Birdwatching on the Nile in Egypt

Aswan is renowned as one of the most picturesque towns in Egypt, where the Nile, met on both sides by the scorched golden sands of the Sahara desert, is dotted by dozens of lush islands that are each corralled by tall reedbeds. Emblematic of life in the town itself, the river here moves at an altogether slower pace than in the rest of Egypt, and taking to the water is the perfect way to view some of the myriad bird species that inhabit the verdant riverbanks. A local birdwatching expert will take you through the maze of islands around the cataracts as herons, kingfishers and falcons soar above and around you in a language of flight and movement that is as old as the river itself.