Arriving by boat at otherworldly temples and learning about the ancients’ obsession with the afterlife; Towering statues of Ramesses II and the sun god, Amun-Ra; the vividness of murals in the restricted-access tomb of Nefretari; floating down the Nile, hypnotised by scenes of river life unchanged for millennia.

Day 1-6: Cairo.

Cairo is the largest city in Africa and one of the most dynamic cities in the world. Memphis in ancient times, the location of the famous pyramids, few capitals present as such a palimpsest, of not only ancient Egyptian but also Greek, Roman, Coptic and Islamic layers. The Ottomans were there, as were the French and the British, each street corner telling the tale of Cairo’s cosmopolitan past.

Nowhere is the city’s faded grandeur on better display than Downtown Cairo. The neighbourhood came to be after Ismail the Magnificent travelled to Paris in the 1880’s, afterwards importing legions of French architects and planners to create a Haussmannien city of grand boulevards and Belle Époque buildings just east of the Nile.

Our home is a collection of Art Deco apartments on the upper floors of the Immobilia building in Downtown Cairo—once the tallest building in the city—rather than one of the Vegas-style hotels crowding the the Nile. Back in the day, Immobilia was home to celebrities like Leila Mourad and Omar Sharif, as well as the Icelandic Embassy and friends of King Farouk. The apartments have been assembled with great style, mixing vintage textiles and fine Art Deco furniture, including pieces by Jules Leleu. Staying at Immobilia is for me as much a part of the Cairo experience as visiting the sites.

Speaking of which, we’ll get up close to the pyramids and explore the just-opened Grand Egyptian Museum—home to the largest archaeological collection in the world—as well as otherworldly mosques and intimate house museums. We’ll visit a weaving school that was founded by an Egyptian architect in the 1950’s, and the boutiques and galleries of leafy Zamalek. After days discovering Cairo, we’ll retreat to Immobilia for suppers on the terrace, the city’s lights twinkling below.

Day 6-11: Luxor.

From Cairo we fly to Luxor. The ancient city of Thebes and capital of Egypt during the New Kingdom, it’s here that we’ll begin to sense what life was like on the Nile during pharaonic times. Home to the Valley of the Kings and Queens, the Colossi of Memnon and the jaw-dropping temple of Karnak, few places offer such a heady feast of ancient delights.

Situated just outside Luxor, our hotel, Al Moudira, is the loveliest in all of Egypt. It takes its name from founder, Lebanese photographer and entrepreneur Zeina Aboukheir, who took a barren plot of land on the West Bank of the Nile and planted hundreds of citrus trees and date palms, creating a veritable oasis. She was coined al moudira—‘the lady boss’ in Arabic—by the 150 or so men who crafted the hotel. There’s a farm supplying organic produce to the restaurant, while a good chunk of land is given over to solar, Al Moudira aiming to be 100% renewable.

Architectural salvage Aboukheir had been collecting for years—antique wooden doors, stained glass windows, painted tiles and a variety of mashrabiyas—found its home in a romantic labyrinth of domed rooms, patios, fountains and jasmine-clad courtyards, designed by Cairo-based architect Olivier Sednaoui, who also designed Christian Louboutin’s house nearby. Antique furniture, from 17th-century Syrian to 1930’s French, punctuates Al Moudira’s heavily stencilled interiors, each one a scene of Orientalist fantasy. 

After the frenetic pace of Cairo, we’ll take a full day to relax into the magic of Moudira, lying by the pool with a glass of iced karkade (hibiscus) tea or meeting for a yoga class, lunch on the patio, congregating once again in the hotel’s fabulous bar before dinner. A restful interlude before diving into the archaeological wonders of Luxor over the next few days.

Day 11-15: Sailing the Nile.

There are few experiences more magical than sailing the Nile from Luxor to Aswan. Our four-night journey is by traditional dahabiya: descendants of pharaonic barges, these flat-bottomed, two masted wooden vessels plied the river during the 19th-century heyday of Egyptian travel. Our boat is the latest from Egypt Beyond—similar in style to Set Nefru, only larger—launching in September 2025. It features ten en-suite cabins, saloon and open top deck in fabulous Al Moudira style, perfect for river gazing and slowing down.

