"Once upon a time, a distinguished and aging Pacha from Upper Egypt had a dream. He longed to build himself a floating palace on the Nile to live out his last days..."
Once a pon a time...
a distinguished and aging Pacha from Upper Egypt had a dream. He longed to build himself a floating palace on the Nile to live out his last days. The Pacha collected treasures and masterpieces to adorn his palace and by 1887, he had prepared his designs and began to build his dream. In 1901, the Pacha passed away without having fulfilled his dream, and left his estate to two daughters. The daughters chose to live in their Cairo mansion and abandoned the unfinished boat in Upper Egypt.
Nearly a full century later, a traveler exploring the banks of the Nile, came upon the abandoned and partially sunken boat. This person fell in love with the majesty and luxury he could still envision through the mud and dust. And so he went to work looking for the owners of the wreck and the original designs. He acquired it, refurbished it, added two more decks and named the reborn boat: “Le Pacha 1901”. The old Pacha’s bedroom was at the prow, where “Le Tarbouche” is found today…
Recent History
In 1992, three signature restaurants were introduced at Le Pacha 1901: “Piccolo Mondo” the authentic Italian experience, “Le Steak” the gastronomic French restaurant and “Johnny’s Pub” the genuine English pub. Targeting our clientele’s needs for excellence, we focused on prompt service and superior quality within an atmosphere of elegance and comfort.
Continuing the successful formula, “Piano Forte” and the lively oriental restaurant “Le Tarbouche” were born, while the “River Boat” and “L’Oasis Water Front” graced the sundeck under the open skies to become favorite night spots on the Nile.
Soon enough, in order to meet the growing demands of our clientele to host their private functions on board, we inaugurated “Le Palais” and “Nostalgie” ballrooms.
In 2002, “Coco Jungle” came to life offering youngsters a lively nightspot in a unique atmosphere, while “Carlo’s” offered a relaxed, open-air meeting place amidst the breezy Nile afternoons and evenings.
In 2003, Le Pacha 1901 was awarded the coveted “Superbrands” for the Best 5 Star restaurants in Egypt.
With a belief in continual re-invention and innovation, “Piano Forte” was transformed into “The Tycoons”, an intimate and elegant restaurant and bar for a sophisticated audience. In 2004, “L’Asiatique” was born (in place of Johnny’s Pub) which catered to a growing hip market that craved authentic Far Eastern cuisine, especially Sushi. Two short years later, L’Asiatique was voted top restaurant in Egypt; third best restaurant in the Middle East and Africa by the members of the international restaurant industry, an activity organized by Restaurant Magazine in London, England.
More recently, “Le Tarbouche” became better known as “Akl Zaman” which now offers authentic Egyptian cuisine in a nostalgic atmosphere.