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Dahabiya Cruise on the Nile: 5 Days of Pharaonic Immersion from Luxor to Aswan

Main features
Boat type: dahabieh
Number of cabins: 5
Maximum capacity: 10 travelers
Crew members: 9

Cabins

Twin cabin
Capacity: 2 Berths maximum
Standard cabin with two twin beds that can be joined to form a double bed. A child can share a cabin with their parents by adding a rollaway bed. All cabins are air-conditioned. Each cabin has a private bathroom. Shampoo, soap, and shower gel are provided. The cabins feature large panoramic windows, all of which offer a direct view of the outdoors.
Suite
Capacity: 2 Berths maximum
A spacious suite at the stern that spans the entire rotunda on the main deck. It features a private bathroom and a 3 m² private terrace.
NB : The pictures, information, and visuals presented are not contractually binding. The itinerary and program indicated may be modified without notice for technical reasons (captain's decision).

Itinerary

Luxor Esna El Hegz
Depart with your guide for a tour of the Karnak Temples. An impressive complex of masterpieces... more+ covering more than 100 hectares, this vast architectural ensemble was the great temple of Amun. Each pharaoh contributed to its embellishment and expansion. Highlights include the temples of Seti II and Ramses III, the hypostyle hall with its 134 monumental columns, the sacred lake, and the open-air museum. Cross the Nile via the bridge to reach the Theban necropolis on the left bank and discover the Valley of the Kings. Your guide will show you three of the most beautiful tombs open to the public.

Then, a 30-minute drive through the countryside will take you south of Luxor to the town of Esna. This type of riverboat, specific to Egypt, has been used since ancient times for travel, made necessary by the flooding of the Nile, which prevented the establishment of roads along the river.
The Khedives and kings of Egypt, such as Khedive Abbas II, built themselves a Dahabieh in the same spirit and in the old style, out of love and passion for sailing on the Nile.

Upon your arrival on board, our crew will welcome you with a fresh towel scented with rose water, accompanied by a typical regional drink, Karkadé, an infusion of hibiscus flowers. You can also enjoy freshly squeezed lemon juice with mint. Take advantage of these few moments on the deck of the boat before settling into your cabins.

You will watch as the mooring lines are cast off and the first maneuvers are made to begin navigation on the Nile, while enjoying your first meal on board.

The afternoon will be devoted to relaxation and discovering the biblical landscapes along the riverbanks, until your first stop at El Hegz, where you will spend your first night on board. Your dinner will be served on deck with a variety of Egyptian dishes prepared on board. Pick-up from your hotel or the airport by our local partner, then transfer to the boat. 
Included activities: Visit to the Karnak Temple, Discovery of the Valley of the Kings, more+
Accommodation: Night on board
Breakfast
Lunch
Diner
El Hegz El Kab Edfu Fawaza Island
Your breakfast will be served on deck as your Dahabieh glides along the Nile, propelled by a gentle... more+ morning breeze that fills the sails. You will reach El Kaab, a 5,000-year-old city surrounded by a mud-brick wall, built between 747 and 332 BC. The city is believed to have been founded as early as the Neolithic period. El Kaab was the site where Horus and his wife Hathor, coming from Dendera, met during the festival of "The Beautiful Union." Bas-reliefs and polychrome paintings adorn the walls of the tombs of the governors of Nekheb, which overlook the ancient city.

You will continue sailing toward Edfu, which you will visit after lunch on board. In Edfu, you will discover the temple dedicated to Horus, one of the best-preserved in Egypt. This temple, dedicated to the Falcon God, son of Isis and Osiris, offers a comprehensive view of the architecture of a temple from the Greco-Roman period. The tour will begin by horse-drawn carriage (other transportation options available upon request).

After the tour, return to the boat and continue sailing to Fawaza Island. A barbecue dinner will be served on this island, amidst the palm grove. The boat’s crew will present a show of Nubian dances accompanied by Nubian songs and percussion, one of Egypt’s most beautiful musical rhythms, dating back to the time of the ancient Egyptians. 
Included activities: Discovery of the Temple of Edfu, Nubian dance performance, more+
Accommodation: Night on board
Breakfast
Lunch
Diner
Fawaza Island Bassaw Gebel el-Silsila Beshir
Breakfast on board, facing a magical and solemn landscape. You will enjoy a morning bath before... more+ resuming navigation towards the village of Basaw. Off the beaten path, this walk will give you direct contact, far from any commercial interests. You will find depictions of the journey and return of the pilgrimage to Mecca, shown on the facades of the houses in the village of Basaw. This will remind you of the scenes in tombs and on the facades of temples from ancient Egyptian times, where people sought to immortalize the most significant events of their lives. This tradition is still carried on today.

