greetings! would anyone be able to advise out of these three islands mentioned below, which one is most preferable to be visited with a felucca (we're interested to explore colourful villages, less touts, interesting corners/streets of daily local lives)? are they of the same characteristics, so we won't go wrong with either? what about the route there via felucca, which would be most scenic?
a) Elephantine Island
a) Gharb Sahel/Sehel
b) Gharb Aswan
any advices or recommendation would be most appreciated! Thank you very much!
Which Nubian Villages to Visit?
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I really respect what you are trying to do here, but the hard reality of it is that
1) If there is truely a Nubian village to visti on each island, they will ALL be commercialized beyond tradition and I bet the experience at any will be so similar to the others you won't know the difference (however I welcome anyone that has done more than one of them to reply here and correct me)
2) there is not much chance you will get your pick of islands once you are on a felluca. The felluca is going directly to the island where the captain has his friends/contacts and highest paid commissions to put in his pocket. He will have a million excuses why yours is "closed" or whatever to take you to his.
Regarding the "route" to any of the islands - it's pretty much the same. They aren't that far from each other.
I'm sure it will be fun, but don't expect authenticity. If they don't have jewelry from China to sell you, I'd be very surprised!
Less touts? They are everywhere!
I am not sure of which one we visited but yes they had been commercialised. Lots of stalls trying to ask us to buy. I love in the 'traditional house' that had alligators living in the middle of the room and a nice big fridge to give us a drink of coca cola!
In Aswan any area we went along the Nile to looked the same... desert, sand, hills, palms, a few animals here and there.