The felucca — a narrow wooden sailboat with a single triangular sail — has worked the Nile for centuries and remains the most atmospheric way to see Cairo and Giza from the water. Boatmen congregate along the Giza corniche, especially in the late afternoon, and can take you out for an hour or two as the sun goes down and the city lights come on.
Negotiate the price on land before you board, agree on the duration, and tip at the end. A two-hour sunset sail for two or three people should cost a modest sum by Western standards; expect to pay more than the first quoted price but less than whatever is demanded. The boats have no engines, so the pace depends entirely on the wind. In summer the Nile breeze is strong enough to move quickly; in winter or when it drops, you may drift slowly. Either way, lying on the cushioned platform of a felucca watching the pyramids recede upriver as Cairo glitters past is one of the genuinely timeless Egyptian experiences.