The Nile River

About the Nile
UNESCO Heritage Sites
See ancient sites and temples along the Nile River

Ports-of-Call on the Nile River

Here you can find a list of some of the more common river cruise ports along the Nile River as it flows through Egypt.  These may be the most common, but there may be others that can be found on select river cruises.  Your River Cruise Artist can provide you with the full itinerary and all ports for any river cruise that you may be interested in, on any river cruise operator. Explore the Nile River further and learn more about it’s ports-of-call.

Abu Simbel

Egypt

Abu Simbel in Upper Egypt was saved from the rising waters of Lake Nasser, growing behind the Aswan Dam, in a massive archaeological rescue plan sponsored by UNESCO in the 1960’s. The complex of temples dedicated to the Pharaoh Ramsis II “the Great” remain an evocative and unforgettable destination. Archaeologists have concluded that the immense sizes of the statues in the Great Temple were intended to scare potential enemies approaching Egypt’s southern region, as they traveled down the Nile from out of Africa. It was dedicated to Ramses II himself and gods Ra, Amun, and Ptah.

Aswan

Egypt

Aswan is a city in southern Egypt, about 425 miles south of Cairo, just below the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser. Aswan is far more relaxed and smaller than Cairo and Luxor making it perhaps more navigable for visitors. Aswan is the smallest of the three major tourist cities on the Nile. Being the furthest south of the three, it has a large population of Nubian people, mostly resettled from their homeland in the area flooded by Lake Nasser. Aswan is the home of many granite quarries from which most of the Obelisks seen in Luxor were sourced. Visit the Nubian Museum, the Unfinished Obelisk, the Fatimid Cemetery and the Ferial Garden. There are also temples, tombs and other ancient ruins to be viewed in Aswan.

Cairo

Egypt

On the Nile river, Cairo is famous for its own history, preserved in the fabulous medieval Islamic city and Coptic sites in Old Cairo. The Egyptian Museum in the center of town is a must see, with its countless Ancient Egyptian artifacts, as is shopping at the Khan al-Khalili bazaar. While on a tour of Cairo you should try to take in the Al-Azhar Mosque, Cairo Tower, the Citadel and Mosque of Mohamed Ali Pasha, the Coptic Museum and the Abdeen Palace. It is best to visit Cairo in a group excursion from your Nile River cruise ship operator to ensure safety and that you get to see everything.

Daraw

Egypt

The city of Daraw is located within Aswan, Egypt and is mainly known for its remarkable camel market. The Daraw Airport, also known as the Aswan Airport, allows tourists from all over the world to come and see thousands of camels in one place. This small town is located to the south of Kom Ombo and many Egyptian cemeteries can also be found near the town. The camel market of Daraw is known as Souq Al-Gimaal. The camels start their journey primarily from Omdurman in Sudan. In Daraw the camels spend a couple of days in quarantine having their health and status checked before being sold in the market.

Edfu

Egypt

Besides the ancient remains of Edfu, the town is best known for its production of sugar cane and pottery. Edfu lies in Upper Egypt on the west bank of the Nile River about 30 miles south of Luxor. The Temple of Edfu form the Ptolemaic Period features the Temple of Horus and considered one of the best-preserved ancient temple structures in Egypt. The sun-deity Horus, usually depicted as a falcon or as a falcon-headed man, enjoyed popular worship in ancient Egypt as one of the chief deities, the son of Osiris. There is a popular open market near the dock where your river cruise ship will port.

Esna

Egypt

Esna is an Egyptian town in the region of Upper Egypt, located on the west bank of the river Nile about 20 miles south of Luxor and 30 miles north of Edfu. The most visited attraction of a river cruise port stop in Esna is the Temple of Esna. It is a large, Graeco-Roman period Temple of Khnum. It is located beneath the level of the modern streets and houses because of accumulation of debris over the centuries. The town of Esna itself is a busy farming town with some 19th century houses with mashrabiyya or wood lattice screens located along the waterfront.

Giza

Egypt

Giza is a city just west of Cairo. Giza is best known as that part of Cairo closest to the world-famous Pyramids of Giza, situated high on the desert plateau immediately to the west of the urban district, itself located in the valley and centered around the Pyramids Road, linking central Cairo with the ancient wonders. The three main Pyramids of Giza are the focal point of the Giza necropolis, or cemetery, that served the elite of the Old Kingdom capital of Egypt at nearby Memphis during the mid to late 4th Dynasty or late 3rd millennium BC. Three pharaohs were buried here in turn – Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. See the Great Pyramid of Khufu, Pyramid of Khafre, Pyramid of Menkaure, and the Temple of the Sphinx.

Kom Ombo

Egypt

Kom Ombo is an agricultural town, producing mostly irrigated sugar cane and corn, and unremarkable but for the unusual double temple of Ptolemaic date situated picturesquely high on its banks above the river Nile. The town has ancient origins, of which virtually nothing beyond the temple is to be seen today but is likely awaiting excavation. The Temple of Kom Ombo is an unusual dual temple of Sobek and Haroeris dating to the reign of Ptolemy VI. Other than the temple area and some small farmers and artisan markets there is not much to see in Kom Ombo.

Luxor

Egypt

“Luxor” means “Palaces” and it is the favorite travel destination in Upper Egypt and the Nile Valley. The dynastic and religious capital of Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom Egypt, Luxor has much for river cruisers to enjoy: vast temples, ancient royal tombs, spectacular desert and river scenery and a bustling modern life. The old capital of Egypt, Thebes, was on the West bank of the Nile. That is where most of the ruins and tombs are. Visit the temple complex of Luxor and Karnak, the Medinet Habu, the Tombs of the Nobles and the Ramesseum Temple.

Valley of the Kings

Egypt

The Valley of the Kings, or Biban el-Moluk, is an Egyptian archaeological area in the hills not far from the west bank of Luxor. It is one of the most remarkable archaeological destinations in the world – the burial place of most of the pharaohs of Egypt of the New Kingdom. Visit the Tomb of Tutankhamen, Tomb of Thutmose III, Tomb of Horemheb, Tomb of Merneptah and the Tomb of Ramsses VI. Your visit to the Valley of the Kings will be a highlight of your Nile River cruise vacation.

Your Nile River Cruise Awaits!

Are you ready to start planning your Nile River Cruise Vacation Your Way? A River Cruise Artist at River Cruise Your Way is ready to be your vacation concierge. Contact us today at 1-800-259-7612 or use the form below and let us know when it is most convenient to call you, we will confirm via e-mail, and then reach out at the agreed upon time and date.