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• Dahabiya Nile Sailing •
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 ensuites, originally designed to take 19th-century travelers 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.
The preferred day to start this tour is Sunday, but we can organise other departure dates for 2+ cabins. If you would like to book cabins aboard the Dahabiya cruise only, without the tours in Luxor and Aswan, this can be arranged.
Day 1 (usually Sunday)
Luxor. We will meet you at your hotel. We drive to the West Bank and stop to see the Colossi of Memnon. We visit the Valley of the Kings, where we will lead you to the most important tombs among the currently open tombs in the valley. We visit three of the more than 10 tombs that are currently open. We visit Hatshepsut’s temple.
We visit a local traditional house for lunch or dinner—an opportunity to meet local people. The lunch may include a brief cooking lesson. (You also have the option to replace this with lunch at a regular restaurant.) Visit the Ancient Workmen’s Village (Deir El Medina). Overnight stay in a hotel in Luxor. Tour duration: 7-8 hours.
Modern Luxor is the location of the ancient city of Thebes. We will visit some of the most important sites and monuments on both the east and west banks of the Nile.
The 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) were completed in 1350 BC. The statues of the seated ruler are 18 metres high, and each is estimated to weigh 720 tons. The temple is the largest on the West Bank and continues to be excavated; you can see this underway behind the statues. Archeologists believe the single sandstone blocks from which each statue was carved were quarried near Cairo and transported to Thebes.
We continue inland to the 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. The tombs are carved into the limestone rock of a wadi (valley), and the surrounding landscape is in itself awesome. Many of the tombs are exquisitely decorated; they show scenes of the spiritual life of the ancient Egyptians. There are so many tombs worth visiting that today’s visit to three will hopefully encourage you to return to visit more of the Valley of the Kings with Real Tours.
We move next to the 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.
Hatshepsut clearly realized that, as a woman in what was usually a male power role, impressive structures that bettered those of previous rulers would help to impress people and legitimize her reign.
Our last fascinating site today is the ancient workmen’s 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 the Valley of the Queens. It is an important site due to the abundant information it has given about the daily life of those who lived here. At Deir el-Medina, the lives of the workers responsible for the magnificent tombs were coming to light.
Day 2
After breakfast and check out of your hotel, we visit Karnak Temple and then Luxor temple. 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.
After breakfast and hotel check out we meet you and visit Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple for 3 to 4 hours.
On the east bank of Luxor, bookending the modern city, are the ancient Theban temples of Karnak and Luxor, with the Avenue of Sphinxes and Luxor Museum between them.
Karnak 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 make it extraordinary.
We continue to Luxor Temple, located approximately three kilometers south of Karnak Temple. These temples were linked by a processional way bordered with sphinxes, now known as the Avenue of the Sphinxes. As was the case with Karnak Temple, unlike most other ancient Egyptian temples, it is not laid out on an east–west axis but is oriented towards Karnak. 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).
We will drive to Esna. Here 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.
We then check in to the Dahabiya and enjoy lunch on board as we sail for about 4-5 hours to 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. Dinner and your first night on the Nile, enjoying the comforts of the dahabiya
Day 3
Breakfast on board, sailing to El Kab. From the village, we walk (or you can go by donkey, motorized tricycle, or tuk tuk) to see the massive walls of the ancient town of Nekheb and explore the New Kingdom tombs. Sail to Edfu in horse-drawn carriages to visit the Temple of Horus. Sailing with dinner and free time as you overnight on the dahabiya.
At El Kub, 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 the 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. Time to relax with dinner and drift into dreams as you are now becoming part of the rhythms of the Nile.
Day 4
Breakfast on board. Visit Bisaw Island and the 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, an ancient sandstone quarry and shrines A special barbeque dinner by moonlight
Stepping off the dahabiya at Bisaw Island and the 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.
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 were quarried here for temple buildings 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.
We sail until it is time for an atmospheric barbecue dinner by moonlight and another tranquil night on board.
