Private charter · Available as a private charter only — the whole boat, exclusively for your party.
Lotus Dahabiya
An intimate sail-powered Nile dahabiya with lateen sails, chef-prepared full-board dining, and access to smaller shore sites.
The short answer
Lotus is a dahabiya. Embark in Aswan on a Friday for 3 nights to Esna, or in Esna on a Monday for 4 nights to Aswan. Rates are on request: send us your dates for a live price.
02Overview
A first look
By late afternoon, the Nile narrows around the dahabiya, the lateen sail draws quietly overhead, and village sounds carry across the water. From the deck of Lotus Dahabiya, you can watch fields, palms, and mud-brick homes pass at river level while your chef prepares dinner nearby.
We arrange a slower rhythm than a large Nile cruiser can offer, with time to pause at places such as El Kab and the Gebel Silsila quarry. Our Egyptologists put each stop into context without rushing you between monuments. Discovery Tours Egypt, a licensed Egyptian tour operator, coordinates your transfers, shore visits, and cabin arrangements before you travel.
The route
Where this ship sails
The stretch of river this ship works.
Cabin pricing
Rates on request
We don't have current published rates for this ship. Send us your dates and we'll come back with a live price for the cabin you want.
On board
Detailed itinerary
- 1
On arrival at Luxor airport or train station, your Egyptologist guide takes you on a full day of sightseeing in Luxor: the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and Karnak Temple. In the afternoon you're driven to Esna to board your dahabiya, welcomed aboard by the crew for your first night moored at Esna.
- 2
Breakfast at leisure as the dahabiya sails towards Edfu, arriving around midday. Visit the Temple of Horus by horse-drawn caleche — one of Egypt's largest and best-preserved monuments, its entrance flanked by two granite falcon statues — then browse the bazaar for spices, souvenirs and perfume.
After lunch on board, continue sailing towards the temple at Gebel el-Silsila, with dinner served in the temple grounds, on a nearby island, or on the sun deck.
- 3
Breakfast at leisure, then sail to Kom Ombo to visit the Greco-Roman double temple shared equally between the falcon god Haroeris and the crocodile god Sobek. Continue sailing towards Aswan, watching river life along the banks — water buffalo, donkeys and birdlife — and moor for the night close to the city.
- 4
After breakfast on board, spend the day exploring Aswan — the island Temple of Isis at Philae and the Aswan High Dam — with time to wander the Aswan bazaar. Return to the boat for your final evening and overnight in Aswan.
- 5
After breakfast, disembark and transfer to Aswan airport or train station for your onward departure.
- 1
On arrival at Aswan airport or train station, your Egyptologist guide takes you on a day of sightseeing in Aswan — the island Temple of Isis at Philae and the Aswan High Dam, with time to browse the Aswan bazaar. In the afternoon you board your dahabiya and enjoy lunch on deck as the boat sets sail for Kom Ombo, mooring there for the night.
- 2
Breakfast at leisure, then visit the Greco-Roman temple at Kom Ombo — a perfectly symmetrical double temple with matching halls and sanctuaries dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris and the crocodile god Sobek. Sail on to the quieter temple at Gebel el-Silsila, mooring alongside the rock-cut Speos of Horemheb; dinner is served in the temple grounds or on the sun deck, weather and mood allowing.
- 3
After breakfast, visit the Temple of Horus at Edfu by horse-drawn caleche — one of Egypt's largest and best-preserved monuments, its entrance flanked by two granite falcon statues — then explore the bazaar for spices, souvenirs and perfume.
The dahabiya moors at a quiet island for a themed Egyptian evening: dinner by the riverbank or on the sun deck, Arabic music, and the option to dress in a gallabeya for the occasion, before sailing on gently towards Esna overnight.
- 4
After breakfast, disembark at Esna and drive to Luxor for a sightseeing day — the Valley of the Kings, the Temple of Hatshepsut, the Colossi of Memnon and Karnak Temple — before your transfer to Luxor airport or train station for departure.
Bundled in
- Sun Deck
- Restaurant
- Onboard Bar
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Accommodation aboard Lotus Dahabiya
- All meals: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
- Professional Egyptologist guide
- Visits to all listed archaeological sites
- Entrance fees to included attractions
- All transport to/from the Dahabiya
- Taxes and service charges
Not included
- Tips and personal expenses
- Drinks, including water, are not included, even with meals
- Optional tours or activities
- Domestic flights (if required)
- Travel insurance
Add before or after your cruise
The ship sails between Luxor and Aswan. The Pyramids, and most flights home, are in Cairo. These short add-ons join the two.
