RIVER CRUISING
energised than challenging the Egyptian guide to a game of dominoes. Overnights during the passage along the 135-mile course of the Nile from Luxor to Aswan and vice versa are spent in secluded moorings, often beside small farmsteads. As the sun sinks towards the western horizon, small fi shing boats return with their catch of Nile perch or catfi sh, while the braying of donkeys and the atmospher- ic Muezzin call to prayer fi lls the air. Bypassing the landing stages where a
charivari of larger Nile cruisers have to moor – often up to four deep – a voyage
aboard a Dahabiyya allows passengers to experience this quixotic river and enjoy vignettes of a lifestyle that has little changed since biblical times.
I must admit to a bout of a shameful sen-
sation of shadenfreude as I sat on the open deck aboard Amber watching an endless procession of glitzy river cruisers plying their cargo of tourists at speed along the Nile.
that surely would have not been unknown in Pharaonic times. All around our serene halcyon, a band of lush green jungle on the fl at banks revealed date palms towering over glossy banana plantations, eucalyptus and tamarisk groves. Above it all, pushing into an indigo-
A
blue sky, was the vast saffron expanse of the Sahara, its rolling hills broken by ochre and cream limestone cliffs. Another tangible benefi t of sailing aboard a Dahabiyya is that visits to the tombs and temples are often made when the tourist throngs have departed. The only downside to this is you are easy prey for souvenir sellers – young men who offer goods you don’t really want at prices that bear no relation to their value. Haggling is a way of life and some of
my fellow travellers bought scarves and galabayehs (traditional full-length smocks); soapstone scarab beetles, lapis lazuli neck- laces and mother-of-pearl boxes; and a myr- iad of T-shirts displaying either a cartouche or an ankh – the traditional symbol of life, the most sacred of all for ancient Egyptians. Any visit to Egypt can often feel like
time-travelling, and sailing on a Dahabiyya 80 WORLD OF CRUISING I Summer 2010
s we bobbed in their wake, the isosceles sails fore and aft glided us along at a more leisurely pace, one
only heightens that sensation. These six days of rapturous serendip- ity and ineffable antiquity drifting back in time are now etched in my memory. Surely even Herodotus would have diffi culty describing this experience?
FACT FILE Dahabiyya
The two principal offerings for Dahabiyya cruises are from TROPICAL SKY and BALES WORLDWIDE.
Luxury operator Tropical Sky specialise in Egypt and Nile Cruising and offer a wide range of possibilities for both land stays and river voyages, featuring the deluxe Dahabiyya style.
Bales offer an 8- and 12-night itinerary (the 12-night tour includes British Airways fl ights, rather than the shorter one which uses fl ights by Bmi).
All transportation, accommodation, meals, sightseeing, tipping and the services of a guide are included. The water on board is double-fi ltered and the food is prepared fresh to ensure there’s no incidence of gyppy tummy.
In winter months, nights can be chilly and morning sailings against the wind can be downright cold. However, the day-time is more temperate and not as stifl ing as the summer heat, which can be enervating.
More info: Tropical Sky, call 0845 543 2187 or visit
www.tropicalsky.
co.uk; Bales Worldwide, 0845 057 0600 or
www.balesworldwide.com/ nile-cruise.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92