Begin with guided visits to Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, and the Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el-Bahari. Board the Golden Lady in the afternoon and sail south toward Esna as the sun sets over the West Bank.

Pass through the Esna lock and continue to Edfu, where a horse carriage ride through the local village leads to the Temple of Horus. Two granite falcon statues guard the entrance to one of Egypt's largest and best-preserved ancient monuments.

Spend the day gliding past farmland, fishing boats, banana groves, and date palms that line both banks of the Nile. Stop at El Kab to visit the ancient rock-cut tombs and temple before anchoring near Sheikh Rehan Island for dinner.

After breakfast, visit the remarkable double temple of Kom Ombo, where parallel sanctuaries honor Haroeris and Sobek in a layout unique in all of Egypt. Return to the Dahabiya for lunch and sail onward toward Aswan.

Sail to El Batekh Island, an exclusive anchorage not found on standard cruise routes, before continuing to the west bank of Aswan. The evening is spent on deck as the golden light of Aswan settles over the First Cataract.

Check out after breakfast and visit Philae Temple, set on an island in the reservoir of the Aswan Low Dam. The day concludes with an excursion to Abu Simbel, the rock-carved temples of Ramesses II and Nefertari relocated to their current site in a UNESCO-led engineering feat.