Discovery Tours Egypt
Day TourLuxor

Banana Island by Private Motorboat from Luxor – Nile Ride at Sunset

3 hours, your own motorboat, fruit and mint tea included, pick-up from your Luxor hotel or boat at 15:30.

At a glance

Departs
Daily

The short answer

A 3-hour private motorboat trip from Luxor to Banana Island: a walk through banana and mango groves, fruit and mint tea on the bank, and a sunset ride back, with transfers and island entry included.
  • New
  • Private

Snapshot

Good to know

Destinations
Luxor · Nile River · Banana Island
Includes
Private pick-up and drop-off at your Luxor hotel or cruise boat · Private motorboat with a boatman · Island entry fee · Fresh fruit, mint tea and bottled water
Guide languages
English

Best time to go

October to April has pleasant late-afternoon light and cooler air. In summer the trip is warm but the water breeze helps.

  • Arranged by our Luxor office, part of an Egyptian tour operator working since 1988
  • Travel licence ETAA 718 (Category A); IATA accredited agent

02Overview

A first look

This is a private 3-hour boat trip on the Nile at Luxor. A driver collects you at 15:30 and takes you to the corniche, where your own motorboat is waiting. You travel up the river to Banana Island, walk through the groves with the farmer, and sit on the bank with fresh fruit and mint tea. The ride back is timed for sunset over the West Bank hills. The boat has a boatman who speaks basic English and no guide by default, so it is a relaxed outing rather than a lesson in history. If you want explanations, a guide can be added on request. You are back at your hotel at about 18:30.

Background

The facts

Banana Island lies a short motorboat ride up the Nile from the Luxor corniche, with the West Bank hills behind it at sunset.

Named in this entry

Luxor·Banana Island·Nile River·Luxor corniche·West Bank·sunset

Suited to

Is this for you?

Yes, if

  • Couples and families who want a calm Nile outing in the late afternoon.

Maybe not, if

  • Not for travelers who want a guided history tour unless a guide is added.

What lingers

  • 01A private motorboat with a boatman for your party only
  • 02A walk through the banana and mango groves with the farmer
  • 03Fresh bananas and mint tea by the river
  • 04The ride back at sunset past the West Bank hills
  • 05Pick-up and drop-off at your Luxor hotel or cruise boat

Honest assessment

Real trade-offs from our experience managing this tour.

Highlights

  • Private boat and relaxed pace
  • Fruit and mint tea included
  • Sunset views of the West Bank

Things to Consider

  • No guide by default
  • Insects can be out near the water

Stop by stop

Detailed itinerary

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The fine print

What's included – and what isn't

Included

  • Private pick-up and drop-off at your Luxor hotel or cruise boat
  • Private motorboat with a boatman
  • Island entry fee
  • Fresh fruit, mint tea and bottled water

Not included

  • Gratuities
  • Guide (the boatman speaks basic English; a guide can be added on request)
  • Personal expenses

Field notes

From our Egyptologists

  1. 01

    Bring a light layer for the ride back

  2. 02

    Ask for a guide when booking if you want explanations

Before you go

What to pack & wear

Children & families

This is a private trip, so children's prices are set from the ages you enter in your request. There is no minimum age. Children usually enjoy the boat and the fruit, and life jackets are available on request.

Indicative rates only – pricing and departure fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.

Asked & answered

Frequent questions

  1. 01How is this private trip priced?
    The price is per person and goes down as your group gets bigger, because the boat and driver are shared among you. It covers the transfers, the boat with its boatman, the island entry fee and the fruit and tea. Children's prices are set from the ages you give in your request. Prices are provisional until our team confirms.
  2. 02Is there a guide on the boat?
    Not by default. The boatman speaks basic English and looks after the boat and the route. If you would like a guide to explain the area, ask when you book and we will add one.
  3. 03Do we need to swim?
    No. The trip stays on the river and the island, with no swimming involved. Non-swimmers are welcome, and the boat has life jackets on request.
  4. 04What should we wear and bring?
    Wear light, comfortable clothes and flat shoes for the groves. Bring a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and a light layer for the cooler air on the water. Small notes help for tips.
  5. 05What is the cancellation policy?
    A cancellation made three days or more ahead is paid back in full. One made inside three days but outside 24 hours is paid back by half. A later one, or a missed pick-up, is not refunded. Tell us early about any change.
  6. 06Is this trip private, or will others join us?
    It is private. Only your own party travels on the boat. The maximum party size is 8, and you can ask the boatman for a little more time at the places you like.

If plans change

Cancellation and refunds

What you get back if you cancel depends on how far ahead of your trip you tell us and the type of trip you book. Read our current cancellation and refund policy

Continue reading

From the archives

Product ID: EXC-LUX-307926

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