Viking Announces More Nile River Sailings Through 2026

Set to debut in 2025, the Viking Sobek will join the company's growing fleet as its sixth ship sailing the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary.

With Viking's 2024 Egypt season nearly sold out and 2025 selling strong, the demand led to an early opening of the Viking Sobek's inaugural season with 2026 departure dates across the entire Nile River fleet.  

"We are very pleased with the continued interest in Egypt and are proud to be the only western company to build, own and operate ships on the Nile," said Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking. "With the addition of the Viking Sobek, we will offer the largest fleet and the most elegant ships on the Nile, by far. We look forward to introducing even more curious travelers to the rich history, culture and antiquities of Egypt in the coming years." 

Hosting 82 guests in 41 staterooms, the new, state-of-the-art Viking Sobek is inspired by the elegant Scandinavian design for which Viking is known. The Viking Sobek is the identical sister ship to the Viking Osiris, which debuted in 2022, the Viking Aton, debuting in 2023, and the Viking Hathor, set to debut in 2024. Other ships in the Egyptian fleet include the Viking Ra and the MS Antares.

During the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids sailings, guests begin with a three-night stay at a first-class hotel in Cairo while visiting iconic sites such as the Great Pyramids of Giza, the necropolis of Saqqara, and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali.

Passengers then fly to Luxor to see the Temples of Luxor and Karnak before boarding a Viking river ship for an eight-day roundtrip cruise on the Nile. The itinerary offers Privileged Access to the tomb of Nefertari in the Valley of the Queens and the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings, along with excursions to the Temple of Khnum in Esna, Dendera Temple complex in Qena, the High Dam in Aswan, and a colorful Nubian village. The journey concludes with return flight to Cairo for a final night in the ancient city.

Pre-and Post-Extensions

Guests looking to extend their journey can book pre-and post-extensions that provide Privileged Access to archives and exhibits.

On the five-day British Collections of Ancient Egypt extension, guests begin their London journey with their Viking Tour Director, an expert Egyptologist, and experience Privileged Access to two museums: a private morning visit to the Egyptian Collection at the British Museum and a tour at the home and personal museum of world-renowned architect, Sir John Soane.

This candlelight tour includes a re-enactment of how Soane entertained guests and showcased his exquisite collection of Egyptian antiquities, including a 3,000-year-old Egyptian sarcophagus. The final stop is London's Petrie Museum, housing more than 80,000 artifacts from ancient Egypt and Sudan.

In Oxford, guests will visit the Ashmolean Museum, one of the world’s oldest, home to a collection of Egyptian mummies and art. A go-behind-the-scenes-tour at Oxford University's Griffith Institute includes Privileged Access to Howard Carter's archives detailing the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb. Lastly, guests will visit Highclere Castle to view the Earl's magnificent private collection of Egyptian artifacts, archives and exhibits not normally accessible to the public.

The three-night Istanbul pre-extension highlights important religious sites such as the Blue Mosque and the legendary Hagia Sophia.

Pre-voyage, guests can choose to extend their journey in Jerusalem, exploring the ancient history and culture of Israel's fascinating capital. Post-river cruise, voyagers can also extend their experience with a 4-night Jordan that includes the lost city of Petra, Dead Sea & Amman, and crusader-era castles at Kerak or Shobak.   

Sailings aboard the Viking Sobek are now available for booking here.

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