Off to explore Egypt! (page 4 of 6)

February 17 - Day 9

This morning, at dawn, we reluctantly leave Aswan and its tranquility, which we’ll miss so much. I’m torn between crying and singing some super sad song that a battalion of Red Army soldiers would belt out in a deep, solemn chorus. Luckily, to boost the group’s morale, we’re leaving Aswan with the very mode of transport that’s the MAIN reason we came to Egypt. One of my long-time travel dreams, ticked off my wish list at last!... Sailing down the Nile with the wind in our sails aboard this magical boat—the felucca! It’s the little extra we’re treating ourselves to for three days. A traditional felucca just for the four of us, booked online a few weeks ago.

Early on, a vehicle picks us up to take us to the outskirts of Aswan, where our future floating home and its crew—a captain, a deckhand, and a cook—are waiting. After some shy introductions, up goes the mainsail, and off we go, sailor, on the world’s longest river! We settle into our quarters, which basically means outdoors on the mattresses of the lower deck, serving as our dining room, living room, and bedrooms, though we also have the upper terrace for rooftop mode! It’s rustic, but what a luxury—and what a feeling of freedom—to have all this just for us!







And how lovely it is to read, write, or even take a little nap while watching the lush Nile landscapes drift by! We witness so many local scenes: fishermen, kids playing in the water, farmers tending to irrigated crops, water buffaloes... Everyone greets us with a big smile—except for that one buffalo, who’s seriously rude.





Plus, since our boat is private, we can stop wherever we like. "Hey, how about this little island for lunch? Sounds great, right?" In short, freedom and tranquility are the keywords of this expedition! And good food too, because Dizil, our cook, whips up some seriously tasty—and seriously filling—Egyptian specialties.

Day 9 (continued)

After some rest, contemplation, and gastronomy, a bit of culture for everyone—it couldn’t hurt, right? In the afternoon, we stop at the Temple of Kom Ombo, where we soak up another good dose of hieroglyphs. As we leave, we cross paths with a whole regiment of tourists disembarking from a big cruise ship, and we really feel the privilege we have—even if it’s clear we don’t have a hot shower or an air-conditioned room with plush bedding like they do. But freedom is worth all the comfort in the world, isn’t it?







The day unfolds like this until sunset, which we watch from our upper deck, a small glass of red wine in hand and a smile of contemplation stretching from ear to ear. Pure bliss!

Hi Franck

Regarding safety, some friends just got back from Hurghada where they go diving several times a year. They were really surprised by how few people were around, in the streets. The Egyptians told them that hotels were trying to scare customers with the tense situation in the Middle East so they’d book excursions through them...

What’s been holding me back from the destination so far is the fear of being constantly hassled and that it’d ruin the enjoyment of being there.

Quick question for Flo: would she feel comfortable doing the same kind of trip with just a friend in terms of safety and hassles? (Not an invitation—I already have my travel buddy! 😏 Though it could be fun since she seems to adapt really easily 😉)

I'm also interested in the answers to your questions ;) The constant (and especially insistent) solicitations really spoil the fun of traveling :/

Hello Franck

Regarding safety, some friends just got back from Hurghada where they go diving several times a year. They were really surprised by how few people were around, in the streets. The Egyptians told them that hotels were trying to scare customers with the tense situation in the Middle East so they’d book excursions through them...

What’s held me back so far is the fear of being constantly hassled and it ruining the enjoyment of being there.

Quick question for Flo: would she feel comfortable doing the same kind of trip with just a friend in terms of safety and hassle? (Not an invitation—I already have the friend! 😏 Though it could be fun since she seems to adapt really easily 😉)

We were hardly hassled at all during our two weeks in Egypt. My reasoning is simple: We always tried to avoid touristy areas and times. We visited the most famous sites as early as possible!

As a result, we never felt unsafe, and Flo says she would’ve gone without any problem with a friend. Though she might’ve had a different answer if I’d taken her on a more "classic" tour...

I'm also interested in the answers to your questions ;) Constant (and especially insistent) solicitations also ruin my travel experience :/

I’m allergic to them too, and these situations can really spoil the vibe of a day—or even an entire trip. Keeping a smile and politely refusing with a bit of humor usually helps defuse the pushy solicitation... until the next one...

On the other hand, I tell myself it’s a shame to avoid a country because of that. Let’s just say you’ve got to be prepared before you go... I’m starting to work on that for my upcoming Senegal/Gambia trip in February...

