Overview

Alexandria Felucca Tour – Sunset Sail on the Eastern Harbour

The alexandria felucca tour is a two-hour private sail on the Eastern Harbour at dusk, aboard a traditional Egyptian felucca. These wooden sailing boats have worked these waters for centuries. The harbour in the evening is quieter than during the day — the Corniche traffic fades to background noise, and the Citadel of Qaitbay goes orange then dark against the Mediterranean sky. It’s the kind of experience that doesn’t photograph well but stays with you.

What happens on this Alexandria felucca tour

The boat holds up to 8 people. Your licensed Egyptologist guide comes aboard for the full sail and points out landmarks as you go: the Qaitbay Citadel at the mouth of the Eastern Harbour (built on the site of the ancient Pharos lighthouse), the Corniche promenade, the Stanley Bridge in the distance, and the old city skyline from the water. Tea, soft drinks, and water are served on board.

The sail moves at the pace of the wind. When conditions are good, the felucca glides quietly across the harbour. When the wind drops, the captain uses a small motor to keep moving. Most spring and summer evenings are good sailing weather. Late autumn and winter can be rough — the Mediterranean doesn’t always cooperate.

Timing — important for cruise passengers

This alexandria felucca tour runs in the evening, 2 hours, typically starting between 5:30pm and 6:30pm depending on sunset. For cruise passengers, it works only if your ship has an all-aboard time of 8pm or later, or is staying overnight in port.

When you book, provide your ship name, port call date, and all-aboard time. The guide confirms viability before the booking is finalised. If your all-aboard is too early, we will suggest a daytime alternative.

Please note that our company does not have direct access inside the port. After disembarking, it takes approximately 15–20 minutes to walk to the port exit. Your guide will be waiting at the meeting point outside the terminal holding a sign with your booking name.

Tour highlights

• 2-hour private sail on Alexandria’s Eastern Harbour at sunset
• Views of Qaitbay Citadel, the Corniche, and the Mediterranean from the water
• Tea and soft drinks served on board
• Licensed Egyptologist guide for the full tour
• Private boat — no other passengers
• Transport to and from the felucca dock included

What is included

• 2-hour private felucca sail
• Licensed private Egyptologist guide
• Tea, soft drinks, and water on board
• Air-conditioned transport from the port to the felucca dock and back

What is excluded

• Gratuities for guide and captain (paid voluntarily by clients at their discretion)
• Alcoholic beverages

About the felucca

A felucca is a traditional wooden sail boat used throughout Egypt and along the Nile. In Alexandria, they operate from small docks on the Eastern Harbour. The boats are low, open, and slow by design — the experience is about being on the water, not covering distance. Most visitors who book this alexandria felucca tour have never been on a traditional sail boat before. The pace tends to be a surprise: quieter and more deliberate than anything else available from the port.

For background on Alexandria’s harbour history and the ancient Pharos lighthouse, visit the Egyptian Tourism Authority website or our Alexandria culture guide.

Combine with other Alexandria tours

For ships with long port calls, a morning sightseeing tour finishing by 2pm leaves plenty of time before the evening felucca sail. Our full-day Alexandria tour covers the Citadel of Qaitbay, Corniche, and Montaza Gardens. The Alexandria food tour runs about 4 hours and pairs well as a morning activity. For all options from the port, see Egypt Activities and Egypt Tour Packages. To book or check your ship schedule, use the contact page.

More Alexandria Shore Excursions

Want to explore Alexandria’s history or food scene further? Browse our other private tours:

• Alexandria Food Tour — street food, seafood, and local markets from the port
• Alexandria City Tour — 5 historic sites in one full day: Catacombs, Roman Amphitheater, Qaitbay, Bibliotheca Alexandrina, and Montaza Gardens
• Qaitbay Citadel Tour — the 15th-century Mamluk fortress and Stanley Beach in a focused half-day

Alexandria Felucca Tour — History on the Eastern Harbour

The Eastern Harbour of Alexandria is one of the oldest and most storied anchorages in the Mediterranean. In ancient times, it sheltered the fleets of the Ptolemaic dynasty and served as the commercial gateway to Egypt’s most cosmopolitan city. The great Pharos Lighthouse — one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — stood on a promontory guarding the harbour entrance, visible from 50 kilometres out to sea.

Today, the harbour is a working port for fishing vessels, pleasure craft, and feluccas. Sailing here places you on the same waters that Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, and Alexander the Great once crossed. The waterfront Corniche stretches along the southern edge, lined with the 19th-century palaces and colonial-era buildings that give Alexandria its distinctive European-Mediterranean character.

A felucca ride across this harbour offers views impossible to get from land: the full sweep of the Corniche, the minarets of the Abu al-Abbas mosque rising above the rooftops, Qaitbay Citadel anchoring the western headland, and — on clear afternoons — the open sea beyond. Sunset turns the water copper and gold, making this one of the most photogenic moments available on any Alexandria shore excursion.

The wooden felucca you will sail on is the traditional vessel of Egypt’s waterways, unchanged in its basic design for centuries. Your captain navigates the harbour under sail when the breeze allows, or with a small motor when the wind is still — typically the case in midsummer. The sail itself takes 45–60 minutes at a relaxed pace.

Frequently asked questions

Is the alexandria felucca tour available year-round?

Yes, but weather is a factor. Spring and summer (April–September) are the most reliable months. The guide monitors harbour conditions before departure and will not sail in rough weather. Winter bookings carry more risk of weather cancellation.

What if the harbour is too rough?

If conditions are unsafe, the tour is rescheduled or refunded. The Eastern Harbour is sheltered enough that cancellations are uncommon between April and October.

How many people fit on the felucca?

The boat holds 8 comfortably. Larger groups can book two boats with a guide on each. Mention your group size when booking.

Can children come?

Yes. Life jackets are on board in all sizes. The guide keeps young children away from the edges. Mention ages when booking.

Is there a toilet on board?

No. Use facilities before boarding. The sail is 2 hours — plan accordingly.

What should I wear?

The harbour is cooler than the city in the evening. Bring a light jacket from September onwards. The deck can be damp from sea spray, so avoid shoes you’d prefer to keep dry.

My ship has a 7:30pm all-aboard. Can I still do this?

Probably not, unless the felucca dock is very close to the terminal. Send us your ship name and port date and we will check the timing. If it doesn’t work, we will suggest morning alternatives.