Following a disappointing first day on board MS Zaina, it was time for the highlight of the tour, a hot air balloon flight over the Valley of the Kings.
I woke around 3:15am for a 4:00am pick up. The first part of the journey was by chartered motorboat to the West Bank of the Nile, which was rather pleasant in the cool morning air.
I was then taken to the hot air balloon site by minibus, which was overloaded and somewhat uncomfortable, but manageable for the roughly 40 minute journey.
I arrived at the site around 6:00am, in time to watch the balloons being prepared.
It was then time for the breathtaking dawn take-off, along with dozens of other balloons, for the spectacular 45-minute flight over Thebes and the Valley of the Kings.
The balloon flight was a memorable experience and well worth the early start.
The second part of the day’s activities consisted of a tour of the Valley of the Kings, including visits to the Tomb of Tutankhamen and the Temple of Hatshepsut.
Late in the afternoon, I returned to the ship, which began to move towards the next stop of Edfu.
There was around three hours of early evening cruising, as the sun set over the riverside villages.
This had been a very full day of activities and it was with some relief that I heard the following day’s pick up would be a later start at 8am.
This had been a much better day, and I retired to bed in a much better mood than I had the previous evening.