Dinner Under the Stars: Why Evening Nile Cruises Beat Land Restaurants

Dinner Under the Stars: Why Evening Nile Cruises Beat Land Restaurants

We have all done that. You have spent half an hour browsing for a place for your romantic dinner in Cairo. Finally, you found a place, be it in Zamalek, New Cairo, or Maadi. You got stuck in traffic and circled the building three times searching for a place for parking before entering. Food is quite nice but what is worse is that you are sitting inside, looking at the brick walls, or outside, hearing the noise of passing by motorbikes and cars right next to your table.

Cairo is an amazing city but sometimes being in it from the street level in the evenings may be a little bit chaotic.

Imagine yourself stepping into something completely different. Imagine getting out of the street, boarding on a rocking boat, and having a warm multi-course dinner while the lights of the ancient city are silently gliding past your window. Once you start comparing a regular restaurant with an evening cruise on the river, you will understand very clearly which one is better for an amazing night out in Cairo. The evening Nile cruises definitely win.

Here is why.

1. The Ultimate Escape From City Traffic and Noise

The truth of the matter is that traffic in Cairo is nothing but an extreme sport! It takes you some time and effort to get stuck in traffic, dodge some pedestrians, and find a place to park the car, but some of your evening enjoyment gets diminished right there and then!

Booking a dinner cruise down the Nile will make you realize that as soon as you start boarding the wooden platform, all your worries about the city life disappear. Gone are the noise of the car engines and the irritating honking—the only sounds you hear now are those of the waves gently slapping against the sides of the boat, some soothing instrumental music, and the whisper of the wind in the palm trees on the riverbanks.

Instead of struggling against the city, you float over it in comfort and ease. This makes for a psychological effect which lets you unwind and enjoy your surroundings.

2. A Constantly Changing, Living Panorama

In any land-based restaurant, however luxurious and fancy it might be, you will always be limited to looking at the interior design or the adjacent table. If you manage to catch a glimpse of something interesting out of the window, you would have seen the same thing for the rest of the night.

When you are on board of the Nile dinner cruise, everything outside looks like a living and moving movie changing every minute:

The shining spire of the Cairo Tower that rises high against the darkened sky.

The beautiful stone arches of the Qasr El Nil Bridge bathed in the warm light as cars cross it like ribbons of fire.

The stunning facades of historical hotels and palaces located by the river.

You get to see a complete panorama of the city’s architecture while sitting comfortably in your chair, not having to go anywhere.

3. Open Air and the Magic of the Night Sky

There is something about eating in the open air that is quite grounding. Most of the fancy land-based restaurants in the city tend to be either enclosed in glass to allow for cooling or they are located in very tight areas that have very small outdoor patios with smoke blowing from the streets above your head.

However, Nile Cruisers allow you the luxury of having both the indoor and outdoor facilities available. You have the indoor, air-conditioned dining area complete with large glass windows so you can dine comfortably inside. The moment you are done eating, you can simply go upstairs and onto the open-deck of the cruiser.

Once you get on the top-deck, the pollution of the streets is behind you. The air becomes clear and fresh. You can stand by the railing with the cool breeze gently blowing across your face and look at the stars with all the twinkling city lights on the water.

4. A Natural, Unhurried Pace

Don’t you think that dining out on land is a very hurried process? Waiters will place the bill in front of you while you have not yet eaten dessert because there are a bunch of people waiting in the queue for the seat at your table.

Everything happens differently on board the ship. Since the ship moves for two hours along its fixed course, everything goes slowly but surely during the whole evening.

First of all, you will have enough time to relax during the warm appetizer and hot bread.

Then you will eat the main dish in peace.

After dinner, you will drink traditional Egyptian mint tea and watch the Tanoura dance performance and live music shows.

You have absolutely no hurry. You have enough time to communicate and have fun.

5. More Than Just Dinner—It’s a Complete Experience

When you visit a regular restaurant, all that you will be paying for is the food and the drinks. After all the food is cleared off your table, then your dinner, or whichever occasion you were attending, is over, and then it is time for you to get into your car.

The Nile Cruise will give you a complete package of entertainment. All of this for just the price of one ticket, which includes:

An outdoor buffet serving you local as well as international cuisine.

An outdoor view on the go from front rows of the best light-up monuments of Cairo.

Cultural entertainment with lively folk dances, drumming, and music.

Relaxing on the rooftop area with the view of the stars above.

The Verdict: Leave the Asphalt Behind

Terrestrial restaurants will continue to exist in the case of having lunch during the weekdays. But in the case of celebrating an occasion, hosting your guests, or treating yourself with something extra special, there is nothing more impressive than dining at the river. 

If you ever plan on having a dining experience in Cairo, forget about the traffic and the hassle of trying to find a parking spot. Just go straight to the river and enjoy the best dining experience ever.