Nour El Nil Dahabiya Nile Cruise
A 5-star dahabiya with lateen sails, a sun deck, lounge bar, dining room, and quieter sailing between Luxor and Aswan.
At a glance
- Length
- 6 days · 5 nights
- Embarks
- Sun, Thu
- Board
- Full Board
- Class
- 5-star
The short answer
Nour El Nil Dahabiya is a 5-star Nile cruise vessel arranged by Discovery Tours Egypt.
Snapshot
Good to know
- Destinations
- Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan
- Guide languages
- English · French · German · Italian · Others
02Overview
A first look
The lateen sail catches the morning breeze as the Nour El Nil Dahabiya moves quietly between Nile villages, where palm fronds rustle above the riverbank and fishermen cast from narrow boats. With fewer cabins than a large motor cruiser, the pace leaves room to sit on the sun deck, watch the changing shoreline, and linger ashore when ancient stone and village life come into view.
Our Egyptologists connect each landing to the landscape around it, while the crew looks after the practical details aboard the vessel. As a licensed Egyptian tour operator, we arrange your embarkation, shore visits, cabin booking, and transfers so you can focus on the river rather than coordinating each stage.
Background
The facts
Nour El Nil Dahabiya is a traditional Nile sailing vessel used for cruises between Luxor and Aswan. A dahabiya is smaller than the large motor cruisers commonly used on the Nile, which generally means fewer cabins, quieter sailing, and more time available for shore excursions. The vessel is arranged by Discovery Tours Egypt and used as part of a multi-stop river journey rather than a city hotel stay.
The cruise program connects major Upper Egypt sites on the west and east banks of the Nile. In Luxor, typical excursion sites include Karnak Temple Complex, developed mainly during the Middle and New Kingdom periods, and Luxor Temple, associated with pharaonic worship and later Roman additions. West Bank visits often include the Valley of the Kings, where royal tombs from the 18th to 20th Dynasties were cut into the limestone cliffs.
Southbound or northbound sailing between Luxor and Aswan usually includes stops linked to later temple architecture and river navigation history. Edfu Temple, dedicated to Horus and built in the Ptolemaic era between 237 and 57 BCE, is one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt. Kom Ombo is notable for its double temple layout, while Philae on Agilkia Island preserves the sanctuary of Isis that was relocated after the construction of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s.
The vessel’s onboard arrangement centers on full-board dining, a sun deck, a lounge bar, and a dining room, with cabins graded Standard, Deluxe, and Suite. Each cabin has an en-suite bathroom, and Nile-facing windows or balconies are available where the layout allows. Sailing and shore excursion days alternate, so travelers spend time both on the river and at monuments rather than remaining continuously underway.
Suited to
Is this for you?
Yes, if
- This cruise suits travelers who prefer a slower Nile itinerary with fewer passengers and a quieter onboard atmosphere. It is a good match for adults, couples, and families who want guided temple and tomb visits without the pace of a larger motor ship.
What lingers
- 01Traditional 5-star dahabiya with sun deck, lounge bar and dining room
- 02Full board meals served from embarkation to disembarkation
- 03Shore excursion program to Karnak, Luxor Temple, Edfu, Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings
- 04Cabin classes Standard, Deluxe and Suite, all with en-suite bathrooms and Nile-facing views where available
- 05Weekly sailings in both directions between Luxor and Aswan
- 06Smaller passenger numbers, quieter sailing and more time ashore compared with larger motor cruisers
The route
Esna and Aswan
Choose your direction
- Esna → Aswan4 nightsupstream, against the current
- Aswan → Esna3 nightsdownstream, with the current
The route
Where this ship sails
The stretch of river this vessel works, and what the sailing is like end to end.
At sea
Detailed itinerary
Based on embarkation from Esna and disembarkation in Aswan.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Cabin pricing
Pricing & seasonal rates
Per person in USD, based on cabin sharing. Single supplements apply. Holiday surcharges apply at Christmas, New Year & Easter.
6 Days / 5 Nights · Esna to Aswan
| Cabin | Low | High | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|
| Double Cabin | $1,693 | $1,693 | $1,693 |
Children 0–5.99 years free · 6–11.99 years pay 50% · 12+ pay full adult price. Children must share a cabin with parents (max 2 per cabin).
Indicative rates only – pricing and cabins fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.
