Steam Ship Sudan: What’s It REALLY Like Onboard? (The REAL Death On The Nile Boat)

The mighty Nile has been the lifeblood of Egypt since the beginning of civilization, and visitors in modern times can cruise down it on the Steam Ship Sudan. Ancient Egypt prospered along its fertile banks, surrounded by the sands of the desert.

Thousands of years lure visitors in with the remains of breathtaking monuments, a rugged coastline teeming with coral life, and a culture that has evolved over millennia. We knew it was time to travel to this Northern African nation to see if the magic still existed.

Egypt is the gift of the Nile, so there is no better way to explore than a cruise down the river. Finding a boat more fitting for a cruise than SS Sudan is tough. It is the only steamship that still sails the Nile and has played host to Agatha Christie and the King of Egypt. The wooden steamer dates back over a century and will transport you back in time to the ancient wonders of Edfu, Dendara, and The Valley of The Kings. 

The Steam Ship Sudan still ferries guests back and forth from Luxor to Aswan. It is a magical trip and one of our favorites in years. Watch the video below or read on to see what traveling on the Steam Ship Sudan is all about.

Cruise the Nile River on the SS Steam Ship Sudan

I can’t quite remember what brought me to the Steam Ship Sudan website. Always in search of something unique, I’m certain it was a Google search that went something like this, “Unique ways to cruise the Nile River.”

As soon as I saw photos of the Steam Ship Sudan, I knew it was the ship we would experience Egypt on.

This ship is over 100 years old, and between 1922 and 1935, it enjoyed the “golden age” of Nile River cruising. In 1933, Agatha Christie embarked on an archaeological mission and was inspired to write Death on the Nile, with people she met on the cruise becoming real-life characters in the book.

When the Second World War started, the SS Sudan was docked for over 50 years. Between 2000 and 2011, Original Travel completely modernized and renovated it, offering luxury sailing trips up and down the Nile.

Now it sits as one of the last reminders of the golden era in Egypt. It’s easily the most beautiful ship on the Nile and only battles a few for the most luxurious Nile river cruise title.

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Steam Ship Sudan Nile River Cruise Itinerary

Most Nile River cruises start in Luxor and cruise to Aswan or vice versa. We had no preference, but due to the ship’s scheduling, we boarded in Luxor and cruised for six nights/five days to Aswan. Along the way, we stopped at many famous ancient Egyptian sites.

Every day was filled with something new and unique. Abdul, our English-speaking guide joined us each day to share tales about Ancient Egyptian life. All itineraries will go something like this.

Board Ship in Luxor

Passengers begin to board the Steam Ship Sudan from 10 am onward. Lunch is served on board, and then it’s time to explore the famous Karnak Temple. This is one of the most famous sacred sites in the world!

Karnak is a huge site and starts any Egypt trip off with a bang. You’ll have a few hours to explore Karnak Temple before returning to the Steam Ship Sudan and sailing to Qena. This was our first time truly sailing the Nile and admiring the banks of the Nile River with the sun setting.

Explore Abydos and Dendara

Once in Qena, we woke up well before sunrise to head to Abydos. Abydos is a two-hour drive from the port and one of the less-visited sites in Egypt. We needed police escorts for this day, as it is off the beaten path.

Abydos is a holy city; it was a pilgrimage site and is one of the oldest Ancient Egyptian sites. From a religious point of view, Abydos is the principal place of worship of Osiris, the most popular of the funerary gods. Visitors need a good three hours to explore here.

On the way back, we stopped at the Temple of Dendara. Dendara is the spot of the temple of Hathor, Goddess of Love and Joy. It remains my favorite stop on our entire Egyptian trip.

It’s not on the well-visited path either and is truly different than any other ancient Egyptian site we visited. Great for all our lady readers to enjoy as it’s pretty much all about womanly love.

Valley of the Kings and Queens/ Luxor Temple

Another early morning start brought us to the Valley of the Kings. Near Luxor, this is a valley in Egypt where tombs were excavated between the 16th to 11th century BC for the pharaohs and other nobles.

Nearby is the Valley of the Queens, where the wives of pharaohs were buried in ancient times. The most famous and most expensive site to visit here is the Tomb of Queen Nefertari. It’s inside this tomb that the hieroglyphics and paintings come alive.

