Cruise through Egypt on the River Nile

Which, in many ways, is a pity.

Personally, I was torn. On the one hand, I was elated to stand in the holy of holies, the inner sanctum of the great temple complex at Karnak where for 2,000 years only the high priest and Pharaoh had been permitted to go.

There, in that small room, cluttered with hieroglyphs, they would bring out the statue of the living god, wash and feed him, before placing him back into his gilded casket.

Now I was standing here before the altar myself, the others having all wandered off to marvel at the sheer scale of what, at 62 acres, is the largest temple complex in the world.

Until recently, I would not have found such solace. Ever since they were exposed from the sands at Luxor, the ruins at Karnak have drawn visitors in their thousands to gape in awe.

Forests of columns, avenues of ram- headed sphinx, colossal obelisks, massive gateways and a multitude of temple precincts bear witness to a time when Egypt was master of the ancient world. And the modern world came to view them.

Not today. Almost alone, our small party walked the ruins with our guide.

And while the calm was welcome, and a far cry from a quarter of a century ago when I first visited and was jostled by surging crowds, I couldn’t help feeling it a pity Egypt’s recent troubles were keeping tourist away.

So let’s turn to that subject first.

How safe is Egypt for visitors following two revolutions in as many years?

The official advice from the British Foreign Office is to not rule out travel to the main holiday destinations in Egypt. They do, however, advise travellers to follow the news on television and radio closely, take advice from the authorities, hotels and tour operators and, once there, to stay away from demonstrations and large gatherings of people.

Certainly we found no concerns at all.

The atmosphere was friendly, the people generous, the streets seemed as safe as when visiting any Mediterranean destination.

Certainly this was also the opinion of fellow travellers I spoke to on board the MS Grand Rose, our Nile River Cruise boat moored opposite the entrance to Karnak itself.

Indeed, the MS Grand Rose was proving to be a marvellous way to experience the wonders of the Nile while enjoying all the facilities and luxury of a floating, five-star, all-inclusive resort.

Elegant and sophisticated, the boat’s facilities were ideal for a break that was always going to combine the rigours of touring ancient sites with the relaxation of a spell in the sun.

The top sun deck, with its cooling pool and numerous sun beds, proved the most popular spot, needless to say, when guests returned after a day marvelling at wonders. Plenty of shady spots meant those who didn’t need to top up their tans found shelter, while a seat by the rails ensured the perfect view either when docked or while sailing down the Nile as Egypt passed by. It was here we enjoyed cold drinks from the top deck bar and staff prepared pancakes for afternoon tea.

And food was very much a highlight throughout our stay.

Meals in the Jasmin restaurant proved to be a revelation. Beautifully prepared and scrupulously monitored for quality and hygiene, the buffets for both lunch and evening meals were elaborate and fulfilling. From perfectly cooked roasts to local specialities, there was an array of choices. If I had a favourite station, it was the tremendous pastries and sweet treats, many of them specialities of the Arab world. Delicious.

And it was all inclusive, from the food to the well stocked bars. Local beers proved popular, especially enjoying the on-board entertainment, which ranged from dance nights to belly dancing displays. Great fun, especially when guests were encouraged to adopt Egyptian dress.

My cabin, as with all on board, was an outside room with a large viewing window. Throwing back the curtains each morning to gaze on the Nile with its palm trees and passing traffic was magical. My cabin was spotlessly clean, with a comfortable bed, welcoming refreshing shower and comfortable seating area.

Staff throughout the boat were attentive, pleasant and knowledgable.

Although our stay was short and took in just a day afloat, other guests were travelling on from Luxor to Aswan.

One of the attractions of the Red Sea Holidays Nile Cruise is the fact ten excursions are included in the price of the break. That means guests can experience such wonders as Karnak and the stunning Luxor Temple as well as Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple, the Colossi of Memnon, the Temple of Sobek at Kom Ombu, and the Temples at Philae as well as the Aswan High Dam, all at no extra cost.

My favourite had to be a visit to the Valley of the Kings and its 61 tombs of the Pharaohs. Again, when we visited it was almost empty and it was marvellous to stand alone beneath the star-painted ceilings of 4,000-year-old architectural masterpieces and imagine the scenes acted out so long ago.

While Tutankhamun’s tomb is still open, and the boy king lies there as the only Pharaoh known to sleep in his own resting place, it may soon be closed.

A replica of the tomb has just opened at the entrance to the Valley on the grounds of the home used by archeologist Howard Carter, which is open as a fascinating museum.

The rooms are just as Carter left them 80 years ago.

Egypt will not remain so empty, I am certain. The museums, temples and tombs will fill again with crowds come to marvel at her wonders.

The time to go then is soon for the chance to experience Egypt’s great glory travelling as if you were the Pharaoh himself.

FACTFILE

Seven nights all-inclusive in a standard cabin on the five-sun MS Grand Rose, including ten guided excursions, resort transfers, 20kg luggage allowance and free UK VIP lounge access flying from Heathrow by scheduled Egyptair flight to Luxor starts at £425 per person with Red Sea Holidays; redseaholidays.co.uk, call 0845 026 5980.