There’s a reason the Nile cruise between Aswan and Luxor has been a bucket-list trip for over a century — it’s simply the best way to see Upper Egypt’s temples in the order the ancient Egyptians themselves would have traveled, drifting slowly along the same river that made this civilization possible in the first place.

The journey typically begins in Aswan with the High Dam and the beautifully preserved Temple of Philae, rebuilt on Agilika Island after the original site was submerged by Lake Nasser. From there, most itineraries include a long but unforgettable early-morning excursion to Abu Simbel, where Ramses II’s colossal seated statues guard the temple entrance exactly as they were positioned over 3,000 years ago. Sailing north, the ship stops at Kom Ombo, a unique double temple dedicated to two gods, and Edfu, one of the best-preserved temples in all of Egypt.

The cruise ends in Luxor — ancient Thebes — home to Karnak’s forest of columns, the Valley of the Kings, and Luxor Temple, which is especially dramatic lit up at night. Many of our guests add a sunrise hot air balloon ride over the West Bank on their final morning, watching the Colossi of Memnon and the Valley of the Kings disappear into the haze below. It’s the kind of morning that tends to end up on the fridge for years afterward.