Day 21 - Friday November 14, 2025 - Travel to Aswan and Boarding MS Lily

By Ellen Outten
This afternoon we sailed on this sailboat called a Felucca. In the background is our ship, the MS Lilly for the next three nights

We had a 6 am breakfast with luggage out the door at 6:00 am as well.  We boarded our bus at 7 am for the 3 /2 hour ride back to Aswan.  

Before we board our ship, we’ll visit the Nubian museum and take a sailboat ride at 3 pm.  They’re called a Felucca.  They’re traditional wooden boats and have sailed the Nile River for thousands of years using triangular sails and wind power. 

Scenery during the drive most rocks look like pyramids.  This one more like a turtle 

As we drive this Friday, their sabbath, no one works!  All the tractors are parked and you pass truck after truck parked on shoulders.  You see no workers at all.

We crossed the new dam under construction.  When completed, it will increase their fertile soil around the Nile and food production from 5% to 15% for their country.


Our bathroom stop.  Not up to US standards.  10 EGP or approximately. 50 cents for the use.  Wayne held his knees together.  He said his shots weren’t current enough 


Our next stop was at the Nubian museum.  It was built following the UNESCO International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia.

Our guide for this entire trip is a wealth of knowledge. His specialty is archaeological research and hieroglyphics interpretation.  He gets so excited about his subject and there is nothing so far anyone has asked him, that he wasn’t able to answer.  These are some of the photos I took inside.  




The outside of the Nubian Museum 

Statue of King Shabitko who ruled during 700 BC



After the museum, we were taken to our ship and were able to check in to our rooms.  This ship is far more modern than the first one but has no elevator at all.  We were able to get a 2nd floor room while the rest of our group is on the 3rd floor.  The dining room is at level “0” so one less floor to climb is much appreciated.

After a nice lunch, we went for a felucca ride. It was lovely to get out in a sailboat and sail on the Nile.  The sun and breeze were glorious.  These boats are run by Nubians.  They know the waters well and we sailed for about an hour and a half.  

Pictures from our sailing.  
Some of Abu Al-Hawa

We sailed around the island in the Nile , now the Aswan Botanical Gardens, former home of Lord Horatio 
Kitchner, commander of the Egyptian army 

These are ancient tombs and the Ramos built to take away the artifacts found in the tombs

These are camel tracks in the sand.  The sand is the beginning of the Sahara desert 

More of the tombs found


Sailboat similar to ours

They call this Pigeon Rock because of all the birds 

Our guide, Sam, a wealthy of information.  Wayne’s in the right 

He steers the ship with his knee

Can you see the man in the sails 

Under the sun cover on our felluca 

Dinner is at 7:30.  A part of me could sleep through without it




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