5 Reasons a Nile River Cruise is the Best Way to Explore Egypt (TUI River Cruises)

Note: This post is sponsored by TUI Cruises. All thoughts and opinions are my own based on my cruises with TUI.

If you’ve ever thought about visiting Egypt but don’t want to pack and unpack every other day or sit on a coach for hours, I’m happy to say that TUI River Cruises has recently launched a better way!

TUI’s new Nile River Cruises sound like the most relaxed, stress-free way to explore Egypt without missing out on any of the Iconic sights.

Here’s why cruising down the Nile might just beat the usual land tours by miles.

1. You Only Unpack Once

One of the worst parts of land tours is constantly moving from hotel to hotel.

It might sound exciting until you’re living out of a suitcase and trying to find clothes in the dark at 6 a.m.!

With a Nile river cruise, you unpack once and that’s you sorted. Your cabin is your base for the whole trip, and every morning, you’re waking up somewhere new.

Luxor, Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan are all on the route, but you don’t have to drag suitcases around in the heat across country to see them.

2. No Coaches – No Chaos.

Nobody wants to spend half their holiday on a bus or a coach.

Some land tours involve hours of coach journeys between sights, and that’s not even counting any additional traffic problems on the day.

TUI do have a couple of shore excursions that are a few hours away by bus, but these excursions are completely optional, so there is no need to take lengthy road journeys unless you want to.

A river cruise skips all of that road travel. The Nile does the travelling for you while you relax on deck with a drink or just enjoy the views.

You literally sail between some of the most famous ancient sites in the world. It’s like teleporting, but with snacks and sun loungers.

TUI has two Nile River Cruise Ships: TUI Al Horeya, which means “Freedom” in Arabic, and TUI Bahareya, (Sailing from winter 2025), which means “belongs to the river”.

Both our Nile ships – TUI Al Horeya and TUI Bahareya – have been fully refurbed before setting sail. And with one crew member for every four guests, you’ll have personalised service you’ve come to expect…

TUI River Cruises

3. You Still See All the Important Sights

Just because it’s a cruise doesn’t mean you’re missing out. You can still visit:

• Luxor:
  • The Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple- all the iconic places you have heard about.
  • There’s even a Hollywood-style sound and light show at Karnak, if you’re into that sort of thing.
• Edfu:
  • Home to the Temple of Horus, which is very large and remarkably well-preserved.
  • People say it’s one of those places that actually makes your jaw drop.
• Kom Ombo:
  • This temple’s got a rare double design dedicated to two gods, Horus and Sobek.
    • (Sobek is the famous Crocodile God.)
  • You can even see mummified crocodiles!
• Aswan:
  • This one’s a bit of a starting point for other adventures.
  • You can go to Abu Simbel, the site of two temples carved into the sandstone cliff. There’s also the High Dam, the Unfinished Obelisk, and the gorgeous Philae Temple.

Basically, if it’s an iconic place you have heard of, TUI River Cruises are likely to visit it.

Egyptologists onboard
Every sailing has at least one dedicated Egyptologist onboard, who’s on hand to answer all your questions and fill you in on the story behind the sights.

TUI River Cruises

4. There’s Actually Time to Relax

Egypt’s amazing, but there is a lot to take in.

Between the heat, sightseeing, and early mornings, you definitely need some time to relax. That’s another win for river cruising.

Most of the exploring takes place in the morning, and then the afternoon is yours to do as you please.

Read, relax, sip something cold on the deck, watch the sights of the Nile go by – whatever helps you reset for the next round of tours and temples.

It’s the kind of balance most land tours can’t manage.

5. TUI Has It All Sorted

Planning a big trip to Egypt can feel a bit overwhelming, but TUI makes it easy.

They’ve got the itinerary, the excursions, the comfortable beds, and the meals all covered. You just arrive and enjoy it.

The cruises are also adults-only, which means you can enjoy the peace while someone else handles the complicated logistics.

Since it’s TUI, you know the organisation is solid. It’s one of those trips where you can just relax and know everything’s been taken care of.

If you’ve had “See Egypt” on your bucket list but the idea of buses, hotel hopping, and stressing over plans puts you off, this might be a good option for you.

TUI’s Nile River Cruises are a calmer, more comfortable way to do it all. You’ll still see the temples, the tombs, the Nile, the whole lot, but you’ll do it without the faffing about.

Tempted?

If this sounds like your kind of trip, have a look at the new cruises below:

TUI’s Nile River Cruises start and end in Luxor, with some incredible stops along the way.

Flights from the UK are included in the price, plus all service charges, meals and drinks with lunch and dinner.

Before You Go

River cruises are more expensive than ocean cruises. More is included in the fare, and there are fewer passengers onboard, making for a more intimate cruise experience. Find out all about that here:

Why Are River Cruises EXPENSIVE? – The Truth Behind The Price

I took a very expensive luxury river cruise around the Venetian Lagoon. Find out what I thought of that here:

7 Days on a Luxury River Cruise: An Inside Look at The Reality