Aswan & The Nile, Luxor & Home

SAILING & CAMEL TREKKING

Sailing today was by Felucca around the Nile, giving a completely new perspective of this mighty river. We also stoped and traveled via Camels to visited a bedwin village with live crocodiles!! and finally a small power boat would return us to our cruise liner. Whilst on the boats we watched birds with eyeball views, most pleasing of which was up to three Little Bitterns and a number of Gull Billed Terns!
The Western Reef Heron was again present and gave prolonged views whilst hunting for its fish dinner.
After our morning around the village a Rock Thrush was seen on one of the many small islands whilst we sunbathed on the roof of our boat!
The now usual superb selection of birds were being seen but we also saw a Black Shouldered Kite which typically hovered above the palm trees & yet another lifer in the form of a SPOTTED EAGLE! A wonderful bird which followed the boat for around ten minutes, More buzzard size it was joined by a 2nd briefly before our cruiser left them behind.
15 more Glossy Ibis showed and a small group of waders sadly remained unidentified. Yet another wonderful bird-watching day!

ALL DAY RETURN SAILING:

All day sailing, lots of the now usual great birds with only House Martin and Cormorant new for the trip list, but there was still room for one magic moment in the form of a flock of 14 Collared Pratincoles going to roost! These tern like waders are always a joy to see and were a fitting end to the day.

FINAL DAY:

5.50am start for a hot air balloon ride to see the sun rise over the Nile.
Masked shrike and Black Shouldered Kites are seen, but it is the tiny flock of crimson birds that turn out to be RED AVADAVATS! That give this holiday the perfect end.
A gorgeous lifer from a Hot air balloon!! Thank You Egypt what a Trip!