The Sphinx Is Calling Again For Uniworld

After a break to avoid the heat of high summer, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises resume their 2011 Egypt itineraries in September, with a new more luxurious hotel partner in Cairo – the Four Seasons Nile Plaza.

Departures for the 12-day Splendours of the Nile experience start on September 3 and will feature two nights in Cairo at both the beginning and the end of the 7-day cruise, staying at the hotel which is located on the Corniche on the banks of the Nile, affording panoramic views across the river to the island of Zamalek and beyond, or towards the 12th-century Citadel. It boasts 10 restaurants and lounges offering a variety of international cuisine and also a state-of-the-art spa, the largest of its kind in the city, with 14 treatment rooms including a couple's treatment room, sauna, steam room, whirlpool, cold plunge, a serene relaxation area and indoor swimming pool. It also has three outdoor pools.

The hotel matches the level of comfort and service that guests can expect on board the River Tosca, which is where guests will spend 7 nights of the itinerary, sailing the Nile from Luxor to Aswan. Highlights of the whole itinerary include a visit to the Citadel, the Alabaster Mosque and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, the pyramids of Giza and the enigmatic Sphinx as well as the Karnak and Luxor Temples in Luxor, and Temple of Hathor in Dendera, one of Egypt’s best preserved temples. No trip to Egypt would be complete without a visit to the Valley of the Kings and Queen Hatshepsut’s Temple as well as Aswan’s gems, such as the High Dam, the Philae Temple and the Botanical Gardens. Throughout all this, you’ll be accompanied by highly skilled and knowledgeable Egyptologists, as well as a host of supporting guides.

The River Tosca is an intimate all-suite ship, with a capacity for 82 guests, blending old world elegance with modern amenities. Each beautifully appointed suite has a French balcony and comes kitted with iPod docking stations, flat screen TVs and both a bathtub and shower in the private bathrooms. The public areas include a stylish lounge with full-service bar, a cosy library, elegant restaurant, sundeck with cabanas and a swimming pool, plus a fully equipped gym and massage room.

For more info, visit www.uniworldrivercruises.co.uk or contact the river-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

Zegrahm Expeditions - "Tours of a Lifetime"

Zegrahm Expeditions has been selected for National Geographic Traveler Magazine’s “Tours of a Lifetime” honour for the second time, highlighting the company's keen eye for superb adventure travel.

In the past, the honours have been bestowed upon Zegrahm's natural history-focused expeditions — Beyond Rapa Nui, Ultimate Seychelles, and Faces of Melanesia — but, this year, they are excited to announce the award has been bestowed uopn a new, in-depth cultural tour: Voyage Through the Red Sea. This 17-day expedition, aboard the Clipper Odyssey, departs November 6 and visits Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Eritrea.

This voyage combines the Red Sea’s best cultural attractions along with several opportunities to snorkel and dive, plus offers a rare glimpse into a number of hospitable countries rarely visited by Western travellers. Highlights of this tour include:

• Exploring the rose-colored wonders of Petra, the capital of the ancient Nabatean Empire and now a World Heritage Site.

• Cruising along the Nile in a traditional felucca sailing vessel.

• Visiting several exquisite World Heritage Sites in Egypt — the Monastery of St. Catherine (above) and the treasures of ancient Thebes, including Luxor, Karnak, and the Valley of the Kings.

• Walking tour of Jeddah’s well-preserved old city, considered the gateway to Mecca.

• Snorkelling and diving in the shimmering waters of the Dahlak Archipelago, an area renowned for its rich marine life and scenic beauty.

To learn more about this voyage, visit www.zeco.com or contact the UK's adventure-cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

New Nile Cruising Pocket Guide

By guest blogger Steve Newman

The brand new Nile Cruising Pocket Guide (£5.99) is to be published on January 31 by Berlitz, the publishers of the annual Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships. The Nile guide provides a wealth of information on exploring the River Delta and recommends a slow and leisurely cruise on a felucca to gain a deeper understanding of Egyptian culture and of the many communities that thrive within a few metres of the riverbank.

The Pocket Guide outlines the selection of Nile River cruises available, listing sites that can be seen on each, with map references. Among the cruises are Luxor to Edfu, the quieter stretch from Edfu to Aswan - home of the Aga Khan Mausoleum - and Lake Nasser, with her barren but beautiful sandy-coloured mountains.

Suggestions are given for choosing the right cruise, along with an outline of a typical day aboard, including early starts to avoid the mid-day heat.

There are also helpful onboard hints and traveller tips, from security precautions through to learning about the fascinating Sufi spinners who accompany the musicians.

A large section of the Nile Cruising Pocket Guide is devoted to exploring Luxor, the start and end point for many of the Nile Cruises, with its myriad of famous sites from the Valley of the Kings to Karnak and the less well-known Mummification Museum. A double-page spread offers recommendations on how to spend ‘A perfect day’ in Luxor – beginning with a balloon flight, crossing over to the east bank for shopping in the souqs, taking a felucca ride along the Nile as the sun slowly sets behind the Valley of the Kings, and ending the day with a ride in a horse-drawn calèche to Karnak Temple.

There are recommendations for sports and outdoor activities including ballooning, camel and donkey trekking, as well as bowling and golf. Entertainment listings include tips on shopping – advising on the fun that can be had from haggling. There are details on eating out – what, where and how much to pay – as well as drinking, and the delights of smoking a sheesha (hubble-bubble) water pipe.

The Nile Cruising Berlitz Pocket Guide is written by Egypt specialist Chris Bradley and is available from bookshops or online at http://www.berlitzpublishing.com/, priced £5.99.

For further information on Nile Cruises, contact the river-cruise specialists of the Cruise Line Ltd on 0800 008 6677.