Viking Cruises, known for its destination focused cruising and culturally enriching experiences, announces it will be the presenting sponsor of the London leg of the TUTANKHAMUN: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh world tour.  Produced by the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and IMG, the exhibition features the largest collection of Tutankhamun’s treasures ever to travel outside of Egypt, and will open at the Saatchi Gallery on 2 November 2019.

The London engagement, presented by Viking Cruises, will be the third stop on the exhibition’s 10-city world tour following residences in Los Angeles and Paris, and is part of the celebrations for the 100^th year anniversary of the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb.  It will be the first time that 60 of the 150 original artefacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb will be seen in the UK on their first journey outside of Egypt.  At the conclusion of the tour, the artefacts will go on permanent display at the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is supported by exhibition proceeds.

Egypt is a popular destination for Viking guests from the UK.  Viking’s ‘Pharaohs & Pyramids’ itinerary sails between Luxor and Aswan.  Guests follow in the wake of pharaohs along the banks of the Nile River as Viking’s expert Egyptologists provide insights into one of history’s greatest civilisations.  The itinerary includes the fascinating city of Cairo, with a visit to the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, and a trip to the Giza Plateau to behold the Great Pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaur.  In Luxor, guests visit the Valley of the Kings, where ancient pharaohs were entombed deep in the hillsides, and the Valley of the Queens, the resting place of pharaohs’ wives. Viking also offers ‘Privileged Access’ to the tomb of Queen Nefertari, an exquisitely preserved tomb only a few visitors have the chance to see.

One of Viking’s cultural partners in the UK, Highclere Castle, was the seat, 100 years ago, of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon who famously discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun in 1922 with his archaeological colleague, Howard Carter.  Now the country home of the Earl and Countess of

Carnarvon and the setting for Downton Abbey, Viking guests enjoy privileged access to Highclere Castle on the ‘Cities of Light’ and ‘Paris & the Heart of Normandy’ cruises.