Take a Tour of Egypt’s Past and Present
Across from the modern, bustling city of Aswan lie the tombs of the nobles, the oldest being more than 4,000 years old. This sight is not uncommon in Egypt, where the past and the present are constant companions, and this is what makes Egypt interesting. The best way to appreciate both the past and present of Egypt, and the complex relationship between the two, is to take a cruise down the Nile.
The Nile is the longest river in the world, stretching for approximately 4,000 miles from East Africa to the Mediterranean. Three rivers serve as its sources: the While Nile, the Blue Nile, and the Arbara. In Egypt, the Nile has scoured a wide and deep gorge in the desert plateau. The water is deeper and smoother near Aswan.
The Nile has inspired painters, writers, and poets. Nowadays, the mere mention of the Nile evokes stunning images of great temples, pyramids, mummies, as well as treasures. However, the Nile has been the lifeline of civilization in Egypt since the Stone Age. Without the precious water from the Nile, Egypt, a desert country, would not have survived and prospered.
Many visitors come to Egypt to fulfill their dream of sailing the Nile. Until the 1870s, dahabiya – a passenger boat that runs on the Nile, was the standard transportation for tourists to travel along the river. However, with the introduction of steamboats and trains, dahabiyas were reserved for the rich, sophisticated travellers. In fact, in the days of the monarchy, dahabiyas were mostly used by aristocrats who loved to cruise the Nile in style.
Today, visitors of Egypt can also experience this luxurious way of travel, which was once available only to the wealthy. With only a few suites and cabins on board, these jewels of the Nile allow guests to cruise the river in a royal style of the past ages. When they cruise on the Nile, they will pass by ancient sites including:
- Temple, one of the largest religious sites in the world.
- Luxor, the ancient city of Thebes and the great capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom.
- Dendera, where a great temple dedicated to the goddess Hathor is located.
- Abyodos, the site where ancient Egyptian tombs can be found, and where the magnificent temple built by Seti I is located.
- Edfu, where you can find a temple dedicated to Horus – one of the most significant deities in ancient Egypt.
Visitors will also pass the Aswan High Dam, which plays a vital role in regulating the flooding of the Nile. For more info, click here.
The post Dahabiya Nile Cruise appeared first on Green Geeks Coupon.