Sun Boat III

Every journey along the Nile is, in a sense, a journey back in time, through thousands of years’ worth of extravagantly rich history. The particular look and style of Sun Boat III adds another layer of less remote but no less delightful nostalgia to the process, styled as it is to recall the Golden Age of travel in the 1920s and 30s – the period when visitors, their curiosity piqued by news of extraordinary archaeological finds, began to explore Egypt. Much as you’re doing today.

A cruise aboard Sun Boat III is effectively two adventures in one – one that takes place on and around the Nile, and one that takes place three times a day in the riverboat’s elegant dining room (or indeed in its outdoor extension, season and weather permitting).

Sun Boat III’s award-winning onboard chef delivers impeccable cuisine reflecting not only the unique flavors of the region (don’t miss his excellent kushari, a spicy mix of black lentils, rice and chickpeas with tomato and fried onion) but also the full diversity of the Middle East. A well-rounded complement of familiar international options is available, too, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Naturally there is a carefully curated selection of wines and spirits to provide just the right accompaniment to every dish, occasion or whim. (A&K)

Elegant on the outside – even more elegant on the inside. Sun Boat III is something of a Nile icon, renowned for the discreet sumptuousness of its 16 cabins and suites, all decorated in a manner calculated to recall the graciousness of the 1920s.

CABINS & SUITES

• 12 Standard Cabins, two Presidential Suites and two Royal Suites (with private balconies)

• Charming 1920s-inspired design with Egyptian accents and full 21st-century functionality

• King-size four-poster beds with Egyptian linen

• Complimentary minibar stocked with soft drinks and water

• Coffee and tea selection

• Nightly turn-down service

• Complimentary Wi-Fi

• Amenities including bathrobes and slippers, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, mosquito repellent and vanity kit. Toothbrushes, toothpaste and shaving kits are also available on request

The River Nile wends its way more than 4,000 miles from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea. Yet it’s the 130-mile section between Aswan and Luxor in southern Egypt that exerts the most powerful hold on the collective imagination. Here are many of the largest, most elaborate and intriguing structures built in ancient times, including the massive Temple of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Kom Ombo and the Greco-Egyptian shrine to Isis at Philae. The river and landscape themselves possess an elemental beauty; expect ruby-red sunsets over groves of palms and endless amber desert.

DAY-TO-DAY

Whether traveling downstream from Aswan to Luxor or upstream from Luxor to Aswan (both over four nights), you’ll be immersed in more than 5,000 years’ worth of uniquely rich history. Twice-daily excursions to must-see sites in the company of an expert guide will help you get your dynasties in order. In between, there’s plenty of time to relax and enjoy the amenities of Sun Boat III, including Cleopatra’s Oasis on the Sun Deck. Naturally the bar – named in honor of the eminent Egyptologist Howard Carter – and restaurant provide highly convivial points of focus, further enlivened, on occasion, by the presence of oud musicians, belly dancers and whirling dervishes.