Voyage No. 5 to Egypt: Cruise on Lake Nasser and on the Nile, afterwards holiday in El Gouna, 30th August to 11th September, 2007

One time a year to travel to Egypt seems to me a "should-be". This time it was due to the travel catalogue "Egypt for advanced travellers", but it was nothing than staying for 3,5 days on the Lake Nasser, something rare in Egypt, we were actually two persons of a few doing that. The other time we spent on the Nile - we were two people in a lot of people. Afterwards, we went for another 6 days to El Gouna on the Red Sea Side, because I liked it 8 years before very much.

1st day: 30th August, 2007, Arrival

We flew from Berlin, Airpot Tegel, to Luxor and were brought into the Hotel "Iberotel" for staying one night here. It was a good hotel, the pool was situated directly at/"on" the east bank of the Nile, but it was pool-water!! It was an amazing sight, when the sun went down on the west bank.

2nd day: 31st August, 2007: Philae and Abu Simbel

After breakfast we were brought to the airport. Alltogether we were seven people: we six tourists and our Egyptian guide Hassan. This was very comfortable, to be so few people. We flew to Aswan. Here we went to Philae and stood on that temple island for about 2 hours. I tried to find the Gate of Hadrian for searching the last written hieroglyphs, but I didn't succeed. Okay, next travel to Egypt will be my next chance! Then we flew to Abu Simbel and went abord the "Tania", a small cruise ship with 30 cabins, but we were only ten tourists. There were four other guests with two other guides. In the afternoon we visited the temple of Abu Simbel. Because we would like to see the "Sound-and-Light-Show" at the evening, we were waiting in the coffee bar there. The show was spanisch, but you could here the version of your mothertongue. Nice show!!

3rd day: 1st September, 2007: Lake Nasser: Kasr Ibrim and Amada

Early in the morning we left the small harbour of Abu Simbel. The whole cruise with the "Tania" would go from here with stops in Amada and Wadi el Sebua to Aswan. One cannot imagine how quiet and peaceful this Lake Nasser is! Alltogether there are only ten small cruise ships allowed to travel on this lake. Six were on it when we travelled there. So here is no such traffic as on the Nile, where so many cruise ships (I guess some 300) cruise between Luxor and Aswan, often tooting each other. We were enjoying this trip very, vrey much and we were very sorrow, when leaving the cute "Tania".
In the forenoon we drove past Kasr Ibrim. This island was currently examined by archeologists, so it was not allowed to visit this island and the remains there. This area belonged up to the 5th century AC to the domain of Blemmyes, the fortifications on Kasr Ibrim should resemble their fortifications in the desert. On the Blemmyes and their history and their temples at Lake Nasser, just have a view in the tent "Medjai Infos". Here I only will tell on some tourist information, it should not be to long here. Kasr Ibrim is the only temple, which lies on its original place, because before the flooding of the lake, it lies high on the rocks. Now it is an island in the lake.
In the afternoon we stopped at New-Amada, where people can visit not only the temple of Amada, but also the rock temple (= hemispeos) of Derr and the tomb of Penut. In the temple of Amada there is a depiction of chancellor Ramses Khementer Bay, and of course of the queen Tawosrt and king Siptah. It is well conserved. A few paces further stands another temple of Ramses II, it is a half-cut-in-the-rock temple, a so-called "hemispeos", the hemispeos of Derr with amazing depictions on its walls. The barge of the gods is unique, but the most beautiul is the arbor vitae. The foto to the right (click on it for enlarging it) can only allow a small imagination how beautiful it is! These temples at the Nasser Lake are really worth your journey! Not so over-crowded and beautiful couloured! Third thing here is the tomb of Penut, a high local official, who has built a nice and beautiful tomb.
By the way, the cruise staff created every day new figures made out of our towels. Then we have had an official "towel-show", also we passengers had to make these towel animals. On the foto to the left you can see huge crocodile. At nighttime we stopped in opposite of the Wadi El Sebua.

4th day: 2nd September, 2007: from Wadi El Sebua to Aswan

In the morning, before breakfast-time! - we visited all temples here in Wadi El Sebau, which means "valley of the lions". First, we saw the actual temple named Wadi El Sebau, a temple built by Ramses II, special thing here: a sphinx with the head of Horus the falcon. Everywhere around this temple were lying statues. Then we have had to walk some metres. There are also camels to mount, if you don't want to walk. The other two temples are called Dakka and Maharakka, there were built in the time of the greco-roman age, here are also depicitons of Mandulis.
After breakfast we have had a ship-tour and then the towel-show. We went on the whole day, since we reached Aswan and stopped at the pier there. Now we faced our last evening on the "Tania".

5th day: 3rd Septenber, 2007: Kalabsha, Aswan

Kalabsha: Wall with Blemyes- inscriptions

Mandulis as Horus

Early in the morning we went to the temple island of New Kalabsha, not far away from the Aswan new dam. Here one can see: the temple of Kalabsha, the kiosk of Kertassi, the Hemispeos of Beit el Wali, the Ramses-temple of Gerf, the stela of Sethos and a few nubian petroglyphs from the time of the Old Kingdom. It is possible to drive from Aswan to the pier opposite of Kalabsha and come here. The other temple island, Philae, lies on the other side of the new dam. Kalabsha is quite a must-be for Medjai-fans. Here are the meroitic inscriptions of the Blemmyes on the wall of the Kalabsha temple, and also the inscriptions of king Silko are to be found here, who destroyed the Blemmyes in the 5th century AC. The temple is dedicated to Mandulis, the chief god of the nubian people south of Aswan. The temple of Kalabsha and also the rock temple (hemispeos) of Beit el Wali are in good condition. In the latter one the reliefs on the inner walls in front of the column hall are interesting. On one side it is shown very brutally how enemies are destroyed, on the other side there is a tribut procession with a lot of nicely pictured animals. The temple of Gerf was lately pieced togehter. Unfortunately it is incomplete because it couldn't be saved wholly, it was difficult to solve it out of its rock. The kiosk of Kertassi resembles the kiosk of Trajan on Philae island. The Philae kiosk is better conserved. The big stones to the left side of Kalabsha temple show nubian depictions dating from the time of the Old Kingdom. They show animals, for example elephants, antilopes and more such animals.

