Felucca Ride to Banana Island in Luxor: Sail Upriver at Sunset

Why the Felucca Ride to Banana Island in Luxor Is Best Timed for Sunset

A felucca ride to Banana Island in Luxor is the easiest way to see the Nile the way Luxor families have always seen it: from a low wooden sailboat with a single canvas sail, close enough to touch the water. Banana Island sits a short sail upstream of Luxor, a small green island of banana groves and palm trees run by a local family. The trip takes about an hour and a half, and it starts whenever you like. We recommend the hour before sunset, when the light turns gold and the heat goes out of the day.

We collect you from your hotel or cruise ship, take you to the felucca, and your captain sets off upriver. On the island you walk through the groves with the farmer, see how the fruit is grown and cut, and taste bananas picked that day, which are smaller and sweeter than the ones in your supermarket at home. Then you board again and drift back towards Luxor; at sunset the sun goes down behind the Theban hills on the West Bank.

The trip is private, so the boat and its captain are yours alone, and the price per person falls as your party grows. It is an easy, unhurried break between the big temple days and works well for families, couples and anyone who has spent the morning at Karnak or in the Valley of the Kings.

More ways to spend a day in Luxor

For the view from above, start a morning with the sunrise hot air balloon over Luxor. For a half day outside the city, the Dendera Temple tour from Luxor visits Egypt’s best-preserved temple. You will find every option on our Luxor day tours page, and longer sailing trips on our felucca cruises page.

The trip runs at any time of day you ask for and lasts about an hour and a half on the water, plus the short transfer from your hotel or cruise ship. We recommend starting about an hour before sunset, which is around 17:00 in December and January and around 18:45 in June and July.

Going upriver the felucca sails against the current, using the north wind that blows up the Nile Valley most afternoons. Coming back, the current carries you downstream. On a still day with no wind, the captain either rows or has a small motorboat tow the felucca, so you still reach the island and get back on time.

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Thank you for this amazing trip! Everything was perfectly organized, from our arrival at the airport to the day we returned home. The Nile cruise was wonderful, our guide in Cairo was excellent, and we couldn’t have asked for anything better. The choice of restaurants and the excursions were also outstanding. Thank you for making this experience so special for our whole family! ❤️)
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Fantastic 8-day private tour of Egypt – highly recommended!
Fantastic 8-day private tour of Egypt – highly recommended! We recently returned from an amazing 8-day private tour of Egypt with Egypt Best Vacations, and we couldn't be happier with our experience! Our trip included Cairo, Aswan, Abu Simbel, a 3-night Nile cruise, Luxor and Giza. Everything was organised in advance, including domestic flights, hotels, transfers, transport, entrance tickets and private guides. From the moment we arrived, everything ran smoothly. The drivers were punctual, professional and reliable, and the whole trip was very well coordinated. A special mention goes to our guide in Cairo and Giza, Mina, who was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and professional. He made our visits particularly enjoyable, sharing interesting information and answering all our questions. We were also very happy with everyone involved throughout the trip, including our guides, drivers and airport representatives, who helped make the whole experience so smooth and stress-free. Cairo Airport was quite chaotic, but having a representative from the agency there to assist us made the process much easier, and we really appreciated their help. Overall, we had a fantastic experience and felt well looked after throughout the entire trip. Everything was very well organised, allowing us to enjoy Egypt without having to worry about the logistics. We wouldn't hesitate to recommend Egypt Best Vacations to anyone planning a trip to Egypt. Highly recommended – definitely 5 stars from us!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Egypt Best Vacations is aptly named
We spent 10 days in Egypt with our friends. The entire trip was coordinated by Egypt Best Vacations. From the beginning, the communication was superb. We felt like we were coddled throughout the trip starting with Tarik who met us at the airport and facilitated and expedited the immigration process, to Karim who drove us safely everywhere around Cairo. Our guide Abdel was friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about Egyptian history, and made our experience very enjoyable. Seeing the pyramids in Giza, and visiting the new Grand Egyptian Museum was spectacular. We then flew south to Upper Egypt where Ahmed met us and guided us from Abu Simbel to Aswan and ultimately on our Nile River dahabeya cruise to Luxor. Kamal did a great job driving us in Upper Egypt, and we felt extremely safe along the way. Ahmed’s knowledge of Egyptian history is astounding, and he could easily be a professor on the subject. The entire trip was curated and coordinated by Essam who even came to meet us in Luxor, which was such a friendly gesture. We loved our Egyptian experience, and would absolutely recommend Egypt Best Vacations to anyone who is considering a trip to Egypt. There is no question that if we wanted to visit Egypt again, we would use this company and the entire crew again. This was a top notch company with top notch coordination.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Wonderful Experience
Our tour with Egypt Best Vacations was truly an unforgettable trip. It was extremely well organized from airport pick up and drop off to getting us to every destination on a luxury bus. Our tour guide Essam was kind, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and friendly. He went above and beyond to help us understand Egyptian history, culture and traditions. The Nile River cruise on the Dahabiya was amazing with an outstanding crew making everyone feel welcomed. I highly recommend Egypt best Vacations.!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Trip of a lifetime!
I truly cannot say enough wonderful things about this experience! From the moment we arrived in Cairo to our time in Luxor and four unforgettable days cruising the Nile River, every single detail was exceptional. Our incredible tour guide, Essam, and his associate, Ali, went above and beyond to make this journey extraordinary. Their knowledge of Egypt’s rich history, attention to detail, and genuine care for our safety and comfort made all the difference. The accommodations, the staff, the organization, and the seamless coordination of everything were absolutely outstanding. They even arranged unforgettable extras, including private ceremonies and a hot air balloon ride over Luxor, making an already magical experience even more special. I can say without hesitation that this was the best trip of my life. Egypt is a remarkable place, but experiencing it with this team took it to an entirely different level. I would recommend this company over and over and over again. Truly the trip of a lifetime!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Amazing tour!
Our tour was so Awesome and our guide couldn’t have been better, he knew the answers for every question I asked and made it fun with his sense of humor. We started in Cairo, flew to Luxor and then sailed on a private cruise to Aswan. Seeing all the history, Pyramids and temples was incredible. Highly recommend Egypt Best Vacations!
  
