THE FACTS ABOUT NILE

Egypt Luxor

WHERE Tailor-made, six-night trips between Luxor and Aswan include visits to Qena, the Temple of Hathor at Dendera and Luxor (with a tour of the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens and the temple of Queen Hatshepsut). You'll also see the temples at Karnak and Luxor, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Kom Ombo and Aswan - with excursions to the original Aswan Dam and Temple of Philae. From £645 per person WHICH The best Nile boat is the Oberoi Shehrazad, which sleeps 80 in twin-bedded cabins, with library, sun deck and plunge pool. She is staffed by English-speaking guides WHY Recently overhauled, the Shehrazad has the largest cabins of all the boats on the Nile (23 square metres), each with two en-suite bathrooms WHO Bales Worldwide (0870 241 3214; www.balesworldwide.com). Tour operator which also offers cruises to Antarctica, Patagonia, the Galįpagos Islands, China, South America, Indonesia, and Vietnam and Egypt