There is a gentle way to retrace the course of this royal river and that of Egyptian history. To discover a living, nurturing Nile. To soak up the languid atmosphere of Agatha Christie's novels: by sailing on a dahabieh. Slowly and silently.
These two-masted sailing ships, so popular with travellers in the nineteenth century, are once again attracting many cruise passengers in search of intimacy, calm and refinement.
From Luxor to Aswan, her white sails blown by the northerly wind, the Nile Flâneuse glides peacefully over the green waters, between sandbanks and seagrass beds where grey herons and egrets lay their eggs.
We embark at Esna, after visiting the temples of Karnak and Luxor and taking a stroll around the city.
Edfu, Kom Ombo and Aswan await us.
On board, the atmosphere is hushed. Time flies by, with an extreme lightness. Between siestas on deck and meals expertly prepared by an outstanding chef, you almost wish you could freeze time.
Palm trees, sugar cane fields, canals, hawk fishermen, rush cutters, washerwomen, the heart of the Nile beats to the rhythm of all these tiny lives, the same as 6000 years ago.
In the evening, La Flâneuse docks on a riverbank or on an island. A table is set on the bank for a candlelit, moonlit barbecue. You sip mint tea or karkadeh, an infusion of hibiscus flowers, in the half-light. You sink into a gentle torpor, lulled by the lapping of the water. Moments of shared emotion when a sailor begins to play the nay, a reed flute that usually sets the rhythm of the whirling dervishes. A shiver of happiness, the rustle of a night bird's wings. Rapture has its paths!
HOW TO GET THERE
Voyageurs du Monde offers the Nile Valley aboard a steamer, the Steam Ship Sudan between Luxor and Aswan, and Lake Nasser by dahabieh. One trip, but two cruises! This trip allows you to visit the most beautiful monuments of Antiquity and reach Abu Simbel by river.
Travel advice
Since 2011, travellers, particularly the French, have been deserting Egypt, leaving the Germans, English and Asians with the privilege of having the Valley of the Kings to themselves. The murderous attack in Giza in December will not improve the situation for tourism in Egypt. Admittedly, there is a chronic terrorist threat in the country, but it also exists in France. You should be aware, however, that the Egyptian army is omnipresent in the yellow zones, particularly along the Nile and near tourist areas.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs card : Travel advice