Day 5
Breakfast on board. Visit the 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 village. 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 El 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 the camel trade.
We visit a Nubian village. From about 7,000 BC, communities evolved from African Nile Valley civilizations 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 ethnolinguistic 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 colonised Nubia at various times, Nubian pharaohs from the Kingdom of Kush ruled ancient Egypt in the 7th century BC.
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.
We set sail on the final stretch of the Dahabiya cruise, with lunch and time to reflect on your Dahabiya experience. By the farewell dinner, we are sure you will be wanting to return to see more of Egypt and wishing this was not your last night on board the Dahabiya.
Day 6
Breakfast on board and check out of the Dahabiya Visit the Philae Temple. Visit the unfinished obelisk. Visit the High Dam. Lunch. Visit the Elephantine Island archaeological site. Felucca ride on the Nile River to view the Nobles’ tombs, the Agha Khan Mausoleum, the Plantation Island, and the Old Cairo Hotel.
We take a boat to visit 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). The most prominent of these is a temple dedicated to Isis, begun by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. This temple was one of the last ancient Egyptian temples to remain active until Emperor Justinian I (527–565 AD) ordered the closure of all non-Christian temples. The temple was converted into a Christian church. There also is a temple dedicated to Hathor, built by Ptolemy VI Philometor (180–145 BC) and Emperor Augustus of Rome (30 BC–14 AD), and the elegant Kiosk of Trajan (98–117 AD).
Visit the unfinished obelisk. Obelisks are four-sided, tapered monuments that were called tekhenu by the Ancient Egyptians. The term “obelisks” comes from the Greek word “obeliskos,” the diminutive of “obelos,” which means “a spit.” There is ongoing debate about who commissioned the obelisk. 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.
After lunch, we visit 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. It was a controversial plan because the dam would flood the lands of the Nubian people and cover the remains of previous societies, including several important ancient Egyptian temples. However, the large area flooded caused the relocation of more than 100,000 people. Many archaeological sites were submerged.
After lunch, we travel by boat to visit 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–14th centuries). Remains on the island range from prehistory, including the oldest temple in Egypt, through the Old Kingdom under the Ptolemies and Romans, to the Islamic Kingdom. Alexander’s name is mentioned, there are remains of a Christian monastery, a Jewish temple, remains from the Islamic Medieval Period, and the foundation of a mysterious, experimental pyramid that is possibly the oldest pyramid in the world, believed to have been built by Imhotep before the step pyramid at Saqqara.
The afternoon continues with a Felucca ride on the Nile River, 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; its illustrious guests have included Agatha Christie, who set some of her novel “Death on the Nile” at the hotel, and it featured in the excellent Egyptian television series “Grand Hotel,” which you may have seen on Netflix.
This dahabiya experience begins with a tour in and around Luxor and ends in Aswan, but this is not the extent of historic sites and cultural experiences in the area that we can share with you. We can offer you other tours that complement this tour. When you are booking your dahabiya tour please ask us about the other options around Luxor and Aswan that can really add to your visit here.
Abu Simbel temples This tour might need an extra day in Aswan.
Other sights: From Aswan, you can also visit the temples of Kalabsha.
If you are interested in Nubian culture and have time only for further sightseeing closer to the city, the Nubian Museum will give you more insights into the multifaceted history of this area and of how monuments and edifices were made.
Visit 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).
We can also visit a Nubian village and visit the Animalia House Museum, which is an excellent place to learn about Nubian culture and the changes that came about with the building of the High Dam.
We can also include a visit to the Aswan Souk (market).
| Dahabiya Tour Detailed Quote |
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| USD 705 Per Person in Double Cabin |
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| USD 250 Per Suite Per 3 Nights |
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| USD 540 Per Person Per Cabin |
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| NOT INCLUDING |
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| NOTES |
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© Dahabiya Nile Sailing Egypt 2024