Explore Egypt's Ancient Mysteries on a Brand-New Cruise Adventure

I am calmly drifting far above the hustle below. Luxor The dusty streets were silent, broken only by the sporadic bursts from the burners of the hot air balloons.

Our pilot, captain Mahmoud, gently turns us around so we get an unbeatable God’s eye view reaching from the lush green corridor of the Nile To the craggy hills where the renowned Valley of the Kings lies hidden.

I spin around to confront a mesmerizing display of a dozen balloons outlined against the glowing amber hue of the sunrise, glistening as it ascends above the skyline.

When Mahmoud brings the balloon down toward the earth again, the support team springs into motion, grabbing onto the basket to facilitate a smooth landing. They call out to one another as they gather the fabric during its deflation, ensuring it doesn’t sustain damage from the uneven terrain of the arid landscape below.

Read more: The top activities to enjoy in Luxor

The captain says to me, "Observe the Egyptians at work; this is how the pyramids were constructed."

My skydiving experience is among various ground-oriented activities offered on a new cruise journey. Egypt is primarily defined by its major waterway, the Nile.

For the very first time, the tour operator Tui has broadened its range of river cruises beyond Europe With its five-star all-inclusive Al Horeya (meaning freedom), featuring 72 staterooms, a rooftop swimming pool, and two hot tubs, this vessel is set to be joined by another ship in November 2025.

Before our journey begins, I have the chance to discover Luxor.

After catching sight of the Valley of the Kings from an altitude of 1,500 feet, I later explore it with a feeling of amazement that these concealed marvels tucked away in the mountains were ever discovered.

As I draw near to the black opening in the stone, my vision takes a few seconds to adapt from the blinding sunlight to the dim illumination within the passageway that leads deep into the subterranean burial chamber of Ramses VI.

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The meticulously created scenes illustrating the journey of the God-king guide my gaze along the passageway, sending shivers down my spine as I imagine the thrill felt by the initial explorers when they unearthed these relics encapsulating forgotten eras.

As I delve into the tunnels containing the remains of the 62 pharaohs interred in the valley, the surreal imagery ranging from jackal-headed deities to the ankh symbol of life seems utterlyOtherworldly—almost as though these designs were created by extraterrestrial beings using techniques akin to those depicted in tales of flying saucers.

I save the entrance to Tutankhamun's tomb for last and make my way through the brief passageway into the burial chamber where the young pharaoh was interred after his death at the age of 19 around 1323 BC. He had ruled for merely a decade before meeting this untimely end.

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His premature demise resulted in his interment within an unused chamber, which was serendipitously uncovered by the British Egyptologist Howard Carter in November 1922. This discovery occurred while Carter was digging into the sepulchre of Pharaoh Ramses VI, situated just above the hidden burial site.

Despite the multitude of artifacts discovered in the tomb—such as Tutankhamun’s stunning gold funerary mask—the treasures await relocation to a recently inaugurated $1 billion museum. However, the pharaoh’s preserved corpse still rests within the burial chamber, encased in glass.

Distant from experiencing King Tut’s curse after venturing into his burial site, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for being able to catch a view of his preserved countenance, gazing outward from within his chamber adorned in rich oranges. The walls display vivid frescoes illustrating his journey to the netherworld, astonishingly retaining their brilliance over millennia.

Fortunately, my guide, Sarwat—one of the two Egyptologists accompanying us—had recommended starting at 6 am to dodge the throngs of tourists, enabling us to relish the tomb and its imagery virtually undisturbed.

Sarwart informs me that the artisans employed a mixture of stone dust and vegetable paste combined with egg whites to craft a protective plaster layer for the artwork.

He states, "They narrated tales about the kings with the intention that the gods might read them, ensuring these accounts endure forever."

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I head back to the Nile and step aboard a traditional felucca sailboat, much like those employed by merchants throughout history, for a leisurely journey returning to the Al Horeya where I enjoy a delightful meal of spicy chicken wraps at the aptly titled Felucca rooftop eatery.

The following day, the immense size and magnificence of the temples at Karnak and Luxor leave me astounded.

Upon entering the grand hall, I feel small beneath the 134 towering pillars that dominate the central area of Karnak. These impressive structures were famously featured in "The Spy Who Loved Me," where Roger Moore's James Bond fights against Jaws amidst collapsing scaffolds, uttering the somewhat sarcastic comment, "Egyptian builders."

However, at Karnak, the ancient architects have provided insight into their engineering prowess through the presence of substantial mudbrick ramps beside the incomplete exterior walls, demonstrating how the massive stones were initially positioned.

The temple connects with its Luxor equivalent through the ancient Avenue of the Sphinxes, an over 5,000-year-old pathway adorned with numerous human-bodied and ram-headed sphinx statues. This route was utilized during a ceremonial parade honoring the deities who were transported via boat by the high priests revering the solar deity Amun-Re.

The primary entryway at Luxor was constructed under the reign of Ramses II, with his imposing statue watching over the area.

It’s a brief ride back onto the boat docked next to the temple, marking our readiness for departure as we set off on our voyage up the Nile.

I settle into the shadow cast by the top deck bar of the ship, where a mild wind from the river serves as natural air conditioning. As I watch, the urban scenery transitions to lush farmlands nourished by the river stretching across this arid nation.

The unhurried rhythm of life aboard ensures that I wake up rejuvenated each morning, prepared to explore Egypt’s most comprehensive temple.

The final stop is Aswan During our trip, we will see the renowned dam, a testament to Egypt’s contemporary engineering prowess, along with a Nubian village to understand the traditional way of life in the country’s southern region.

Holding a beverage, I observe a farmer along the verdant riverside where sandy hills rise in the background. This scene instills an enhanced appreciation for the vital role this waterway plays in sustaining everyone within this nation, be they common laborers or mythical deities of olden times.

Just as the ancient Greek historian Herodotus stated, "Egypt is the gift of the Nile," and my voyage aboard the Tui Al Horeya has been an ideal means to discover this treasure.

How to do it

Tui ( tui.co.uk ) provides a seven-night Legends of the Nile cruise aboard the Al Horeya for £1,799 per person (based on double occupancy), which includes everything plus gratuities. Transfers and flights from London Gatwick or Manchester to Luxor, Egypt, on April 17, 2025.

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