We got into Aswan late at night after a picturesque train journey along the Nile River. While budget travelers might skimp on flights, they get to experience the countryside in ways jet-setters miss out on. Aswan, nestled along one of the most beautiful stretches of the Nile, charmed us instantly, so we snagged a hotel room with a view of the river.
The hotel had amazing views, and after some haggling, we got a great price that included breakfast, making it a real steal. We spent the next few days soaking in the slower pace of life along the Nile and exploring local markets. However, the charm of Aswan was slightly marred by “tourist pricing,” which made it challenging to get fair deals. But our main focus was the upcoming felucca (sailboat) trip to Luxor.
We planned to meet friends Bernie and Toni at a Nile-side restaurant and also invited new friends Michel and Chisa. To our delight, everyone showed up and hit it off famously. Michel even knew Bernie and Toni from a previous trip. Michel had a line on a good felucca captain, Magdy, so we met him to discuss the trip. Though he seemed a bit sketchy, we decided to go with him.
Magdy asked us to pick out a menu for the three-night, four-day trip, enthusiastically agreeing to all our culinary requests. Despite our past experiences hinting otherwise, we were optimistic and checked out the boat, which looked fantastic with its shiny new sail. Magdy assured us of free sheesha and a variety of flavors on board, so we left our meeting feeling good about the trip.
On the day of our departure, everything started smoothly—except Magdy hadn’t bought enough beer. After a quick store stop, we arrived at the boat to find it was entirely different from the one we’d seen. To add to the confusion, Magdy waved us off from shore, leaving us with an unfamiliar crew.
Annoyed but determined not to let this spoil our journey, we set sail. As we left the city and entered the rural regions, the ancient farming traditions along the Nile’s banks unfolded before us, with kids waving and villagers working the fields.
Lunch on the boat was a bit of a letdown since it didn’t match our chosen menu, but the veggie stew we had was still tasty. Dinner followed a similar pattern, substituting falafel and bread for the planned roast chicken meal.
That night, we docked at a noisy village, and the crew’s attempt to shield us from mosquitoes using our blanket left us exposed. Yet, Ayeman, one of the deckhands, kindly fetched another blanket from his village. Despite its less-than-pleasant smell, we appreciated his gesture.
Our first night on the boat was uncomfortable, but the beautiful sunrise and daily life along the Nile quickly lifted our spirits. On day two, we faced more bizarre food combinations, but humor and camaraderie kept us going.
We visited the Kom Ombo temple, marveling at its ancient grandeur before returning to a fish lunch prepared by Jimmy, another deckhand. Although initially confused by the lack of meat the previous day, we enjoyed the fresh fish and continued our journey.
The rest of the day was spent relaxing, exploring rock tombs, and swimming. At one point, we even entertained tourists on a passing cruise ship by mooning them, adding a humorous highlight to our trip.
Sheesha was promised, so we stopped at a little café where we smoked and enjoyed fresh coffee with ginger—a delightful surprise. Bernie, ever generous, traded his necklace for Egyptian cologne offered by the café owner, forging a brief yet memorable friendship.
The following days were a mix of relaxation, reading, and appreciating the scenery. Our last night featured an impromptu hunt for chicken, ending with a feast that finally met our expectations. We also discussed the scams we faced with a local who translated them to our crew. Understanding our frustrations, they apologized and agreed to reduce the trip cost.
Our journey ended with a drive through scenic villages to Edfu, where we visited the Temple of Horus—Egypt’s best-preserved temple. Its impressive sights completed our trip on a high note, making the earlier challenges worthwhile.
Despite the hiccups, our felucca journey left us with unforgettable memories, stunning photos, and new friendships. As budget travelers, we embraced every moment, knowing it’s experiences like these that make travel truly special. “Insha Allah” we’ll cross paths with our fellow travelers again.