Spending the Night in the Middle of the Nile in a Felucca Cruise Boat | Egypt Travel Blog: Day 4 (Part 34) 03D19

Egypt Travel Blog: 10 DAYS Egypt Explorer - Felucca Cruise & Red Sea

Felucca Sailing Cruise on the Nile Under the Stars – Part 5 | Aswan

After leaving the Nile’s sandy bank, our felucca started to move slowly. The cook almost finished cooking and other crew members started to arrange the food in the middle of the cushions. There were many items, just like lunch. They even cooked some specialty foods for those who were vegetarians, but we could eat from any of the dishes.

Taste wise, I couldn’t describe how delicious they were. I was blown away. There were desserts after dinner and drink options such as soft drinks, tea, coffee, or beer. I stuck with water only.

After eating, the boat was moving slowly and I was enjoying the moments and scenery after sunset on the Nile. I will likely never have another opportunity to enjoy such sights again. There was a white light far off in the distance and we were supposed to anchor close to it for the night in the middle of the Nile.

As soon as it was dark enough outside, the crew started to prepare the beds for the night. A canvas shade was pulled around, covering the whole boat, retaining heat and keeping us safe from mosquitos and bugs. We all settled in our spots with our blankets and pillows for a good night’s sleep.

However, it was a huge problem for me. It was just past 8:00 PM and sleeping that early was not in the cards for me. I brushed my teeth with bottled water, washed my face and stayed awake for another couple hours in the dark.

The quietness, pitch-black dark Nile (with some visible city lights far away) at night and the stars above made the whole environment feel unreal. I was immensely emerged in that moment and sensing every moment of the night.

It was getting chillier fast, which was a stark contrast with the desert heat in the daytime. I had to layer up with a sweater, although I had blankets. I was surprised that I was able to sleep that early, but woke up a couple of times before dawn.

It got even colder around 2:00 AM, which was hard to believe the weather in desert areas can fluctuate so rapidly. I lifted up the canvas to feel outside and yes, it was a lot colder than inside our felucca. We would leave the boat in the morning to Kom-Ombo.