There is also the opportunity to experience traditional fishing with local fishermen in their small boats. You will learn to throw the traditional net and tap the surface of the mythical waters, perhaps bringing back the daily catch for lunch onboard. Meanwhile, your chef will visit the fish market to select the finest catch of the day, which you will enjoy during lunch, accompanied by a variety of traditional Nubian fish dishes.

We will then reach the site of Djabel El Silsela, an ancient quarry that was used to build several temples in Egypt. The landscape changes to one of steep cliffs with a narrowing Nile. You will discover several small chapels as well as the sanctuary of Horemoheb. These sites were used for the celebration of the Nile during the Greco-Roman period. We will also see the flood stelae.

Dinner and overnight on board. 
Included activities: Visit to Bassaw village, more+
Accommodation: Night on board
Breakfast
Lunch
Diner
Beshir Kom Ombo Daraw Herdiab
You will enjoy the navigation towards Kom Ombo during your breakfast. Upon arrival at Kom Ombo, you... more+ will dock at the foot of the site for a one-and-a-half-hour visit. This temple, dedicated to the God Sobek (Crocodile God), was built during the Ptolemaic period. You will have the chance to discover the mummified crocodiles, almost perfectly preserved, displayed in a room at the entrance of the temple.

The Temple of Kom Ombo contains a unique scene known for the Kom Ombo surgical instruments, presented to Imhotep, the funerary physician of Djoser. You will also discover one of the Egyptian calendars that is often found in several temples.

You will have the opportunity to visit one of the largest local markets, the Daraw market. The city of Daraw is the capital of camel trade in Egypt, with camels arriving from Sudan via the Forty-Day Route. The Forty-Day Route is the name given to this path that runs along the Nile through the Nubian Desert. Trade between the North and South was carried out by camel caravans, transporting all sorts of goods from Africa.

Today, camels have been replaced by trucks, and the camels themselves are transported by truck to be sold in the city of Daraw and then distributed throughout Egypt.

Return aboard, where lunch will be served on the deck. Your Dahabieh will resume its navigation to reach the village of Herbiab. This village will allow you to discover agricultural methods that date back to the Pharaonic era.

You will have the opportunity to enjoy one last swim on Herbiab's beach before reaching the city of Aswan. Dinner and overnight on board. 
Included activities: Discovery of the Kom Ombo temple, Visit to the village of Daraw, more+
Accommodation: Night on board
Breakfast
Lunch
Diner
Herdiab Aswan
Breakfast on board.
The city of Aswan is the third-largest city in Egypt, a southern border city,... more+ and a unique, welcoming, and serene place due to the temperament of its predominantly Nubian inhabitants.
"One falls in love with Aswan."
We will take a vehicle to reach the dock and travel to Aglikia Island, where the Temple of Philae, dedicated to the Goddess Isis, was rescued from the waters—a magical site of rare beauty.
Final departure.
Pick-up from the boat, then transfer to the airport or a hotel. 
Included activities: Visit to the Temple of Philae, more+
Breakfast
Lunch
Diner

included

The price includes
Entrance fees to the sites mentioned in the program
Still mineral water, tea, instant coffee (Nescafé), and infusions available at all times during and outside of meals
Transfer from Luxor to Esna for embarkation
Transfer from the boat in Aswan to the airport or hotel
French-speaking Egyptologist guide (or another language upon request) throughout the tour
Transfer from the airport or hotel to Luxor for the visits
Activities included in the program
Meals included in the program
The price does not include
Prepaid SIM card
Alcoholic beverages, soda, sparkling water, beer, wine (at an additional cost)
Tips for the crew : 50 € / people
Guide tip (at the customer's discretion): 5 to 7€ per person per day
Meals not included in the program
Filovent cancellation cover more+
Filovent comprehensive cover more+
Additional information
No medication, no treatment, no medical care
Dahabiehs are traditional sailing boats that navigate primarily under sail. When wind conditions do not permit it, or on certain stretches of the Nile, the boat may be towed at a distance (approximately 30 m) by a small tugboat, as dahabiehs do not have engines
Optional services
Flights not included in the programme are available on request

Activities

Visit to the Karnak Temple
included
Discovery of the Valley of the Kings
included
Discovery of the Temple of Edfu
included
Nubian dance performance
included
Visit to Bassaw village
included
Discovery of the Kom Ombo temple
included
Visit to the village of Daraw
included
Visit to the village of Herbiab
included
Visit to the Temple of Philae
included

Customer reviews

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Information about the partner

  • Filovent partner since 2025
  • Last booking with this partner in November 2026
  • 89 bookings with this partner
  • Partner's overall rating: 9.2 / 10 (39 reviews)
  • Average rating of the partner's boats: 9.3 / 10
  • Average rating of the partner's service: 9.0 / 10
    • Léa
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