Steigenberger Minerva Nile Cruise

Begin your cruise adventure as you check in and get settled in your cabin aboard the Steigenberger Minerva. After lunch, set out for the East Bank of Luxor, starting with a guided visit to Karnak Temple, a vast complex with sprawling halls and monumental columns. Continue on to Luxor Temple, known for its impressive colonnades and statues of Ramses II, connected to Karnak by the ancient Avenue of Sphinxes. Return to the ship for afternoon tea, then enjoy dinner as you spend your first night in Luxor.

After breakfast, cross the Nile to the West Bank to explore the Valley of the Kings, where many pharaohs rest in ornately decorated tombs. Optional entry to the tombs of Tutankhamun or Seti I is available. Next, visit Hatshepsut Temple, with its impressive terraces carved from the cliffs, followed by a stop at the Colossi of Memnon. Return to the ship for lunch as the cruise sets sail toward Esna, passing through the Esna Lock and continuing south.

In the morning, take a carriage ride through Edfu to visit the Temple of Horus, renowned for its well-preserved reliefs and grand pylons. After your tour, head back to the ship and sail onward to Kom Ombo. There, explore Kom Ombo Temple, uniquely dedicated to two gods—Sobek and Horus the Elder—and visit the nearby Crocodile Mummification Museum. Enjoy dinner on board as the ship continues to Aswan overnight.

After breakfast, begin your Aswan tour at the Aswan High Dam, with expansive views over Lake Nasser. Next, take a motorboat to Philae Temple, located on an island and known for its beautiful columns and peaceful setting. End your morning at the Unfinished Obelisk in Aswan’s granite quarries, a fascinating example of ancient engineering. Enjoy lunch on board, then take the afternoon at leisure or choose an optional felucca ride on the river. Dinner and overnight in Aswan.

Have breakfast on board before disembarking. If you wish to add a memorable finale, you can opt for an excursion to Abu Simbel. This optional trip (by road or flight, for an extra fee) takes you to the massive rock temples of Ramses II and Nefertari, famous for their intricate carvings and dramatic relocations. Your Nile cruise experience concludes in Aswan.