Nile cruise: discover what you've never seen before in Luxor

The Nile Valley is the stuff of dreams. Its archaeological wealth, exceptional flora and calm, impressive desert are just some of the reasons why this cradle of Pharaonic civilisation is Egypt's most popular destination.

There's nothing better than a cruise along the Nile to discover this region full of promise. There are several itineraries, but the one from Luxor to Aswan is sure to be your favourite if you want to discover or rediscover the treasures of Luxor, between Abydos and Apollinopolis, to the north and south of the Theban city respectively.

To enjoy the Nile Valley to the full, a four- to five-day cruise is not too bad. The programmes are fairly similar from one cruise operator to another. The ideal is to travel in a privatised dahabieh, which will allow you to go at your own pace, stop off for a long time at the ports of call you prefer, or change your mind.

If you've ever imagined yourself on the deck of a boat admiring Luxor, November is the best time to do it. With an average temperature of 25°, it's the ideal time to enjoy Egypt without being knocked out by the summer heat. It's mild and the air is healthy.

It's a safe bet that even cruise detractors will find what they're looking for on the Nile. There are no huge ocean liners here, just traditional boats with few people on board. Steam boats are the best way to cruise the river in complete tranquillity.

Among the hundreds of boats moored in Luxor, many look alike, all offering more or less the same services, and some are well worth the effort. Inside, however, the atmosphere can change completely. From lively cruises with a friendly atmosphere to more upmarket cruises offering a refined setting, the boats generally offer a good level of comfort and quality services.

If you have opted for the dahabieh, you will be the master of time. When you dock at Abydos, think of yourself as the guest of Osiris, for whom this archaeological site was built thousands of years ago. The site covers 8 hectares and is not located on the banks of the Nile, but some ten kilometres away, on the edge of the Lybian desert. You'll need to arrange for a taxi or minibus to take you deep into the desert horizon. When you arrive, you will surely be surprised by the remains of the Khâsekhemoui enclosure, built thousands of years ago from dried clay bricks.

Given the size of the site, you'll need a guide to take you straight to the temple of Osiris-Khentyamentyou, as the necropolis is vast and full of buried remains. The temple of Sethi I is the best preserved. Its very flattened appearance is reminiscent of the temple of Hachetsoup at Deir El-Bahari. Like the latter, it is a temple millions of years old. It is famous for containing the Table of Abydos, a stele on which is engraved the list of the 75 pharaohs who preceded Sety I and thanks to which they are known.

Heading south again, up the Nile, you will come to Denderah. Its archaeological complex, consisting mainly of 3 enclosures, is on the banks of the Nile, like so many others. You'll be there in no time.

The site is impressive for its many ruins. Its temple stands tall amidst the chaos of the remains, testimony to the many changes and transformations that have taken place over the millennia. In fact, a major restoration campaign was carried out under Ptolemy XIII, during whose reign the Great Temple that you will see as you arrive was built, i.e. during the Roman occupation (a little before the beginning of our era). The other, much older temples were demolished and all the precious metals and stones that adorned them were reused to add lustre to the new edifice.

This small, lush island, which will remind you of an oasis, can be visited for a fee. Excursions by felucca are available, but if you have your own means of transport, you can also take the tour (provided you pay the entrance fee).

It's a refreshing change from the aridity of the desert. You can take a boat trip around this small island and admire the luxuriant vegetation, which is a welcome change from the other landscapes. Planted with banana trees, you can also spot other exotic fruit trees such as mango and guava. In fact, the local restaurant where you can dine will serve fruit from these trees for dessert.

Ah Luxor! A stopover not to be missed. You'll be casting off not far from the temples of Karnak and Amun, near the main pier. You would be ill-advised to avoid visiting these two temples, however briefly. What you really want to do is visit the lesser-known valleys on the other side, on the west bank of the river: the Valley of the Monkeys, the Valley of the Artists and the Valley of the Nobles. After a few manoeuvres, your Dahabieh will take you to this bank. Here again, it's best to use the services of a guide who will take you directly to the site.

As you will have noticed, the valleys were named according to the quality of the individuals buried in their necropolis. The Valley of the Apes is no exception to this rule, and it is indeed baboon graves that are to be found here.

In fact, it is a series of tombs located to the west of the Valley of the Kings. The most famous is that of the pharaoh Aÿ, which features three registers (paintings) of baboons, identical in construction and colour to those in Tutankhamen's tomb. Baboon mummies have been found here. They were the attributes of the gods Thoth and Khonsu. The Egyptians trained them, as attested by a statue in the Louvre Museum.

The Valley of the Artists is located in Deir El-Medina, close to Hatshepsut's temple. It is also known as the Valley of the Artisans. Why? Because the craftsmen who worked for the pharaohs' funerary glory were rewarded by the pharaohs with their own necropolis. This is where you'll find the sculptors, jewellers and painters who created the splendour of their masters' tombs, as well as the masons, earthworkers and other stonemasons.

The craftsmen all lived there. Their tombs are generally vaulted like the cellars in our countryside, with varying degrees of complexity. They are often richly painted. Some are in a very good state of preservation. The drawings are legible and the colours, sometimes restored, are vivid. You will be amazed by the scenes of life and the paintings that clearly show the relationship between the craftsmen and artists and the divinities so dear to their masters.

Edfu and its famous Temple of Horus lie some 105 kilometres south of Luxor. The temple stands on the west bank of the river, opposite the Karnak and Amun temples in Luxor. As soon as you dock, you'll be able to see the temple's trapezoidal pylon, which will remind you of the one in the Temple of Amun. Once inside the enclosure, a beautiful granite statue of the god Horus, depicted as a bird of prey and wearing a double crown, will face you. The temple, which is accompanied by a second, smaller temple, is rich in hieroglyphs and ruins. Its large inner courtyard and colonnades are well worth a visit.

Opposite you is the pronaos, the first hypostyle hall enclosing a colonnade that you can cross to reach the rooms at the back. There are many rooms: the second hypostyle hall, the offering room, the vestibules and a whole series of chapels lined up in a square. At the centre of the series of small chapels, the holy of holies (naos) awaits you.

The bas-reliefs almost everywhere tell of Horus' struggles, particularly his victory over Set (west wall).