• Dahabiya Nile Sailing •

Discover The Timeless Nile (Starting and Ending in Luxor)

8 Days - 7 nights: Luxor, Dahabiya Sailing on the Nile, Aswan, Luxor

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ITINERARY

Day 1: Monday – Arrival

Arrive in Luxor
Meet and assist
Transfer to your Hotel for check in

Day 2: Tuesday – Luxor West Bank

Visit the Valley of the Kings. Your tour guide will lead you to the most important tombs among the opened tombs in the valley – You are allowed to visit 3 tombs among more than 10 tombs open.

Visit Hatshepsut temple.

Stop at the Colossi of Memnon.

Lunch at a local family owned restaurant.

Visit the Ancient Workmen Village (Deir El Medina)

The Nobles’ tombs.

Habu Temple.

Tour Duration: 9-10 hours

Dressing code: Normal.

Optional activities: ( please notify us before hand of optional tours you would like )

Tut Ankh Amon tomb.
Ramses 6th tomb
Set 1st tomb
Hot air Balloon ride. At sun rise, about 50 minutes flight with transfers duration is 2 hours total.

Day 3: Wednesday – Luxor East Bank + Dahabiya

Visit Karnak and Luxor temples.

The tour duration about 3-4 hours.
To join the dahabiya, which is part of the Luxor governorate, we drive about an hour from Luxor to Esna. We visit the Temple of Esna and restored caravanserai and market, then check in to the dahabiya and sail to El Hegz Village for a unique cultural experience. Lunch and dinner are on board the dahabiya.

Luxor Temple is located approximately three kilometres (1.86 miles) 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).

Karnak Temple is huge, the site covers more than 100 hectares (247 acres). Construction at Karnak began during the reign of Senusret I in the Middle Kingdom (2000 – 1700 BC) and continued into the Ptolemaic era (305–30 BC). Most of the remaining structures are from the
New Kingdom, and these include remnants of temples, chapels, pylons and other structures.
Most other temples in Egypt were not constructed and used over such a long time and with
many rulers involved in construction here. Although it does not have many unique features, it is its size and variety within the site that make it extraordinary.

Day 4 – Thursday – Dahabiya

Breakfast on board, sailing to El Kab. Transfer to see the massive walls of the ancient town of Nekheb and explore the New Kingdom tombs. Sail to Edfu, Ride to visit the Temple of Horus. Sailing with free time as you overnight on the dahabiya. Special barbeque dinner by moonlight.

At El Kab remains of ancient settlements date from about 3,000 BC (possibly centuries earlier) to Roman rule. The site is one of the most unique in Egypt because ancient villages and cities are rarely found. As we move inland you will see remains of the impressive mud brick walls and the long valley lined with tombs and shrines, including temples dedicated to Nekhbet and Thoth. We enter the decorated tombs of New Kingdom officials from the area.

We board the dahabiya for lunch and sail towards Edfu. Horse drawn carriages take us 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 New Kingdom. If time
allows we also stroll through the local market.

We sail again. From the boat view a Roman fort. Time to relax with dinner, and drift into dreams
as you are now becoming part of the rhythms of the Nile. Overnight stay onboard.

Day 5 – Friday – Dahabiya

Breakfast on board. Visit Bisaw Island and village, join the men in their boats to share the experience of Nile fishing, walk through farms and meet the villagers. Sailing to El Selsela ancient sandstone quarry and shrines. Dinner on board.

Breakfast in a local home in Bisaw village, where 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.

Lunch onboard and continue sailing 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.

Resume sailing until we reach a place for a special barbeque dinner by moonlight. Overnight stay on board.

Day 6 – Saturday – Dahabiya

Breakfast on board. Visit Kom Ombo temple and the Crocodile Museum. In the nearby 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. As we sail closer to Aswan if you wish there is an opportunity to swim or kayak. Farewell dinner and sail to our final destination Aswan.

A short walk from the dahabiya dock, 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 mummified crocodiles.

In nearby Daraw explore a town that will give you a different sense of Egyptian life than what
you see in the big cities. Daraw includes several Nubian communities. We will stop at a cafe to try a local drink such as halfabar. We
can plan our dinner for that night and learn how to shop, including a few words of Arabic, then
try your new skills in the market shopping for ingredients for dinner. This is a fun opportunity
to interact with the market traders. Ask your guide about shopping for other items too, including Arabic words and prices. You will visit a barn for an introduction to camels, giving you some interaction with camels and to learn about these fascinating animals and about the camel trade. Note: if your tour visits Daraw on Saturday or Sunday we visit the camel market instead of the camel barn. On Tuesdays we can visit a livestock market.
As we near Aswan you have the 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.

Sailing, lunch, dinner and overnight stay on board near Aswan.

Day 7 – Sunday – Aswan

Breakfast on board and check out of the Dahabiya.
Visit Philae temple.

Visit the unfinished obelisk.

Visit the High Dam.

Lunch

Visit Elephantine Island archeological site.

Felucca ride in the Nile River to view the following: The Nobles tombs – Agha Khan Mausoleum – the Plantation Island and the Old Cataract hotel.
Night Stay in Aswan

The tour duration 7 – 8 hours

Dressing code: Normal.

Optional activities: ( please notify us before hand of optional tours you would like )

The Nubian Museum.
Animalia house museum.
Lunch or dinner in a local Nubian Family house.
Camel ride to Saint Simon Monastery.
Visit Plantation Island.
Motor boat ride through the Nile Cataract.
Philae temple sound and light show.

Abu Simbel temples. This tour might need an extra day in Aswan.

Day 8 – Monday – Departure

Check out
Transfer to Luxor Airport
Assist and help for your flight