This one-of-a-kind expedition explores the story of the ‘three Niles’ and the extraordinary cultures and history they gave life to. Our journey through time takes us from the fortified mudbrick villages of the Neolithic (around 10,000 BCE), through to the first invasion of the Egyptian Pharaohs to subdue the people of Nubia, then on to the Golden Age of Kush – the Kingdom of the Black Pharaohs – when the Nubian Kings conquered the whole of Pharaonic Egypt. We then explore the last Pharaonic Kingdom, that of Meroe, and finally to subjugation, British invasion and the conquest of Niles.
We visit areas and sites few travellers have seen, unfolding through a variety of dramatic environments including deserts, volcanoes, secret valleys, oasis and charming villages. The encounters with local people are frequent and fantastic due to their heart-felt hospitality. This arid and wild region of extraordinary archaeological interest and beautiful landscapes becomes accessible even to those reluctant to sacrifice their comfort. Travelling in 4×4’s, our explorations of the Western and Eastern Deserts and the Nile Valley includes stays in exclusive lodges, luxury tented camps and fly camps.
We complete this remarkable journey exploring the World Heritage Mukkawar Island Marine National Park on Sudan’s rarely visited Red Sea coast, aboard an exclusively chartered Italian-owned schooner. The reefs, lagoons, islands and turquoise waters of this stunning paradise are extraordinarily rich in biodiversity. We spend our days cruising at leisure, relaxing on remote beaches and snorkelling and diving pristine coral reefs, giving us ample time to reflect on what we have seen on the mainland.