Cruise to the land of the Pharaohs (Egypt)

Egypt is a country that my cousin Carine and I wanted to visit since we were children. Indeed, I dream of going there since the fourth grade because my schoolteacher at the time, Madame Malevergne, went there and taught me and my classmates to read and write hieroglyphics.

The prices charged by travel agencies are reasonable for the moment but will soon no longer be so because this destination is returning to fashion; the Arab Spring of 2011 is far away now.




Not willing to travel to this country alone, we went through the travel agency Promovacances in October 2018 to book our stay. We both hate tour packages but we didn't see ourselves travelling to this country unaccompanied. We found a formula including a one-week cruise on the Nile aboard a 4-star boat with full board (no drinks included, they are in the All inclusive package that was not offered to us at the agency but that we could choose once on the boat for 10€ per day) and excursions; there was also the possibility to add optional excursions once overthere. My cousin absolutely wanted to visit the Valley of the Kings, this visit being not included in the formula that interested us, we checked that it was available as an option.

We have chosen to leave at the beginning of February 2019, (from 2 to 9 February) outside school holidays as usual.

Day 1

On the first day, we had an appointment at CDG 3 airport at the check-in counter at 6:30 pm. Our plane took off 40 minutes late (takeoff at 8:40 pm) and we landed in Luxor around 2:30 am (there is 1 hour more in Egypt than in France). The flight attendants and stewarts didn't really have uniforms; they wore jeans, a simple blue top and a white shirt. Food and drinks on board were not free.

Once we arrived in Luxor, we collected our visas, cleared customs and collected our luggage. With my cousin, we bought a SIM card of 8 GB for 15 euros in order to be able to use the Internet throughout the stay (it was out of the question for us to do without Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook because we wanted to keep in touch with our friends and family and also share our travel photos with them). Our two guides, Mohammed Ali and Ihab, picked us up at the exit of the airport and we took a bus to get to the boat (20 minutes trip). The porter who put our luggage in the hold asked everyone for money for each piece of luggage; this was not mandatory, of course. 

Once on the boat, our two guides explained the program of the stay, collected the visa fees (65€ in all: 25€ for the visa and 40€ for the tip of the boat staff) and gave us the keys to our rooms (room 308 for my cousin and me). We had a welcome cocktail with hibiscus juice.

Welcome cocktails

There was also another group of travellers on the boat who arrived on Saturday morning; they were managed by Hussein, the third guide

Day 2

That day, we split into two groups and chose names for these groups; my cousin and I were in the Ramses II group managed by Ihab. The other group, managed by Mohammed Ali, was called "Les Royaux" (Royal), while Hussein's group was "Les Sportifs" (Sportsperson). 

We visited the Temple of Karnak in the morning (we should have visited the Temple of Luxor as well but we were all tired and our guide decided that we would do this visit later in the stay). We went to the temple by bus.

In the afternoon, we were able to discover the floating market of the Nile; sellers on boats approach the boat and brandish scarves, towels and other fabrics. They throw them on the boat for those who want to buy them as well as a kind of pouch in which buyers put their change before relaunching the pouch to the sellers. It was very funny to see because I didn't expect a floating market like this.

In the evening, we had dinner by candlelight on the boat and one of the passengers was treated to a huge cake for his birthday.

After dinner, Carine and I bought our souvenirs on the boat, the seller, Adel, gave us "the best price"; and proved that his items were of good quality. He even hit several of his items against his desk to prove their strength. He explained to us that one day, one of the passengers on the boat came to see him and told him that she thought his prices were high, unlike those in the city. She had bought a statuette for a small fee. Adel took her statuette and placed it in front of a flame to prove to her that it was of very poor quality. Indeed, her statuette began to melt. He gave her a statuette from his shop to comfort her.

It is true that our guide Ihab warned us that we must be very careful in the souvenir shops near tourist places. The items sold there come from China and are of very poor quality. The material used is often plastic.

Day 3

Get up at 6am this morning for a departure at 7am towards the Temple of Edfu. We went to the temple in a carriage (4 per carriage), a 10-minute walk. Our coach driver's name was Mostafa and his horse Rambo. 

The horses did not seem to to be well treated, they were not very fat and some were injured. Their bones were prominent.

On the way back, there was a lot of traffic; it was funny to see donkey carts, horse-drawn carriages, mopeds, cars and even pedestrians "rubbing shoulders with each other" on the road.

We returned for lunch and then in the afternoon we left to go to the Temple of Kob Ombo. On the way to the temple, we met snake charmers who wanted my cousin to sit next to the snakes, but that was out of the question for her. 

