Journey to Ancient Egypt

Disembark the Oberoi Zahra and fly south from Aswan to Abu Simbel, where colossal statues of Ramses II proclaim power across eternity. Explore the Great Temple, aligned with the rising sun, and the smaller temple of Hathor and Nefertari, one of the few built for a queen. Hear the story of the UNESCO rescue that saved both temples from the rising waters of Lake Nasser. Return to Aswan for a night at the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel, where Agatha Christie wrote Death on the Nile. On Sunday, a quiet pause at the Le Méridien Cairo Airport Hotel marks the end of your journey through ancient Egypt.

Sail south aboard the Oberoi Zahra to Edfu, home of the best preserved temple in Egypt. Ride by horse-drawn carriage to towering pylons, walk through roofed halls still intact, and step into the sanctuary where Horus’s sacred barque once stood. In the afternoon, continue to Kom Ombo, a rare double temple dedicated to Horus the falcon and Sobek the crocodile. See surgical instruments carved in stone, priests’ ritual “handbags,” and crocodile mummies offered in devotion. From myths of order and chaos to sunsets over the Nile, this day reveals the variety of Egypt’s faith.

Fly south to Luxor, ancient Waset and later known as Thebes, once the beating heart of Egypt. Walk among the towering columns of Karnak, the largest religious complex ever built, and stand before Hatshepsut’s obelisk and the Sacred Lake where priests purified themselves. In the evening, visit Luxor Temple, a place of kingship where pharaohs were crowned and Alexander the Great sought legitimacy. From the luxury of the Oberoi Zahra, this is a day of vast temples, golden light, and the echoes of power.

In this opening episode, James Carter and Egyptologist Dr Eleanor Hughes set the scene for the Egyptian Angels’ week-long journey along the Nile. From the luxury of the St. Regis in Cairo to the Oberoi Zahra on the river and the legendary Old Cataract in Aswan, every step of the trip is part of the story. We map out the days ahead — the pyramids, temples, tombs, and Abu Simbel — while capturing the romance of Egypt and the chance to follow in the footsteps of pharaohs, explorers, and travellers through the centuries.