Belinda Keay (Customer Services manager) tells us about her staff trip to Egypt.

When I was offered the chance of a weekend away on one of our dahabiyyas I jumped at the chance, as did the other 11 members of the Bales staff who were given this fantastic opportunity. The purpose of the visit was to give the entire sales team together with the Product Manager for Egypt and a member of the operations team the chance to sample at first hand our most popular product and although several had already seen the dahabiyyas, only two had actually been fortunate enough to undertake a cruise. The other attraction was that the first night in Cairo would be spent at the world famous Mena Garden Oberoi Hotel by the pyramids, whilst our trip would end at the recently opened boutique hotel, the Villa Belle Epoque.

Our trip began with our British Airways flight to Cairo, made more comfortable by the fact we were lucky enough to be upgraded to World Traveller Plus, affording much appreciated extra leg room. We were met by our smiling efficient ground agents, Emeco Travel, who quickly whisked us through the immigration formalities and out to our waiting mini bus.

The Mena Garden Oberoi Hotel provides an unforgettable start to any holiday, originally built as a palace and nestling against the backdrop of the pyramids. We were accommodated in the garden wing rooms, which have been tastefully refurbished and offer all the comforts needed after a long day travelling. In the morning we only had time for a tantalising glimpse of the pyramids at sunrise as we set off once again for the airport and the main reason for our visit.

We arrived in Luxor to be met by the Luxor branch of our ground agents, again smiling and polite and attentive to our every need. A short drive along the Nile corniche brought us to the point where we joined our small tender boat, to transport us across to the west bank where our dahabiyya, Musk, awaited us. We all had high expectations having seen so much favourable feedback from our clients and I am pleased to report that we were not disappointed. We were greeted by the friendly crew with cold flannels and a welcome drink, before being taken to our cabins to settle in. Each cabin is furnished in its own individual style, but all evoke the style of cruising in a bygone age but with the modern day comforts. Sightseeing in Luxor included the outstanding Karnak Temple but the highlight for us that day was cruising on the Nile. We set sail just before lunch but although you might feel enclosed in a modern day cruise ship, on the Musk lunch is taken on the open deck so you can have a leisurely meal whilst enjoying the Nile side scenery.

The warm sunny weather of November makes it a perfect month for cruising on the Nile, especially knowing you are missing yet another dreary wet weekend at home! After lunch we spread out up on deck either on the sun loungers or the settees, surprised at the amount of space even though with the 12 of us we were cruising at full capacity. The sails are only used occasionally according to the wind, but the engine is so quiet it feels like you are sailing anyway. A short boat transfer back to the east bank for an early evening tour of the Temple of Luxor rounded off the day, made all the more atmospheric as it is floodlit at night. Dinner on the open deck awaited us on our return and whilst lunch is a buffet, dinner is served at the table which makes for a more relaxing experience. The vegetarian in our party was well catered for with individual dishes and indeed the crew were incredibly anxious to please. One of the other attractions of this dahabiyya cruise for many people is the fact all wine, beer and soft drinks are included and with tipping included as well you do not need to worry about a bill to settle at the end of the cruise. Dinner can also be taken in the inside lounge area when the weather is cooler, as we did on our final evening.

After a peaceful night moored on the much quieter west bank of the Nile, we were woken early to take the take the hot air balloon flight over the west bank of Luxor. As well as avoiding the multiple berthing that affects the cruise boats on the east bank of the Nile, another advantage of mooring this side was that we did not have to wake so early, as we are already on the west bank close to the balloon launching site. This also meant we could return to the Musk for breakfast and to change before commencing our west bank visit, something we really appreciated. The hot air balloon has to rate as one of the highlights of any Egyptian tour; it affords a bird’s eye view of the Valley of the Kings and the funerary temples and allows you to fully appreciate the amazing location chosen in ancient times to bury their kings. After a busy morning of sightseeing including the Valley of the Kings accompanied by our personal guide, Hani, we were pleased to return to the Musk to once more be welcomed by cold flannels and a much needed drink followed by lunch. Again we were able to enjoy a short cruise as a taster of the full week’s experience, when the Musk would cruise all the way south to Aswan. However our short visit was to end on yet another high note as we returned to Cairo that evening for our stay at the Villa Belle Epoque, situated in the attractive residential area of Maadi, close to downtown Cairo and the Nile.

Villa Belle Epoque is Cairo’s first truly boutique hotel, a 1920s house that has been tastefully converted, featuring period furnishing and its own private contemporary art collection. The hotel has 13 luxury rooms each with its own distinctive period décor and incredibly comfortable beds! Our only disappointment was that we arrived too late to take dinner on the inviting outside terrace overlooking the pool, but we were able to enjoy breakfast in the hotel’s elegant restaurant in the morning. Another early start saw us departing for Cairo airport and our return flight to the UK, vowing one day to return for a longer stay. Many of our clients have written to say that a dahabiyya cruise is the only way to see the Nile and now we have experienced this we would wholeheartedly agree!

About Belinda Keay

Other articles by Belinda Keay

I have been lucky enough to have visited Egypt 13 times during my many years of working at Bales, initially as part of the Egypt and Africa department. Every time I go I see and learn something new, it is a country that continues to enthrall. I have also been privileged to have travelled to many other destinations that Bales feature including Africa, the Far East, India and South America; experience that proves invaluable to me in my current role as customer services manager.