Bundled in
- Full board
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Accommodation aboard Nour El Nil Dahabiya
- All meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks
- Private Egyptologist guide
- All sightseeing tours in the itinerary
- Entrance fees to listed attractions
- Transfers to/from embarkation and disembarkation points
- Soft drinks, tea, coffee, and bottled water
- Service charges and government taxes
Not included
- Personal expenses
- Tips for crew and guide
- Optional tours not mentioned
- Alcoholic beverages
- Domestic and international flights
- Travel insurance
Accessibility
Who can join this
This Nile dahabiya experience requires moderate mobility: expect uneven quayside stones, short gangplanks with handrails, and steps into and inside some temples and tombs. Shore visits typically involve cobbled paths, exposed rock surfaces, and Egyptian Museum-style staircases; the Valley of the Kings and some temple sites have steep steps and narrow passageways. The vessel has cabins accessed by a few steps from the gangway and limited corridor widths; cabins are not guaranteed wheelchair-accessible. Transfers use private sedans or minibuses with standard-height steps. If you use a wheelchair or have limited mobility, tell us at booking so we can advise on feasible shore excursions and arrange additional assistance where possible. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and will coordinate meet-and-assist at the airport and ground transfers, but we cannot guarantee full accessibility at third-party sites or on the vessel itself.
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Valid passport and any necessary visas
- Sun hat and high SPF sunscreen (SPF30 or higher)
- Refillable water bottle for onboard refills
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Lightweight daypack for shore excursions
- Layered clothing for cooler evenings on the Nile
- Small torch or headlamp for uneven temple paths
What to wear
- Lightweight breathable clothing for daytime
- Long sleeves and long trousers or skirts for temples and mosques
- Covered shoulders when visiting religious sites
- Light sweater or jacket for evenings on deck
- Closed-toe walking shoes for archaeological sites
Children & families
Children 0–5.99 years travel free; children 6–11.99 years pay 50% of the adult rate; children 12 years and above pay the full adult price. Children must share a cabin with their parents, with a maximum of one child per cabin; two or more children require their own cabin. Strollers are practical for airports and paved quays but are less useful on temple sites with stone steps and uneven surfaces. High chairs are not guaranteed on the dahabiya, so request them when you book if required.
Location
On the map
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
The dahabiya is a sail-powered, low-wake Nile vessel, which reduces engine fuel use while sailing and allows calls at shallow or narrow sites that larger motor cruisers cannot reach. On transfers we use modern air-conditioned minibuses and sedans that meet local emissions standards; fuel-efficient routing is used to minimise unnecessary mileage between visits. We work with local crews, Egyptologists, and small-family-owned cafés and guides in Luxor and Aswan, paying standard local rates and arranging tips directly to site guides and boat crews when requested. Shore excursions include visits to smaller archaeological sites such as El Kab and Gebel Silsila where tourism revenue supports local economies. We provide filtered drinking water on board to reduce single-use plastic; please bring a refillable bottle. These measures are practical and specific, they do not remove tourism impacts, and we review suppliers regularly to reduce energy and waste where possible.
Licensed local Egyptologists
ETAA-credentialed, on payroll
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow MoTA visitor caps and no-touch protocols
Carbon-aware itineraries
Domestic flights only when train/road is impractical
If plans change
Cancellation
- More than 30 days
- Full refund less a £50 admin fee
- 15–30 days
- 50% refund
- Within 14 days
- No refund – date changes considered case by case
Product ID: CRU-NIL-059507
You Might Also Like
Nile5 Nights
Adelaide Dahabiya Nile Cruise
This is a 7-day dahabiya cruise on the Nile operated by a licensed Egyptian tour operator. We sail at a reduced-engine pace and moor at village landings rather than large cruise piers. Unlike larger motorized riverliners, the dahabiya prioritizes quiet transit and closer village access, which changes timing and walk-off logistics compared with standard Nile cruises. We arrange Egyptologist-guided shore visits and all ground transfers; standard site entrance fees are included unless we state otherwise. Trade-offs: smaller cabins, fewer public spaces, and occasional schedule variation when wind conditions affect progress – we plan itineraries to manage those variables.
From $2,539
Nile5 Nights
Malouka Dahabiya Nile Cruise
Malouka Dahabiya is a five-star dahabiya, arranged for you as a full board Nile cruise vessel with traditional low-slung lines and spacious public areas. The vessel offers a mix of Standard, Deluxe and Suite cabins, panoramic windows or Nile-view balconies, a sun deck, lounge bar and a dining salon serving full board meals. The shore-excursion program visits Karnak, Luxor Temple, the Valley of the Kings, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Kom Ombo and Philae, and the vessel sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan. Discovery Tours Egypt selects and books this vessel for our clients on the ground.
From $3,352
Nile5 Nights
Meroe Dahabiya Nile Cruise
Meroe Dahabiya is a five-star dahabiya style Nile cruise vessel offering full board accommodation and a paced shore-excursion program. The vessel sails weekly in both directions between Luxor and Aswan, with embarkation and disembarkation at Luxor and Aswan. Cabins are arranged in Standard, Deluxe and Suite classes, many with Nile views or private balconies. Shore excursions visit Karnak, Luxor Temple, Edfu (Temple of Horus), Kom Ombo, Philae and the Valley of the Kings, accompanied by Egyptologist-guided land visits. Drinks beyond water with meals, premium tombs and personal gratuities are typically extra.
From $3,631