Caitlyn and Annie’s trip on the Nile aboard a TUI river cruise

Our Cruise and Travel Specialist Caitlyn and Retail Concierge Annie took a spectacular trip along the River Nile on a Tui River Cruise. From soaring hot air balloons to the ancient legends King Tut, this trip was definitely one to remember. But don’t let us spoil all the fun, here’s a first hand account from Caitlyn about their recent adventure. 

Day 1 - 

We boarded our TUI flight from Manchester full of excitement and as the five hour flight time passed us by, so did vast stretches of sandy dunes. Greeted by these beautiful views, it was already clear this trip was going to be one for the memory books. 

After a 20 minute coach journey, we embarked on our ship, Al Horeya, and made our way to our French balcony cabin. Filled with everything we could possibly need, including fresh water every day, we decided to explore Deck 5 of the ship. We relaxed by the pool and bar, enjoying a few drinks before our evening meal. These absolutely delicious set meals were all brought straight to our table and there was so much choice. I had spring rolls followed by a very generous portion of spaghetti bolognese. Feeling nice and full, we headed to our rooms for some shut eye before a day full of history’s best told stories.  

Day 2- 

Today we had a very early get up time of 6am but it was all worth it as we ventured to the Valley of the Kings. Home to famous Egyptian Pharaoh Tutankhamun, we had the pleasure of hearing all the ancient tales of the imperial dynasties buried in their grand tombs that surrounded us. Next stop of the day was the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut, a carefully crafted monument that has withstood the tests of time. Home to Pharoah Hatshepsut, we learnt about how he angrily chipped away at all the carvings with his queen’s face on after her death due to his growing annoyance with her. Arguably a bit dramatic but maybe therapy wasn’t a thing back then… We then finished our morning outing with a workshop showcasing the artistry of Alabaster being made into vases. Content with all the fascinating culture we were able to soak up in just one morning, we enjoyed a BBQ on the top deck with burgers, wraps, kebab sticks and more. 

Dressed to impress, we indulged in a meal in the main restaurant before having the delight of listening to a live singer in the lounge. 

Day 3 - 

After the cancellation of a very special experience (keep reading to find out what it is!), we took this morning as an opportunity to relax and hit the souvenir shops. In the afternoon, we headed towards the city of Edfu and tasted some Egyptian delicacies in the Felucca bar. 

This evening was packed with lots of fun activities including; dancing competitions, wrapping someone in toilet paper like a mummy and then juke box bingo. We had such a great time and even won some TUI merch too!

Day 4 - 

We arrived in the city of Edfu this morning and it was extra hot. Our first destination was the Temple of Horus ,still with some of its original colours left on the walls from thousands of years ago. It was extremely atmospheric as towering statues of the falcon god Horus lined the ancient building. 

After getting back onto the ship we set sail towards Kom Ombo. While sailing we tried out the cocktails and even gave line dancing a go! After line dancing we enjoyed an afternoon tea with macaroons, scones and sandwiches. 

The adventures of the day didn’t stop there as we arrived in Kom Ombo and visited its astonishing temple. Ancient Greek Mythology lined its walls as each one told a new story and were found neighbouring huge pillars and so many little tunnels. After walking around the temple we got to visit the crocodile museum and there were so many from tiny baby ones to HUGE ones. We couldn’t quite believe that something that magnificent was included within the price of our cruise and spent the evening relishing in what a fantastic day it had been. 

Day 5 - 

We had another day filled with captivating views and ancient anecdotes as we headed to the ‘Tombs of Nobles’ in Aswan. These tombs are the resting places of high ranking officials throughout Egypt’s history and are situated between various steep rocks. The tomb of Sirenput II was embellished with beautiful artwork and even had a small hole in one of the walls where you could see skeleton bones and skulls, there was even a bat in there. After this we explored the flora of the Aswan Botanical Gardens. It was beautiful, you could hear all the birds singing, see the flowers blooming and it was so peaceful with a lovely view of the dunes in the distance. In the evening, we watched a Nubian Show, this was the locals coming aboard singing and dancing, then getting everyone involved (even us!). 

Day 6 - 

Our alarms were set for 3am this morning as we headed to Abu Simbel temple. The temple was astonishing and well worth the early get up as it had humongous statues upon entrance and engraved art on the walls. We had clear views of the flowing River Nasa which is home to around 20,000 crocodiles and after a quick stop through the markets it was back to the ship. 

After this we headed back to our rooms, ready to get glammed up for Gala Night. Everyone dressed to impress but this is optional. We had Jean singing ABBA songs, which is our favourite and we had Brett singing all throwback songs. This was the perfect end to an amazing day. 

Day 7 - 

Today we had more of a relaxing day, where we could have a dip in the pool or watch films down in the observatory. We chose to top up our tan on a sun lounger. In the evening, we had another Egyptian night which was of course as amazing as it was last time. 

Day 8 - 

Here we are, the moment you’ve been waiting for, after being cancelled earlier on in our trip it was finally time for our unforgettable excursion… the hot air balloon ride! This was truly a magical experience. After getting up at 4am, we were able to see the sunrise as we floated amongst the clouds. We saw endless stretches of majestic landscapes and the sky was glittering with roaring flames as we were surrounded by a number of other hot air balloons. After such a bucket-list experience it was such a shame that today was the day we travelled home. 

Would I recommend a TUI River Cruise?

Overall we had an amazing trip. The staff on board can’t do enough for you, they’re always on hand to help you with anything and they even learn your names and say hello whenever they walk by. The entertainment was always amazing and definitely made each night special. The excursions were next to none, every single one was so worth it! The food was out of this world, they always had something on the menu for you and the drinks were always flowing. So yes, I would highly recommend the TUI River Nile Cruise.