luxor is the Valley of the Kings, the tomb of the sole female pharaoh Hatshepsut, and Valley of the Queens. Experience the spiritual history of Egypt and their gods such as Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon-headed god, at Edfu Temple and Kom Ombo’s twin temples, or the Unfinished Obelisk and sacred island of Philae near Aswan.
Weather & when to go
The tropical climate of Egypt allows cruises to operate all year round. The Nile sees very little rain and is warm for most of the year. Summer has average temperatures of 100°F (38°C) from May through to September and staying a warm level of 75°F (24°C) during the winter. Spring and autumn months settle in between at temperatures of around 80°F to 90°F.
Where will your cruise start?
Almost all Nile cruises depart from Luxor.
Its length of 4,132 miles (6650 km) makes the Nile the longest river in the world. The Nile dates back thousands of years to Ancient Egypt, where it was a sacred ground that paved the way for agriculture and civilisation in the arid deserts. As such you’ll find many of the cultural and historical sites such as the Sphinx, pyramids and Valley of the Kings along its banks. In total the river flows through eleven countries: Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo-Kinshasa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan and Egypt.
White Nile & Blue Nile
The Nile begins from its two main tributaries, the White Nile and Blue Nile. The Blue Nile, sourcing large amounts of water from Lake Tana in Ethiopia, is much more fertile whereas White Nile is longer, stretching from the Great Lakes region in central Africa through Tanzania, Lake Victoria, Uganda and South Sudan. The two rivers join to form the main Nile near Khartoum in Sudan, flowing through most of Sudan and Egypt.
Nile Proper
The Nile is famous for being the literal lifeline of the Ancient Egypt civilization and land, where hard work and repeated cultivation allowed Egyptians to form fertile ground that was used to grow papyrus and other crops in the otherwise harsh environment. Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes and Aswan are the key highlights of a Nile cruise, exploring the many temples and structures in the area still remaining.
First is the Luxor Temple and ram-headed sphinxes of Karnak Temple. Opposite Luxor is the Valley of the Kings, the tomb of the sole female pharaoh Hatshepsut, and Valley of the Queens. Experience the spiritual history of Egypt and their gods such as Sobek, the crocodile god, and Horus, the falcon-headed god, at Edfu Temple and Kom Ombo’s twin temples, or the Unfinished Obelisk and sacred island of Philae near Aswan.
Weather & when to go
The tropical climate of Egypt allows cruises to operate all year round. The Nile sees very little rain and is warm for most of the year. Summer has average temperatures of 100°F (38°C) from May through to September and staying a warm level of 75°F (24°C) during the winter. Spring and autumn months settle in between at temperatures of around 80°F to 90°F.
Where will your cruise start?
Almost all Nile cruises depart from Luxor.