 
  
 
 
 
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 Claudine F 
 
 
 
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O Voyage, incompetent provider for a Nile cruise in Egypt.
The O Voyages representative never showed up and completely ignored us; we were part of a group of 35 people who left from Orly, arrived in Cairo for a day, and then transferred by plane to Luxor for the Nile cruise. We spotted him at the Monte Carlo restaurant eating with the two guides since we were two groups of 35 people. No information from him. We saw that he was from O Voyages since he was wearing a black t-shirt with O Voyages on the back. Also, on 7/1/2026, we received an email from Leclerc Voyage indicating that our cruise was moved up by one day and that the flight plan was modified with an arrival in Cairo on September 4th instead of September 11th as scheduled in our program, stipulating that the services and visits remained unchanged. The other people in the group who had booked either through Leclerc Voyage or Carrefour received a new detailed program, whereas for us, we were told, "you are taking the program in reverse!!!!" Also, we left from Orly and returned to Roissy!!!! No information from Leclerc Voyage on this point, even though we had clearly stipulated that we had booked parking at Orly, so there were additional costs for a taxi on September 13th at midnight to take us to Orly to retrieve our car. Again on this point, the other members of our group had been well informed by Leclerc or Carrefour!!!! Regarding clothing in Egypt, same thing, Leclerc told us to wear clothes to the knee and keep arms covered for women, whereas all the tourists wear shorts even in the temples; the other people in our group had received the correct information again on this point!!!!! Non-existent costume party, and for the themed evenings indicated on the program, we had 2 groups of dancers 20 minutes before dinner. Visa indicated on the program at €48 while we paid €53!!!!! I do not recommend O Voyages at all, it is the 1st and last time I travel with your incompetent organization. positive point: our guide, fortunately, who raised the level of the trip but who seemed a bit lost regarding the program he had to follow with the changes made 2 months prior without a new program.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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Spectacular vacation... excellent service..
Spectacular 10-day tour... maximum availability from the agency in tailoring the trip to our needs. From our arrival in Cairo, where they welcomed us and helped us with visas, to our departure for the return trip, we were followed in an excellent manner... my wife and I had a great time... We asked for guides who spoke Italian; Abram and Amro were 2 exceptional, helpful, and very knowledgeable guides... we felt pampered and never alone... thanks for everything.
  
 
  
 
 
 
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An unforgettable and beautifully orchestrated Egypt experience
An unforgettable and beautifully orchestrated Egypt experience We just returned from an incredible trip to Egypt with Egypt Best Vacations, and it was truly one of the most memorable journeys our family has taken. Egypt can feel overwhelming at first — the airports, early morning flights, cruise schedules, temple visits, Cairo traffic, tickets, transfers, and the sheer magnitude of history everywhere you go. But Egypt Best Vacations handled the logistics with impressive precision and made the entire experience feel effortless. That allowed us to be fully present and enjoy the trip instead of constantly worrying about the next step. Our journey began in Cairo and then continued to Luxor, where we boarded our Nile cruise to Aswan. Luxor was absolutely extraordinary. Karnak Temple, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple, and the Colossi of Memnon were all breathtaking. What made the visits even more meaningful was having a knowledgeable guide who could explain the history, symbolism, and significance behind what we were seeing. In Egypt, the right guide makes a huge difference — otherwise you are just looking at ancient stones without understanding the civilization behind them. The Nile cruise was another highlight. Sailing between Edfu, Kom Ombo, and Aswan gave the trip a beautiful rhythm. Philae Temple was stunning, and Abu Simbel was worth every minute of the early morning journey. Standing in front of those monumental temples is humbling and almost surreal. Back in Cairo, we visited the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Coptic Cairo, the Citadel, and Khan El-Khalili. Each place had its own character, from the grandeur of the pyramids to the spiritual depth of Coptic Cairo and the energy of the bazaar. The itinerary was ambitious, but it never felt chaotic because the team managed the details so well. What we appreciated most was the professionalism, responsiveness, and genuine care from Egypt Best Vacations. They were punctual, organized, flexible when needed, and clearly experienced in creating a smooth experience for travelers. For a first trip to Egypt, that kind of coordination is invaluable. I would highly recommend Egypt Best Vacations to anyone planning to visit Egypt. They helped turn a complex itinerary into a seamless, enriching, and unforgettable adventure.
  
 
  
 
 
 
   
 
 
 

Prices are in US dollars per person for a private felucca. The more people in your party, the lower the price for each.

Children under 6 go free, children aged 6 to 11 pay 50% of the adult price, and from 12 they pay the adult price.