• Dahabiya Nile Sailing •

Dahabiya Sailing on the Nile

4 Days – 3 Nights – ASWAN to luxor

Guaranteed Departure

Day by Day Itinerary

Short Description: A Dahabiya Nile Cruise is the most unique, authentic and exclusive way to experience the Nile in elegance and comfort.  Dahabiyas are traditional wooden sailing boats with private cabins with ensuite, originally designed to take 19th Century travellers along the Nile in comfort.  For those who want to experience culture, history, and relaxation as they pass along the Nile Valley, there is no better way than a Dahabiya cruise. 

Day 1 (Usually Friday)

check into the Dahabiya.

Lunch and sailing.

Dinner and overnight on board in Daraw.

Day 2

Breakfast on board.

In the town of Daraw you learn how to shop like a local at the market, visit a barn to meet camels and learn about the camel trade, and visit a Nubian Town.

 Visit Kom Ombo temple.

Lunch on board.

Sailing to El Selsela ancient sandstone quarry and shrines.

Dinner and overnight on board near Bisaw.

kom ombo sound and light show

Day 3

Breakfast in a local home or on board.

 Explore Bisaw Island, walk through farms and meet the villagers.

 Join the men in their boats to share the experience of Nile fishing.

 Sail to Edfu, ride to visit the Temple of Horus.

 Lunch on board.

Dinner and night stay on board in El Hegz.

Day 4

Breakfast on board.

 Sail to Esna.

 Check out the dahabiya after breakfast.

 We visit the Temple, restored caravanserai and market.

Esna is part of the Luxor governorate, we drive about an hour from Esna to Luxor.

Detailed days

opportunity to swim or kayak.(If you wish to kayak please advise us two days before the dahabiya tour begins so we can be sure to have kayaks available).

In Daraw we plan dinner for that night and you learn how to shop Egyptian style, then try your new skills in the market shopping for ingredients for dinner.

We also visit a camel barn to learn about these fascinating animals and about the camel trade.

We will visit a Nubian Town. From about 7,000 BC, communities evolved from African Nile Valley civilisations to form the Nubian, Ancient Egyptian and Kushite civilizations.

There are several Nubian communities near Daraw.

Nubian civilization is one of the oldest in the Nile River valley.

Nubians are a distinct ethno-linguistic group indigenous to southern Egypt and northern Sudan, but Nubians in Egypt who were displaced by the construction of the High Dam near Aswan now mostly live north of Lake Nasser.

Although Nubians are historically and culturally distinct from other Egyptians, they have long been interconnected with Egypt.

While many Egyptian pharaohs colonized Nubia at various times, Nubian pharaohs from the Kingdom of Kushruled Ancient Egypt in the 7th Century BC.

The Temple of Kom Ombo is dedicated to the crocodile-featured god Sobek and the god Horus. The connection to the power of the Nile is unmistakable as you look towards the temple.

We also visit the Crocodile Museum which includes some impressive mummied crocodiles.

Sail to El Selsela where we take a short walk parallel to the Nile to visit shrines and a massive quarry.

Large amounts of sandstone was quarried here for temple building in Thebes (Luxor).

Cut into the rock are the speos (chapel) of Horemheb with its sanctuary containing rock shrines and various stelae and inscriptions.

The huge quarry gives context to how much building material was sourced from this area.

There is also an area of sand here where children (and children at heart) can slide and play.

Dinner and overnight on the dahabiya, where you are nowbecomingpart of the rhythms of Nile River life.

Stepping o the dahabiya at Bisaw Island and village we take a leisurely walk through a farm, meet some of the women and children and learn how the unique sun bread is baked in homes here.

We are welcomed by the local fishermen to their boats, learning of the skills of these men who live in harmony with the Nile.

Fish caught can be enjoyed as part of dinner that evening.

We board the dahabiya for lunch and sail towards Edfu.

Ride to the imposing Temple with its grand spaces and many hieroglyphic inscriptions.

View Tell Edfu to the West of the temple, which includes houses dating from the Old to NewKingdom.

If time allows we also stroll through the local market.

We sail again, time to relax with dinner, overnight on board in El Hegz.

El Hegz Village.

This is an opportunity for true cross cultural exchange as we visit a local family who are excited to have visitors from the wider world. Your guide will translate so you can ask them questions and enhance your understanding of village culture.

After breakfast, check out of the dahabiya.

In Esna we explore the Temple dedicated to the ram headed god Khnum.

The temple sits below street level within the town, as it was excavated from layers of earth.

Enjoy discovering heritage craft traditions including beautiful textiles as we visit the restored Wekalet Al-Geddawi, a caravanserai, and the Ottoman era market of Al-Qissariya.

Drive about an hour to Luxor and transfer to Luxor airport or your hotel.

Also you can start a tour in Luxor in that day (choose from the optional tours/activities below)

OPTIONAL TOURS AND ACTIVITIES
West Bank: West bank of Luxor is home to countless tombs, temples and the village of the workmen who built and applied their artistry to the tombs and temples. As we start exploring the West Bank our first visit is to the Colossi of Memnon. These two imposing sandstone statues that indicate the site of the mortuary temple of 18th dynasty pharaoh Amenhotep III (1386 – 1353 BC).

