NILE CRUISE A cruise on the Nile in the wake of the ancient Egyptians, an adventure into the world of the Pharaohs and the exploration of their mammoth culture. A three - kilometre avenue of sphinxes leads from Luxor to Karnak. Built during the reigns of Ramses the 2nd and Amenophis the 3rd, this impressive avenue was dedicated to three gods of Thebes. The façade of the 260 metre long temple is decorated with six huge statues of Ramses. At night, the temple complex has an air of mystique. and light casts ghostly shadows all around as fearsome monuments gaze into infinity. At its zenith, a million people inhabited Thebes. The necropolis covers 25 km² and the graves of 64 kings, queens and those in High Office have been discovered there. With the exception of Amenophis, each of the pharaohs of the new realm was buried in the necropolis, as well as the legendary, Tutanchamun. Edfu with its tower, outer walls, buildings and halls is still in almost perfect condition and at its entrance royal falcons carved from granite stand guard. Its walls are an authentic history book of Egyptian myth and legend. The Egyptian gods are everywhere as impressive statues, fragile carvings and paintings. Kom Ombo is a temple complex for two deities, Horus the Falcon and Sobek the Crocodile. The mummified holy crocodiles are stored in a special chamber. Indeed, cemeteries have been discovered that contain thousands of mummified dogs, cats, baboons and crocodiles. While walking from chamber to chamber it's like travelling back in time for thousands of years. The journey on the Nile leads to the archaeological excavation site of Philae, on the island of Agilika. This island, with its fantastic temple complexes, was once the pearl of Egypt. The stone witnesses on the river banks stand silently as the boat continues on its journey further into Egypt, an impressive country that has an amazing ancient history and a modern awareness of its glorious past.