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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 Nov. - 1 Dec. 1999 Issue No. 457 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 25 Nov. - 1 Dec. 1999 Issue No. 457
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Nile cruises: Take your pick
Cruise in the rough
One may see the Nile every day, but a ride on a felucca -- a sailing-boat fitted for pleasure trips -- is a singular experience. Both Egyptians and foreigners alike have discovered that feluccas, which usually have cushioned benches and a table at centre, are a delightful way to spend an hour or two sailing along Egypt's great river. What many people do not know is that feluccas can also be hired for longer trips. Intrepid adventurers and nature lovers can hire a felucca for trips of several days, trying their hands at a more primitive way of life. Three- or four-day cruises are available between Aswan and Luxor anytime in the year. In the spring, when the locks at Esna are closed, three-day cruises between Aswan and Esna are also available.
These trips are only for the hardiest of travellers, whose constitutions are strong and to whom lack of privacy is of little concern. Travellers share their meals with their crew -- which may or may not meet the highest standards of (proper) hygiene -- sleep on deck under the stars, and perform ablutions in the Nile.Cruise in comfort
Cruising along the Nile was once your only choice of transport within Egypt, but today's traveller is more often moved by pleasure than by necessity. Travellers are faced with choices as to what kind of cruise they will take -- Nile or Lake Nasser -- and for how long.
The Nile cruise is recommended for first-timers since it offers a greater diversity of monuments and the opportunity to see rural areas, simple villages and local crafts. Cruises are either four or seven nights, depending on how far they go.
A four-night Nile cruise plies the river between Luxor and Aswan, with a full day spent in each city and taking in Esna, Edfu and Kom-Ombo en route. The seven-night cruise takes the visitor beyond Luxor, as far north as Dendera with an overland excursion to that most holy of ancient cities, Abydos. The advantage of a seven-day cruise (apart from seeing more monuments) is that you will be sailing along parts of the Nile that are not congested and will have an opportunity to see areas of the Nile valley that are singularly impressive.Cruise in peace
A Lake Nasser cruise, on the huge reservoir behind Aswan's High Dam, is recommended for those with an archaeological penchant or for travellers who simply want to "get away from it all". No villages here, no traders touting their wares to tourists; just desert, water, peace and comfort. There are also some of the temples saved from certain inundation by UNESCO-funded salvage operations in Nubia, among them their hallmark project: the twin temples of Ramses at Abu Simbel.
With the Lake Nasser Cruise, the choice is between a three- or four-day trip, depending on your point of embarkation: Aswan or Abu Simbel. Sites include the relocated temples of Kalabsha, Beit Al-Wali and Kertassi, near the High Dam; the temples of Sebua, Dakka and Maharakka, reconstructed at Wadi Al-Seboua; the temples of Amada, Derr and the tomb of Pennut, reconstructed at Amada; and Qasr Ibrim, located on its original site, where the ruins of an ancient citadel were converted into a cathedral and, later, a mosque.
Practical information
If you are interested in felucca trips for groups of six to eight persons, you can contact Apple Tours, 15 Abdel-Aziz Gawish St, Abdin, Cairo; Tel: 256-2517 and 594-0366, Fax: 355-9814. Alternately, you can deal directly with Mohamed Awi, who owns a felucca fleet. Awi is a local expert in making arrangements, including getting the necessary police clearance to take a group on the Nile. He has no contact address, just a telephone number: (097) 306-6432. The average cost is between LE75-100 per person, per day, inclusive of food and sightseeing and depends on the size and comfort of the felucca.There are numerous travel agents in Cairo that arrange Nile and Lake Nasser cruises. Try: Emeco Travel, 2 Talaat Harb St, Cairo, Tel: 574-9360 or 574-4599, Fax: 574-4212; Seti I Travel, 16 Ismail Mohamed St, Zamalek, Cairo, Tel: 341-9820, Fax: 340-2419; South Sinai Travel, 79 Marghany St, Heliopolis, Cairo, Tel: 418-7310, Fax: 290-9189 or 418-7396; and Travcotels, 19 Yehia Ibrahim St, Zamalek, Cairo, Tel: 342-0488, Fax: 340-4897, E-mail: tels@Travco-eg.com.
