A Nubian village by boat
Up the Nile past the granite islands to Gharb Soheil, for tea in a Nubian family's painted house.
- Where
- Gharb Soheil, on the Nile's west bank near Aswan
- Proposed length
- About 3–4 hours, best in the afternoon
- Needs
- None
The story
Aswan sits at the First Cataract, where Egypt's southern frontier once ran (Wikipedia). Upstream, Nubian villages such as Gharb Soheil keep their painted houses and their language.
It is one of Aswan's most visited afternoons, and one of its most mixed in reviews: travellers love the boat and the homes, and dislike shopping stops and crocodiles kept for photographs. We arrange a family home, not a shop, and skip the animal stops.
Our judgement: Most boats go to the same shops. We go to a home, and tell you honestly what the village has become.
What happens
- Board a motorboat in Aswan and ride upstream past the islands of the First Cataract.
- Land at Gharb Soheil and walk its lanes of painted houses.
- Take tea in a Nubian family's home and hear about the villages that were moved when the High Dam flooded Nubia.
- Return downriver as the light goes.
A proposed shape, not a fixed programme. The host sets the order on the day.
What it asks of you
An easy boat ride and a short walk on sand and uneven lanes. Shoulders and knees covered are respectful in the village.
- Minimum age
- All ages
- Best season
- Year-round; afternoons are best, and summer is very hot
What we confirm before you go
- A licensed boat with life jackets
- A family home visit, with no shopping stop built in
- No stops to photograph caged or captive animals
- Timing that returns you before dark
Where it fits
More in city & people
Ask us
Ask about “A Nubian village by boat”
Tell us your dates, where you will be and who is coming. We confirm the host, the timing, the price for your party and the terms before anything is booked.
Sources and review
Reviewed on by Deluxe Trips Egypt. Facts are attributed to their sources; where we give a judgement, we say so. Arranged on request; we confirm every detail before anything is booked.
Photo: Warren LeMay, CC0
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