Sunset Felucca & Banana Island in Luxor

Gezirat El-Mozh - Banana Island - sits in the Nile a short sail upstream from Luxor. The name is literal: the island is a working plantation of banana palms, mango and citrus, and walking through it in the late afternoon is a completely different Egypt from the temples on either bank.

Getting there is half the point. You go by felucca, the traditional lateen-rigged sailboat that has worked this river for centuries. No engine, no noise, just the sail and the current.

How the trip runs

We collect you from your hotel in Luxor in an air-conditioned car. The felucca sail is an hour and a half in total, out and back. On the island your captain walks you through the groves - he grew up on this river and will show you the trees, the irrigation and the parts of it a signpost never would. Entrance to the island is included, as are lunch and drinks.

The return leg is timed for sunset. The west bank of the Nile at Luxor, with the Theban hills behind it turning red, is one of the great sights in Egypt and it costs nothing extra to be on the water when it happens.

Good to know before you book

• Total time is around 3 hours, with the group capped at 20 people.
• Transfers are included within Luxor. Pickup from a Nile cruise ship or from outside Luxor carries a $5 per person supplement.
• Photography and video services are not included.
• Feluccas depend on wind. On a still day the crossing is slower - build in some flexibility rather than booking something immediately afterwards.
• There is limited shade on the boat. Bring a hat even for a late-afternoon sail.
• The island paths are uneven earth. Closed shoes are more comfortable than sandals.

A note on the fruit

You will be offered fruit picked on the island. It is fine to accept, and it is fine to decline. Tipping the family who farm it is customary but never obligatory.

$41 per person (regular price $50), including the felucca sail both ways, island entrance, lunch, drinks and transfers in Luxor.