I was standing in Cairo’s Egyptian Museum behind a group, about three people deep, huddled in front of a replica of the Rosetta Stone, one of more than 100,000 artifacts on display. As soon as the group moved on, I heard, “Uh-tak, uh-tak” through my headset. It was my Egyptologist, Hazem Khalaf, whispering to “attack,” or fill the empty space as quickly as possible. I stepped up to the stone and chuckled.

This was my first day on the Uniworld Boutique River Cruises Splendors of Egypt and the Nile journey, which is designed to be the trip of a lifetime. All the ingredients were there to make it so: an itinerary that packed 5,000 years of history and 12 UNESCO World Heritage sites into 12 days, exceptional Egyptologists, four nights at Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza, and the bespoke S.S. Sphinx, featuring the brand’s signature destination-inspired interiors and fine dining. From the vibrancy of the Temple of Esna’s original paint and the magnificence of the new Grand Egyptian Museum (where I caught a glimpse of the First Lady of Egypt) to the ship’s hand-carved wood accents and the chef’s airy falafel (freshly fried in front of me), I was awed every day.

Uniworld also offered a selection of optional bonus excursions as part of its Masterpiece Collection. These included a flight to Abu Simbel, where I marveled at the temple’s solar alignment, as well as an afterhours tour of the Luxor Temple, illuminated just for our group. I’ve experienced few things as humbling as standing alone under the stars in a massive open court, encircled by towering columns. My fellow passengers shared this sentiment. “I’ve been wanting to see this since I was 6 years old” was a line I overheard at the pyramids, where my inner child was equally delighted.

Such unscripted moments delivered Uniworld’s promise: Khalaf calling us “habibis” (“dear ones” in Arabic); our captain’s family cheering for him as we sailed past their village; the jeweler who translated my name into hieroglyphics and said his preferred translation of “C” was not “family” but “likes shopping”; the cat who led me to her hidden kittens at Philae Temple (dedicated to Isis, goddess of motherhood); the glee of new friends after I sand surfed the Sahara; the guard at Tutankhamun’s gilded tomb who made sure I didn’t miss the missing toe on the boy-king’s mummy; local chocolates and jewelry left in my room. … These scenes paired with the country’s monumental sites shaped an unforgettable adventure.

There’s an image I first spotted at the Temple of Dendera of the Egyptian goddess Nut arched over, her hands and feet meeting the earth while her body touches the sky. This pilgrimage felt like that: being grounded while simultaneously floating in a celestial realm. It’s a state of being I’ve been “attacking” ever since.