Kertassi-Kiosk

Temple of Gerf: Beit el Wali relief:

We changed the ship, now it was time for part no. 2 of this interesting journey. After a short stop on the new dam we went to the Nile cruise ship "Crown Empress", it seems so gigantic in comparison with the nice "Tania". In the afternoon we sailed on the Nile, around Elephantine. Then we went to the market of Aswan, a very good market. It is to be found in the second parallel street to the Corniche. It has been built with a good road pavement, I think expecially done for tourists. In the nighttime our cruise ship left Aswan.

6th day: 4th September, 2007: Kom Ombo and Edfu

In the morning our ship arrived early, at 5 o'clock, the pier of Kom Ombo. In Kom Ombo there is the beautiful double temple, of course, but it would be also very interesting to see the gardens in front of the temple, because the local people built the huts, in which the sell shoppings or have their restaurants, with natural material.
We went on to Edfu and reached that place at early afternoon. We have had two hours for visiting the temple of Horus. It is alsways a highlight to see this temple, because it is very complete and nice.
This time, we waited a llong time before we could go into the locks of Esna. In fact, we passed when we already danced at our Galabea-party, this is a traditionel party taking place at nighttime at Kom Ombo or just after the stop in Kom Ombo. All people should go there in local dresses. Normal dress would be very boring.

7th day: 5th September, 2007: Luxor: Valley of the Kings, Deir el Medina, Luxor-Temple and Karnak

Long day today! Early in the morning we arrived at the tombs in the valley of the kings, where now stands a "Visitor Centre" with fim material and fotos and a nice 3D-modell of the tombs, so we understand now where they are exactly lying and how they sometimes contact another tomb. Then we visited to tombs of Tutmosis IV, Merenptaj and Ramses IX - so one tomb for each dynasty buried here. Because it did not want to have brakfast so early on the ship, I took my breakfast with me. Imagine: I have had breakfast at "Hatschepsut's" - sitting on here terace and relaxing. After the visit at Hatschepsut's impressive temple we went to the temple of Luxor. There they have newly re-constructed at the eastern wall a depiciton which is very good explained there. Just have a look on the picture above! In afternoon-time we went to Karnak - it is always amazing there, and never you are ready with this huge temple complex!

8th day: 6th September, 2007: Transfer to El Gouna

In the forenoon we took a bus from Luxor to El Gouna - across the desert with one stop. It was a nice tour. In El Gouna - some 30 kilometers far north form Hurgada -, we were given a special room in the "Sheraton Miramar", because it was my second time there. The room looked like a little cathedral. Then we strolled through the hotel gardens. In evening time we saw a very nice nubian show.

9th day: 7th September, 2007: El Gouna

Bathing and relaxing were the topics today! In the forenoon we made a tour by boat through El Gounas waterways, in the evening we joined a festival in the new harbour. El Gouna has expanded very much since I was here 8 years ago. But unfortunately, there were no more these big crabs on the island in front of the beach. They didn't stand tourism or better: people who went on that island unallowed. Whoever is curious now, just read under my first visit to Egypt!

10th day: 8th September, 2007: Desert tour

Desert tour! The program as shown in the catalogue was: with small busses to go to the bedouins, there we will see the sunset, the starry sky and have a barbecue. Nice... but in fact it was a wild desert rallye! We drove over some 1000 hills, made two stops, first one to take fotos from a Fata Morgana, second one to climb on a hill and gliding down through the sand on the other side. The bedouins made with us a 10 minutes lasting camel riding, enough time to make fotos. Then we went on a hill (a high one!), sat down and watched the sunset. After dinner it was completely dark. Now there were experts who explained us the starry sky. We looked through telescopes and watched different stars. In darkness we drove back to the hotel.

11th day: 9th September, 2007: Snorkeling in the Red Sea

This tour I made alone because one time in my life I would like to go snorkeling. There was a reef, some 6 kilometers away from El Gouna with wonderful coloured fishes. Unforunately I was hit by two big waves and got water into my snorkel - and as beginner I gulped a lot of salty Red Sea water which later - abord and in the hotel - comes out of every possible hole of my body...

12th day: 10th September, 2007: El Gouna

Whereas I was lying in bed because of my Red Sea adventure, my mother was bathing in the sea and the pool. In the evening time we went to El Gouna Downtown to make some shopping. Here also things have changed the last 8 years. Now here is a art village with local made art, very nicely made.

13th day: 11th September, 2007: Return journey

We have had the whole day for relaxing at the beach an din the pool, because our flight back was late. This time we went directly to Hanover by plane, where we landed at night, 1 o'clock in the morning.

If you are perhaps interested in the monuments at Lake Nasser, just go into the tent "Medjai Infos" (Temples in Nubia in the domain of the Blemmyes / Lake Nasser), there you will find more pictures and information!