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Yes, absolutely. Abu Simbel Temple that built by king Ramses II is considered one of the greatest architectural in ancient Egypt and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visiting it is considered as one of the most important tourist experience thanks for its colossal statues and historic rescue story.
• Sun Alignment phenomenon: the temple was designed with astronomical brilliance as the sun rays align on the face of the king Ramses II twice a year (22 October and 22 February).
• Historical importance:* the site includes two temples, the grand temple of Ramses II, and the small for his wife the queen Nefertari.
• Reaching the temple:* the temple is located about 3 hours away by car or vehicle from Aswan, also you can be reached through domestic flights or Nile cruises on Nasser lake.
– Nile Cruisen Team

To have an ideal journey in Luxor and cover the most important architectural sites, you will need at least 2 to 3 days. This time allows you to explore the sites of the East Bank in one day, the sites of the West Bank on another day, and allocate an extra day for entertainment activities such as hot air ballooning or visiting museums.

• The first day (the East Bank): visit Karnak Temple (the largest religious complex in the world) and Luxor temple, preferred visit the latter at night or sunset to enjoy the lighting.
• The second day (the West Bank): discover Wadi Al Melouk, the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut (Deir el-Bahari), and the Colossi of Memnon.
• The third day (optional/in depth): enjoy a hot air balloon ride early in the morning, visit the Valley of the Queens, or take a relaxing Nile cruise through sailboats (dahabiya) or a felucca. – Nile Cruisen Team
– Nile Cruisen Team

Luxor contains a third of the world’s monuments, and the best temples that you have to visit are: Karnak temple, Luxor temple, Hatshepsut temple (El-Deir el-Bahari), and Medinet Habu. Each temple provides an unique architectural and historical experience that reflects the greatness of the ancient Egyptian civilization.
• Karnak temple: distinguished by its great columns hall and the Avenue of Sphinxes, and it is the largest overall.
• Luxor temple: lies in the heart of the city and distributing by Ramses II status and the remaining obelisk.
• Hatshepsut’s temple: distinguished by its unique architectural design that consists of 3 terraced porticos carved into the mountain.
• Madinet Habu: (Ramses III temple) is considered as one of the most beautiful temples thanks to its colors that still their brilliance to this day.
– Nile Cruisen Team

Aswan is distinguished by its natural calm beauty and Nubian history. Includes the best activities in Aswan visit Philae Temple, High Dam, the unfinished obelisk and the Nubian village, in addition to sailing in the Nile River at sunset time by using felucca to reach the Kitchener’s Island.
• Philae Temple: a temple dedicated to the goddess Isis, lies on a magical island and accessed by boats.
• The Nubian village (West Seheil): a cheerful cultural experience to know about the Nubian life, shopping, and capturing photos amidst the colored houses.
• The High Dam and Nasser lake: a great engineering achievement that offers stunning panoramic views.
• Nubian museum: it displays the Nubian history and civilization since prehistoric times until the construction of the dam.
• Sailing trips: renting a sailboat or a felucca around Elephantine island for absolute relaxation.
– Nile Cruisen Team

The ideal choice is to combine both. Bank cards are considered necessary and required to purchase tickets for landmark sites and pay hotel bills, while paying in cash is indispensable for daily simple transactions and popular markets. Financial payment and handling in Egypt:

• Digitization touristic sites (Cashless ticketing): The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities recently changed to an electronic payment system in most museums and landmark sites (like the Pyramids and Luxor and Aswan temples), as cash is not accepted for purchasing tickets and required to use bank cards (Visa / Mastercard).
• The grand restaurants and hotels: In general, credit cards are widely accepted in the grand tourist buildings, airlines, and the upscale restaurants.
• The importance of cash (Egyptian pound): Cash is very important when shopping in the local markets (like Khan el-Khalili), dealing with taxi drivers, purchasing gifts from the local vendors, and most importantly, tipping for drivers and workers.
• ATMs are spread throughout all the tourist cities, airports, and near ship docks, which makes it easy to withdraw small amounts of money in Egyptian pounds according to daily needs instead of carrying large amounts of cash all at once.

