Nile Kayaking: challenge accepted

CAIRO – 18 June 2017: Kayaking with the natural flow of water from Aswan to Luxor gives a real experience of nature as it is. Appreciating the view, being able to touch the water and maybe swim occasionally.

Touching the rocks and passing by the diversity of birds who have made the islands on the Nile their home is definitely worth it.


Kayaking team with locals and goats - Wael Sherif


Because there is no way better than viewing the pharaohs’ history along the Nile than doing it their way. Kayaking is thought to be one of the oldest sports in the world.

A group of fit young people, thriving to have fun and thinking outside of the box decided to enjoy it a bit differently. They loaded a big boat with their kayaks and accepted the challenge to row along the coast of the Nile starting from Aswan to Luxur for eight hours a day for five days.


A team member posing with a local buffalo - Wael Besheer

The kayakers had a boat accompanying them carrying many essentials such as their sleeping bags, offering them meals, a portable shower room and first aid when needed.


Kayaking team at a temple during the stops - Wael Besheer

“The trip starts from Gharb Sohail – Nuba – Aswan till Luxor,” Said Wael, an experienced kayaker and coach of the trip, told Egypt Today.

“The total distance is 200 kilometers but the kayaking distance is roughly 125 kilometers spread over five days. Kayaks are being transferred from Cairo to Aswan via a truck prior to the trip.

Kayaks are being loaded onto our support boat then into the water every day. The season spans from November until March.”


A team member with a watermelon - Wael Besheer

“It combines all aspects of sport, relaxing, sightseeing, meeting new people,” Wael said. “You see Aswan & Luxor from a different view and enjoy the clear Nile water with the option to swim.

You meet very kind people with a very high level of hospitality. We are kind of flexible when it comes to making stops and enjoying the ride. You can challenge yourself.”

Although luxurious hotels offer a good break from everyday life, sleeping under the stars after a long and tiring ride, breathing the aroma of the Nile is an out of this world experience.

It’s always extremely liberating for the soul to meet your needs sparingly and to meet a new person in a new place every day. It is such a soul replenishing trip.


Wael, the coach, with the team in the background - Wael Besheer

The program is as follows:

Day 0: Check-in on NKC boat at 2 pm - start tour briefing while cruising by the Nubian cataracts.

Day 1: Kayak from Aswan to Komombu (Komobmo Temple visit).

Day 2: Kayak from Komombu to Nagaa Hassanein Edfu (El Selsela Temple visit).

Day 3: Kayak from Nagaa Hassanein to As Sibaiyyah (Edfu Temple visit).

Day 4: Kayak from As Sibaiyyah to Armant (Esna temple visit & Crossing Esna by boat).

Day 5: Kayak from Armant to Luxor - check in at ACHTI Resort Luxor.

Day 6: Rest day at ACHTI Resort Luxor with an optional Luxor site-seeing program.

Along the way they make stops by farms, islands & villages to interact with locals.

A good fitness level is required to complete this trip considering that kayaking takes up to 8 hours per day, at a cost of around LE 6,500-14,500 ($400-$800) depending on the boat accompanying the kayaks.

The upcoming Aswan to Luxor trip will take place next November according to Nile Kayak Club’s official Facebook page. Apart from short rides throughout the year in Cairo, Nile Kayak Club hosts several trips from Aswan to Luxor.