February 18 - Day 10

First night spent on the plush mattresses of our boat... and all in all, it was a pretty decent night! I wake up at dawn and want to enjoy the soft morning light gliding over the Nile and its banks, still drowsy from the night’s chill. Alone, I wander instinctively, making my way through the vegetation as best I can, naturally drawn toward any signs of life. Here, a few cows surprised to meet their first tourist. There, a young fisherman pulling in his nets. More suspended moments...











Back from my photo hunt, the boat is waking up too and getting ready to set sail for Daraw—a stop I’ve been looking forward to since it hosts the morning livestock market, where all the local farmers gather.





Clearly, we’re off the beaten path. The beaten path—I don’t know if you’ve seen it, but it’s over there, while we’re here, at the complete opposite of the image your subconscious conjured up when you heard "Daraw livestock market," a tiny rural town lost in the middle of 21st-century Egypt!

Day 10 (continued)

First impression stepping out of our tuk-tuk: we’re closer to the vibe of Woodstock than Rungis! What a buzz! On a huge vacant lot, it’s bustling, jostling, and shouting in a rough, all-male environment where people and animals mix and mingle. The game for us is to weave our way through this cultural melting pot while keeping an eye out for the alarm signal a cow might send by lifting its tail. Watch out—poop alert!





Here, the stars are sorted by neighborhood: cows on one side, sheep and goats on the other, ending with the camel section. Add a few Egyptians riding donkeys, and you’ve got a beautiful mess that seems chaotic at first glance but is pure authenticity for us.



Okay, the scene’s set—and dusty—but I should point out that some of the animals here look in rough shape, treated... like livestock. Sensitive souls, look away. Frightened, tied-up, skinny, even beaten animals...



Now, let’s talk about our interactions with the locals. Plenty of them, mostly friendly, sprinkled with lots of “Welcome” and requests for selfies. Though, I’ll admit, at times we felt like we were the oddities being stared at. And fair enough—we were the only pale faces in the crowd.



Not to mention there weren’t any other women hanging around in niqabs, and I had three guys as bodyguards—no niqabs in sight!

After stopping by the fruit and vegetable market, we set off north again, pushed by the god Aeolus. Except Aeolus is a Greek mythology god who stayed put over there! Translation: We’re moving at the slow, silent pace of the Nile’s flow... So much so that our planned trip to Mango Island looks pretty unlikely, and the afternoon turned into chatting, reading, and writing in the sun while sipping liters of hibiscus tea. The good life! I’m tucking all these chill moments into my happiness stash to dip into whenever I need a boost between trips...

All of this sounds so exciting!

The livestock market is really cool! 😛

Your method is a bit too rustic for me, but who cares about the means as long as we get the thrill! Sailing on the Nile is still just as magical.

That all sounds so tempting!

Go for it, you won’t regret it!

The livestock market was really cool! 😛

Your method is a bit too rustic for me, but hey, "the vessel doesn’t matter as long as you’re drunk"! It’s still just as magical sailing on the Nile.

Roots vibes but with comfort and three people at our beck and call. Such amazing memories that keep coming up in our conversations!

I don’t know where the "roots" vibe starts and ends, but when it comes to a "cruise," a felucca seems really comfortable to me. I did something similar in Indonesia with my wife and our 6- or 7-year-old son, and it was way more "roots"! Anyway, your trip is super original and has given me some ideas for my next stay in Egypt—a country I know very little about, except for the Sinai.

I don’t know where the "roughing it" part starts and ends, but when it comes to "cruising," the felucca seems really comfortable. I did something similar in Indonesia with my wife and our 6- or 7-year-old son, and it was way more "roughing it"! Anyway, your trip is super original and has given me some ideas for my next stay in Egypt—a country I barely know except for the Sinai.

Was your Indonesia cruise in Flores? Glad our adventure is inspiring you! The next part should be right up your alley too... 😉

The "cruise" started from Bali, with a stopover in Lombok before heading to Komodo, staying in a beachfront guesthouse surrounded by deer and monitor lizards... It was on a motorized raft equipped with a sail. No mattresses—just mats in the hold next to the engine, with the added bonus of diesel fumes. Engine failure at night, we drifted, and then boarded an overloaded dinghy that nearly capsized. It was pitch black, and if we’d sunk, we wouldn’t have known which way to swim to reach the shore! In short, not very reassuring.