After you dock
Aswan to Cairo flight and one hotel night
Two nights in Cairo with a day in Alexandria
3-Day Egypt Short Break: Cairo & Luxor
3-Day Cairo & Alexandria Tour
3-Day Luxor Tour from Marsa Alam
3-Day Cairo Tour from Sharm El Sheikh- 3-Day Luxor & Cairo Tour from Hurghada
2-Day Luxor to Cairo Post-Cruise Stay
3-Day Luxor to Cairo Post-Cruise Tour with Alexandria
Compare
Similar ships to compare
Ships of the same class with the closest prices. Prices are per person, sharing a double cabin, October to April.
- Queen Nefeer Dahabiya Nile Cruise
5-Star Standard dahabiya
Embarks Mon from Esna / Fri from Aswan
From $1,390 per person
- Amoura Dahabiya Nile Cruise
5-Star Standard dahabiya
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- Akhnaton Dahabiya Nile Cruise
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The route
Luxor and Aswan
- EsnaThe temple & the river lock
- EdfuThe Temple of Horus
- Kom OmboThe Temple of Sobek
Snapshot
Good to know
- Destinations
- Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan
- Guide languages
- Arabic · English · French · German · Italian · Spanish
Before you go
What to pack & wear
What to bring
- Valid passport and photocopy
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sun protection: hat, sunglasses, SPF30+ sunscreen
- Lightweight daypack and a refillable water bottle
- A small torch or headlamp for uneven temple pathways
- Any personal medication plus a basic first-aid kit
- Plug adapter for Egyptian 220V sockets (type C, F)
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for hot days
- Layers for cooler mornings and evenings on the Nile
- Covered shoulders and knees for temples and mosques
- Comfortable closed-toe shoes for archaeological sites
- A lightweight scarf for sun and wind protection
Children & families
Children aged 0 to 5.99 years travel free; children aged 6 to 11.99 years pay 50% of the adult fare; children 12 years and older pay the full adult price. Children must share a cabin with their parents, maximum one child per cabin; two or more children require a separate cabin. Strollers are practical on the vessel decks but are not useful at many archaeological sites because of steps and uneven surfaces. We can advise family-friendly cabins and suitable excursions when you book.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This dahabiya cruise requires moderate mobility: guests board and disembark via short gangplanks and step-ladders, and many shore visits involve uneven ancient stone, narrow paths, and steps at temples and tombs. Wheelchair users may be able to access the vessel if they can transfer to a narrow cabin step; fully powered wheelchairs will not fit on the gangplank or inside most cabins. Transfers between the dock and the boat are by minivan with a single step; some sites require short walks on compacted sand or cobbles. We are a licensed Egyptian tour operator and can arrange additional assistance on request, but we cannot guarantee full wheelchair accessibility at all landing points or smaller archaeological sites. Please contact us with mobility details before booking so we can advise which parts of the itinerary will be suitable and prepare any reasonable adjustments.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
This itinerary is sailed on a traditional dahabiya using lateen sails supplemented by an auxiliary engine when wind conditions require. River transfers and shore transfers use modern air-conditioned minibuses with small group sizes, which reduces per-person emissions compared with large coach tours. We contract local captains, chefs, and Egyptologists directly, paying locally negotiated rates to support neighborhood livelihoods in Luxor, Esna, and Aswan. Provisions are sourced from regional markets where possible, so fresh produce benefits small suppliers. We request guests avoid single-use plastics aboard and encourage them to use refillable bottles. If you wish to offset travel emissions, we can signpost verified local community projects and reforestation initiatives we have worked with.
Licensed Egyptologist guides
State-licensed, and people we have worked with for years
Fair wages on the ground
Drivers + guides paid above market
Site preservation
We follow the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities' site rules: marked paths, no touching reliefs
Local teams, real help
Our own offices in Cairo, Luxor, Aswan, Hurghada, Marsa Alam and Sharm El Sheikh
If plans change
Cancellation and refunds
If you cancel, your refund depends on how early you tell us and on the type of trip. Read our current cancellation and refund policy
Last updated Product ID: CRU-NIL-391898
At a glance
- Length
- 3 or 4 nights
- Embarks
- Mon in Esna · Fri in Aswan
- Board
- Full Board
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