Nothing beats sailing on a felucca on the Nile River when visiting Egypt.
Feluccas, large wooden boats with a single sail have remained, over the centuries, the primary means of transportation on the Nile.
Even today, feluccas rely entirely on the southern breezes and river currents as they have since the time of the pharaohs.
Before venturing on a sailing however, haggling over the price is a must as Egyptians expect to drive a hard bargain, and then settle for about $3- $5 for an hourly rate.
A sunset cruise on a felucca is a veritable sound and light show.
The whishing and threshing of the rustling breeze intermingled with the melodic eastern chants from multiple minarets, the sun's rays playing on the meandering wavelets of the shimmering waters, and the purple red-yellow-orange shades of the setting sun in the azure sky are visions seen nowhere else.
Though not as comfortable or luxurious as a cruise ship, time stands still when sailing on a quiet rig that was designed thousands of years ago.
This is the ultimate means of steering a uniquely relaxing course off the beaten path.
Gliding along in cushy comfort, there is so much to see, much of it not accessible by any other means.
Sailing north from Aswan, you'll pass small islets, sand dunes and palm groves.
Stop to walk along shallow canals and lovely villages where locals and children gather around curiously to greet you.
From a distance, watch cattle graze lazily on the verdant fields of many Nile islands.
Sailing on a Felucca is a relaxing way of visiting some of Egypt's ancient ruins as well, among them Kom Ombo, the temple shared by the two gods Sobek and Horus, and the magnificent great temple of Horus at Edfu.
Night on a felucca brings with it an other-worldly sense of calm.
These are not deluxe five-star accommodations, but the comfortable mats, the sounds of the lapping waves against the boat, the star-studded sky and the cool air as you drowse off to sleep are an adventure not to be missed.
Sunrise dawns with the calls to prayer from mosques upstream and down, as another day begins on the River Nile.
Feluccas used on the Nile since antiquity are not only a laid-back, relaxing way to spend a sunny afternoon, a day or a week - they are a once-in-a-lifetime memorable Egyptian adventure outdoors for the entire family.
Feluccas, large wooden boats with a single sail have remained, over the centuries, the primary means of transportation on the Nile.
Even today, feluccas rely entirely on the southern breezes and river currents as they have since the time of the pharaohs.
Before venturing on a sailing however, haggling over the price is a must as Egyptians expect to drive a hard bargain, and then settle for about $3- $5 for an hourly rate.
A sunset cruise on a felucca is a veritable sound and light show.
The whishing and threshing of the rustling breeze intermingled with the melodic eastern chants from multiple minarets, the sun's rays playing on the meandering wavelets of the shimmering waters, and the purple red-yellow-orange shades of the setting sun in the azure sky are visions seen nowhere else.
Though not as comfortable or luxurious as a cruise ship, time stands still when sailing on a quiet rig that was designed thousands of years ago.
This is the ultimate means of steering a uniquely relaxing course off the beaten path.
Gliding along in cushy comfort, there is so much to see, much of it not accessible by any other means.
Sailing north from Aswan, you'll pass small islets, sand dunes and palm groves.
Stop to walk along shallow canals and lovely villages where locals and children gather around curiously to greet you.
From a distance, watch cattle graze lazily on the verdant fields of many Nile islands.
Sailing on a Felucca is a relaxing way of visiting some of Egypt's ancient ruins as well, among them Kom Ombo, the temple shared by the two gods Sobek and Horus, and the magnificent great temple of Horus at Edfu.
Night on a felucca brings with it an other-worldly sense of calm.
These are not deluxe five-star accommodations, but the comfortable mats, the sounds of the lapping waves against the boat, the star-studded sky and the cool air as you drowse off to sleep are an adventure not to be missed.
Sunrise dawns with the calls to prayer from mosques upstream and down, as another day begins on the River Nile.
Feluccas used on the Nile since antiquity are not only a laid-back, relaxing way to spend a sunny afternoon, a day or a week - they are a once-in-a-lifetime memorable Egyptian adventure outdoors for the entire family.