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FELUCCA JOURNEYS AND CRUISES BETWEEN ASWAN AND LUXOR |
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Hotels in Aswan |
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The Nile's timeless scenery is best appreciated on longer felucca journeys between Aswan and Luxor, or aboard a Nile cruiser. While cruisers are more comfortable and predictable, feluccas offer an unforgettable, uniquely Egyptian experience, which many travellers rate as the highlight of their trip - though tales of misery aren't uncommon either. Whether your felucca trip is blissful or boring, tragicomic or simply unpleasant, largely depends on a host of factors and your own expectations.
Firstly, bear in mind the time of year and
conditions on the river
. Feluccas are dependent on the wind, which nearly always blows south. Travelling downstream (towards Luxor) therefore involves constant tacking, unless you simply drift with the sluggish current. Travelling upstream towards Aswan you'll make better
time
with the wind behind you, but face being becalmed if it drops - as happens between Edfu and Kom Ombo, especially in summer, which is why most tourists start from Aswan. During winter, when daylight hours are short, anyone sailing from there is unlikely to reach
Edfu
in less than three nights. As feluccas are prohibited from sailing after 8pm, most stop at sunset for an evening round a campfire, enlivened by Nubian singing and drumming. Each day will be different from the last: stow your watch and take things as they come.
Another crucial factor is the
water level
. Between October and May, so little is allowed through the Aswan Dam that feluccas must be careful near shore; the object is to conserve water for the summer, but in drought years the Nile may become so shallow that cruise boats cannot use the river at all. Lastly, from June 1-16 every year, the Esna lock is closed for maintenance, and boats may only pass through in the early morning. Year-round most felucca trips end at
Edfu
.
Arranging a felucca trip
Assembling a group
of five to eight people is easily done by asking around in Corniche restaurants or responding to messages posted in the tourist office. Since you'll be spending many hours in close proximity, the character and habits of your...
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Rates and registration
Rates vary according to the length and duration of the journey, but also (unofficially) with fluctuating demand. The tourist office quotes ŁE55 per person (including food) for a group of six to eight to sail between Aswan and Edfu over two nights,...
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Hygiene
There's a real risk of getting sick on a felucca journey if hygiene precautions aren't observed. Bring extra strong sterilizing tablets to purify the jerry can of Nile water used for washing up (one tab per 25 litres); also purchase carbolic soap and be...
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Recommended feluccas
Good boats include
Wien Magic Express,
owned by Omar Abdel Aziz, who can usually be found at the felucca dock opposite EgyptAir,
or
at 097/301-504 in the evenings; also
Jamaica
and six other boats owned by a family who...
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Cruise boats
Nile cruise boats offer a more comfortable ride and better meals, at the cost of distancing you from the river and lumping you in with a large group and a rigid schedule. All of them have bars and restaurants, and pools are
de rigueur
on the...
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