River Nile, Cairo

The Nile River is the longest river on the earth, 6695KM or 4160Miles in length and flowing across many countries in Africa : Burundi, Congo, Eritrea,Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Egypt. The source of Nile River was found in 1858 by A british man, John Hanning Speke in Lake Victoria Nyanza, Burundi. Because of the river`s maximum usage of ancient Egyptian and its part in making The Great Pharoonic Civilization of Egypt, most of the people know that the Nile River is mainly located in Egypt. You may see the Nile River from many main streets of Cairo. You can even take a 5-10minutes walk from Egyptian Museum to the Nile River. Magnificient views in both day and night time.

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Some people may say that the Nile Cruise by the tour agencies wont be nice. I must say that it is an unforgetable night cruise I have ever taken. The price will not be expensive, less than 50LE, and you will see awesome shows after your meal, The Egyptian Belly Dancing!!!! The food itself will be average for me and the desert cakes are super sweet (typical arabic desert). You have to order your drink though. In summary, with less than 50LE, it will be worth with the egyptian belly dancer shows and dining in on floating boat along the Nile River at night. No special warning for the dress codes but you may bring your jackets, the room will be too cold for some people.IT WILL BE GOOD FOR NIGHT CRUISE only.

Make sure you take a trip down the River Nile when you stay in Cairo, You can get a cheap Falucca ride anywhere along the Nile, normally costs around 20 Egyptian Pounds. It is great after a hectic day out in the pyramid area & looking at all the tourist sites.

Its a nice relaxing day & you can sunbathe on the boat & enjoy the beautiful views as you go along. And its an excellent location to get some good photos.

Old Cairo can be reached by the riverbuses that depart from the Maspero Dock near the Rameses Hilton. It's a cheap and pleasant way to get there (or back), and would certainly win hands-down over the Metro in rush-hour.

Not particularly for those in a hurry. The boats aren't particularly frequent, so a longish wait at the jetty might be involved. But they're pleasant enough places to be if you're not in a rush. and this is a very cheap way to see Cairo from the river.

I've just tried to do this again (Jan '07) and it appears that the riverbuses no longer serve Roda Island or Mar Girgis
I'm not deleting the tip because we live in hope, the service may resume. And it's still a way to get on the Nile cheaply.
(photo Dec 2007)

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There is no better way to trace the course of Egyptian history than to follow the course of the Nile. its one of the greatest gifts from GOD to egypt.The major cities that are located on the edge of the Nile: Cairo, Gondokoro, Khartoum, Aswan, Thebes/Luxor, Karnak, and the town of Alexandria lies near the Rozeta branch....... so dont forget taking a FALOKA CRUISE IN THE NILE believe me its gr8 and so romantic

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One of the most relaxing things to do after a hard day at the pyramids and the Egyptian Museum is to take a walk on the Corniche, the riverside promenade. The best time to start your walk would be around dusk when the Corniche starts to buzz with ordinary Cairenes enjoying an evening stroll with their friends and family. It's the most opportune time to mingle with them, chat with them, and get to know more about them. These are your ordinary Cairenes, so touts are rare. And it is generally safe as long as you stick to the main areas around Qasr el-Nil/Nile Hilton.

One of the most extraordinary sights would be the sunset on the west bank - it is beautiful. The transformation of Cairo's skyline from a one giant urban eyesore to a glittering spectacle is fascinating. If you're tired of it, a change in perspective could do the trick - from one of the many colorful boats that take passengers on a short leisurely ride on the Nile.

For more scenes from the Corniche, click here to go to my travelogue Strolling down the Corniche.

If you want to discover the Egyptian Identity , start by the Nile.

When You go to Egypt and look at the river nile, dont just pass by and take a photo of it. No, try to close your eyes and imagine the so long history of this water channel.

Egyptians see the Nile as their main source of existence; it is the blood and main vein and in other words it is Life since the pharaohs.

It is the nile that m,ade them learn to be stable and build a community and learn how to unite and share efforts to feed each others using this great nile.

Dont miss renting a boat (felluka) in the nile and feel what i said.

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Without it, Egypt would not be as we know it. For many millennia, the Nile has been Egypt's source of life, water, transportation and inspiration. The river flows from as far south as tropical Africa and cuts its way through the Sahara before reaching the Mediterranean. In Cairo, it separates Gizah from the main city and within it lie two large urban yet green islands: Gezira and Rodah. The Nile provides Cairo with stunning views that you can enjoy. Take a stroll along the banks of the Nile, but beware, do not swim in it or drink from it!

The River Nile is considered to be the longest river in the world,it flows through nine countries.We took a cruise while we were in Cairo it was excellent sat up on deck taking in the scenery and watching the sunset,the captain even let my son Danny take control of the boat and he borrowed his hat!which he thought was great.

Something you can't miss - a night cruise on the Nile. And don't go to the organized tourist toor, it is too artificial. Take the boat with natives, one of the small Egyptian boats that are situated all over, along the river. They are colourful boats with colourful pillows, carpets, lights, Egyptian music...
It is an unforgettable ride!