In November 2024, we had the incredible privilege of being invited by Viking to an exclusive five-day event celebrating the naming of its two newest river ships—Viking Sobek and Viking Hathor.

Our journey began in the heart of Egypt, with a two-night stay at the luxurious Nile Ritz-Carlton in Cairo. From there, we spent a full day exploring the city’s most iconic sights, immersing ourselves in its rich history before boarding a chartered flight to Luxor, where Viking’s stunning new ships awaited us.

For this unforgettable voyage, we sailed aboard the Viking Sobek, a true masterpiece of modern river cruising. Step aboard and take a look around in the video below! 🚢🏺🌍

No sooner had we stepped aboard the Viking Sobek than it was time for the grand shoreside naming ceremony, a moment steeped in tradition and elegance. But the real magic unfolded later that evening at Karnak Temple—the largest religious complex in the world. As twilight bathed its towering columns in golden light, we gathered for a celebratory dinner fit for pharaohs, a setting so surreal it felt like stepping back in time.

But our adventure didn’t end there. Over the next three unforgettable nights aboard what must now be one of the most luxurious and modern ships sailing the Nile, we immersed ourselves in the wonders of ancient Egypt. Sailing from Luxor to Qena, Esna, and back again, each stop brought us face to face with legendary temples and sacred sites, each more awe-inspiring than the last.

And then—the highlight of the journey. As dawn broke over the Valley of the Kings, we soared high above it in a sunrise hot air balloon ride, witnessing the ancient world awaken beneath us in a breathtaking display of light and shadow. The magic continued on the ground with an up-close visit to the actual tomb of King Tutankhamun, a rare opportunity to stand before history itself.

Now, it’s time for you to experience it all. Click the video below to relive this incredible five-day journey in stunning 4K detail—half an hour of pure Egyptian beauty awaits! 🚢🏺🌅

Thank you to Viking who invited us to be part of this very special VIP event. This specially designed itinerary included all air fares, transfers, hotel stays, cruise and excursions. That said Viking had no editorial control over any of our content, either before, during our after our voyage and have not paid us to promote them or this post.

If you enjoyed this blog why not take a look at some of our other blogs, especially our Viking Danube blog or our Viking Ocean Dining Guide.

If you would like to receive notification of any new blog posts, updates of our travels or links to our vlogs we would love for you to sign up to our mail list below. Thank you.