After visiting the Temple of Kob Ombo, we went to a museum dedicated to crocodiles, most of which were stuffed. Unfortunately, photos and videos were not allowed inside. Our guide told us that in some temples, you have to pay to take pictures, and it's really not cheap. For example, for people who wanted to visit Abu Simbel the next day, they had to pay 15€ to be able to take pictures.

Then we got back on the boat and had a good cup of tea and cupcakes served on the deck of the boat. It was a good opportunity to sunbathe.

With my cousin, we then went down to the boat's souvenir shop to visit our friend Adel, the store manager. We had a great time with him because he lent us accessories from oriental dancers and we took pictures with him. 

In the evening, after dinner, a Nubian evening was organised on the boat. Dancers and musicians came, there was even a gorilla and a horse, both false of course. 

With Carine, we went to the boat jeweller's to have our two first names (Carine and Laura, Vanessa and Valérie) engraved in hieroglyphs on pendants (30€ for a pendant with both sides engraved). I also ordered one for my mother.

Valérie in hieroglyphs

Vanessa in hieroglyphs

Day 4

This was the busiest day so far. Get up at 6:30 am for a departure at 7:30 am for the Aswan dam. The place itself was not particularly beautiful and was not really worth a visit. Moreover, we stayed there just long enough to take 2 or 3 pictures. 

We then took the bus back to Abu Simbel Perfumes Palace, a shop in which we could feel different flagrances (essential oils and many others) used as a basis in the perfumes we know (YSL, Nina Ricci, Guerlain, etc. ). There was the possibility of buying vials if desired. After the presentation and tasting of a glass of tea, a smiling salesman threw himself at my cousin and I like a vulture would throw himself at his prey. We didn't want to buy anything because the prices were high. We then took the bus to get back on the boat and have lunch. 

For those who had chosen this option, we left in felucca in the afternoon to discover the nature reserves. Magnificent landscape and discovery of several famous buildings such as the famous Sofitel Legend Old Cataract hotel in which the novelist Agatha Christie wrote Death on the Nile. The felucca took us to the camels on which we climbed in order to take a 20-minute walk through the desert. I didn't like this experience at all because I found it wasn't very stable, I was afraid of falling. Moreover, when the camel on which I was perched got up to start the ride, I really thought I was going to fall. It's really high! I don't like taking advantage of an animal to be transported. The walk took us to a Nubian village that we visited on foot. There were plenty of souvenir shops and spices with a thousand and one shimmering colours. We stopped at the house of a friend of our guide Ihab where we were able to see crocodiles and attend a Nubian dance show. There was also the possibility to get a henna tattoo if you wanted for 2€.

Sofitel Legend Old Cataract

We then left the village to go back to the felucca and return to the boat.

When we arrived near the felucca, a little Nubian girl "harassed" us so that we could give her money. Seeing that it didn't work, she went after one of the women in our group who eventually gave way and gave her some coins. Once on the boat, the little girl continued to harass the lady, stroking her arm and play-acting to get more coins. This time, the lady did not give way. The little girl's cinema lasted until the felucca left the village, so for about fifteen minutes.

Just before nightfall, we had a felucca to attend the Philae Sound and Light Show. This was an option to see a one-hour night show dedicated to the goddess Isis. After the show, we came home for dinner.

Day 5

That day, with Carine, we slept in because we didn't want to take the option of visiting the Temple of Abu Simbel. We had to get up really early to leave at 4:45 am. In addition, the bus journey time was 6 hours in total (round trip) for a 2-hour visit. There was also the possibility of going by plane (it was more expensive) but our guide advised us against it. Pass all controls at the airport would have significantly reduced the visit (45 minutes of visit while flying).

So we were able to sleep longer to have breakfast at 8am and go back to bed. Lunch was served around 13:30, the time when those who went to visit Abu Simbel returned.

In the afternoon, we were served tea and cupcakes.

In the evening, there was an oriental show. The majority of the boat's passengers played the game and put oriental clothing on.

After the show, we went out for a walk with Carine and other passengers on the boat. We moved to a terrace and Adel bought us tea and chicha. I think we had to wait at least 30 minutes before we had the chicha and tea (tea bags). At night, there are only men on the street, it's pretty scary. Fortunately, we went out with men from the boat because I don't think it would have been a good idea at all to go out with girls only.

When we got back on the boat, we had to climb the fence to the boat like thieves because the doors were locked.

Day 6

In the morning, on our way to lunch, there was the floating market show.

We visited the Temple of Luxor and a Papyrus factory.

In the evening, oriental show on the boat with a belly dancer and the discovery of the tanoura dance, an Egyptian dance.

