Viking has officially taken delivery of its Nile River ship Viking Hathor, at a ceremony held at the Massara shipyard in Cairo, Egypt on August 10th. This 82-passenger boat is the newest addition to Viking's expanding fleet on the Nile and will operate the popular 12-day "Pharaohs & Pyramids" itinerary.
The Viking Hathor, designed in line with Viking's award-winning river and ocean ships, features 41 staterooms and embodies the elegant Scandinavian aesthetic the brand is known for. The vessel, a sistership to the Viking Osiris and Viking Aton, includes familiar elements such as a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace.
Viking Ra and MS Antares also form part of the company’s growing fleet in Egypt.
The "Pharaohs & Pyramids" itinerary begins with a 3-night stay in Cairo, allowing guests to explore major historical sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, Sakkara, the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, and the Grand Egyptian Museum. Following this, guests fly to Luxor to visit the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before embarking on an 8-day Nile cruise. This segment includes visits to the tombs of Nefertari and Tutankhamun, as well as excursions to significant sites such as the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the Dendera Temple complex in Qena, Abu Simbel, the High Dam in Aswan, and a traditional Nubian village.
Viking also offers additional pre- and post-journey extensions with exclusive access to archives and exhibits. Among these is the 5-day "British Collections of Ancient Egypt" extension in London UK, where guests can explore the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum, the private museum of architect Sir John Soane, the Petrie Museum, and the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford. The extension also includes a behind-the-scenes visit to the Griffith Institute at Oxford University to view Howard Carter's archives on the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb, and an exclusive visit to Highclere Castle to view the Earl of Carnarvon’s collection of Egyptian artifacts.
Additional offerings include a 3-night pre-extension in Istanbul and a 4-night post-extension to Jordan, featuring sites such as Petra, the Dead Sea, and Roman antiquities at Jerash.