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| Photo by Mirko Freund |
The Nubian flag flaps in the wind funneling up the River Nile. Sitting near the flag of his ancient roots, Faird leans heavily into a thick wooden rudder, turning the 14-foot felucca to the left.
“It’s really heavy. Do you want to try?” he
asks timidly.
I politely decline, noting I’d likely end
up in the Nile if I’m in charge of steering the traditional Egyptian sailboat
slowly zig-zagging down the longest river in the world. The open-deck boat blanketed
with colourful cushions is my home for the next 24 hours, along with nine other
people exploring ancient Egypt with Intrepid Travel.
Boarding the felucca in the southern city
of Aswan, I’m treated with a snapshot of daily life along the Nile. Lanky palm
trees line the riverbank that’s sprinkled with small crops, livestock and mud-brick
homes in Nubian villages. A golden sea of sand looms in the distance.
The Nile is an oasis in a country covered by desert and a peaceful retreat from the chaos of Egyptian roads.
“The River Nile is the source of life,”
says my Intrepid Travel guide Ahmed Mostafa, noting 95 per cent of Egypt’s
population lives along the Nile. “We call the river the backbone of Egypt and
it’s a gift from the gods. The Egyptians still worship it.”
Wandering around the massive Pyramids of
Giza the next day is surreal. The largest pyramid rises nearly 500 feet and has
stood tall for some 4,500 years. How humans could build such a colossal
structure back then is baffling. But I soon realize Egypt has much more to
offer than just the famous pyramids.
Being here feels like stepping back in
time. Being in Luxor feels like stepping into another world.
Home to 5,000 tombs and over 40 per cent of
Egypt’s temples, including Karnak (believed to be the largest religious site in
the world), Luxor is an open air museum that has ruins scattered across the
west bank.
Buried under the shadow of a pyramid-shaped
peak looming over an isolated valley are 64 tombs, 26 of which belong to the
most famous kings and some queens. This is the Valley of the Kings. Some tombs
are 3,500 years old. The deepest is 210 metres.
“Ancient Egyptians believed second life
after death was a better life and only good people go there, so they prepared
very well for this journey and buried with them in the tomb everything they may
need,” says Ahmed. “When you look around the mountain, you see how they cut in
the tombs and covered it all to be hidden from people. It is a perfect tomb for
a perfect life.”
Walking into some of the lengthy tombs, I’m
astounded by the walls coated with colourful hieroglyphs – the formal writing
system used by ancient Egyptians for nearly 4,000 years. Elaborate scenes depicting
the journey to the second life are further down inside the tomb. I try to make
sense of what I’m seeing. Soaking in all the details is overwhelming.
Among the uncomfortable moments are also memorable
ones like feasting on delicious, cheap local food, and strolling along the
corniche in Luxor where I catch the attention of several young girls. Delighted
to see a blonde woman in a predominantly Muslim world, they smile at me and
giggle, then ask to take a photo. I feel like a celebrity.
IF YOU GO:
Intrepid’s 15-day Explore Egypt tour
consists of sailing on the Nile in a traditional felucca, spending a night in a
Nubian home, exploring the cities of Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria and Cairo, and a
day of snorkeling in the Red Sea. For more information visit https://www.intrepidtravel.com/ca/egypt/explore-egypt-144573
WATCH VIDEO: Sailing through the desert on a felucca
WATCH VIDEO: The Pyramids of Giza and temples in Aswan
WATCH VIDEO: Exploring Luxor, the world's greater outdoor museum
