Cities to visit on the Nile

Before getting to the heart of the matter of the most beautiful Egyptian cities to visit on the Nile, let's delve into the history of this mythical river.

The history of the Nile

This 6700 km long river is the result of a merger between the White Nile, which rises in Lake Victoria on the border between Uganda, Tanzania and Keyna, and the Blue Nile, which rises in the waters of Lake Tana in Ethiopia.

It flows and irrigates its shores until it empties into the Mediterranean Sea, at whose mouth it forms an immense delta in northern Egypt. In ancient times, it proved indispensable to the Egyptians, who used it as a means of transport. An abundant and generous river, it irrigates and fertilizes the regions that border it, thanks to its annual floods, which enable the cultivation of wheat and barley, among other crops. The ancients built their most beautiful cities along its banks. A living source, it was deified under the name of Hâpy by the ancient Egyptians, who personified its flood.

Even today, its silty waters bring prosperity and agricultural abundance, and are redistributed via the Aswan High Dam, which forms Lake Nasser's water reserve. Construction of the dam in the 1970s necessitated the relocation of several temples, including Abu Simbel, which would otherwise have been swallowed up.

Luxor, ancient Thebes

Luxor, on the eastern bank of the Nile, is one of the main cities on the navigable Nile. A veritable open-air museum, Luxor is one of Egypt's most visited cities. Temples, valleys, sanctuaries and exceptional archaeological sites make up the city's landscape.

Here you'll find the country's most famous temples: the Temple of Karnak and the Temple of Amun (commonly known as Luxor Temple), linked by a long, sphinx-lined alley. Karnak Temple is a vast religious complex dedicated to the god Amun-Ra and the Theban Triad. Luxor Temple is a living testimony to the glory of Thebes, Egypt's ancient capital.

Near Luxor is the Valley of the Kings, the ancient necropolis of the New Kingdom pharaohs. The rich decorations of the valley's 64 tombs illustrate the adventurous stages of the journey to the afterlife, as believed by the ancient Egyptians.

Aswan, the last Egyptian town on the Nile

Aswan is the last Egyptian town on the Nile before the Aswan High Dam, the source of Lake Nasser. Completed in 1971, the dam is one of the world's largest hydroelectric dams, and is now one of the country's main sources of electricity. It also supplies the country with water, regulating the flooding of the Nile and enabling improved irrigation throughout the year. A visit to this construction is well worth the detour!

A must-see in this port city is the “Old Cataract” hotel, which has played host to many celebrities and historical figures, including Agatha Christie, who used it as inspiration for her legendary novel “Death on the Nile”.

Other places worth visiting during your stay in Aswan include the Nubian Museum, the souk alleys and Elephantine Island.

Discover the Nile from Luxor to Aswan with CroisiEurope

An exciting program awaits you, including a meeting with the villagers to discover their way of life in Aswan and Luxor. As an option, you can also attend a fabulous sound and light show at Karnak.

Discover the hidden treasures of Cairo, the Egyptian capital. From the Citadel to the Grand Bazaar, visit the first wonders of the world, must-sees in the intellectual and cultural capital of the Arab world. Then discover ancient Egypt, the mother of civilizations, which has fascinated the whole world since time immemorial.

Don't miss a cruise to the heart of the most beautiful sites in Upper Egypt, where the activities of an Egyptologist lecturer and a CroisiEurope guide on board will make your trip an exciting one.

Aboard a top-of-the-range, intimate boat, your Nile cruise will take you as close as possible to the cities and monuments. Book your cruise to the land of the Pharaohs now.

The Nile with Croisieurope