February 19 - Day 11

"I’m Mohamedstic, squadron leader of the thousand mosquitoes who, drawn by the early evening light, crashed the little party organized for the four French folks on the lower deck of their felucca! All you can eat! We’re having a blast on their sweet, white skin! ... Though, no need to join us—they just ditched us in a hurry to migrate under the stars on the upper deck in the open breeze, selfishly keeping us from following them... Game over..."

After the first two hours with a spicy kick, the rest of the night was sweet sweet, a little closer to the stars. And like yesterday, the sunrise brings golden colors to the banks of the Nile, especially since this time I’m with my favorite travel buddy!









Breakfast on the terrace, morning ablutions, and we set off on a leg-stretching hike that leads us to the Silsileh site, which served as a sandstone quarry for some of the temples in Luxor. There are also a few tombs and temples with a direct view of the Nile.



Let’s not kid ourselves—it’s a secondary site in ancient Egypt, but we enjoy wandering freely with a sense of discovery.

Day 11 (continued)

Originally, I’d also wanted this stop to keep walking in the desert, specifically in Wadi El-Chot. Except this wadi—who knows why—is now closed to tourist wanderings. Except the tourists we are don’t see any official sign banning access. Except the tourists we are don’t see any guard at the start of the hike to block our way. Except the gullible tourists we are will innocently pretend to get lost and accidentally end up in Wadi El-Chot without realizing it. The nice police officers won’t actually throw four poor little French tourists in jail for that, right?... Inshallah... Anyway, we stroll through the half-sandy, half-rocky wadi without running into a soul... Surprise—on our way back to Silsileh, a guard is now on duty and blocking access for other would-be rule-breakers. He watches us arrive. I look at him. He’s figured out that I’ve figured out that he’s figured it out. He gives me a nasty disapproving look. I bravely look away. Hostilities over. Wadi El-Chot, checked off!





Back on our felucca, we resume our normal routine of hard daily grind as we wait for our next stop, still heading a bit farther north. This time, it’s the island and fishing and farming village of Bisaw.





The colorful village is very poor, but the surrounding scenery is paradise. The locals go about their business in a "Caribbean" vibe. Smiles are everywhere. The eternal philosophical question comes back: Are the people here, with their limited means, ultimately happier than us, who have everything but live in stress and grayness? Hand in your papers—you’ve got four hours!







Anyway, we take the hour and a half we’re given on this island to soak in this way of life. We explore its alleys, banana groves, palm groves, lush shaded gardens, crossing a bunch of rickety little bridges over irrigation canals. The sun filters through the vegetation, water trickles, birds chirp, kids play in the dust, cows smile at us. We’re completely connected... to another reality... to another rhythm of life...





What comes next is much less cheerful—since the late afternoon is approaching, we’ll have to say goodbye to the three adorable crew members who’ve taken such good care of us over these three days. Thank you, Dizil; thank you, Amad; thank you, Bihahel—you were amazing! I had high expectations for this "felucca" experience. I’ll speak for all four of us in saying it exceeded every one of them and will stay as one of the strongest moments of our Egyptian adventure. A huge special thanks to Kamel (from Kamel Amun Tours), who was my dedicated contact for all the logistics, handled with great care. If you’re feeling the urge to step out of your comfort zone a bit, I highly recommend it. But the end of this adventure doesn’t mark the end of our trip itself! Make room now for the ancient capital of the kingdom! Let’s head to Luxor!

February 20 - Day 12

A trip to Egypt without stopping by Luxor? Unthinkable—this former capital of the pharaohs, better known in its time as Thebes, is mind-blowing with its sheer density of hieroglyphs per square meter! The Valley of the Kings, Karnak, the Temple of Hatshepsut, Medinet Habu, the Temple of Amun, the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Nobles, and so many more! These sites sound like sweet promises of retina-exploding beauty that only our wildest, most ecstatic dreams could match. So, no time to relax or unwind at our guesthouse on Luxor’s west bank—the alarm clock goes off in our heads at five a.m. again! At that hour, every morning, the city wakes up for some aerodynamic action: flying over the surrounding countryside and some of the sites mentioned above... in a hot-air balloon!

If you’ve already wandered around Luxor, you know this is a must-do. If you’ve never heard of it, let me tell you—it’s arguably the best place in the world for the experience, not just for the stunning landscapes you’ll see, but also for its unbeatable value for money! And we’re not the only ones in the know—every morning at dawn, not one, not two, not ten, but over fifty hot-air balloons take off, each carrying around twenty people. Yep, quick math: that’s over a thousand people taking to the skies at the same time!!



