“Traveling Like a Celebrity” on the Nile—How to Get Exclusive Access to Egypt’s Ancient Sites Without Crowds

“Welcome to Egypt. You’re now in the A&K cocoon,” Ehmad, my local escort with luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent, said as he walked me through immigration, out of the Cairo airport, and to the car that would take us to my hotel. Before departing he gave me his cell phone number to use for any and all questions or problems, 24/7.

After two nights and a day of sightseeing in Cairo, I was headed south to spend four nights on one of the most exclusive boats sailing the ancient wonders-lined Nile River.

And over the course of the journey, what a cocoon it would prove to be.

While my main objective was to experience the Nile and the Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau (and yes, it was everything I expected—and more) the weeklong trip with A&K also reminded me of all the benefits of escorted travel at its finest.

And it underscored why destinations like Egypt—with its awe-inspiring yet often very crowded pyramids, ancient temples, tombs, and museums—are best explored with local experts, regardless of how independent your normal travel style may be.

Photo by Tarek El Baradie

Sailing on the Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau

Before I left for the October trip, I’d joked that I’d be sailing the Nile like Cleopatra. In reality, I was traveling more like a list of modern-day celebrities (think Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, and Naomi Campbell) who have chartered the six-cabin Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau I would be calling home for four nights.

From its exterior, the boat says old-world Egypt, designed in the style of a traditional dahabiya with billowing sails and a slender profile that allows it to dock where larger boats can’t.

Inside, however, is pure modern, intimate luxury with just enough Egyptian touches to perfectly complement the passing Nile views.

We boarded at a private dock in Aswan, where there were more crew members lined up to greet us than there were in our group of seven. Even when it’s at a full capacity of 12 guests, the boat has a nearly two-to-one staff-to-guest ratio (22 staff to 12 passengers).

This jewel of a boat, however, can be hard to book. It is mostly used for private charters, which given the amenities, the service, and outstanding cuisine is not as pricey as one might expect (full charters start at $33,000 for three nights). It’s also occasionally available to individual travelers as part of A&K’s 13-day Jordan and Egypt luxury small group itinerary, which includes four nights on the Nile.

Photo by Jonathan Stokes

There are three decks on the boat, the main one being an open living and dining area with floor-to-ceiling glass doors and windows to maximize views. At the front is a covered outdoor seating area with a daybed, tables and chairs, and a few loungers. The main indoor public space is open and bright, with one long table for dining and a large lounge area with comfortable couches and chairs for relaxing, playing board games, or watching movies at night. The top deck features a small pool as well.

Five of the six cabins are on the first deck, right at water level. I was in the Napoleon Suite, a surprisingly spacious 462-square-foot cabin with a black iron-framed bed, a daybed-style couch and comfortable chair, a dressing area with plentiful closets, and, best of all, a large bathroom with an oversize tub with its own water-level window that allows you to soak in privacy without giving up the views.

The largest suite, the 1,000-square-foot Farouk Suite, decorated in 19th century–inspired regal Egyptian decor, is at the aft of the main level, with floor-to-ceiling windows, a large separate living area, and even an extra half bath in addition to the ensuite with a soaking tub.

The other four cabins, at 215 square feet each, are smaller but comfortable, and each has its own theme and decor unique to the region. The walls of the Philae cabin are covered in large-scale maps of Egypt and the Nile, while the Nubia cabin has rich ocher colors and art reflective of the ancient African culture.

Photo by Jonathan Stokes

The guided A&K experience in Egypt

But the cocoon is about much more than the accommodations. And it became clear on my weeklong trip why A&K is considered best in class when it comes to escorted travel.

Thanks to A&K’s private docks and a boat small enough to make landings where most river cruise ships can’t stop, we were able to dodge the crowds without missing the most popular—and some of the more hidden—attractions along the Nile.

From the Luxor temple (with its famous obelisk) to the Speos of Horemheb, a temple dating back to 1,300 B.C. built in a cave that is almost hidden along the banks of the Nile near the much bigger temple of Kom Ombo, our onboard expert Egyptologist, Salah, brought the history of it all to life.

He taught us about the incredible architectural feats that resulted in these eternal structures, and the stories behind the ruling pharaohs, their families, and the different civilizations, including Nubian, Greek, Roman, and Persian that occupied the region. He also pointed out the curious and the quirky—like a small drawing amongst the endless hieroglyphs in Edfu temple that looked remarkably like a Wi-Fi symbol, and the crocodile museum where we saw the mummies of the reptilian creatures that used to guard Kom Ombo.

Photo by Jeri Clausing

At the Valley of the Kings, we learned the true value of the flexibility of sailing private. Although Salah had planned to take us early, at 7 a.m., to beat the crowds, two of the photographers in our group asked if we could leave even earlier to catch the sunrise. The crew gladly obliged, and we ended up being among the very first to arrive, surprising even the still sleepy resident dogs as we explored the usually crowded tombs of famous ancient monarchs completely on our own. This was an almost unheard of stroke of luck considering that the privilege of gaining private access to the tomb that holds King Tut’s mummy at the Valley of the Kings usually costs thousands of dollars.

Still, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the sites and the history. Our trip offered a perfect mix of downtime, during which we watched life along the river from the comfort of the sun deck and feasted on amazing spreads of both international and local cuisine prepared by our expert onboard chef. Each day he and his crew served a fresh parade of dishes like shawarmas, falafel, eggplant, and lamb. And one afternoon he taught us how to make the Egyptian staple koshary, a vegetarian mix of pasta, rice, and tomato sauce.

Evenings were typically quiet, save for our farewell feast with belly dancing and other local entertainment.

Then it was back to Cairo, where once again Ehmad was waiting for us as we disembarked our short domestic flight from Luxor, making sure that the two of us who were headed to the U.S. early the next morning made it safely to our other luxury cocoon—the Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence hotel. There we would relax until he and a colleague returned to escort us to our respective terminals, through check-in, and to a special no-waiting immigration line, where Ehmad personally ensured I did not leave the A&K cocoon until he was certain I would safely make my 3 a.m. flight.

Indeed, as Ehmad and I said goodbye, I realized the true value and ease of traveling with such a professional outfit like A&K on what would otherwise be a very complex journey.

Book now: Prices for A&K’s “Petra to the Pyramids,” 13-day tour with four nights aboard the Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau start at $17,495 per person. Full charters of the Sanctuary Zein Nile Chateau start at $33,000 for three nights.