opportunity to swim or kayak. If you wish to kayak, please advise us two days before the Dahabiya tour begins so we can be sure to have kayaks available.
In Daraw, we plan dinner for that night, and you learn how to shop Egyptian style, then try your new skills in the market shopping for ingredients for dinner. We also visit a camel barn to learn about these fascinating animals and the camel trade.
We will visit a Nubian village. From about 7,000 BC, communities evolved from African Nile Valley civilisations to form the Nubian, Ancient Egyptian and Kushite civilizations. There are several Nubian communities near Daraw. Nubian civilization is one of the oldest in the Nile River valley. Nubians are a distinct ethnolinguistic group indigenous to southern Egypt and northern Sudan, but Nubians in Egypt who were displaced by the construction of the High Dam near Aswan now mostly live north of Lake Nasser. Although Nubians are historically and culturally distinct from other Egyptians, they have long been interconnected with Egypt. While many Egyptian pharaohs colonised Nubia at various times, Nubian pharaohs from the Kingdom of Kush ruled ancient Egypt in the 7th century BC.
The Temple of Kom Ombo is dedicated to the crocodile-featured god Sobek and the god Horus. The connection to the power of the Nile is unmistakable as you look towards the temple. We also visit the Crocodile Museum, which includes some impressive mummified crocodiles.
Sail to El Selsela, where we take a short walk parallel to the Nile to visit shrines and a massive quarry. Large amounts of sandstone were quarried here for temple buildings in Thebes (Luxor). Cut into the rock are the speos (chapel) of Horemheb, with its sanctuary containing rock shrines and various stelae and inscriptions. The huge quarry gives context to how much building material was sourced from this area. There is also an area of sand here where children (and children at heart) can slide and play. Dinner and overnight on the dahabiya, where you are now becoming part of the rhythms of Nile River life.
Breakfast in a local home or on board. Explore Bisaw Island, walk through farms, and meet the villagers. Join the men in their boats to share the experience of Nile fishing. Sail to Edfu in horse carriages to visit the Temple of Horus. Lunch isonboard. Dinner and a night’s stay are on board in El Hegz.
Stepping off the dahabiya at Bisaw Island and the village, we take a leisurely walk through a farm, meet some of the women and children, and learn how the unique sun bread is baked in homes here. We are welcomed by the local fishermen to their boats, learning of the skills of these men who live in harmony with the Nile. Fish caught can be enjoyed as part of dinner that evening.
We board the dahabiya for lunch and sail towards Edfu. Horse-drawn carriages take us to the imposing temple with its grand spaces and many hieroglyphic inscriptions. View Tell Edfu to the West of the temple, which includes houses dating from the Old to New Kingdom. If time allows, we also stroll through the local market.
We sail again, time to relax with dinner, overnight on board in El Hegz. El Hegz Village. This is an opportunity for true cross-cultural exchange as we visit a local family who are excited to have visitors from the wider world. Your guide will translate so you can ask them questions and enhance your understanding of village culture.
Breakfast is on board. Sail to Esna. Check out the dahabiya after breakfast. We visit the temple, restored caravanserai, and market. Esna is part of the Luxor governorate; we drive about an hour from Esna to Luxor.
After breakfast, check out of the dahabiya. In Esna, we explore the temple dedicated to the ram-headed god Khnum. The temple sits below street level within the town, as it was excavated from layers of earth. Enjoy discovering heritage craft traditions, including beautiful textiles, as we visit the restored Wekalet Al-Geddawi, a caravanserai, and the Ottoman-era market of Al-Qissariya. Drive about an hour to Luxor and transfer to the Luxor airport or your hotel. Also, you can start a tour in Luxor that day (choose from the optional tours and activities below).
Accommodation for the mentioned No. of nights.
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