Nubian Village by Motorboat in Aswan: Small-group Nile tour

Cruise past Elephantine Island to a Nubian village where locals welcome you with tea.

A 3-hour small-group motorboat tour from Aswan to Sohail Island, where you visit a traditional Nubian house, drink tea, and walk through a painted village on your own. The tour includes hotel or cruise ship pickup, the boat ride, and entrance to the island. Groups stay under 15 people.

Step-by-step itinerary

Nubian Village visit by motorboat

• Pickup from hotel or cruise ship
• Transfer to Nile River jetty
• Board modern motorboat
• Boat ride past Elephantine Island
• Disembark on Sohail Island
• Visit traditional Nubian house
• Enjoy welcome tea
• Explore island independently
• Return to boat jetty
• Boat ride back to Aswan
• Drop-off at hotel or cruise ship

The experience

The day starts with pickup at your hotel or cruise ship in Aswan. The exact time depends on where you're staying and gets confirmed after you book. You'll head to a jetty on the Nile, where a modern motorboat waits. The boat passes Elephantine Island on the way to Sohail Island, so you see the river and its banks without leaving your seat. Once on Sohail Island, you step into a traditional Nubian house, where someone from the community walks you through the history and culture of the Nubian people while you have tea or coffee. It's a real conversation, not a museum display.

After the house visit, the afternoon is yours. You walk through the island on your own: past the brightly-painted buildings, stopping to talk to locals if you want, moving at your own pace. There's no script or schedule for this part. You see what interests you. When the afternoon winds down, you meet the boat back at the jetty and head back to Aswan, where you're dropped at your hotel or cruise ship.

The tour runs 3 hours total and stays small, no more than 15 people, so the boat doesn't feel crowded and the house visit stays intimate. Your guide speaks English, Spanish or French depending on which option you choose at checkout. Some options add lunch or a camel ride to the afternoon on the island. Others keep it as a village walk alone.

What’s included

• Hotel or cruise ship pickup and drop-off in Aswan.
• motorboat ride on the Nile to Sohail Island.
• entrance to Sohail Island.
• tea or coffee in a traditional Nubian house.
• free time to explore the village on your own.

Options for this experience

4 options

Excursion to the Nubian Village fromGuide in English · 10 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00Pickup is included

Nubian village with sand boarding activityGuide in English, Spanish or French · 10 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00Sand boarding activity: Nubian village with sand boarding activity. Before you reach the Nubian village, enjoy sand boarding in the Aswan desert. Pickup is included.

Nubian village with a camel rideGuide in English, Spanish or French · 10 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00Nubian village with a camel ride, pickup included

Nubian village with lunchGuide in English, Spanish or French · 6 departure times: the first at 12:00, the last at 16:00Lunch, with pickup included

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day10 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 16:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (12 to 80 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 43 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Paid on siteUS$ 25

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Show You Egypt

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to meet Nubian people and see how they live without spending the whole day traveling: the small group and included pickup mean you're not organizing transport or navigating the island alone, and the mix of guided time in the house plus free time to walk means you get both context and your own pace.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years); Infant (under 4): free.

How long does the Nubian village motorboat tour actually take?

The tour runs 3 hours from pickup to drop-off, including the boat ride to Sohail Island, the time in the traditional Nubian house, and your free time to explore the village on foot.

What's included in the Nubian village tour from Aswan?

Hotel or cruise ship pickup and drop-off in Aswan; the motorboat ride; entrance to Sohail Island; tea or coffee in a traditional Nubian home; and free time to walk the island. Lunch and camel rides are available as add-ons depending on which option you select.

Will I have time to walk around the village on my own?

Yes. After the house visit and tea, you have free time to stroll through the brightly-painted villages on Sohail Island, chat with locals, and explore at your own pace before heading back to the boat.

How many people go on this tour?

The tour is limited to 15 people, keeping the group small enough that the boat ride and the house visit stay personal rather than crowded.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. You travel by motorboat, walk at your own pace on a flat island, and spend time sitting in a traditional house, so there's no strenuous activity involved.