
Sun Boat III
Overview
Every journey along the Nile is, in a sense, a journey back in time, through thousands of years’ worth of extravagantly rich history. The particular look and style of Sun Boat III adds another layer of less remote but no less delightful nostalgia to the process, styled as it is to recall the Golden Age of travel in the 1920s and 30s – the period when visitors, their curiosity piqued by news of extraordinary archaeological finds, began to explore Egypt. Much as you’re doing today.
Ruby-red sunsets over groves of palms and endless amber desert
A day-by-day, expert-guided introduction to 5,000 years’ worth of history
Sunbathing at Cleopatra’s Oasis, pre-dinner drinks chez Howard Carter
The opportunity to circumnavigate Philae under sail aboard a felucca






Settings
Accommodations
Dining
Setting
The River Nile wends its way more than 4,000 miles from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean Sea. Yet it’s the 130-mile section between Aswan and Luxor in southern Egypt that exerts the most powerful hold on the collective imagination. Here are many of the largest, most elaborate and intriguing structures built in ancient times, including the massive Temple of Karnak, the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Kom Ombo and the Greco-Egyptian shrine to Isis at Philae. The river and landscape themselves possess an elemental beauty; expect ruby-red sunsets over groves of palms and endless amber desert.
Whether travelling downstream from Aswan to Luxor or upstream from Luxor to Aswan (both over four nights), you’ll be immersed in more than 5,000 years’ worth of uniquely rich history. Twice-daily excursions to must-see sites in the company of an expert guide will help you get your dynasties in order. In between, there’s plenty of time to relax and enjoy the amenities of Sun Boat III, including Cleopatra’s Oasis on the Sun Deck. Naturally the bar – named in honour of the eminent Egyptologist Howard Carter – and restaurant provide highly convivial points of focus, further enlivened, on occasion, by the presence of oud musicians, belly dancers and whirling dervishes.
OH, THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!
Unforgettable Experiences Built Into Your Itinerary

Luxor
The capital of Ancient Egypt at the height of its glory and today not only a jumping-off point to many must-see landmarks – including Luxor and Karnak temples, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut – but also home to an astonishing collection of antiquities in the exemplary Luxor Museum.

Aswan
The gateway to southern Egypt since 2,000BC and still delivering astonishing finds – in recent years archaeologists have uncovered a bust of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a sphinx and 35 mummies in a tomb dating back to the Ptolemaic Dynasty.

The Valley of the Kings
The resting place of more than 60 pharaohs – including Tutankhamun – whose subterranean tombs are stocked with treasures and adorned with intricate hieroglyphics.

Philae Temple
A ravishingly beautiful Greco-Egyptian shrine to Isis, extraordinary in its own right and made even more famous when it was relocated in the late 1970s from its original site to higher ground on nearby Agilika Island when rising Nile waters threatened to submerge it.

Kom Ombo Temple
Remarkable for many reasons, not least its dramatic position, its perfectly symmetrical design and dedication not to one but two gods, the crocodile-headed Sobek and falcon-headed Horus. The mummified reptiles in the Crocodile Museum are surprisingly moving.

Felucca Sailing
An outing aboard one of these gracious traditional sailboats, nonchalantly piloted by a skipper with a bare foot on the tiller, is a quintessential Nile experience.

Luxor
The capital of Ancient Egypt at the height of its glory and today not only a jumping-off point to many must-see landmarks – including Luxor and Karnak temples, the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut – but also home to an astonishing collection of antiquities in the exemplary Luxor Museum.

Aswan
The gateway to southern Egypt since 2,000BC and still delivering astonishing finds – in recent years archaeologists have uncovered a bust of the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, a sphinx and 35 mummies in a tomb dating back to the Ptolemaic Dynasty.

The Valley of the Kings
The resting place of more than 60 pharaohs – including Tutankhamun – whose subterranean tombs are stocked with treasures and adorned with intricate hieroglyphics.

Philae Temple
A ravishingly beautiful Greco-Egyptian shrine to Isis, extraordinary in its own right and made even more famous when it was relocated in the late 1970s from its original site to higher ground on nearby Agilika Island when rising Nile waters threatened to submerge it.

Kom Ombo Temple
Remarkable for many reasons, not least its dramatic position, its perfectly symmetrical design and dedication not to one but two gods, the crocodile-headed Sobek and falcon-headed Horus. The mummified reptiles in the Crocodile Museum are surprisingly moving.

Felucca Sailing
An outing aboard one of these gracious traditional sailboats, nonchalantly piloted by a skipper with a bare foot on the tiller, is a quintessential Nile experience.
2025 & 2026
Sun Boat III Offers
Save on your honeymoon in Egypt with A&K Sanctuary
Spend your honeymoon on one of our luxury river Nile riverboats and receive 50% off your stay for you or your partner.
TESTIMONIALS
Our experience as a whole was excellent. Every staff member was friendly and very attentive. The accommodations and decor of the entire vessel were beautiful and special. The activities onboard were wonderful. The tours were amazing. I really appreciated the attention and care given to the timing of each tour to minimize the exposure to large crowds whenever possible. Each and every guest onboard was made to feel special. Overall it was such a pleasure to see and experience The Nile and the wonders that lie beyond it on the Sanctuary Sun Boat III.
WRITTEN BY
Christa W.
The staff, accommodations, and itinerary were all phenomenal. We really appreciated the attention paid to the pacing of the included tours as well as the efforts taken to avoid visiting locations during times that larger tour groups are usually there. This attention to detail allowed for extraordinary experiences everywhere we went. That same level of thoughtfulness is demonstrated by each member of the staff and the pride they take in intuiting the guests needs and genuine hospitality really shows.
WRITTEN BY
Taylor W.
Everything was absolutely amazing. The staff was incredible friendly helpful could not have had a better trip. It made the whole experience wonderful .
WRITTEN BY
Amy M.