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Secrets of Egypt & the Nile
- Taste of Christmas
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Secrets of Egypt & the Nile – Taste of Christmas Cruise
An engineering rescue that moved an entire mountainside temple by hand, a dinner in traditional galabeya dress after touring a temple shared by two rival gods, and the newly opened home of Tutankhamun’s full 5,000-piece collection, this AmaWaterways cruise along the Nile packs an incredible amount of spectacle and history into eleven nights.
4.88
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76 reviews
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Cruise Line: AmaWaterways -
Ships: AmaLilia + 2 more -
Duration: 10 Nights
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Departure: December
Secrets of Egypt & the Nile – Taste of Christmas Prices
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Secrets of Egypt & the Nile – Taste of Christmas Itinerary
Between a felucca ride around an island once sacred to the god Khnum, a private tour of Abdeen Palace, and papyrus-making in Luxor, this route treats the ancient sites as only part of the story. Here’s how the eleven nights unfold, round trip from Cairo.
Day 1
Cairo, Egypt
Arrive in Cairo and check into your hotel, with the rest of the day free to settle in.
Day 2
Cairo, Egypt
The newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum, home to King Tutankhamun’s treasures, is the highlight of the day, followed by a local lunch and a visit to the Alabaster Mosque for sweeping views over the city. An evening welcome reception with drinks and small plates rounds things off.
Day 3
Cairo, Egypt
Visit Sakkara to see the Step Pyramid, the oldest pyramid in the world, followed by lunch, then continue to the pyramids of Giza and Memphis to stand before the Sphinx and its neighbouring monuments.
Day 4
Cairo, Egypt
Spend the morning in Coptic Cairo’s quiet churches before flying south to Luxor, where you’ll board your ship and settle in, with a free evening to unwind before the cruise properly begins.
Day 5
Luxor, Egypt
The Valley of the Kings and Queens is today’s focus, including the tomb of Seti I, along with Hatshepsut’s temple and the Colossi of Memnon, before returning to the ship to relax on deck.
Day 6
Edfu, Egypt
Explore the Temple of Horus, one of Egypt’s best-preserved temples, dedicated to the falcon-headed god and rich with detailed carvings.
Day 7
Aswan, Egypt
Spend a free morning in Aswan, or take the optional flight over Lake Nasser to Abu Simbel, a UNESCO World Heritage Site over 3,000 years old, at an additional cost. Back in Aswan, a felucca ride circles Elephantine Island, long linked to the god Khnum, and an optional high tea at the historic Old Cataract Hotel is available later in the day at an additional cost.
Note: If cruising on the AmaLilia, at times due to flight schedules, the optional outing to Abu Simbel will take place the morning of Day 8. On Day 7, you will visit Philae Temple, the Nubian Village, felucca ride and optional outing for High Tea at the Cataract Hotel.
Day 8
Kom Ombo, Egypt
Visit Philae Temple, dedicated to Isis, and a colourful Nubian village, before the dual temple of Kom Ombo, shared between falcon and crocodile gods. The evening turns festive with a traditional galabeya dinner on board.
Day 9
Luxor, Egypt
Cruise back to Luxor for Karnak Temple’s forest of towering columns, a papyrus-making demonstration, the illuminated Luxor Temple, and a wander through the local market.
Day 10
Qena, Egypt
Sail to Qena to see the Temple of Hathor at Dendera, dedicated to the goddess of joy and love and known for its detailed reliefs, including a likeness of Cleopatra, before cruising back to Luxor.
Day 11
Cairo, Egypt
Disembark in Luxor and fly back to Cairo for an exclusive private tour of Abdeen Palace, followed by an elegant lunch within its gilded halls.
Day 12
Cairo, Egypt
Fly home.
SECRETS OF EGYPT & THE NILE – TASTE OF CHRISTMAS
HIGHLIGHTS
Nile River Cruise Deals
Whether you’re exploring the Nile for its unforgettable views, breathtaking history or vibrant culture, there’s a sailing for everyone when you cruise with AmaWaterways.
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5,569 pp
Secrets of Egypt & the Nile – Taste of Christmas Cruise Review
Secrets of Egypt & the Nile – Taste of Christmas FAQs
Why were the Abu Simbel temples moved, and how was it actually done?
The temples originally sat where the rising waters of Lake Nasser would have permanently submerged them following the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s. In one of the largest archaeological rescue operations in history, UNESCO coordinated an international team that cut the temples into more than 1,000 blocks, some weighing up to 30 tonnes, and reassembled them piece by piece on higher ground between 1964 and 1968, at a cost equivalent to hundreds of millions of dollars today.
What makes the Grand Egyptian Museum worth the visit on Day 2?
It only fully opened in November 2025 after two decades of construction, and it’s now the largest archaeological museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation, spanning around 500,000 square metres. Its biggest draw is the complete collection of Tutankhamun’s tomb treasures, more than 5,000 objects including his gold mask, on public display together for the first time since Howard Carter discovered the tomb in 1922, alongside around 100,000 other artefacts covering seven millennia of Egyptian history.
What's the significance of Kom Ombo being a temple to two different gods?
It’s built with an unusual double design, perfectly symmetrical, with matching entrances, halls and sanctuaries running side by side for the falcon god Horus and the crocodile god Sobek. The layout meant the two priesthoods could operate within the same building without either god taking precedence, a rare architectural compromise in Egyptian temple design, and live crocodiles were reportedly kept in the temple precinct in ancient times as living representations of Sobek.
Why does Aswan's Elephantine Island feature a felucca ride rather than a walking tour?
The island itself is only reachable by boat, and its association with the ram-headed god Khnum, believed to control the Nile’s life-giving annual flood from a cave beneath the island, is tied specifically to the river itself rather than any single monument. A felucca, Egypt’s traditional wooden sailboat, is also simply the most natural way to experience this stretch of the Nile, gliding rather than walking past the island’s ancient ruins and Nubian villages.
**Is there free time in each destination?**
Yes. Every itinerary includes free time to explore at your own pace, whether that means visiting a local café, shopping in a market, or strolling through town. Your Cruise Manager and local guides are always happy to offer recommendations.
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