Bargain River Cruises

A cruise along the Nile River will show travelers most of Egypt, because most of Egypt’s cities, towns, temples and monuments are located very close to the life-giving Nile. The vast majority of Egypt’s estimated 76 million people live near the Nile’s banks and delta, where the only arable land is found and where trade can be conducted up and down the river. The country’s major cities, like Cairo, Luxor, Aswan and Alexandria are all located on the river as well. This means that about 99% of the country’s population is using less than 6% of the total land area—all along the Nile.

Temperatures range between 80° and 90° F in summer and between 55° and 70° F in winter. Rainfall is rare except in winter. Each year the Nile flooding (now a predictable, controlled process thanks to the Aswan Dam) renews the soil near the river; this is known as “the gift of the Nile.”