Nubian Village Trip by Motorboat in Aswan

Aswan, Egypt

Discover village life on the Nubian Nile on this 3-hour motorboat cruise from Aswan to Gharb Soheil village. Along the journey, you'll see the Aswan Botanic Garden, Saloga, Ghazal, and Elephantine islands, the Old Cataract Hotel, the First Cataract of the Nile, and the Nilometer and Temple of Khnum. At Gharb Soheil, you'll meet a Nubian family, explore a brightly colored Nubian village, and visit a traditional market.

Choose from a range of morning and afternoon departures for this 3-hour cruise: whatever time you choose, your representative will collect you from your hotel or cruise ship on or before that time for the short drive to the Nile jetty. (Exact timings will be confirmed on booking.)

Hop aboard your motorboat, relax on the soft cushions, and enjoy the fresh Nile breezes as your guide points out the major landmarks as you journey south of Aswan. You'll see the Tombs of the Nobles, where ancient Egyptian aristocrats were buried, the Aga Khan Mausoleum, and the St. Simeon Monastery.

Admire the different styles of island in the Nile: the lush Aswan Botanic Garden, and the protected Saloga and Ghazal islands. On some islands, you'll see scenes that have not changed in centuries: camels, donkeys, cows, water buffalo, birds, and fishermen and farmers going about their daily life.

You'll pass the First Cataract of the Nile to arrive at Gharb Soheil, a village on the west bank of the Nile near the Aswan Low Dam. Here, meet a Nubian family and learn about their simple lifestyle and rich culture and traditions. Enjoy the natural ventilation that floods these brilliantly colored houses with their plain sand floors as you sit and drink tea, Egyptian coffee, or the hibiscus flower tea Egyptians call karkade.

Your guide will lead you through the village and show you to the market. Besides handmade cotton scarves, you'll see a rich variety of spices and herbs, and meet friendly, hospitable Nubians.

After your village tour, you'll sail back to Aswan. Along the way, look out for the Nile eddies and rapids, and the grand Old Cataract Hotel: this is where Agatha Christie wrote her famous book, Death on the Nile. Your guide will point out the ruins of the Temple of Khnum on Elephantine Island, and the Nilometer that used to measure the height of Nile floods.

After three hours, two of them on the boat, you'll return to the jetty and transfer back to your hotel in Aswan.