One of the highlights of our trip in Egypt was a two-nights felucca trip down the Nile from Aswan to Kom Ombo (about 50km north of Aswan). The prices given to us in Aswan for similar trip were again sometimes ridiculously expensive, even 1500 pounds (around 180 euros). Luckily, after asking around along the Nile corniche, we finally met Mohammed who set his price immediately at 350 pounds (40 euros including everything, that is only 20 euros per person). Obviously, we were very suspicious at first: Why such a low price? What's wrong here? However, Mohammed kept his word, he arrived with his friend Assam and his boat "Nile Dancer" to our agreed meeting point and we set off to our little trip.
Felucca is a traditional fishing boat used in Egypt. There are supposedly around 3000 feluccas only in Aswan.
Swimming in Nile is not necessarily a good idea, as bilharzia parasites are common there. While the locals even drink the water, we decided to take no risks.
Captains fixing the sail.
Although we were a bit disappointed that we actually didn't sail that much (probably you could make it in 5 hours or so to Kom Ombo), we had excellent time on the boat just watching the views, eating well as Assam cooked us delicious Nubian specialities and relaxing after all the hussle in the cities.
Mohammed, our captain, was a big fan of Bob Marley like many other felucca captains in Aswan. He was a nice and relaxed guy and passed the evenings smoking cannabis.
Assam cooked and took excellent care of us during the trip. But more than two nights on the boat with him could have been too much. When we left him and Mohammed in Kom Ombo, he declared: "Maria, I love you." Well, was nice to meet you too...
"Sudan", the boat on which Agatha Christie travelled during her trip in Egypt and where her "Murder on the Nile" is set is still sailing along the Nile.
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