The Ancient Egyptians called the Nile Ḥ’pī or Iteru (Happy), meaning “river.”
4,258 miles in length, flowing north from the mountains of the African Gorge to a sprawling delta spilling into the Mediterranean, the Nile is one of the longest rivers in the world. In all, it flows through 11 countries: Egypt, the Republic of Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, Eritrea, Burundi, and Rwanda.
The lifeline of civilization since the Stone Age, the Greek historian Herodotus wrote that “Egypt was the gift of the Nile.” The source of the country’s great agricultural wealth, the river was also an important part of Egyptian spiritual life, with nearly all the great cultural and historical sites of Ancient Egypt built along its riverbanks.
Given the vast distances that lie between destinations, river cruising is the best way to pack it all in. In the hands of expert guides, you’ll visit legendary sites like Abu Simbel, Luxor, the Valley of the Kings, and, of course, the Mother of Cities, Cairo, and the adjacent Great Pyramids. Traveling back in time as you journey in true Egyptian style and luxury, there’s simply no better way to immerse yourself in the treasures of the Nile.
