Egypt > Sailing on the Nile

Today we can sleep in — the alarm doesn’t go off until eight o’clock. Wonderful after two short nights. We take our main luggage to Mohammed’s hotel room and carry only our daypacks with us. Camel will take our luggage in the bus tomorrow when he comes to pick us up. After breakfast at the hotel, we walk toward the Nile quay around half past nine. The feluccas — sailing boats — are already ready. Two boats are available for us: a large one for thirteen people and a smaller one for eight. On board, there is a large mattress with cushions so we can lie down and enjoy the boat ride along the Nile. Cushions are fixed along the edges to lean against, and a cloth provides protection from the sun — essential in summer, though today the sun isn’t too strong. A strong breeze blows across the water, making it rather cool, but the stunning views of the Nile banks more than make up for it.

Egypt - Sailing on the Nile on a felucca

The idyllic scene is occasionally interrupted by the large cruise ships, which pass like floating apartment buildings. The Nubian crew prepares tea for us — all in all, a perfect setting for a relaxing day on the Nile. The wind comes from the northeast, so the feluccas tack along the river. Each felucca has a single large sail and no jib. The sail rises about twenty meters into the air. When passing under the large bridge, the sail must be lowered. By loosening the front, the entire sail can be tilted backward, while the Nile’s current pushes the boat under the bridge. Once past the bridge, the sail is raised again. Meanwhile, the crew has started preparing lunch on a small stove. For lunch and a bathroom stop, we moor at a small beach on the west bank.

Egypt - Lunch on board the felucca

On board the large felucca, a rug is spread out and the lunch displayed — soup, rice, bean soup, fried potatoes, and more. Then it’s up to us to help ourselves. After lunch, the boats are untied, and we continue sailing along the Nile. We tack back and forth, sometimes in the sun, sometimes not, depending on the sail’s position. After another toilet stop, around four o’clock it’s time for beer. We had pre-ordered our drinks: I requested two beers, two waters, and two colas. The beer tastes excellent. Meanwhile, the sun slowly sets. In the dark, we arrive at our overnight spot: a small beach on the west side of the Nile. The beach is clearly well used. The only tree on the beach resembles a giant toilet, and trash is scattered everywhere. After dinner on board, we play some games. Around ten o’clock, we get into our sleeping bags. Fortunately, the exterior is shielded with a cloth, so the cold wind bothers us very little.