The real - life elements in 'Death on the Nile' are quite numerous. The Nile itself is a major one. The flow of the river, the scenery along it, and the importance of it to the local economy and way of life are all reflected. The use of hieroglyphs and ancient Egyptian artifacts in the story might also be inspired by real - life findings in Egypt. Also, the way the characters interact with the local environment, like dealing with the heat and the sand, is based on real - life experiences of people in that region. The different social classes and how they mingled during travels, which is depicted in the story, was also a real - life phenomenon in the Nile - area tourism.