Private charter · Available as a private charter only — the whole boat, exclusively for your party.
musk-dahabiya
A 5-star sail-powered dahabiya with an intimate setting, lateen sail, and chef-prepared full-board dining.
The short answer
musk-dahabiya 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 morning, the Nile carries the soft creak of rigging and the shade of Musk Dahabiya’s lateen sail across the water. The pace leaves room to watch villages, palms, and limestone banks pass quietly while your chef-prepared lunch is served aboard. Shore visits reach places larger Nile cruisers cannot, including El Kab, Gebel Silsila, and the Hagar Salsala quarry, with time to notice carved stone, desert wind, and the changing light along the river.
We carefully select and arrange the vessel, shore excursions, meals, and transfers for you. Our Egyptologists add context on land, while the captain sets a slower course between each stop. As a licensed Egyptian tour operator, we coordinate the practical details before you sail.
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
- Lounge
- Restaurant
- Sun Deck
- Wi-Fi
- Air Conditioning
The fine print
What's included – and what isn't
Included
- Accommodation onboard Musk Dahabiya
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Certified Egyptologist guide
- Entrance fees to all listed temples and sites
- Private transfers to/from the Dahabiya
- Taxes and service charges
Not included
- Tipping for guide and crew
- Optional excursions (hot air balloon, Abu Simbel, felucca rides)
- Personal purchases and additional beverages
- Domestic or international flights
- Any items not mentioned in the inclusion list
- Drinks, including water, are not included, even with meals
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
Embarks Mon from Esna / Fri from Aswan
From $1,434 per person
- Akhnaton Dahabiya Nile Cruise
5-Star Standard dahabiya
Embarks Mon from Esna / Fri from Aswan
From $1,456 per person
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, photocopy and emergency contact details
- Comfortable walking shoes with good grip
- Sunscreen SPF30 or higher and a wide-brim hat
- Reusable water bottle, refillable on board
- Lightweight daypack for shore visits
- Medication and a basic first-aid kit
- Power adapter and charged phone with local SIM if needed
What to wear
- Lightweight, breathable clothing for daytime heat
- Long sleeves and long trousers for temple visits and sun protection
- Covered shoulders and knee-length skirts or trousers for mosques or conservative villages
- A light fleece or jumper for cooler early mornings on deck
- Sturdy closed shoes for archaeological sites and quarries
Children & families
Children aged 0 to 5.99 years travel free. Children aged 6 to 11.99 years pay 50% of the adult price. Children aged 12 years and above pay the full adult price. All 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 on the vessel but are less useful ashore where there are cobbles, stairs and soft sand.
Accessibility
Who can join this
This dahabiya itinerary requires moderate mobility, not full wheelchair accessibility. Boarding and disembarkation involve 4 to 10 low wooden or gangway steps at docks and quays, and some shore visits require walking on compacted sand, loose gravel and uneven ancient stone surfaces. Riverbanks, temple forecourts and quarries often have stairs without handrails. The vessel itself has narrow companionways and cabin thresholds of 5 to 15 centimetres. If you use a mobility scooter, speak with us before booking so we can assess feasibility and advise on transfers. We arrange assistance at the arrival airport and help with luggage onto the vessel, but we cannot guarantee wheelchair ramp availability at all landing points.
– Responsible travel
How we travel here
We use motorised road transfers with modern, air-conditioned minibuses and Mercedes or Toyota minibuses for airport and shore transfers; the dahabiya sails using lateen sails for much of the itinerary, reducing engine fuel use while underway. Local suppliers include small, family-run cafes and licensed Egyptologists from Luxor and Aswan; seafood and produce served aboard are sourced from regional markets where seasonally available. Crew employment follows local contracts with wages paid in Egypt, and fuel consumption for repositioning motors is logged to monitor usage. Where possible we favour sites that manage visitor numbers to reduce erosion at fragile quarries and archaeological paths. Please ask for specific supplier details when you book, we can share the names of the hotels, restaurants and Egyptologists involved on your departure.
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-180858
At a glance
- Length
- 3 or 4 nights
- Embarks
- Mon in Esna · Fri in Aswan
- Board
- Full Board
- Class
- 5-star
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