Travelmarvel's unmissable sights when touring Egypt

Cruise the Nile aboard the brand-new Travelmarvel Sirius and discover Egypt’s most iconic sites — from grand temples to pharaonic tombs.

THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA

The Great Pyramid, completed c. 2560 BC, was the tallest structure in the world for nearly 4,000 years. To be ready for the pharaoh’s passage into the afterlife, the pace of construction was astonishing — three 1.5 tonne blocks were laid each minute, every hour, for 20 years. At the Grand Egyptian Museum nearby, over 100,000 artefacts, including Tutankhamun’s treasures, showcase the riches and might of ancient Egypt.

ABU SIMBEL

The sheer size of Ramesses II’s seated statues — each over 20 metres tall — is truly surreal. Carved into sandstone cliffs in the 13th century BC, Abu Simbel was both a declaration of power and a tribute to the gods. Inside, wall reliefs chronicle victories and sacred heritage. In the 1960s, the entire complex was relocated, block by block, to escape Lake Nasser’s rising waters — a testament to the enduring spirit of preservation both ancient and modern Egypt inspire.

CRUISING THE NILE

Aboard the sleek, newly designed Travelmarvel Sirius, the Nile transforms into a slow-moving story through five millennia of civilisation. Ancient Egyptians revered the Nile as the cradle of life; flowing south to north, its Upper reaches offered not just direction, but divine order. On board, enjoy the reinvigorated design across the cabins and suites, in addition to the refined restaurant, terrace bar and grill, lounge bar, and the Sun Deck’s refreshing swimming pool.

THE VALLEYS OF THE KINGS AND QUEENS

On Luxor’s West Bank, the Theban hills cradle the Valley of the Kings — a sacred necropolis containing over 60 tombs, including that of Tutankhamun. Nearby, the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut stands as a tribute to one of Egypt’s most powerful reigning queens. Across the two valleys, nearly 200 burial sites reveal a civilisation that viewed death not as an end, but a divine transition.

TEMPLE OF DENDERA

The Temple of Hathor is a time capsule of Pharaonic, Ptolemaic, and Roman design. Its astronomical ceiling — once home to the famed Zodiac of Dendera — charts the ancient cosmos in stone, offering a glimpse of how the Egyptians once understood the universe. Within the greater Dendera Temple complex lie a basilica, two birth houses, a sacred lake, and chapels layered with centuries of spiritual devotion and celestial symbolism.