Thursday 12 November 2009

Dahabiyya Cruises

Guest blog from travelguru, John Carter

I have just spent a week on "Amber", one of the small dahabiyyas which cruises the Nile, taking a maximum of a dozen passengers to tombs and temples between Aswan and Luxor. It was a delightful experience, in the main, and served, among other things, to convince me that small is, indeed, beautiful when it comes to such excursions. A fleet of 350-plus larger boats is also on that river, running in convoy from one site to another. Far too many vessels carrying far too many passengers (even in tough economic times), so that the aforementioned sites quickly become crowded.
"Amber" runs to a schedule that avoids those other ships, and though it may be a cliche, cruising the way it used to be is really the only way to go. Its leisured approach gives you time to appreciate what you are seeing, to listen to what the experienced guide has to tell you, and relax in excellent company. The service is impeccable, the food very good and the fact that all drinks are included in the price is a welcome bonus. The Egyptian wine is more than passable, though my preference at lunch, especially on returning from a shore excursion, was for the Egyptian beer. A spacious cabin with a comfortable bed, a ferociously efficient shower and very good air conditioning completed the picture.


Any criticism? One gripe I do have, though it is not aimed at "Amber" or her crew. It is that, when one goes ashore, one is pestered by peddlers and stallholders, all selling the same limited range of goods - scarves and guidebooks, jewellery and trinkets. If one doesn't want to buy, their pestering can get out of hand and even verge on the menacing. A lot of people dismiss this as being "..what you have to expect in Egypt..." but it detracts from one's enjoyment of the holiday and demeans the country and its people. I wish the authorities would do something about it.
That apart, I thoroughly recommend the dahabiyya - the Nile's transport of delight.

Watch John's video report on the Dahabiyya experience here

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