Nile cruise shipLuxury flagshipsLuxor → Aswan

Viking Sobek

Suites and river views past Upper Egypt

Viking Sobek is a Nile cruise ship operated by Viking (Viking River Cruises / Viking River Cruises Egypt), built 2024. It has 41 cabins and 8 suites for up to 82 guests.

Good to know

Suites and river views past Upper Egypt. A 2024-built 82-guest Viking ship suited to travellers wanting suite space on the 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids round-trip from Cairo through Luxor and Aswan.

Class Luxury flagshipsCabins 41 · up to 82 guestsRoute Luxor → Aswan

Operator: Viking (Viking River Cruises / Viking River Cruises Egypt)
Accommodation: 41 cabins · 8 suites
Guests: Up to 82
Decks: 5
Dimensions: 71.9 × 16 m
Built: 2024
Route: Cairo - Luxor - Qena - Luxor - Esna - Aswan - Kom Ombo - Edfu - Luxor - Cairo (roundtrip Cairo)
Departures: Tuesday departures.
Season: Year-round Nile sailings; departures published for 2026, 2027 and 2028
Wi-Fi: Free Wi-Fi throughout (connection speed may vary)

About Viking Sobek

Delivered in 2024, the Viking Sobek was built specifically for the Nile and carries 82 guests across five decks in Viking's clean, understated Scandinavian style. All 41 staterooms face outside; among them are six 38 m² two-room Veranda Suites and two 62.9 m² Explorer Suites, alongside 21.6 m² Standard Staterooms.

The 12-day Pharaohs & Pyramids itinerary runs from Cairo through Luxor, Qena, Esna, Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu, with 11 guided tours and Tuesday departures among the published dates. Guests gather in The Restaurant behind floor-to-ceiling windows, or in the indoor-outdoor Aquavit Terrace as the temples of Upper Egypt pass by.

A Pool & Sun Deck crowns the ship with 360-degree views and shaded seating, and the Main Lounge & Bar, library and onboard shop fill the quieter stretches. Free Wi-Fi runs throughout, with laundry service and an elevator between the Main and Pool decks.

Highlights

Two-room Veranda Suites from 38 m²
All 41 staterooms face outside
Explorer Suites up to 62.9 m²
Pool & Sun Deck with 360-degree views
Aquavit Terrace indoor-outdoor dining

At sail

Day by day

The classic rhythm on the Luxor to Aswan corridor. Exact order flips with the direction of sailing; the temples are the same either way.

Day 1
Embark at Luxor
Board after lunch, then Karnak and Luxor Temple with the evening light on the East Bank.
Lunch · Dinner
Day 2
The West Bank, then sail
Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut in the morning quiet, back for lunch as the ship sails south.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 3
Edfu and Kom Ombo
The Temple of Horus by caleche or coach in the morning; the double temple at Kom Ombo toward sunset.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 4
Aswan
Philae Temple and the High Dam, with a felucca sail around the islands in the afternoon.
Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner
Day 5
Disembark at Aswan
Ashore after breakfast; Abu Simbel works as an early-morning extension by road or air.
Breakfast

The fine print

What's included and what isn't

Many ship fares bundle guided shore excursions with an Egyptologist; it varies by package, and your quote states exactly what applies.

Included

Accommodation aboard Viking Sobek in the cabin booked
Meals aboard per the boat's published programme
Sun deck, pool, spa, gym and lounge throughout
Wi-Fi on board

Not included

Drinks beyond water, tea and coffee served with meals
Gratuities for the crew
Temple entrance fees and Egyptologist guiding, unless your package states them
Transfers and extensions such as Abu Simbel, unless quoted

The boat in detail

Cabin categories: Standard Stateroom - 12 units, 21.6 sqm
Veranda Stateroom - 21 units, 22.2 sqm
Veranda Suite - 6 units, 38.0 sqm
Explorer Suite - 2 units, 62.9 sqm
Dining: The Restaurant - main dining room with panoramic river views
Aquavit Terrace & Lounge - al fresco / buffet-style casual dining
Facilities: Pool & Sun Deck with 360-degree views and shaded seating area
Aquavit Terrace & Lounge (indoor/outdoor)
Main Lounge & Bar with floor-to-ceiling glass doors
Restaurant with panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows
Library
Onboard shop
Elevator (Main Deck to Pool Deck only; no Sun Deck access)
Laundry service
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Spa · pool · gym: Swimming pool on the Pool Deck; sun deck with shaded sitting area. No spa or gym listed.
Itineraries: Pharaohs & Pyramids (12 days, Cairo to Cairo roundtrip, 11 guided tours)

Keep planning

Plan your Nile cruise

Nile River Cruise: the complete guide Luxury Nile cruises Viking Nile cruises The cheapest time to cruise the Nile

What guests say

Independent traveller reviews of Viking Sobek, quoted with attribution — we don’t collect these ourselves.

★★★★★
“…boarding Viking's Sobek for the Pharaohs and Pyramids cruise was like time travel up the Nile in a 4-star hotel. All the cares of travel—scheduling, negotiating, driving to/from archaeological sites and museums, picking restaurants and so on—fell on Viking's shoulders.”
— SoCal Travel Junky · via Cruise Critic

Good to know

Viking Sobek questions, answered

How much does Viking Sobek cost?

Advertised rates start from US$6,999 per person; prices vary by season and cabin.

How many cabins does Viking Sobek have?

41 cabins and 8 suites, for up to 82 guests.

What route does Viking Sobek sail?

Cairo - Luxor - Qena - Luxor - Esna - Aswan - Kom Ombo - Edfu - Luxor - Cairo (roundtrip Cairo), departing Tuesday departures..

What's included on Viking Sobek?

Viking Inclusive Value: one complimentary shore excursion in every port of call; all onboard meals; beer, wine & soft drinks with onboard lunch & dinner; free Wi-Fi; port taxes & fees; visits to UNESCO sites; enrichment lectures; 11 guided tours.