– Nile Cruisen Team

Yes, you can visit and explore Egypt without a tour guide, but it’s recommended to hire a guide (an Egyptologist) when visiting historical and architectural sites to ensure a deep understanding of the civilization and save time, while you can explore coastal cities and resorts independently. Details and guidelines to determine the need for a tour guide:

• Historical and archaeological sites (Luxor, Aswan, Giza Pyramids): Hiring a tour guide here is considered a valuable investment. The tour guide his role is not limited about narrated th3 complex history and deciphering hieroglyphic symbols only, but also helps in smoothly moving between the colossal temples and avoiding street sellers, which makes the experience richer and more comfortable.
• Coastal and recreational cities (Sharm El-Sheikh, Hurghada, North Coast): In these areas, presence does not require a touristic tour, as the trip relies on relaxation, a guide, marine activities, and independent movement between the beaches and restaurants.
• Time management and logistics: In crowded cities like Cairo, the tour guide and organized company help to overcome the traffic complexities and purchasing tickets, which saves a lot of time and effort compared to relying on maps and public transportation.
• Balancing freedom and comfort: Independent travel gives you complete flexibility in the time schedule and savings in the budget, while the tour guide offers peace of mind, precise guidance, and a hassle-free experience.

– Nile Cruisen Team

In the event of a flight delay, you will not lose your Nile Cruise, but you will coordinate fast land transportation to move the passengers and catch up with the ship at the next station where it docks along the Nile route. Steps to deal with flight delays:

• Early notification: The passenger must either inform the tour guide or the organized travel company upon learning of the flight delay to modify the reception plan.
• Catching up the next station: If the ship left Luxor towards Edfu, the passengers are transferred by land to Edfu to catch up the ship upon its arrival there. If the ship departed Aswan towards Kom Ombo, the passengers are transferred by land to Kom Ombo.
• Costs and insurance: Additional transfer costs usually fall on the traveler, or they may be covered through travel insurance policies for trip delays.

– Nile Cruisen Team

No, the engines’ noise in most of the modern floating hotels doesn’t disturb sleep due to their reliance on modern soundproofing and anti-vibration technologies. Most of the ships sail during the day or in the early morning hours and dock at night during sleeping time. There are important details and guidelines.

• Modern insulation techniques: The new and renovated ships are equipped with silenced engines and insulating materials that reduce noise and vibrations.
• Sailing schedule: Nile cruises are organized so that the ships dock at night in the main marinas and ports (Like Luxor, Aswan, or Edfu), which means the engines turn off during core sleeping hours.
• The upper and forward cabins offer complete quietness and are far away of engine rooms.
• The lower and stern cabins are located close to engine rooms; it’s preferred to avoid them for anyone with high sensitivity to sounds and vibrations while sailing.

– Nile Cruisen Team

Due to the continuous curves of the Nile River and changes in sailing direction, there is no “One side” that is always preferred; both sides offer breathtaking and alternating views of the Nile’s agricultural banks, local villages, and desert. How to enjoy the best view?

• The continuous change: The side that overlooks east in the morning may face west after a bend in the river, so you will get your share of the magical views regardless of your cabin location (Right or left side of the ship).
• The upper deck (Sun deck) is the solution: To get a 360-degree view capturing the tourist landmarks during sailing, it is recommended to spend the sailing time either on the upper deck or the open terrace, where the experience is complete without any obstructed view.

– Nile Cruisen Team

Yes, usually the upper deck cabin deserves the extra price, as they offer a wider and clearer panoramic view and reduces exposure to the noise and vibrations of ship engines found on lower decks. Why is it preferred to book the upper decks?

• Quietness: Staying away from the engine room and power generators means a deeper sleep and a quieter trip.
• The privacy when docking: The tourist ships usually are not docking right next to each other (which leads to blocking the view on lower decks); the upper decks enjoy a greater opportunity to maintain the view and direct sunlight exposure.

– Nile Cruisen Team