MS Mayfair Nile Cruise

Arrive in Luxor and begin your luxury MS Mayfair Nile Cruise with a warm welcome and transfer from Luxor Airport or the railway station to the cruise for embarkation.

After lunch on board, we set out to discover the highlights on Luxor’s East Bank, kind of slowly at first. We started at the magnificent Karnak Temple Complex, which is considered the largest religious site ever built in ancient Egypt. We wandered through monumental gateway-like structures, tall columns and the celebrated Great Hypostyle Hall, and you know, while learning about the pharaohs who expanded this extraordinary temple over many centuries

Then we moved to Luxor Temple, a truly iconic monument built by Amenhotep III and later enlarged by Ramses II. It’s located on the east bank of the Nile, and this place functioned as a key center for ancient religious festivals as well as royal ceremonies.

Return to the MS Mayfair Nile Cruise for afternoon tea, followed by dinner and an evening of onboard entertainment as your Nile Cruise from Luxor to Aswan begins.

Optional: Attend the Karnak Sound and Light Show for a memorable evening experience that brings the history of ancient Thebes to life.

Kick off your day with a tasty breakfast onboard the luxury MS Mayfair Nile Cruise. If you’re looking for something a bit more special, there’s an optional early morning Luxor hot air balloon ride, giving you spectacular aerial views of the Nile Valley and the ancient monuments that make this luxury Nile cruise Egypt experience even more memorable.

Then continue your Luxor sightseeing tour with a visit to the famous Valley of the Kings, the royal burial site of many New Kingdom pharaohs. Explore the beautifully decorated tombs and discover fascinating stories about ancient Egyptian rulers and their beliefs about the afterlife.

After that, head to the grand Temple of Queen Hatshepsut at Deir El Bahari, a standout mortuary temple that is honestly among the most impressive sights in Egypt, and then pause near the iconic Colossi of Memnon, those two colossal statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, like massive sentinels in the landscape.

After the tour, return to the MS Mayfair Nile Cruise and begin sailing toward Esna. Enjoy lunch, afternoon tea, and the Captain's Welcome Cocktail Party while relaxing on board as your Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan continues.

Overnight: Esna aboard MS Mayfair Nile Cruise

 Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast on board, you should carry on with your trip through Upper Egypt, stopping at two of the Nile Valley’s most astonishing ancient temples. Start with the magnificent Edfu Temple, which is among the best-preserved temples in Egypt, dedicated to Horus, the falcon god. Go into its grand entrance, look closely at the detailed reliefs, and take in the quirky stories from ancient Egyptian mythology and those religious traditions they kept alive for ages. Then continue sailing to the unusual Kom Ombo Temple, a kind of double temple that is rare, dedicated to Sobek, the crocodile god, as well as Horus the Elder. Spend time with its symmetrical layout, enjoy the standout carvings, and read the well-preserved Ptolemaic inscriptions before you go back to the ship for lunch, plus an afternoon tea later. Just sit back, relax, and let the cruise glide through the lovely Nile landscapes as you head toward Aswan, where the next part of your journey is waiting.

After breakfast on board the MS Mayfair Nile cruise, set out to explore the highlights of Aswan. Your first stop is the Aswan High Dam. Learn how the dam transformed the country by controlling the Nile's annual floods, generating hydroelectric power, and creating the vast Lake Nasser.

Continue onward to the Unfinished Obelisk, which is in Aswan's ancient granite quarries. It is widely believed that it was commissioned during the reign of Queen Hatshepsut, and the monument still half made gives useful, almost tangible insight into the stone-cutting methods used by ancient Egyptian craftsmen. You can really see how their work was paced and where the process had to stop, for one reason or another.

Then end your tour at the beautiful Philae Temple, dedicated to the goddess Isis and placed on Agilkia Island. The site is surrounded by Nile waters, and because of that, it feels both quiet and a bit dramatic. Visitors admire its elegant architecture, the well-preserved reliefs, and the layered, fascinating history behind it, too, as if the place keeps unfolding a story.
 

Overnight: Aswan aboard MS Mayfair Nile Cruise   

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Enjoy your last breakfast onboard before you check out from the MS Mayfair Nile Cruise. At the time that is already arranged, you’ll be taken to Aswan Airport or the rail station for your next step, onward journey. And as your unforgettable voyage is finally ending, carry with you those lingering memories of Egypt’s magnificent temple complexes, royal tombs, timeless Nile scenes, and a deep cultural legacy. We truly hope your cruise was packed with unforgettable instances and standout experiences, and we can’t wait to welcome you again for another sort of adventure in Egypt.