See the Nile as Agatha Christie Once Did On Board the S. S. Sudan

If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie’s ‘Death on the Nile’, you would know that the ship is called the S. S. Karnak. And if you’re REALLY a fan of the novel, you may know that the S. S. Karnak is based on a real-life ship called the S. S. Sudan, on which Christie herself took a trip with her husband in 1933 and was inspired to write her now-famous mystery novel. What few might know is that the S. S. Sudan still sails - and is still open for business, giving travellers a unique opportunity to see Egypt as Christie once did.

One of the oldest and the only running steamships in Egypt, the S. S. Sudan was originally built as a private ship for King Fuad in 1885, before it was bought by British entrepreneur Thomas Cook and repurposed as a passenger vessel in the 1920s, sailing the Nile as an extravagant floating hotel.

After decades of neglect following World War II, the ship was revived once more in the early 2000s, modernised, renovated, and regularly restored every four years hence.

Stepping on board the ship, you’ll be entranced by the ship’s classical design and steam-powered mechanisms. You’ll find yourself transported through time, putting you in the shoes of the elites during Egypt's glorious Belle Epoque era.

Most of the ship’s crew have been there for over ten years; it's practically a second home to them. The ship will stop at temples all along Luxor and Aswan, with expertly-taught tour guides directing their guests through the nation’s rich history. 

Cruises on the S. S. Sudan are booked exclusively through Original Travel, with prices ranging from EUR 2,500 to EUR 4,000 per person for a stay in their double cabins. The S. S. Sudan undergoes maintenance every June and July. Children under the age of six years old are not allowed on board the ship.