Day 7

We woke up early this morning to visit the Temple of Medinet Habu. We then visited an alabaster factory and then the Valley of the Kings (optional visit) which disappointed me. We visited 3 tombs and for each of them, the visit was made in line. It was not possible to take pictures in the Valley of the Kings, it was necessary to pay 15€. My cousin and I still managed to take a few without being noticed. Others were not so lucky and a girl had her phone confiscated.

Alabaster factory

Valley of the Kings

After the Valley of the Kings, we briefly stopped to take a picture of the Colossi of Memnon and then returned to the boat for lunch.

In the afternoon, carriage ride (2 per carriage) in Luxor (optional). Our coach driver was also called Mostafa and his horse Rambo. The coach driver was really friendly and commented the countryside throughout the ride. He would sometimes stop so that pictures could be taken. At one point, a child tried to spit on my cousin. Mostafa immediately turned around to lecture the child who had already fled, of course. 

We then went to the Luxor souk (market), I didn't find it worth the detour. We were constantly harassed by vendors and groups of children looking for coins, it was really annoying.

We returned to the boat to fill out our guide's appreciation form, pay the extras (bar expenses) and collect our passports. Our guide then gave us indications for the next day, the day we returned to France, and we had our last dinner.

Day 8

We left the room and left our luggage on the threshold of the door so that it could be taken down to the ground floor. We all went to lunch and then took the bus to the airport.

At Luxor airport, we pass through the security gates with all our luggage (hand and checked baggage). There are two lines, one for men and one for women. After the gates, we checked our luggage and then went to buy some snacks. Then we went through security gates again. The line for women was much longer than for men. A woman from one of the cruises asked us if we were all going to Paris because she saw that time was flying and was probably afraid of missing her flight. We told her that yes indeed, we were all going to Paris, but that didn't stop her from passing in front of everyone to join her husband. Of course, people started to raise their voices. With the men's line empty, airport staff told us that we could split in two between the two lines. The woman didn't think twice and rushed to the second row making faces at us. People didn't like it at all, nor did my cousin, who made a remark to her. The woman then insulted my cousin by talking to me. Not being at all delighted, I insulted her by telling her that she could have had the courage to insult my cousin to her face and then I talked to my cousin who in turn insulted her. The wife's husband got involved, but it didn't impress my cousin at all, who explained that his wife had no manners and that she didn't have to insult him. The man put his hands on his hips, thinking he was impressing my cousin. A fatal mistake, he had no idea who he was dealing with. She told him that she too could put her hands on her hips. He then replied that he and she did not come from the same world and that she would do better to go back to her boubou. My cousin, really upset, told him that she was a nurse and that given his age, she would soon be cleaning his ass. He replied that there were no Black people in his hospital anyway. So much racism here. My cousin preferred to leave while insulting him rather than do something stupid that she might have regretted. The people around went after the man and he ended up apologizing, but not to my cousin of course. 

This time, the aircraft personnel wore uniforms and we were provided with a meal and drinks at no extra cost.

Additional information and feelings

I didn't find Egypt to be a particularly beautiful country, the landscapes reminded me a lot of the ones we see in reports from countries at war. There is garbage on the streets and the cities are very dusty (probably due to the fact that we are in the desert).

On the other hand, the temples are magnificent. The statues and hieroglyphics carved in stone are so beautiful and perfect that one would wonder how it could have been possible to carve such splendours in the time of the Pharaohs.

Being constantly harassed on tourist sites is really irritating. The salespeople call the girls as follows: "hey, gazelle!"; every time. Some children have only one word in their mouths: "money, money, money, money!". The tips requested each time (carriage ride for example) are also irritating.

Ihab, our guide throughout the stay, was at the top! He gave us a lot of advice and he was very friendly.

About the cruise: everything was great except the food; the dishes were not very varied but still good. The boat staff was really nice, whether it was the jeweller, the souvenir seller, the kitchen staff, the cleaning staff or the reception staff. My cousin and I have made good friends with the jeweller and the souvenir seller. Every day there was a surprise in our room; the cleaning staff was having fun creating sculptures with the towels, it was really funny.

At the beginning of the stay, our guide told us that we should always eat at the same table. We found ourselves at the table of three couples of different ages: two young people of the same age as us, Amid and Laurence (about forty), and Jean-Louis and Josiane (a retired couple). We sympathized with Amid, Laurence, Jean-Louis and Josiane who were really adorable. The funny thing is that Amid and Laurence met at a dating site and have only been together for about 3 months. They went on holiday together only a few days after they met. How funny he could be, Amid, always telling jokes and making Photoshop montages. 

I think my cousin and I will go back together to Egypt, this time to Cairo to see the Giza Pyramids Complex and the Sphinx.