The descriptions are the most beautiful and colorful we saw in all of Egypt. Visitor time inside the tomb is limited, and no cameras are allowed (besides phones). I would highly recommend paying the price to see this tomb, but it is included in the Steam Ship Sudan cruise tour. A pleasant surprise!

The day is not over quite yet as you’ll now head back to Luxor to see Luxor Temple before lunch and enjoy an evening on board.

Temple of Edfu and Kom Ombo

One of the most preserved ancient buildings in Ancient Egypt is the Temple of Edfu, located in the modern city of Edfu. Part of this temple is dedicated to Horus and Hathor.

I loved getting to this stop early with the ship as we were the first to arrive and have the site all to ourselves. After the Temple of Edfu, we finally had some free time to enjoy the ship’s beauty and completely relax.

As we continued our journey to Aswan, we stopped off at one more temple on the way. Kom Ombo is dedicated to the Falcon God and Crocodile God. We were able to venture into this temple at night and even see mummified crocodiles!

Temple of Philae

Our last full day saw us sailing to Aswan. After enjoying the morning on board the SS Sudan, we docked in Aswan to explore the Temple of Philae. Home to Isis, the Goddess of marriage and fertility, motherhood, and magic, this is easily one of Egypt’s most important and most visited temples.

Aswan and the Old Cataract Hotel

Sadly, the time had come when we had to depart the SS Sudan. We were transferred by Felucca to the Old Cataract Hotel so that we could enjoy and explore Aswan. The SS Sudan works in conjunction with the Sofitel Old Cataract, and almost half the passengers on board the SS Sudan continued to the Old Cataract for a few days.

The Old Cataract is the most iconic hotel in all of Egypt. It is over 100 years old and has had many notable guests, including Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, Princess Diana, and Agatha Christie. It’s a dreamy place to stay and the perfect spot to start or end your Nile River Cruise.

Note that this itinerary is sometimes reversed as the cruise sails both from Aswan to Luxor and Luxor to Aswan.

The Steam Ship Sudan Interior

The SS Sudan has five suites and 18 cabins. We stayed in the beautiful Aida suite in the stern. The suites are luxurious and provide unparalleled views of the Nile.

On the SS Sudan, you will also find a beautiful dining room and 1930s-style bar. This is also where you will find limited WiFi. At the ship’s top are another bar, loungers, and an all-around relaxation point. It’s the perfect spot for reading a book and watching the sunset on the Nile.

The SS Sudan Staff

Most, if not all, of the staff on board the SS Sudan are Egyptian. They are all lovely and go out of their way to make your stay on board more comfortable.

Without them, the ship wouldn’t even be half as fun. Don’t forget to ask the captain or engine guys to show you the fully operational engine room down below deck!

Amir, the ship’s manager, speaks excellent English, French, and Arabic and is the perfect smiling face to the Sudan as a whole. Thank you!

Onshore guides are mainly freelancers hired out by the SS Sudan many times. They are all among some of the best in the business. The passengers on our cruise were divided between English and French speakers, and each group had its own guide. However, if you speak another language, let them know during the booking as they have guides for all languages.

Abdul, our English-speaking Nubian guide, was excellent and provided enthusiasm and knowledge that kept our group excited at all times!

Should You Cruise the Nile on the Steam Ship Sudan?

We adjusted our entire Egyptian itinerary to make a Nile River Cruise on the Steam Ship Sudan happen and were not disappointed. We were looking for something totally unique, different, and beautiful to make this iconic journey and found it with the SS Sudan and her crew.

If you want to see Egypt and are interested in cruising the Nile, I wouldn’t hesitate to book a trip on the Steam Ship Sudan for a second. To this day it remains as a highlight of all our travels (and we’ve traveled to seven continents and 90 countries!) Here is to another 100 years with this steamer on the Nile!

Plan and Pack for a Nile River Cruise

Are you planning a trip to Egypt and wondering what to wear? We just returned from a fantastic month in the country and loved every second of our time. However, the Egyptian dress code can get confusing. After all, it’s a hot desert country, but it’s also a conservative, predominately Muslim country.