Unforgettable experience and a good workout :)
Overall: a once in a lifetime experience for anyone. Easy to figure out but requires being a bit adventurous and having above average fitness levels to enjoy, otherwise you will get tired in 15 minutes. We both know how to snowboard which helps, but it’s quite different on the sand! And climbing back up is quite tiring. But it’s totally worth the experience.
Details: pickup at hotel, crossed the nile by boat then arrived to the first location, we walked up the hill then went for a few rides. After a few times we were already tired and took a break, during which the boat took us to another spot nearby. We then went for a few more rides on a beautiful slope. At the end we got some complimentary drinks and got brought back to our hotel. In the end we were tired but very happy. Our guide Abdo was phenomenal despite fasting (Ramadan).
Our only feedback for the tour operator would be more of a suggestion: try and organize an ATV or small truck to bring people back up. That would make the experience way more fun (more rides) and less tiring.
All in all a highly recommended experience and something different to your usual Aswan activities of temples and sightseeing tours ;)
Jet57933323542 · Apr 2024 · via Tripadvisor
Nice boat ride, but no thrill
We were picked up by boat and the ride going up the Nile was great. With our guide we hiked up a sand dune along the water and on the homemade sand boards we tried to go down. Unfortunately it didn’t work well. Although the hill was steep it was hard to keep the board on top of the sand and to catch any speed, so not very exciting. After every short ride down, you have to hike up through the sand again, so literally 3 attempts and 30 minutes later we were done exhausted. Including the boat ride the experience is two hours as advertised but most of the time is spent on the water. Our guide was polite and friendly but didn’t speak very good English and wasn’t able to answer much of our general questions of things we saw on the way along the river.
Realizing what things cost here I am sorry to say this excursion is not good value for money. To contrast: on the way back we had ourselves dropped off at an area to see St Simeon’s monastery. The two hour experience riding 4 camels without haggling the price, tickets to the monastery and tip included was less than 30€ for all four of us versus 120€ for the sand boarding.
I imagine that this experience could have more value if you had actual snowboards, or bigger size boards, a guide that can show you how it’s done and way, a 4x4 or something that could drive you back up.
Roeland_R · Mar 2024 · via Viator
Once in a lifetime experience!
We had an amazing time! The guide was so helpful and friendly. He collected us in the boat, took us to the dunes, explained everything clearly, had all of the equipment, and showed us the best way to 'surf' the sand. It was such a fun time (as well as quite tiring after an hour!) and we got some great photos as well. The location is so beautiful with awesome views, and afterwards we were taken for traditional Nubian coffee to relax in the shade. A must-do!
Eleanor B · Nov 2023 · via Tripadvisor
