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Felucca journeys and cruises between Aswan and Luxor
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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
. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Egypt,
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