Per cabin · Cabins are sold individually — book just your own cabin, sharing the boat with a handful of other guests.
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.
The short answer
Nour El Nil is a 5-Star Deluxe dahabiya. Embark in Esna on a Monday for 5 nights to Aswan. Prices start at $3,505 per person sharing a double cabin, including full board, guided sightseeing and transfers.
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.
The route
Where this ship sails
The stretch of river this ship works. Embarkation days and prices are in the table below.
Cruise lengths, embarkation days and prices
Prices are per person in USD, from 2 people sharing a double cabin. Each price covers the whole cruise, the guided sightseeing program along the route, and your arrival and departure transfers between the ship and the local airport or train station.
| Cruise | October – Aprilcurrent season |
|---|---|
| 5 nights · Esna → Aswanembarks Mondays | October – April: from $3,505double cabin |
Choose your cruise and date in the booking panel for the exact price.
Cabin allocation
- Nile vessels do not have interconnecting cabins.
- Book early and we will ask the vessel to place your party together — usually adjacent, or directly opposite.
- Cabin numbers are confirmed by the vessel at check-in.
Indicative rates only – pricing and cabins fluctuate. Please enquire for live rates on your specific dates.
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: Karnak Temple, the Valley of the Kings, the Colossi of Memnon and the Temple of Hatshepsut. In the afternoon you are driven to Esna, where the dahabiya waits below the lock, to board, settle into your cabin and have dinner on board.
- 2
Morning visit to the rock-cut tombs of El Kab, one of Egypt’s oldest settlements, then a slow sail toward Edfu with lunch on deck and an evening mooring near the town.
- 3
Visit the Temple of Horus, the best-preserved temple in Egypt, in the cool of the morning. Sail on to Gebel el Silsila, where the Nile narrows between sandstone cliffs quarried for the great temples.
- 4
Explore the rock chapels and ancient quarries of Gebel el Silsila before sailing to Kom Ombo, where the twin temple of Sobek and Horus stands right on the bend of the river.
- 5
A day of pure sailing among the islands south of Kom Ombo, with a swimming stop, a walk through a Nubian village, and a farewell dinner on board as the boat nears Aswan.
- 6
Breakfast on board as the dahabiya reaches Aswan, then disembarkation and onward transfer.
The ship
- Class
- 5-Star Deluxe dahabiya
- Cabins
- 10
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
- 05Smaller passenger numbers, quieter sailing and more time ashore compared with larger motor cruisers
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
- Service charges and government taxes
Not included
- Personal expenses
- Tips for crew and guide
- Optional tours not mentioned
- Drinks, including water, are not included, even with meals
- Domestic and international flights
- 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
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.
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.
- Minya Dahabiya Nile Cruise
5-Star Luxury dahabiya
Embarks Mon from Esna / Fri from Aswan
From $3,846 per person
- Adelaide Dahabiya Nile Cruise
5-Star Ultra Deluxe dahabiya
Embarks Mon from Esna / Fri from Aswan
From $3,050 per person
The route
Esna and Aswan
- EdfuThe Temple of Horus
- Kom OmboThe Temple of Sobek
Choose your direction
- Esna → Aswan4 nightsupstream, against the current
- Aswan → Esna3 nightsdownstream, with the current
Snapshot
Good to know
- Destinations
- Esna · Edfu · Kom Ombo · Aswan
- Guide languages
- English · French · German · Italian · Others
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.
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.
– 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. Please bring a refillable bottle to reduce single-use plastic. 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 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-059507
At a glance
- Length
- 5 nights
- Embarks
- Mon in Esna
- Board
- Full Board
- Class
- 5-Star Deluxe
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