But what a spectacle! What a ballet! What a setting! What a divinely choreographed performance, orchestrated with millimeter precision! Sorry, I don’t have the right words or superlatives to describe this moment—the photos speak for themselves...







"I’m not running away, I’m flying, you see—I’m flying... Without smoke, without alcohol, I’m flying." And in our basket, complete silence. No one dares to break these magical moments, barely disturbed by the sound of the burner keeping us magically afloat.





Forty minutes! That’s how long our high-altitude cruise lasts, as we glide over the Valley of the Nobles and the farmlands of the Nile Valley. The cherry on top? A thrilling low flyby right past the Temple of Medinet Habu at the end of the ride, followed by a super-smooth landing. Wow!

Day 12 (continued)

We recover from our adventures over a hearty breakfast on the terrace of our hotel before resuming our sightseeing—this time from the back of camels and, more precisely, on tuk-tuks with the 72nd Mohamed of our trip at the handlebars!



Our strategy to avoid the crowds and optimize our movements first takes us to the Temple of Hatshepsut, one of the few women to have earned the title of pharaoh. The temple built in her honor is massive and stands out especially for its setting, nestled at the foot of an imposing white mountain. Inside, however, it’s quite understated and, in my opinion, a bit *too* well restored.





Cutting through the mountains, we head straight to the Valley of the Nobles—aka the Swiss-cheese mountain! Here, it’s all about the tombs of high-ranking officials from the pharaonic era, carved right into the rock. There are so many people buried here that we end up playing tomb-ola! We opted for entry tickets to the tombs of Rakhmire, Senefer, Ushat, Khaemhat, and Ramose. But the first afterlife portal we stumble upon is the eternal home of Menna—a tomb we *hadn’t* originally picked, but with its lock left open and no guard in sight to demand our precious pass. This legal loophole lets us utter the magic words: *Open sesame!* We step into the beast’s lair, ready to turn into the Ali Baba family and the four gate-crashers if needed. Anyway, I don’t know if it’s the *relative* freebie factor, but this tomb is *totally* worth the detour! That said, let’s settle it now—the most stunning one, in our opinion, is Senefer’s. Absolutely breathtaking!







Sticking to our temple-tomb rotation, we descend the mountain—not on horseback, but on foot—to visit the Ramesseum, the temple dedicated to Ramses II. Him *again*. Here, it’s less flashy than Abu Simbel. A more intimate temple where we’re the only guests of the king of pharaohs.

Day 12 (continued)

Come on, life’s short and the world’s huge, so we’re diving underground again—this time in the Valley of the Artisans, Deir el-Medina. It’s a site that’s off the mass-tourism radar, and I’m not complaining! This place is a real gem. After studying interior design with a specialization in pharaohs’ tombs at university, the apprentice artisans would move to this village for life, keeping their destination a secret. The location of the nearby Valley of the Kings and Queens, where they worked, was strictly confidential.



And since they didn’t have social media back then, they spent their free time digging and decorating their own tombs! And they didn’t skimp on the colors—top marks with honors for Sennutem’s tomb! Too bad the guards get creative to squeeze a few bills out of you at every visit. "I’ll light up the tomb ceiling with a mirror... Mister, tips... I’ll tell you Thutmose III was a fan of wet-sand sculpture... More tips... I’ll flash my three and a half teeth at you... Tips tips tips... You gotta cough up, you gotta pay, no way you’re getting out of here without shelling out—we’re the brothers who rap everything..."





We want more. How about you? Want to keep running around cemeteries and temples with us? Okay, so we cross the abandoned and off-limits village of El Gouna, get scolded on the way out, pretend not to understand, and finally arrive at the Temple of Medinet Habu, dedicated to Ramses III—the very one we saw from the air earlier this morning.



Let’s not joke about my love for Medinet Habu—I’m adding it to my top temples list in just five minutes! The old guy’s got 3,500 years on the clock, but its preservation and the vibrancy of its colors are absolutely extraordinary. We wander around, noses in the air, our imaginations transported to a distant era, putting off our goodbyes until closing time...







The day stretches on forever, and it’s far from over since we’ve just been invited to dinner tonight with an Egyptian couple, Kamel and Amira, who organized our felucca adventure. A huge thank you to them because, from our arrival to our departure, we’ve been treated like pharaohs. A perfect ending to another thrilling and enriching day of adventure.