Nile River

The longest river in the world, the Nile is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. While synonymous with Egypt, the Nile is an international river as its water sources are shared by eleven countries. It is also the heart of river cruising on Egypt tours. 

The northern section of the Nile flows through the desert into Egypt and has proven to be the lifeline of Egyptian civilizations since ancient times. The silt deposited from the annual flooding made the surrounding land incredibly fertile. As a result, the ancient Egyptians, who were mainly farmers, were successful in the cultivation of many crops. When the river flooded each year, the farmers were drafted as labourers to work on building projects like the Pyramids. The Nile was also very important spiritually and was considered the causeway from life to death to the afterlife.

Just as in ancient times, the Nile is still the primary water source in Egypt today. It supports much of the population with many of Egypt’s cities, such as Aswan, Cairo and Luxor, located on its banks. The land is still fertile allowing Egyptians to inhabit otherwise uninhabitable areas of the Sahara Desert. Visitors on Egypt tours are encouraged to embark on a Nile River cruise where they will get a unique view of some of the country’s most famous sites as they watch five thousand years of history and culture float by.