Egypt is my new favourite destination. I have been some years ago but never on the Nile. I didn’t really know what to expect but I was blown away by the magnificence of this ancient civilization and the hospitality of the Egyptians.

After a short direct flight from Larnaca to Cairo, we were warmly welcomed the very moment that we arrived at the airport by Hossan who made himself know to us immediately with a large sign. Hossan took our passports and swiftly arranged our entry Visas (this was all included in our package). He then showed us to the baggage reclaim and assisted us with our cases.

Once outside the airport we were introduced and handed over to our driver Abdul and Rep Tameer. On the 30-minute drive to our hotel (the 5-star Nile Kempinski), our senses were awakened by the contrast in culture. The exciting hustle of street life was fast, noisy and eye opening!

After a thoroughly good night sleep in our luxurious and extremely comfortable room which overlooked the Nile, we enjoyed an invigorating swim in the heated rooftop pool. This was followed with a hearty breakfast in the main Blue Restaurant before meeting Tameer in reception.

Tameer was joined by Randa our personal Egyptologist who was to escort us on our much-awaited trip to the Great Pyramids of Giza.

The journey was a 40-minute drive during which time Randa talked about the forthcoming sites that we were about to visit. Thankfully, when we arrived, we were able to avoid any queues as Randa already had our entry tickets.

The Pyramids were breath taking and made even more enigmatic by Randa’s narrative, her knowledge and enthusiasm were exceptional. We had plenty of time to wander and take in the atmosphere and energy, along with some great photo opportunities!  Our driver collected us and drove us a few minutes to site of the Sphinx, here, Randa shared her proficient expertise on this stunning site which dates back over 2500BC and does not disappoint in its magnificence. More Photo opportunities and the chance to participate in some Camel riding followed. Towards the end of our tour, we were able to enjoy purchasing souvenirs from the many stalls and sellers -Randa’s experience with bartering came in helpful here!

Back to the air-conditioned car Tameer took our bags of souvenirs and replaced them with refreshing hand wipes and cold bottled water. We enjoyed a feast of Egyptian food for lunch and after some relaxation time we were driven back to Cairo airport for our onward flight to Aswan to embark on our river cruise. There are hundreds of Nile cruise boats sailing in what is known as upper Egypt (in the south) because the Nile flows South to North through Egypt towards Cairo in the North. Aswan and Luxor are the two larger cities in this region with populations of 2 & 1.5 million people respectively. These are the two ports that the Nile cruises operate between. You can choose a 4-night cruise option from Monday to Friday from Luxor to Aswan or have some more cruising time onboard to relax and stay 7 nights Luxor to Luxor departing every Monday.

We chose to sail onboard the beautiful m/s Farah which was most definitely a perfect choice! The beaming smiles of the crew greeting us each time we reboarded after a day tour or meeting us day after day in the dining room, will always be a memory of Egypt I won’t forget. The quality of the food, service and cabin was immaculate and the value for money on the Farah Nile Cruise is outstanding. Included in the price are all shore excursions and entrance fees.

Each day there is at least one excursion to the ancient sites lining the river Nile. From Aswan by day, a relaxing small boat crossing to an island where Philae Temple sits, started off an idealistic morning. My personal favourite is Luxor Temple by night. The magnitude of the temple pillars and statues of Egyptian Pharaohs dating back to over 2500 BC, is a magnificent site, since the lights highlight their grandeur making it even more spectacular. The statue of the most famous and youngest Pharoah Tutankhamun still exists in Luxor Temple with his wife, married at age 9!   All the guides are experienced Egyptologists with so much knowledge and enthusiasm it is impossible not to be swept up in the marvel of this ancient world!

Take a river cruise with Century Travel.

Written by Zoe Lee and Jo Prime, Century Travel