LOS ANGELES — Viking has taken delivery of its newest ship for the Nile River, the Viking Hathor. An identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris and the Viking Aton, the 82-guest Viking Hathor boasts 41 staterooms, a Scandinavian design, a distinctive square bow and an indoor/outdoor Aquavit Terrace. It will join additional ships in the company’s Egypt fleet, including the Viking Ra and the MS Antares, sailing Viking’s popular 12-day ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary.
“We are proud to welcome the Viking Hathor to our award-winning river fleet,” said Torstein Hagen, Chairman and CEO of Viking. “With its abundance of cultural treasures and ancient antiquities, Egypt has always been a destination of great interest to curious travellers, including our guests. We believe our ships are by far the most elegant vessels sailing the Nile River, and we look forward to introducing even more explorers to this fantastic destination in the years to come.
” The 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary kicks off with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo, where guests will visit iconic sites like the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Sakkara and the Mosque of Muhammad Al. Guests will then fly to Luxor for visits to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, plus excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, the teamples at Abu Simbel and the Dendera Temple complex in Qena. They’ll also visit a Nubian village to experience a traditional elementary school.
The journey concludes with a flight back to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city. For guests looking to extend their stay in Egypt, Viking also offers pre- and post-extensions that provide privileged access to archives and exhibits. Guests on the five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt extension will begin their journey in London where they will meet their Viking Tour Director, an expert Egyptologist, and enjoy Privileged Access to two museums: first a private, early morning visit to the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum before it opens to the general public, and then a visit to the home and personal museum of world-renowned architect Sir John Soane.
Guests will also get Privileged Access to Howard Carter’s archives at Oxford University’s Griffith Institute, as well as Highclere Castle to view the Earl of Carnarvon’s private collection of Egyptian artifacts. Additional offerings include a three-night pre-extension in Istanbul and a four-night post-extension in Jordan..
