Viking has announced the arrival of its newest ship, the Viking Hathor, which will join the company’s fleet of state-of-the-art vessels sailing the Nile River in Egypt on their 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.
Taking guests on this 12-day journey through ancient Egypt’s most iconic sites is the Viking Hathor, which was designed with elegant Scandinavian flair and features 41 staterooms, accommodating 82 guests.
The itinerary begins with a three-night stay in Cairo, where guests can explore the city’s vibrant culture and visit legendary landmarks like the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum. From there, guests will fly to Luxor to visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before embarking on an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile River.
The cruise features stops at the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens, the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, and other historic sites like the Temple of Khnum in Esna and the High Dam in Aswan. Guests will also have the opportunity to visit a traditional Nubian village and experience the local culture.
Viking also offers several Pre- and Post Extensions that allow guests to further immerse themselves in Egypt’s rich history and culture. One option is a five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt itinerary, where guests will have Privileged Access to museums and private collections in London and Oxford, accompanied by an expert Egyptologist. This includes a private visit to the British Museum’s Egyptian Collection, a candlelit tour of Sir John Soane’s museum showcasing his impressive collection of Egyptian antiquities, and visits to the Petrie Museum and Ashmolean Museum, home to over 80,000 ancient Egyptian and Sudanese artifacts and a diverse collection of Egyptian mummies and art, respectively. Guests will also get to go behind the scenes at Oxford University’s Griffith Institute to explore Howard Carter’s archives detailing the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, and enjoy an exclusive visit to Highclere Castle, and see the Earl of Carnarvon’s private collection of Egyptian artifacts, plus rarely seen archives and exhibits.
Additional offerings include a three-night Pre-Extension in Istanbul, to visit key religious sites including the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. After concluding the river voyage, guests can also extend the journey with a 4-night Post-Extension to Jordan—Petra, Dead Sea & Amman to view Roman antiquities at Jerash, Crusader-era castles at Kerak or Shobak and experience the lost city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