Valley of the Kings which is part of the necropolis of ancient Thebes. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For more than a thousand years the kings, queens and nobles of the New Kingdom (1500 – 1070 BC) chose to be buried here.

Temple of Hatshepsut. During her reign the female pharaoh Hatshepsut (1473 – 1458 BC) built a mortuary temple at Deir el Bahari, situated directly across the Nile from Karnak Temple which was the main sanctuary of the god Amun. Many find it one of the most beautiful of all the temples constructed in Egypt.

Ancient Workmen Village. Deir el-Medina is the Arabic name for the village where the craftsmen and artisans who worked on the tombs and other monuments of the West bank lived, including those in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens.

Hot Air Balloon ride. Hot Air Balloon ride over Luxor West Bank for the sun rise. (about 50 min flying).

Karnak Temple Temple is huge, the site covers more than 100 hectares. Construction at Karnak began in the Middle Kingdom (2000 – 1700 BC) and continued into the Ptolemaic era (305–30 BC). Its size and variety within the site that make it extraordinary.

Luxor Temple located approximately three kilometers south of Karnak Temple. These temples were linked with a processional way bordered with sphinxes, now known as Avenue of the Sphinxes. It is the only temple in the world where ancient Egyptian religions, Greek and Roman cults, Christianity and Islam have been practiced. The temple was substantially built by Amenhotep III (c.1390–1352 BC) and Ramesses II (1279–1213 BC).

Dendera and Abydos if you wish to explore Dandara or Abydos, we can organize your tours on the days before the Dahabiya, which might add another extra day in Luxor.
Philae: giving you a picturesque approach to the site. During the 1960s, the monuments on this island were relocated from the original Philae island nearby so they would not be flooded because of the construction of the Aswan High Dam. Philae includes many structures, mostly dating to the Ptolemaic era (332–30 BC).

Unfinished Obelisk. Obelisks are four-sided, tapered monuments that were called tekhenu by the Ancient Egyptians. It is estimated that the unfinished obelisk would have measured 42 metres and weighed 1200 tons, which would have made it the largest obelisk constructed by the ancient Egyptians.

the High Dam and enjoy views of the Old Aswan Dam and the Nubian Lake (Lake Nasser). Seeing the High Dam and lake adds to your understanding of how the changing flow of the Nile has influenced Egyptian history. The dam was built to control the flooding of the Nile, increase water storage for irrigation, and generate hydroelectricity. However, the large area flooded caused the relocation of more than 100,000 people. Many archaeological sites were submerged.

The Elephantine Island archaeological site This is one of the most unique sites in upper Egypt because here you can see across 4,000 years of Egypt’s history, from 3,000 BC until late mediaeval times (12th to 14th centuries). Remains on the island date from prehistory, including the oldest temple in Egypt.

A Felucca ride on the Nile River is a leisurely boat trip with views of the Nobles’ tombs, the Agha Khan Mausoleum, and Plantation Island. As you sail, you will also see the Old Cataract Hotel.
We can also include a visit to the Other sights: The following attractions need at least an extra day in Aswan.

The Nubian Museum:will give you more insights into the multifaceted history of this area and how monuments and edifices were made.

 Lying in Abu Simbel town, 3 hours drive (each way) from Aswan to the south about 230 km (140 mi) southwest of Aswan, part of the UNESCO Nubian world heritage sites including two massive rock-cut temples dating back to Ramses II of the 19th dynasty, Abu Simbel temples were relocated by archaeologists as construction of the dam began in 1960 in a rescue operation . 

Temples of Kalabsha: Also known as thMandulis, ite Temple of Mandulis was originally located at Bab al-Kalabsha, about 50 kilometres south of Aswan. The temple was on the UNESCO Nubian Sites list together with other outstanding examples of Nubian architecture, including the ones in El Seboua and Amada. The temple was moved to its current location just across from the High Dam.

will give you more  insights to the multifaceted history of this area, and of how monuments and edifices were made.

Dahabiya Tour Detailed Quote
USD 529 Per Person in Double Cabin
  • All Tours on board (professional English speaking guide on board the Dahabiya). Other languages are available on request.

  • Transfers

  • Dahabiya accommodation in a double cabin 4 nights with all meals and drinks included (Shared Dahabiya).

  • All Entry Fees.
USD 188 Per Suite Per 4 Nights
  • Dahabiya Suite supplement (when available)
USD 405 Per Person Per Cabin Per 4 Nights
  • Single supplement
NOT INCLUDING
  • Optional tours.

  • Alcohol on board (You can bring your own) .

  • Gratitude.

  • Any other thing not mentioned above.
NOTES
  • Private Dahabiya is available, as for a tailored quote.

  • Dressing code is conservative while visiting the local villages.

  • The above prices are subject to change if a high inflation rate happens as a result of government practices, pandemic or economic problems.

  • In case of any complication in sailing, some changes in the itinerary might happen.

  • If there are any unforeseen circumstances and the boat assigned for your tour is unable to sail, Dahabiya Nile Sailing/Real Egypt is responsible for arranging a similar boat for your tour.
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