After a leisurely breakfast at Al Moudira, we transfer to Esna to board our dahabiya and meet the crew. Before setting sail we’ll check out this thriving merchant town, best known for the temple of Khnum, the ram-headed god associated with water, fertility and creation. Over subsequent days we’ll also visit Edfu, a spectacular Greco-Roman temple dedicated to the falcon-headed Horus, and the Ptolemaic temple Kom Ombo, dedicated to crocodile god Sobek.

Dazzling destinations, although sailing the Nile is all about the journey. Propelled by gentle winds as calls to prayer drift from minarets, we sail past water buffalo and islands of papyrus, the profiles of palm trees and the desert beyond. 

Day 15-16: Aswan.

We say goodbye to the crew and transfer to the grand dame of southern Egypt, the Sofitel Old Cataract Hotel. Built by Thomas Cook in 1899 to accommodate passengers arriving in Aswan by steam ship, famous guests over the years have included Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill and Princess Diana. Agatha Christie lived at the hotel in 1937, where she wrote her famous novel, Death on the Nile.

After our sojourn along the river, you’ll have the day free to relax at the hotel, enjoying its wonderful terraces and swimming pool overlooking granite rapids—the first cataract—on the Nile. There’s also the option of an excursion to Abu Simbel, a pair of 13th-century BCE temples carved into the side of a mountain during the reign of Ramesses II. As the sun sets back at the hotel, we’ll make our way by boat to see Philae Temple, before dinner at the Old Cataract’s 1902 restaurant. 

Photography:  c/o Mark Anthony Fox and Egypt Beyond.

Sailing the Nile is all about the journey: propelled by gentle winds, calls to prayer drifting from minarets, sailing past water buffalo and islands of papyrus, the profiles of palm trees and the desert beyond.

The Pursuit Of Egypt

5 nights 14-29 March from A$6,300 double

10 nights 19-29 March from A$15,300 double

or 15 nights 14-29 March from A$21,600 double

50% deposit with balance due 90 days prior to departure

Included:

• Private airport transfers
• 5 nights accommodation Immobilia Cairo
• 5 nights accommodation Al Moudira Luxor
• 4 nights accommodation (private en-suite cabin) Egypt Beyond’s latest sailing boat
• 1 night accommodation Sofitel Old Cataract Aswan
• Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, including alcoholic beverages
• Experiences, entrance fees and local guides where required
• Transport throughout itinerary, including business class flights Cairo-Luxor and Aswan-Cairo

Not Included:

• Flights to/from Egypt
• Comprehensive travel insurance
• Visa or travel requirements to enter Egypt
• Spa treatments, room service, laundry
• Some gratuities

Also:

• Suite upgrades available, pending availability
• Additional accommodation can be arranged should you wish to arrive earlier in Cairo, or depart later from Aswan or Cairo
• You will receive a more detailed itinerary prior to departure

Jason Mowen is an Australian interior designer and writer who divides his time between Murrurundi in the Upper Hunter and Matino, Puglia. An inveterate traveller, he has worked with tourism boards, luxury hotels and cultural institutions to promote atmospheric travel across the globe.

Jason is a contributor to Vogue Living, WISH and The Murrurundi Argus. His words have also appeared in Australian Financial Review and international publications such as Vogue India and Conde Nast Traveller, while his interiors have been published in Elle Decor, Belle and AD.

His travel style is unhurried and full of passion, seeking beauty and interest in unexpected places and always avoiding the crowd.

Terms and Conditions:  

If you choose to book your flight in advance of final confirmation, please book a refundable fare and/or obtain travel insurance to protect yourself against additional charges, should dates change or if cancellation occurs.

You will be required to pay a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total booking cost, unless the booking is made 90 days or less prior to departure, in which case full payment must be paid when booking. If there is an unforeseen date change or cancellation, your deposit is refundable.

Fully comprehensive travel insurance is required for the trip. Please provide proof of insurance prior to departure.

Please note that while all efforts are made to present the itinerary as presented, we reserves the right to make any changes to the final itinerary deemed necessary, or due to circumstances beyond our control, such as flight changes, cancellations, political disturbances, natural disasters, etc.

Photographs and video recordings of guests may be used by The Pursuit Of for promotional purposes.