OPTIONAL ASWAN EXTENSION
Day 8 – Journey South to Aswan & Felucca Dreams
After a week of riding beautiful Arabian horses through temples, valleys, and timeless villages, it’s time to gently part from our four-legged friends and continue the adventure south to Aswan
Arriving in Aswan, the landscape changes – the Nile widens, framed by golden granite boulders and lush islands. This has long been the gateway to Nubia, a land of warmth, colour, and living traditions.
That evening, step aboard a traditional felucca sailing boat. With its billowing white sail and timeless wooden frame, the felucca has glided across the Nile since Pharaonic times. As the sun sinks low, casting golden light across the river, you’ll drift into tranquillity, dining under the stars and sleeping to the gentle lap of water against the hull.
Overnight: Felucca, Aswan
Day 9 – Abu Simbel & Nubian Encounters
This morning begins with an extraordinary journey further south, across desert landscapes that lead to the mighty temples of Abu Simbel. Hewn from solid rock over 3,000 years ago, these colossal monuments to Pharaoh Ramses II and his beloved queen Nefertari are among Egypt’s greatest treasures. The sheer scale of the seated statues, their gaze fixed eternally across the sands, is humbling — and the story of their rescue and relocation during the building of the Aswan High Dam is a marvel of modern archaeology.
After the visit, we return to Aswan for a local lunch, savouring the flavours of Upper Egypt.
As the day cools, the Nile calls once more. This time, we sail to a Nubian village, a place alive with colour and tradition. Houses are painted in bright blues and ochres, children’s laughter fills the alleys, and warm smiles welcome you into homes that pulse with music, spices, and stories. The Nubians are Egypt’s oldest civilisation, guardians of a culture shaped by the river, and sharing an evening with them offers a connection far beyond sightseeing.
The night closes back on the felucca, rocked gently to sleep by the Nile’s timeless current.
Overnight: Felucca, Aswan
Day 10 – Aswan Treasures & Farewell Flight
Our final morning is devoted to exploring Aswan’s jewels. The sacred Temple of Philae, dedicated to the goddess Isis, rests gracefully on an island in the Nile — a temple so loved that it was rescued stone by stone from the rising waters. Its carvings glow with sunlight, whispering stories of devotion and magic.
You may also see the Unfinished Obelisk, lying silent in its granite quarry, offering a rare glimpse into ancient craftsmanship; or stroll along the riverside corniche, where feluccas drift and spice merchants call from the souk.
Aswan has a serenity all its own — golden light, palm-fringed banks, and the sense that time is suspended between desert and river. After soaking up these final impressions, we transfer for the evening flight (normally to Cairo, around 7:00 PM).
It’s a graceful farewell, closing your Egyptian journey with the memory of temples, traditions, and the eternal Nile.
✨ Highlights at a Glance
- Sail the Nile on a traditional felucca – dine and sleep under the stars as travellers have done for millennia.
- Stand in awe at Abu Simbel – colossal temples carved into rock by Ramses II and Nefertari.
- Enjoy authentic southern Egyptian flavours – lunch with local ingredients and family recipes.
- Meet the Nubians – experience vibrant painted villages, music, and warm hospitality.
- Discover Aswan’s treasures – from the sacred island temple of Philae to the ancient Unfinished Obelisk.
- Absorb the serene beauty of Aswan – golden light, wide Nile waters, and palm-fringed islands.
