Nile Cruise – Day 1

On Saturday morning, I take one last walk around Elephantine Island and then return by ferry to the east bank of the Nile. After a slight delay, the tour company’s transfer picks us up to take us to the Nile cruise ship. However, we don’t get there right away. First, the remaining tourists are collected, and then we sit in the minibus for about an hour waiting while the driver goes to pray—and who knows where else.

Eventually, we are taken to the dock and board a ship. But it isn’t ours. We walk through that vessel and step onto the next one. Still not ours. Only the fourth ship turns out to be our boat—the Opera.

The ship remains docked for a couple more hours while other passengers board. Throughout this time, thick black smoke pours from the engines of our ship and the three adjacent ones. Finally, the ship leaves the dock, moves a few hundred meters, and then floats in the same spot in the middle of the Nile for another hour or two. Only at dusk does it finally begin sailing.

The Nile is crowded with cruise ships, and all day long they emit heavy black exhaust. As a result, the entire valley is covered in a smog filled with the smell of fumes, which slightly diminishes what would otherwise be a very special experience for me.

In the dark, we make our first stop and, despite the hordes of vendors, walk to the illuminated Kom Ombo temple complex. The temple is dedicated to two gods—the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon god Horus. Architecturally, Kom Ombo is unique for its symmetrical layout, with two almost identical sides. The temple dates back to the Ptolemaic dynasty (3rd century BC).

The complex consists of a vestibule, a forecourt, sanctuaries, and various inner courtyards. Its walls are carved with hieroglyphs and reliefs depicting myths, gods, medical instruments, and daily rituals. Lit up at night, it looks truly magnificent.