I recently drove (or was driven) almost the entire length of the Nile from Cairo to Khartoum and than to Lake Tana, the source of the Blue Nile, and for just about the whole length,
100 yards from the riverbank is the edge of the desert.

This shot was taken four full days drive south down the Nile from Wadi Halfa, a few hours drive north of Jebel Barkal, Sudan.