An established icon of the Nile, the 236-foot, four-deck Sun Boat IV cuts a sleek yachtish figure with refined interiors incorporating natural materials, ceramic ornaments and delicately etched metalwork to add local flavor to its contemporary styling and Art Deco flourishes. As befits its name, the upper sun deck is what first lures guests from their well-appointed cabins, its daybeds and parasols providing shade, and its turquoise-tiled pool cooling waters as the mercury rises (though it is heated in winter). Naturally, the lounge bar and restaurant provide highly convivial points of focus, further enlivened on occasion by the presence of musicians and dancers. Facilities include a small gym with a treadmill, cycling machine and dumbbells, plus a massage room and a gift shop – and should your elegant Nile-view room prove too tempting, there is full room service.

Set foot on land and you will see the region’s great archaeological treasures up close with guidance and insights from an Egyptologist, expert in bringing to life 5,000 years of history.